Vino E Cucina — Restaurant in Long Beach

We dined at Vino e Cucina for dinner, arriving at 5:30 PM hoping to beat the Saturday crowd—but clearly, many had the same idea. The place was warm, cozy, and quite full, creating a lively yet welcoming atmosphere for our meal.

The burrata e prosciutto was absolutely wonderful. The creamy mozzarella paired perfectly with the fresh arugula and Parma prosciutto, making it a standout starter. The scoglio, a seafood pasta with linguine, mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, and scallops in a lightly spicy tomato sauce, was satisfying and flavorful. However, the bolognese was underwhelming. While the fettuccine noodles were cooked well, the tomato beef ragout lacked depth and complexity. A touch of Worcestershire sauce, soy, or more Italian herbs could have elevated its flavor. For dessert, we had the tiramisu. While it was good, it could have been exceptional with a stronger espresso or coffee flavor and perhaps more rum, as the richness was slightly lacking.

The service was attentive, and the overall experience was pleasant. While a couple of dishes could be improved, the restaurant has a lot of potential, and we’re curious to try more items from their menu...

Vino E Cucina has been on my list for sometime since I frequent this street but have never made the time to visit here before. When we walked in they asked if we had a reservation, when we said we did not, we were still seated? So I’m not sure if it’s best to make one just in case but it was a busy weekend night and we were still seated.

The food had some highs and mids. Our favorite plate was the stuffed tortellini with mushrooms. It was super savory and creamy and balanced well with the pasta. It was absolutely rich and delicious. We used some of the homemade bread to finish the sauce 😛

The calamari was yummy but lacked either more crunch or more zest with a lemon or something, but pretty mid appetizer!

The other pasta dish we got with clams was good, but lacked sauce or substance. It was okay!

The tiramisu was class and good but sadly I was left disappointed with the cannolis. The mascarpone was too sweet for my liking and the chocolate just added more sweetness.

Overall I do want to come back and find those hidden gem dishes such as the tortellini, because if that dish was THAT good I’m sure there...

My son loves Italian food, history, and culture. He got straight A's and we decided to reward him with a Saturday night out at a more traditional type of restaurant. Our first choice didn't work out so we hit up Vino E Cucina. We had been here once before. He's a picky pre-teen so we were searching for a spaghetti option. The Bolognese was the closest match and he thought it was delicious! Prior, after eating the bruschetta starter for the first time he exclaimed, "These are the best tomatoes I've ever had!"

The restaurant at times is a bit chaotic, but it's also relaxed and friendly in equal measures. Our server was outstanding. She made us feel like we were transported to a little friendly village somewhere in the those many Mediterranean hills. The juicy and tender sea bass special was prepared with just enough seasoning to make you want another bite.

My wife had the contadina pasta meal and she enjoyed the pairing with the recommended wine. We saved enough room for dessert and I definitely recommend their traditionally made Italian cappuccino...