Bulgarini Vino Cucina — Restaurant in Altadena

I recently visited Bulgarini Osteria e Gelato and left feeling thoroughly disappointed. The restaurant's entrance was difficult to locate, and as a first-time guest, I was unsure of the correct entry point.

Upon arrival, I stood unacknowledged for about ten minutes while the owner/ chef engaged in a conversation. Eventually, I approached another staff member to inquire about seating, questioning why I had to initiate this instead of being welcomed.

Menu lacked variety, offering no chicken dishes, and although swordfish was listed, it was unavailable that day. The only protein options were beef and prime rib, which was disappointing for those who don't consume beef.

Additionally, there were no diet beverages available, and the chef's demeanor was notably unfriendly. No substitutions allowed and no sides to add-on. For someone not as familiar with Italian food, don’t expect the owner to go over the menu or explain/define dishes.

Ordered bread as an appetizer, we waited 40 minutes without receiving it. To our astonishment, the owner was inside the restaurant, leisurely eating gelato with someone, seemingly indifferent to the service issues.

Our dinner was served before the appetizer, disrupting the meal's flow. Adding to the discomfort, our heater was moved to another table without rebalancing the remaining one between me and my friend.

When the bread finally arrived—late into the meal as I was nearly finished with my pasta-there was no apology for the delay. The couple next to us, who ordered bread as an appetizer, received it within seven minutes, while we waited over 45 minutes. The manager or chef took no accountability, neither acknowledging the oversight nor offering an apology.

To conclude the disappointing experience, the owner swiped the card and placed it back on the table instead of handing it to me directly, which felt discourteous.

Overall, the combination of poor service, limited options, and inattentiveness from management make for an unpleasant dining experience. I would not recommend Bulgarini Osteria e Gelato to others seeking a satisfactory meal.

If the owner doesn’t know you, you don’t exist. Overpriced!!!!...

I don’t usually write reviews. But the experience was unfortunately compelling and left a bad taste. I have been to Bulgarini three times prior. This time I purchased a box of cannolis and a two scoop and three scoop ice cream. I was charged $35.50, plus tip for a total of $41.00. The payment system is in Italian so I decided to check my bill thoroughly after I exited. My bill should be $30.50. I went back for a refund. My new bill, again in Italian, was again wrongly overcharged. On a third attempt, I added the bill for the server and was finally charged the correct amount. At this time, the server and I are cool. Accidents happen. But then the owner (the middle aged disheveled guy) gets involved and the ensuing problem that leads to my review:

1. He asked me what the problem was. I told him I was overcharged. He questions the server. The server said it’s fixed. Owner comes back to me “It’s fixed, so what is your problem?” A bit confrontational, STRIKE 1. I agreed is fixed but explained that given my bill and the payment system is in Italian, this may add confusion for me. The owner tells me “I’m Italian”, STRIKE 2. I retort that I’m not (I am Asian) and Im paying the bill. I don’t speak Italian therefore I cannot scrutinize my bill. His response? “The bill was corrected so I don’t understand your problem.” Guess I struck out. My brother and I left without further engaging him.
2. This next issue is speculation on my part. I already read two more Google reviews that also point out overcharging. My take? Hard to understand bill unless you speak Italian and multiple reviews regarding overcharged bills? I’ll let other reviewers chime in and decide.

PS the gelato is good, the server is good, cannot speak for the owner’s service and the...

I came here with 4 friends on a Friday evening and it wasn't crowded. I did a phone reservation a few days before. We ordered margherita pizza and 3 pasta dishes of the following: Spaghettini Con Anatra (homemade spaghettini with duck ragu sauce), Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Romana (spaghetti with pork cheeks & egg) & Fetuccine Al Funghi (hand cut egg noodles w/ portobella & porcini mushrooms). I was glad that my friends and I shared all the pasta dishes to try a few bites from each.

I love that their pasta is hand made. Each pasta is also al dente (chewy & firm). The duck ragu pasta dish was pretty light in flavor but still flavorful with the duck. The mushrooms were juicy and fresh and the egg noodles were wonderful. The carbonara dish was quite rich and creamy in flavor but its crispy bacon and peppery taste balanced out the richness from the cheese. The pizza was also delicious with the thin crust and char from wood fire. It was juicy from the tomatoes & cheesy. The pesto sauce was also a nice extra touch to the pizza. I tried their nectarine & silican almond for gelato this time. Nectarine tasted just like the fruit and it was refreshing. The almond was quite nutty.

I also recommend their focaccia bread and pistachio gelato. I was sad that they didn't have pistachio gelato this time since I usually get that when I have visited Bulgarini the past few times. As someone who loves pistachios, their pistachio gelato is one of the best I have tasted in...