Pianeta — Restaurant in Truckee

Truckee local for 22+ years & Pianeta has been, & will always be, our favorite date night spot... My husband & I (& girlfriends & I, & my son/our family) have been to Pianeta countless times. The ambiance is so cozy & rustic-- it's the best you'll find in Truckee (rivaled only by the bar area in Cottonwoods). Beyond that, their food is consistently good & authentic & this comes from someone who is currently/has been living in Tuscany, Italy for the past 1.5 years. But what's prompted me to write a review today is the service. My son & I just flew back to Truckee for his 2 week spring break & during that fairly frenzied visit I absolutely needed one "date night" with my husband (who's still living in Truckee, while we're in Italy, his work demands not allowing him to be with us right now-- long story/funky situation for sure). Anyhow, we parked downtown & it was packed, as seems to be the case every day now, & we ran down the list of "usual" spots to grab a drink. Most we weren't too jazzed about but, of course, Pianeta rose to the top as where we ideally wanted to go, but with the overcrowding of our town the likelihood, we knew, was slim to none of getting 2 seats. Well, we gave it a try anyhow & the gal who was hostessing could NOT have been nicer, despite it clearly being a very busy time for her & the restaurant. Rather than turning us away from the clearly-full restaurant, she made a true effort to see if any people appeared as if they'd be paying soon/departing. She said, indeed, there would soon be 2 spots at the bar & offered for us to go upstairs & sit at a table where it's warm & comfortable until the barstools opened up. We did just this & 5 minutes later she popped up & showed us to the bar. This story may not seem so outstanding but a) she had no idea how precious this evening was for my husband & I-- that we're living long-distance lives for now & this outing was our one, true opportunity to connect & be together for awhile, & b) we told her we were just ordering a drink so our $20ish tab wasn't going to be too significant to that night's earnings, but this didn't seem to matter one bit. It was also super kind of her to allow us to wait upstairs, rather than outside in the bitter cold, which she surely could have suggested. I went to Pianeta 1 more time during my visit & had, of course, some great apps & wine with a friend & it's really, truly ironic that I'd choose to patronize an Italian restaurant during my brief stay in the US given that - much as I love Italian food - I'm having MORE than my fair share of it living in Italy... but, Pianeta, all around, in so many different ways, is...

I'm not one to spray negativity on the web, in fact this will be my first public review, but Pianeta doesn't offer a email address to do this discreetly and I want to say something. I have been dining at this establishment for almost two decades. I have loved this place and always left very happy until last night. In all the years of eating here I have only been seated upstairs twice and the difference is significant. We (party of two) were crammed onto a table for 1 1/2. We were just a arms length away from a service entrance that was blowing freezing cold air down my back and had my date shivering despite the warm night we couldn't wait to get ourselves back outside to (we wanted to stay and enjoy some dessert but had to just order something to go instead). Our waiter, who's name I don't know because he never introduced himself to us, was unfriendly and it felt that his heart just wasn't in it. I asked him about the specials and he told me he "Didn't know much about them" and the brief one sentence "description in the menu could do a better job explaining them than I could"?!? We felt ignored when we first sat down (before our waiter even said hi to us he yelled right over the top of us to a table that was just being sat behind us)and then rushed us through our first course. The atmosphere upstairs reminded me of ChuckyCheese. There was a kid crying just over my shoulder and two tables where the children were battling to scream louder than the other. I couldn't hear my date and had to re-hash conversations on the drive home. My date was my beautiful girlfriend of three years and this was her Birthday. I suggested Pianeta, and was terribly let down. The second star was given for the food which was just as...

I sat at the bar tonight and what an experience! Was I in Italy or just living in a dream? Maybe both?? After the daze and haze of this monumental experience, I realized that I was in fact at Pianetta in Truckee, CA USA. 🤯

I walked in and felt like I was being transported straight into the future of luxurious Italian cuisine; nestled in the high Sierra.

The bread was thick and fresh. Warm and tasty. My hand crafted mocktail: a true piece of art. The chicken marsala was like taking a bite out of Italy's rich cultural history: the flavors deep and plentiful. Each bite caressing my belly with satisfactory fulfillment.

And what about the service? The bartender Arielle, who I assume to be a legend, was attentive, friendly, and professional. She multi-tasked with grace, treating each bar patron as if they were a legend themselves. As I watched the customers at the bar, I could feel the inspiration they gleaned from her service; their lives refreshed, ready to be successful in all of their new creative endeavors!

Twas it a dream? Or was it Pianetta? I'll never know for sure, but I know it was the best dining experience I've had in at least 69 days. I'd give this place 69 stars if I could, but alas Google doesn't allow it. Regardless, my rating will be 69 stars permanently embedded in the depths of my heart ❤️. Blessings be upon management and all...