Avanti Restaurant — Restaurant in Santa Cruz

Overall I was disappointed with our recent visit to Avanti. The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. We enjoyed the champagne mushroom and squash toast on homemade bread but the simple Caeser salad was off. My daughter described it as eating flavorless wet lettuce. We mentioned that to the hostess when she checked in on us and she did offer to have another salad made but we were already moving on to the entrees. We didn't eat the salad. The gnochi was delicious as always but the halibut was overcooked and dry. We didn't eat it. The busser apologized as he cleared the fish. The lemon rice and veggies wer really light and delicious. We asked for a couple of pieces of bread to enjoy with the gnochi sauce and we were charged for an order of focaccia and olives. The craft old fashioned I ordered came with scooped ice vs the block which the waitress confirmed was the way it's usually made. In the end I had an enjoyable time with my daughter, the server was nice, the quality of the food was great but the overall execution of our meal fell short for the price and expectations and we were still presented with the full bill at the end.

RESPONSE TO OWNER:. I used to be a promoter of Avanti and would recommend it to anyone that came into town. That ends today. I now will tell everyone about the snarky owner that can't even bother to spell a customer's name correctly. Our last experience there was off. I gave praise for what we enjoyed and pointed out what was wrong so all others that elect to eat out will know and can make their own decisions. You have your facts wrong. We did not eat the salad. It was carried away after we mentioned the taste was missing. Again, we did not eat the fish. We each had one bite and moved it to the side of the plate. The bus boy knows because he apologized as he carried it away. We did mention that we enjoyed the rice but again your facts are wrong about the over cooked fish. Your home cooked bread is touted on the menu and by your server. When we asked for a couple of pieces to enjoy the gnocchi sauce it was never explained that we would be charged for focaccia (we did not clean plate as indicated, we took it to go) My Lord, is it too much to provide a customer spending well over $100 and has already highlighted issues with the meal and drinks a couple of piecs of bread? I agree that you are not in the business to comp menu items but we as paying customers are also not expecting to pay for micues especially when we are choosing to go out and support local businesses in the midst of a pandemic. So take the feedback and improve. Don't come online and take shots at loyal customers who now will never patronize any of your businesses ever again. I paid for everything that was presented on the bill and did not ask to have any items removed. More sophisticated places would find a way to ensure customers with less than stellar experiences would feel appreciated enough to give it another try. You're wrong again about the tip. Of course I didn't tip over the top given the experience, but do the math It was not 5%. The tip was in line with the level of service received. You are 100% correct about one thing "order or not". Now we choose 'not'. There are many other places in town to enjoy and to spend our money. We'll...

I was so disappointed, I was expecting for some reason, Italian food, maybe because of the name. Instead, I had food with Italian names, but without the subtly , and excitement of Italian food. It was so Americanized, so blah , that it was indescribable. We had the calamari fried, and it was good, not special , but good. It was followed by the buttery lettuce with heritage tomatoes. Who ever heard of refrigerating tomatoes. They were so mushy, that they were inedible. I did however eat them, as they were not inexpensive, and I suppose they have the same fiber and health advantage of a good tomato. My wife had a ravioli with nettle. It was in fact tasty, but the pasta was so thin, that it was more life a flour tortilla. The greatest disappointment of all was the pork shoulder I had. I had been to Tuscany two years ago and had a similar course. It was nothing like this boiled pork slices swimming in a half inch of water. To top it off, the music was throughout Spanish, perhaps an andalusian persuasion. Fine in a Spanish restaurant, but not at all appropriate for an...

I have been coming to Avanti for years and can't say enough good things about the food and experience. The service is fantastic, welcoming and knowledgeable. It is ideal for both larger family gatherings or quieter romantic meals. On our last visit we enjoyed the fresh and tasty burrata, and the crispy and perfectly tender calamari fritti for starters. My son had the seafood puttanesca which was packed with flavor. My wife had a steak which was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I had a fish that was one of the weekly specials that was paired with a delicious sauce and vegetables. My wife and I love the wine selection as well. Having lived in Santa Cruz most of my life, I have found a few restaurants that have become firm favorites, and Avanti remains at the top of the list. If you went through our photo albums, it would be the backdrop for countless birthdays, graduations and anniversaries but even if we didn't have a special occasion to celebrate the meal would still be special and memorable. The fried chicken on Sundays is also something that is dangerously addictive and should...