Cielo - Italian Restaurant & Rooftop Bar — Restaurant in Atascadero

I have a deadly shellfish allergy which makes eating out somewhat challenging. Other than that, I'm super flexible with what I eat. My spiel usually starts with "I have a deadly shellfish allergy, but other than that I'm really open to anything on your menu that isn't suspectable to cross contamination. If you can point me to the area where I can safely order, I'll be happy." Still have been sent to the ER three times for cross contamination.

So I was a little nervous when my daughter asked if we can go to Cielo Ristorante & Rooftop Bar for her birthday dinner. Their rooftop bar - which I've enjoyed before - is shellfish free but the restaurant is not. Still...I figured I'd give it a whirl and worst case scenario, I'd eat bread and have dinner when I got home.

I gave my spiel and our waitress - Jessica - assured me I could have anything on the menu that didn't contain shellfish. I was suspicious and hesitant and wondered if she, like others, didn't get what I was saying. I reiterated the cross contamination point and she said, "It won't be a problem. They use new pans and new utensils as a matter of course for every dish." I gave her side eye and she added that she'd check with the chefs, but assured me I would be fine.

She came back and confirmed that yes, the chefs could handle my allergy, that they use new pans and utensils for each dish, and that they'd be very careful with my order to enable me to enjoy whatever I chose. She expressed her disbelief when I told her that's not usually the case and said, "Everyone should be able to safely enjoy a dinner out."

I ordered the chicken cacciatore which she brought out first and was marked for allergies. With a leap of faith, I took a bite. It was sublime. The chicken was tender, the polenta creamy and perfectly seasoned. The bell peppers were cooked to absolute perfection and best of all? Not a single allergic reaction.

I happily ate my dinner and have added Cielo to my list of super awesome and safe dining locations. They will start to get sick of me because seriously...sometimes I want to go out to a nice restaurant for a nice meal. Safely. And they've proven they can deliver. If I could give them - and Jessica - twenty...

We definitely worked up an appetite getting to this place. We were not aware that the streets would be closed down for "Cruising Atascadero". The nearest parking was several blocks away and with temperatures near 100 degrees, getting there was no picnic. Entering we find the restaurant to be gorgeous. We approach the front counter and wait a few minutes for someone to approach us. They have our reservation for 8 but the table is not set up and we are on time! Ten minutes pass and we are shown to our table. Water and bread arrives and our server approaches us about ten minutes later for the drink order. Our table orders several appetizers to share and I found the calamari to be more outstanding then the others. It was seasoned very well and is good with or without sauce. Corkege fee is only $15 so we took advantage of that and brought a couple nice wines to share. We were impressed with the large wine glasses and the server was on top of making sure the glasses had wine in them. For dinner I started with the grilled octopus salad followed by the pizza bianca. The octopus salad was good and the pizza, although dry was flavorful. My wife ordered the Cozze which is steamed mussels with grilled focaccia. She said it had a kerosene taste and therefore she barely touched it. She should have sent it back and I would have said something but did not notice until they cleaned up the table. Service started out great but waned towards the end. This is a new restaurant and things like this will get worked out. For now the best I can give is 3.5 stars which rounds down to 3. We like the area and perhaps will give this another try. Cielo has promise but serving a dish that taste like and smells like kerosene will lower your Yelp score. Perhaps next time we give you 5 stars....

From the moment we walked in, the ambiance set the tone: modern, stylish, and inviting. The booth seating was super comfortable, the lighting was warm and elegant, and every detail in the décor felt carefully thought out.

We were lucky to have Kristina as our server, she was incredibly attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and made us feel truly welcomed throughout the evening. Her recommendations were spot-on!

The food? Absolutely phenomenal. We started with the burrata and beet appetiser fresh, vibrant, and beautifully plated with toasted bread and balsamic glaze. The charred broccolini with parmesan was simple yet delicious, and the seasonal salad with goat cheese, apples, and pistachios was refreshing and perfectly balanced.

For mains, we tried several pastas and every single one was a standout. The lemony mushroom linguine was delicate, flavorful, and bright. The chicken Alfredo was rich and creamy without being overwhelming, and the radiatori with red sauce and cheese had amazing texture and flavor. But the star for us was the pistachio gnocchi with burrata absolutely heavenly!

We also shared a Margherita pizza fresh out of the wood-fired oven, crisp crust, melty cheese, fresh basil… just perfect. Drinks were well crafted, with balanced flavors and beautiful presentation.

From food to service to atmosphere, Cielo delivered a 10/10 experience. We’re already looking forward to coming back and checking out the rooftop bar next time. This place is a true gem,...