Armani's Cucina — Restaurant in Vero Beach

Armani's Cucina 1920 14th Ave. Vero Beach, FL 32960

5 Stars

In the mood for some 5-star food, I reset the parameters on my random name generator to the more food-friendly climes of Indian River County. The closer one gets to a big city in the Sunshine State, the better the food. Go figure.

Paris is our service professional, and let me tell you, the stars and planets really aligned for this meal. Paris is an outstanding member of the team and one thing you don't normally see is good food with good service. Usually, the better the food, the worse the service. I'm not exactly sure of the correlation here, but I do have a few theories worthy of a dissertation or two. I put in an order for Kerry's Steak Marsala, the Pear & Gorgonzola Fiocchi and the Polpo alla griglia with a side of Asiago garlic bread.

Enjoying the warmth of the place, I snapped a few pics and soon witnessed Paris returning with my order. Keeping the phone out, I quickly took some pics of the cuisine and eagerly dug in. The aromas emanating from the plates laid out before me were mesmerizing to the food inspired. Before digging in, know that I do not hide behind a screen of fustian and fluffery. For those reviews, see the now defunct Florida Today food section. What I write is what I got. I don't care if they like it, you like it, or the President likes it. Someone needs to tell it like it is.

First up on my no-holds-barred palate was Kerry's Steak Marsala. I am a huge fan of anything Marsala as it is quick, flavorful and adds a splash of gourmet to any protein if done correctly. And this? This was done superbly. The chef took a medium-grade hunk of cow flesh, cooked it to a perfect medium rare, and nailed the Marsala sauce. If there was any minus to his production, it was the casting of canned mushrooms instead of fresh ones. Not my choice, but acceptable in this sauce.

Forcing my fork to move on, I turned my taste buds toward the Pear & Gorgonzola Fiocchi. As the flavors exploded on my tongue like so many pop-rocks of days gone by, I had to close my eyes to truly savor this divine moment. This dish was bursting with flavor and an absolute out-of-the-park home run.

This brings me to the final dish ordered today (I'm pretty sure I will be back) the Polpo alla griglia. I admit this is a more advanced dish, if only for the visual, than your average Italian fare, but it is one of my favorites. Once again, our James Beard impersonator in the back was obviously taking his job very seriously as this was exceedingly exquisite and obviously prepared with love. I would be remiss if I failed to mention the side of Asiago garlic bread. One bite and I knew the bread person was on the same page as the head chef. This was to die for.

It's sad that we have to leave Brevard County to experience dining of this level, but here it is, right next to my #1 Breakfast place in Florida. It is what it is.

The Big Boy says, “Come here and taste fantastic Italian food—food that does not exist...

I don’t typically write reviews that are poor without speaking to the managers but they didn’t seem to be concerned, and I feel compelled to share my recent experience at Armani’s Italian Restaurant in Vero Beach — not out of malice, but out of genuine concern for others who may dine here.

During my visit, I ordered the stuffed chicken entrée, which sounded delicious on the menu. However, what I received was not only disappointing — it was outright dangerous. After eating nearly half of one of the chicken breasts, I noticed something felt off with the texture. Upon closer inspection, I was shocked to discover that both pieces of chicken were completely raw on the inside — not undercooked, but visibly raw and pink, with a cold, gelatinous center.

By the time I noticed, I had already consumed a significant portion. The thought that I may have just exposed myself to foodborne pathogens like salmonella or campylobacter is deeply unsettling. Eating raw chicken is not a minor mistake — it’s a serious health risk that can lead to severe gastrointestinal illness, fever, dehydration, and in some cases, hospitalization. For immunocompromised individuals or children, the consequences can be even more dangerous.

Mistakes happen in restaurants, but raw poultry leaving the kitchen is a critical lapse in food safety protocols. I brought the issue to the attention of the waitress after we had to search for her for over 10mins, and while she was apologetic, there was nothing offered in the way of resolution or assurance that the situation would be properly addressed.

What concerns me most is not just my own potential exposure to illness, but the thought that this could happen to someone else — possibly someone more vulnerable to the effects of food poisoning.This cook not only served raw chicken but handled it while they touched every other dish that was sent out contaminating everything.

Armani’s may have an appealing menu and a nice atmosphere, but no ambiance can make up for a basic failure to prepare food safely. I truly hope they take this seriously and implement immediate measures to ensure nothing like this happens again.

Until then, I urge anyone considering dining here to proceed...

Very disappointed in being charged twice: The food and drinks without the tip placed on my charge card, and then the food and drinks WITH the tip as another separate charge. When the owner was contacted out of courtesy and asked to remove the charge without the tip, she did not return my call. I had to call a second time. At that time she said that the bank errored and that I should contact the bank vs her reversing the one charge without the tip. She kept saying she needed to be paid. I agree, but twice for the same food? The bank indicated that there is no way they could make this error without the restaurant running this thru twice and there would be no way that they would have the exact charges, prior to tip and after tip unless they are mind readers. So please beware!

When we have eaten here on prior occasions it was VG, but each subsequent visit it has not met expectations from the prior visit. We were served a tiny portion of calamari, 6 fiocchi (pasta with a cheese sauce), and pizza with minimal cheese and sauce the last time. The time before, the eggplant parmesan main dish was unlike any served elsewhere and was not breaded. Fries were greasy. On another visit, our table was not cleaned properly and crumbs were left on the bench and table. Three times is the charm! I have no idea where there "market" is located and would avoid it too if I found it due to double charges. It is unfathomable how a restaurant could charge the same exact amount--one with tip and one without--to my charge account number when the place was not busy. Odd, isn't it? Two different servers handled our table since the first never returned for us to pay our tab. Improperly trained staff in this area may mean improper training in other areas too. And, duplicate charges - twice for same exact meal is never acceptable. It has never, ever happened to us in decades--except with this restaurant. The bank stands behind what they told us--restaurant...