Catullo's Italian Nocatee — Restaurant in Nocatee

A truly WOW experience tonight at Catullo’s. Our waiter, Justin L, was truly fantastic with his service, knowledge of the product and personality! Our table of 3 shared the Burrata appetizer which melted in your mouth. It is served with 6 pieces of crostini with honey on the side. You got to order it! We could have used two more slices of crostini and they would have given it to us. Jenn ordered the Porcini Mushroom Tortellini bursting with incredible beef flavor and she ordered sliced sausage on the side ( which you do not need. ) The flavor will fill your mouth and be epic. Mike ordered the Chicken Capricciosa which was excellent but he did not realize it had prosciutto in it which he does not like ( he would have omitted it.) I had the Lasagna which is the first time I ever ordered it at Catullo’s. When it arrived, it was covered in true homemade tomato sauce with a slight zip to it, just like my Italian mother used to make. This is a huge compliment. The negative was that the lasagna serving was the smallest lasagna serving that I have ever been served anywhere and it lacked sufficient layers BUT it was delicious. I advised Justin our waiter of that fact and he offered to bring another serving which I refused. I told him it was an appetizer sized serving but I would not order again because of the serving size. The owner or manager also checked on our table and gave us grated cheese and extra sauce for the tortellini! I told him also about the small serving of the Lasagna. The three of us shared a luscious crispy creamy cannoli that can be shared by three guests after a full dinner. Jenn and Mike each had a glass of Cabernet that complimented the meal. They both had leftovers which the waiter boxed up for us along with a new serving of bread. The owner manager also added a entree serving of lasagna to take home. I told him that we did not order it. He said he couldn’t let me leave without being totally happy. My mouth gasped that he did this which was totally unexpected. So this was a WOW experience. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you are not totally satisfied. Catullo’s knows the value of a happy diner....

How have I not left a review for this location yet?! If you're wondering whether the quality here matches their original Jax location—the answer is a resounding yes!

I came last Wednesday for a small birthday dinner with two foodie friends who had never experienced Catullo’s before. Let’s just say, they were blown away—so much so that they were already planning their return visit before we even finished our appetizers.

Speaking of ambiance, I love the black-and-white accent wall that was added recently. It adds an elegant, upscale touch that enhances the entire dining experience.

What We Had: A bottle of red wine for the table Fried Mozzarella (always fresh, never frozen) One of the appetizer specials: fresh mussels (served with incredible bread that was different from their usual pasta accompaniment—would’ve gladly ordered more just to soak up all the juices but I did not want to fill up on bread) Three entrées (only mine is pictured: the pear pasta with scallops) Three desserts (one shown in photos): the featured sorbet and gelatos.

The Service: Our server was attentive, patient, and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations without ever making us feel rushed. It was clear she genuinely cared about our experience.

We also had a visit from Mark Catullo which was such a treat. He generously let us try the secret housemade limoncello—an absolute delight! Both he and our server went above and beyond to make the evening feel so special, and I can't thank them enough for their genuine hospitality.

Why I Love Catullo’s: Beyond the warm, welcoming staff every visit, what truly sets Catullo’s apart from other Italian spots in Jax is its authenticity. The dishes aren’t drowned in cheese just for the sake of an Instagrammable cheese pull—every ingredient is thoughtfully balanced. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of cheese, but it's done right.

If you appreciate top-notch service and high-quality, real Italian food, you must give Catullo’s a try. Just remember: they don’t take reservations, so arrive early, beat the crowd, and savor a truly unrushed dining experience with...

Not authentic Italian food!

We were very disappointed when we visited Catullo’s Nocatee. Our neighbors raved about how great the food was.

Nothing was traditional or authentic, but some kind of weird Florida-Italian fusion- Datil hot sauce on a pasta dish, seriously????

The best items were the Arachini (although it was lukewarm warm, not hot and the goat cheese center was cold). Yes goat cheese, you heard me. Traditional Aranchini are made with mozzarella-the goat cheese center did not add anything to the overall taste, but rather detracted from it. Additionally, the chocolate cake was very good.

Creamy Pesto Chicken was slightly sweet, it was just weird. Again, I wanted to like it-I wanted it to be good and it just was not. The Chicken Capriccosa tasted old with burnt sauce, like it was made 2 days prior and just reheated. We asked for salt as both dishes lacked flavor; pro-tip: the salt did not help.

“Why no pictures?” you may ask, well that’s bc the lighting was terrible. Very dimly-lit interior, but if you time it right and come when the sun is setting, and you’re in line with the entrance, you can be blinded by the reflecting light off the building across the parking lot.

Very cramped dining area! We could hear everything the couple at the table next to us were saying, so eventually, we joined in on their conversation. They had the same opinion regarding their experience- drawn here by neighbor’s comments but very disappointing.

You cannot make reservations. The link takes you to a total scam site and asks for your email and credit card to create an account. The only info about this place is their FaceBook page, which is littered with sponsored content (like dog food ads).

We really wanted to like this place, bc of all the fantastic word of mouth reviews we have heard, but sadly it was not the case.

If you want to experience a northeast Floridian’s culinary opinion of Italy, then this is the place for you.

If you want authentic, traditional Italian food, do not visit this restaurant, otherwise, you will be...