Magliocca's Ristorante — Restaurant in Highlands

SIMPLE | COMFORT | DELICIOUS

Having just returned from Italy a few weeks ago, I was hesitant to try Magliocca's Ristorante. There’s a certain arrogance that comes with experiencing the real thing—the sun-soaked tomatoes, the basil plucked fresh from the garden, the pasta made by hands weathered by decades of tradition. I thought, "How could anything match that?"

But boy, was I wrong.

Walking into Magliocca's, I felt immediately at ease. The restaurant exudes comfort without trying too hard, with soft lighting casting a warm glow and delicate floral arrangements quietly adorning the tables.

It’s intimate, yet unpretentious—the kind of place where you know you’re in for something special but never feel like you have to impress anyone.

And then there’s the food. Simple, yes. But in that simplicity lies the genius. Chef Danny Magliocca doesn’t complicate things; he lets the ingredients speak for themselves. The complementary warm bread and herb butter was a nice touch.

Each dish feels like a love letter to the countryside of Italy, where freshness and flavor are king.

The pasta? Perfectly al dente, with sauces that cling to each strand as if they were made to be together. The service? Flawless. The wait staff moves with an unspoken confidence, always there when you need them, but never hovering, each one knowledgeable and passionate about what they’re serving.

I thought I’d be comparing everything to Italy, but Magliocca’s Ristorante stands on its own. It’s the real deal—a place that’s as much about the experience as it is about the food.

Mark my words: if Chef Magliocca and his team can keep this level of consistency, this place will become legendary. It’s a restaurant that doesn’t just serve food; it serves memories, and I, for one, will be coming...

THOSE WITH ALLERGIES, PLEASE READ!! I called ahead of time to see if they could accommodate gluten free, and was told yes they could and that they had multiple options. Upon arriving to the restaurant, I spoke to 3 different people about gluten free options, only to be told that there really was only two options. Was told that the safest option would be the branzino fish, so that is what I ordered. I stated multiple times about being gluten free and wanting to ensure the food I ordered was, and was guaranteed that it was. Our food came out, I took a bite, and it seemed like there was some kind of breading. I asked, and was told that it was not gluten free, and the server said she forgot to tell the kitchen. She said she had only been working for 3 days, but that is an unacceptable excuse to forget about an allergy. I have celiac. This happening severely affects my health. This carelessness by the staff is very frustrating. And to top it all off, the only compensation we got was not having to pay for my food (which I did not eat due to it being not GF). They offered to remake it, but honestly at that point, I did not feel comfortable eating there. Everyone in my party was severely inconvenienced by this, and we were not offered any compensation for others in the party either. The right thing to do would have been to compensate for the entire party, since it took away from our time to enjoy dinner. If you say you can accommodate allergies, you must be more careful. The carelessness is unacceptable. I would NEVER recommend this and will never be going back here. A simple apology does not suffice when someone’s health and safety...

We were moving our Grandson from Brevard College, Were from Georgia, and my husband remembered it being a great Hamburger place so we walked on the porch it was 1pm. We looked through the screen door and we asked if they were opened. He said well we open at 5pm but come on in. We walked in and we were told to have a seat would we like a drink. We were served a beverage. We didn't eat as we knew this Kind Man opened his door even though they were not prepared for guests, Conversation was wonderful, fresh rising dough on the counter. We politely told him our Grandson would not eat anything on the menu, he is very picky but polite. And we didn't want to disrupt his preparations for his Opening at 5. We offered to pay for our beverage but the owner said no. So we promised to stop and enjoy dinner next time we pass through. I want to Thank him for his kindness, His courtesy. There are not many like him around anymore. Thank you Sir for letting us in and enjoy a little relaxation. We will come back. From a Bulldog fan to A...