Sunday afternoon in early August: a nice time to enjoy outdoor eating in a Solvang courtyard. In the future, however, we'll go elsewhere. While the food was satisfactory -- nothing bad even though nothing stood out as exemplary -- management obviously does not train the Sunday afternoon staff well. We had a busboy apologize three times for not bringing bread before finally doing so. We asked for more water halfway through the meal but never could get the server to do more than "I'll come back with some soon." Trying to flag someone down was truly an exercise in futility. The staff simply has not been taught well, and we are frankly embarrassed that our town offers this low level of service to the many tourists coming to town. We will go elsewhere when we're in the mood for Italian food or eating in a courtyard.
(2)
J B.
My wife and I went here while touring on our tandem bike. We looked at the menu and after seeing only 4 pasta choices none of which sounded great we left. After walking around town for about an hour we realized that there is no where to eat dinner in Solvang that didn't look like some cheesy dive tourist trap so we returned to Cecco as it was our only option. My wife ordered the Stolpman Sangiovese, a wine we have had several times before. Well there was something wrong with the wine, it tasted very harsh and was difficult to drink. We notified the waiter and he was very nice about it and brought us a new glass which was the same as the first. I think they either got some bad bottles or did not store it properly. My wife ordered the pasta with bolognese. It was ok but certainly nothing special. I had the pasta puttanesca. It came with shrimp which were fine, but the sauce had no flavor and there were whole dried olives that tasted very strong and overwhelmed everything else. I will say the service was very good and the pizzas looked good. Next time I am in Solvang I will go to Panino before it closes and get a salad or sandwich as it is the only place that I know has decent food.
(2)
E. S.
Went there after an afternoon of lots of wine tasting. Wanted a small meal and a place to hang out and enjoy the last fleeting hours of our weekend getaway. Every person on staff was super friendly and greeted us with a smile. Enjoyed a fresh mesclun greens salad with a tangy lemon vinaigrette and a homemade pasta filled with ribmeat and wine sauce. There were also yummy succulent pieces of the meat over the pasta. It was drizzled shavings of cheese and it was just DE licious. Glad we found Cecco's. We will definitely be back. The only thing I would change, would be to add a few more selections of reds by the glass! Otherwise------awesome place.
(4)
Sofia C.
This place is amazing! I had the salade di mare with swordfish. The fish was SUPER juicy and had beautiful grill marks on it. The ravioli were also delicious and were definitely homemade. All the food felt fresh. The pizza was a legitimate italian pizza. My husband is a native italian and we know pizza and believe me, this is as italian as it gets. The service was great and we really enjoyed sitting out on their patio. We will definitely go back.
(5)
Dawn S.
Good wine selection. We shared a beet and arugula salad that was a just right balance of sweet and peppery greens. The margherita pizza was so fresh and delicious. My parents shared the pizza with black olives and oregano and said it was very tasty. I also had the tomato "zuppo"; hearty and flavorful. Our service was top notch (thanks Aaron). Cecco is a really nice alternative to the standard Solvang dining experience.
(4)
Cheryl K.
Alrightee then...let's begin. This was my second dining experience at Cecco's. First time around I found it difficult to find something I wanted on the limited menu. However, when I did find something that sounded good, it was good. Tasting that is. Serving and service--an entirely different story. So, I didn't report in to YELP just yet, figured it was a new restaurant and had a few wrinkles to iron out. Six months later, those wrinkles should have been botoxed away, but alas, the lousy service has found a permanent home at Cecco's!! Tonight, two of us were served dinner, two others sat waiting. Seriously, five minutes passed before a waitress came over to explain the mix-up causing the delay. Who cares? Bring all four meals at once--don't let two of us sit there letting our food get cold while we wait for everyone to be served. And then, there are the little things: It was at least 10 minutes after being seated before we were even greeted by the waiter, even longer to get water (had to ask) and bread (had to beg) and no, they were not busy. Each subsequent water refill was by request only; maybe Cecco should get bigger water glasses or a more attentive water-filler-upper. The waiter kept a low profile and we pretty much had to ask for everything and anything we wanted/needed. The food: good+, but not excellent. Too much salt (and remember, not enough water). In the "not their fault" category, I was bitten by a mosquito and scratched my leg vigorously throughout the meal, which, in hindsight, probably took some of my focus off the sub standard service.
(3)
Chris W.
Holy crap amazing! Be prepared to spend some money, but well worth it! Portions were great, food was out of this world, and service was very professional.
(5)
A P.
Found this restaurant on Open Table. We came here so my husband could get a carbo load before riding in Solvang Double Century (200 miles). He got a sausage pasta dish and I got the Bianca pizza. The crust on the pizza was amazing. Probably one of the best thin crust pizzas I've had in a long time. I think it was way better than Amici's from SF known for their thin crust. And it was not oily or greasy or buttery at all at the bottom. The artichokes though could have had more body and less cooked, but all in all very good. I also had a glass of the chef's homemade white blend. It was quite nice. We also had the salad which had a nice dressing-- it was the lemon one. Quite refreshing and light.
(4)
Amanda M.
We went here for lunch. We sat on the patio which was nice. It wasn't crowded at all, which is unfortunate because that would have let me excuse the terrible service we received. Terrible service. Let me say that again, terrible service!. Our waitress messed up our order and brought our entrees before our appetizer. Any other place would comp the appetizer in that instance. There was no offer. More frustrating though was that the waitress never offered to refresh our drinks, and never checked on us, not once. She was older an blonde who was simply standing inside the restaurant where nobody was seated, and neglecting us out on the patio. We got to the point where we asked other waitresses for help. Food was good, but the service made it an unpleasant lunch. Hopefully our old blonde waitress was just checked out for the day and isn't usually so terrible. Food was good and reasonably priced, but next time in Solvang we would not waste our time here.
(1)
Shan A.
We really enjoyed stopping in Solvang to stretch our legs and walk around the shops. We sat outdoors in a nice area and order the Cecco salad, Caesar salad and shared a small Cinghiale which is a boar sausage pizza on very thin crust. It was ok ...the waitress was preoccupied but nice the few times we saw her.
(3)
Tim G.
Great food, service not so much. Our server seemed to be more interested in turning over the table than taking care of us. At one point our server cut my wife off mid sentence presumably because she was not ordering quickly enough then dashed off to seat another victim, I mean customer. Only when the check arrived, and her tip in jeopardy, did our server seem to make a weak attempt at being attentive. Will not eat there again.
(2)
Kacie T.
Amazing food and staff!!! I highly recommend... I'd give more stars if I could!
(5)
Sara W.
Ate here about two weeks ago and was very underwhelmed. The restaurant is clean, well kept, and the server was polite. However, the restaurant was mostly empty (only 4 tables of customers) and the hostess sat us on a two top (normally that is fine) that was wobbly and against a wall. Looking back we should have just asked to sit at another table. Regardless of the "time out" seating the food was over priced for what it was, C+ at best!!! $15 for only 3 oysters in an appetizer and $20 for a personal pizza. Even more disappointing was the Caesar salad which was lettuce with a hint of "sweet" Caesar dressing. I would NOT eat here again even if the prices were lower. I wanted ITALIAN food, not a creative version.
(2)
Anna W.
Solvang needs more places lik Cecco. It offers an amazing wine list featuring local wines plus some Italian wines. We had the Calamari, Caprese (made with Arugula, fantastic heirloom tomatoes and Burrata) and the butternut squash ravioli with sage butter. The service was excellent. It also has some nice outdoor seating on a plaza, which is great if you go there for lunch.
(4)
Brittney S.
Amazing pizza one of the best pizzas I've had outside of Italy! We shared the prosciutto pizza, salad, pasta and wine-everything was excellent. Definitely recommend this Italian eatery if you find yourself in Solvang!
(5)
Duncan S.
Simply awesome. We were stranded on Valentine's Day because the reservation we made at another restaurant ended up only having a prefixed menu with limited options for $90 a person! No way! We walked down the street and came upon this gem at around 9:45. Other restaurants had already shut their kitchens down but the owner was kind enough to seat us and allow us to enjoy their amazing food. The owner suggested a fine wine and provided a glass for us to taste, which we ended up buying a bottle of! We ended up ordering two amazing pizzas, calamari, Ravioloi, and super fresh Bruschetta. The food is delicious and is very reasonably priced for how good is taste! This is a must visit for anyone going to Solvang!
(5)
Michelle W.
Never again. Listed menu on Open table not correct. Purposely made reservations for their oysters. Then were told the chef wouldn't make them, even though the half shell oysters were available which we ended up having to order. Ordered two appetizers, they came quickly but the risotto appetizers were not even warm, the inside risotto and meat was stone cold. By the time I received them back my husband had finished his food, we decided not to try to attempt our luck on a main course since the starters had failed terribly. Ate elsewhere for the balance of diner. Heard great things about the restaurant but it was a terrible dining experience.
(1)
John O.
The service and food were wonderful. The Carbanera was so good and the sauce was creamy but not overwhelming. The pizza was excellent, toasty, and tasty! The Putanesca was spicy and fresh. Everything was wonderful and we'll be back!!!
(5)
Daniela A.
I was happy to find an Italian restaurant in Solvang. I asked the waitress if we could seat inside since my mom was sick. She said it was not possible and she was not even concern and not show any interest to have us as costumer. So we left..... I m not even curious about the food. Customers need to be treated nicely.
My family and I spent 3 days in Solvang last month. We had the typical Danish breakfast, lunch and Dinner the 1st 2 days. The last day we road the Suri bicycle for and hour around town. When we returned it we saw this Italian place with outdoor seating. We tried two of the specialty pizza(Marco & Bianca) and were really delicious! We ended up coming back later that evening for dinner. And so glad we did! We had the Calamari and Oysters Fritti for apps. For dinner I had the special seared tuna, Wow that was so good i wanted to take one back to our room for later. My wife had the wood roasted filet with mushrooms. Spectacular is all I could say. We had coffee and no dessert. No room! We only wish we lived closer to this place! We will make this our must stop whenever we come into town. Cheers!
(5)
Sherri C.
My friends and I came here a few days ago and had a less than desirable service and food. First off it was not busy and we had to ask several times if we could get our water glasses filled (which was all we were drinking). My friends Chicken was burnt and dry and absolutely inedible. My friend was offered something else in return and opted for a cesear salad that didn't even have croutons added to it once it was brought out. My other friend's dinner was a tortellini that was very good but only had about 7 on the plate. For the price we we expected a little more. She was still hungry afterwards. I ordered a pizza that was ok. A bit plain in the taste but not bad. The service wasn't anything to write home about but at least the bus lady was on top of clearing off our table. They did write off my friends dinner which was acceptable at the end but we will not return to this restaurant again.
(2)
Charlotte L.
Waitress recommended the bolognese pasta. I was very disappointed. Bolognese sauce was bland and portion small for the price. My husband was happy with his turkey sandwich and fries. I left hungry with no desire to return.
(2)
Jake S.
This restaurant is really romantic. Really enjoyed the service and the ambiance. Wine prices are pricey, but the beer/cocktail prices are totally reasonable. Pizza from the Wood-fired oven was fantastic. Our server was friendly and attentive. Would recommend to anyone looking for a romantic night out.
(5)
Kai R.
Ok - what are the chances you can get decent Italian food, including pizza in Solvang? I had low expectations (all of the danish restaurants are always packed in Solvang with long wait times), but was very surprised. The food is good here, quite good actually. Had 2 pizza's, 1 pasta, 1 salad. Note - if you order a salad here, ask for dressing on the side (the drench it otherwise). Price point is $2-3 higher than it should be, but again, this is Solvang where everything is expensive.
(4)
Alyssa D.
We ate here for dinner on 7/10. It was myself, husband, and 3 kids. When we walked in a gentleman I'm assuming was the manager asked if we had a reservation. We said we didn't and he acted as if they were super busy so we'd have a bit of a wait. He asked if we wanted inside or out and we said first available. He told us they would have a table outside ready but it would probably be a 15 minute wait or so. We told him no problem. After the wait, our server came to seat us. They had moved two tables together in the only spot on the entire patio with full sun and no way to position umbrellas to offer shade. I happen to have a medical condition that prevents me from being able to be in direct sun for more than short periods of time. When we had arrived, there was a small table in that spot, so it never occurred to us we'd be seated there. Anyway, my husband kind of hesitated when the server said we could be seated. She was a bit rude when asking if the spot was not okay and if we'd prefer to be inside. My husband told her that yes, we needed to go inside. So we went in, sat down, and apparently the manager said something to her or gave her a dirty look or something I totally missed, but my husband caught. When we sat down, he told me he thought the guy was pissed we sat inside. So then I see Mr. Manager, literally right next to us and in earshot, lecturing our server about seating us inside. She tells him that she offered us the table outside and we chose to sit inside instead. He then says something along the lines of, "let me tell you something....they think they can just walk in here and get a table...." At that point I'm so fuming mad I ask my husband if we should just walk out. I don't know if this guy was annoyed we had kids sitting inside or thinks his restaurant is so elite nobody should attempt to eat there without a reservation. Although the patio was full, the inside was empty. So why, exactly, did we have to sit and wait for a table for 15-20 minutes? There were 3 other tables with people inside when we were seated. One table was done right about the time we came in. Another table finished about 15 minutes later. No other people were ever seated inside while we were there. I have no clue why there was an issue with seating us inside...unless it's because we have kids. Our kids have eaten at FAR nicer establishments than this place. They were not noisy, rowdy, obnoxious or messy other than some bread crumbs. The food was good, but nothing particularly exciting. I had the bolognese which was good, my husband had the special (some kind of white fish. I forgot what kind) and found a few bones in his fish. Our kids split the salmon. We also had cannoli and tiramisu for dessert. The shell for the cannoli was stale and there were large chunks (not the usual small shavings for flavor) of orange rind in the filling and zero chocolate chips. The tiramisu was probably one of the worst I've had. It was completely flavorless with the exception of a very overpowering taste of cinnamon on top. The food was good enough that if the manager hadn't been such a jerk we would go back if ever in the area, but it was definitely not good enough to make up for his crappy attitude. I gave 3 stars because the food was decent (except dessert) and our server was accommodating with seating us inside and allowing us to get plain pasta with the salmon. The manager needs to find a new attitude or new line of work.
(3)
courtney o.
Walking around Solvang and stumbled upon this Italian goodie! They were very accommodating and sat us immediately. The wine list was extensive but the beer list was very short but they had my kids favorite- Mexican Coke. Now onto the food! I had the Gorlomi (white pizza) and it was yummy. My husband had the bolognese which was made with short rib, he loved it! My kids split the Marco pizza and they said it was delicious. This restaurant has a very large outdoor seating area but if you want a romantic setting eat inside. Our waitress was very nice but a little slow. The prices are a little high but again that's Solvang! We will definitely be returning here.
(4)
Irina V.
Funghi pizza was fab as was the sparkling wine. Waitress was bland and service took awhile though we were one of ONLY two couples sitting outside
The food and service were excellent. Caesar Salad and Pollo Pizza were the best I have tasted. This could have been good restaurant in Roma or Florence. I agree with a previous review that the wine looked short on the pour, so we went with beer. Italian and draft, so good when paired with pizza.
(5)
Shaobin G.
Nice restaurant in Solvang. Had Spaghetti Bolognese and pizza. Both were pretty tasty.
(5)
Mayra R.
My friend and I came to Solvang from LA to do some wine tasting and I have to say I read the reviews and thought definitely have to come here and check it out. It's a small cute place, the food was good , but the service was TERRIBLE !!! We sat in a patio with no attention and No Menus whatsoever after about 8 mins my friend just decided to get up and just go get the menu herself !!! The waitress came 2 mins later and asked if we were ready !! ...I thought to myself ...Are u kidding me ?!? I told her "well we just got the menus " And she responded with "well now you HAVE a menu !! Do u know what r u getting ?? what kind of response is that!!! Later on My friend asked she could bring straws and she brought ONE UNWRAPPED !! What century is this ?? The food service was fast though I can't complain about that but the service /attitude of the waitress / manager was awful.
(2)
kim g.
Food is good however we get the caprese salad for dinner and came back to get it for lunch and its not on the menu. We asked the waitress and she said the chef would not make it. 2 days in a row we asked. We are talking about cheese and tomatoes here. Not difficult but I guess for him it is. We went to Chomp and had a fabulous lunch. Not going back here. Also too expensive. Quick note, for dessert we had creme brulee and it was very expensive and a inch thick in a 4 inch bowl. Over priced place.
(2)
Jennifer D.
We got the Gianni and the Cesca pizzas and sat outside on the patio. Both pizzas were good, although the Gianni was a bit salty. Servers were nice, but unfortunately, service was lacking. When ordering our food, my husband told the server he had not yet decided on what glass of wine or beer to get. Okay, she said, however she never came back so he decided not to order anything. So with our small glasses of water on a hot day with salty pizza, we quickly ran out of water. But nobody came around to refill them or even check on us. I ended up going inside to flag down the nearest person to request some water. A nice young woman obliged and refilled our glasses with room temperature water - *sigh* - well, I guess it was better than nothing.
(3)
Erica S.
In solvang for the day with the family. It was pouring rain and we were running around trying to find a place to eat that had indoor seating. The chef opened the door as we walked by and welcomed us in for a warm dry meal. How nice already! Very beautifully decorated place with cozy atmosphere. We ordered the brushetta which was fantastic, the chef told us she sundried the tomatoes herself and made the marinated artichokes as well. Definitely recommend ordering that. Tomato basil soup excellent, as was the pizza we ordered. Nice place for a rainy day lunch or a tasty romantic dinner.
(5)
Mudit J.
My wife and I came here with some friends to eat dinner on our recent visit to Solvang. We wanted come wood fired pizza and this place looked busy, so we thought we would give it a try. The service and food were excellent. We ordered the Wild Boar Sausage pizza and the spaghetti Bolognese, both of which were excellent choices. The pasta was cooked well and the pizza was extremely flavorful. We did not order any wine because we had just finished a day of wine tasting! Also, after ordering, they give you warm bread and oil/vinegar. Expect each dish to cost approximately $20ish. We sat outside on a cold night, but they have a covered patio with heaters, which kept us warm.
(4)
Jeff M.
Great Italian eatery located in the heart of Solvang. The menu consists of a number of traditional appetizers, wines, and a great selection of gourmet pizzas. We ordered a Caesar Salad and a pizza which had a mix of cheeses, salami, and arugula. Both were very tasty. I loved the atmosphere and the service was fantastic. Give this place a try if you are in the mood for some good Italian fare.
(4)
Larry K.
Such a nice escape from the tacky overbearing tourism outside the door. Solvang is not known so much for fine dining but this place could change that ! Very attentive staff and superb food .
(5)
Andras H.
The restaurant was very busy, but the staff made an effort to seat and serve quickly and attentively. The beet salad is phenomenal and Chris makes delicious pizza (he was on #77 when we were leaving).
(5)
June B.
Had the pizza Gianni, a little salty for my taste, but it was tasty. Fresh ingredients, good service, cute place with patio for the pooch. Wished they had a little more selection for the pizza.
(3)
Scott E.
horrible overpriced food. soup was a cup of mush. salad cost $15 and could have been prepared by an unskilled child. meal was tasteless and overcooked. bread was doled out as if they really didn't want to give it away for free. soda served in a can with charges for refills. this is not fine dining. it is a sham posing as a fine restaurant. avoid it at all costs so it can fail and be replaced by a real restaurant.
(1)
Turkey B.
I recommend this restaurant. The prices were high but the service was awesome and the food was pretty darn good for Solvang. We are spoiled with many trips to Italy so, I can never compare anything to Italian pizza and pasta. As far as American fair goes the pizza was rather thick but well done hot and the sauce was tasty. The short rib ravioli was very creamy and tasty I approve! The waitress and waiter were pleasant, i'm teetering between three and four stars, it really is a three-star experience but I will give it four because everyone is so nice and the food was not bad at all.
(4)
Lars B.
Last night, my daughter was visiting with her best friend and I wanted to take her to a special restaurant. Being new in the town of Solvang, I wasn't sure where to go. I had been to Cecco's once before with some friends from out of town and we loved our experience there. I chose Cecco's again last night and was once again, very pleased. Amazing food and amazing service. We shared the Putanesca and Tortellini family style with a side of Caesar Salad. Every bite was delectable. And, I can't say enough about our server, Chelsie. Thank you! Now I know where I will take all of my out of town visitors.
(5)
David W.
A lot of places "make" food. The chef at Cecco "creates" it. What a wonderful understanding of flavor the creative force here must have. Bravo!!
(5)
Angel G.
"Hospitality means H-O-S-P-I-T-A-L-I-T-Y, too bad I have to spell it out" for this restaurant I'm only 14 years old and I see this issue at this restaurant...!!Unbelievable!!
(1)
Vy P.
Downtown Solvang was just amazing in terms of shopping and beauty, but this restaurant showed that Solvang was plentiful in good food. We sat on the patio, which had a spectacular view. I had the turkey panini, which combined several flavours and textures that flowed beautifully with one another. Though the panini had a bit too much Dijon mustard for my taste, I'd give it two thumbs up.
(5)
Tom B.
Walking down street in Solvang looking for a place to eat. We stopped to read specials outside and a person brought a menu out to us to read. We t h ought it looked good to try. We were seated and and left alone for more 10 minutes in a nearly empty restaurant. No one asked us anything, finally a waiter came into our area and when we asked for help, he looked at us with a blank stare, no apology nothing. We left.
(1)
Kaitlyn T.
This is absolutely delicious. I recommend getting the braised short rib tortelloni. They are like little pillows of heaven. Sit outside, enjoy the breeze, and breathe.:)
(5)
Aki K.
In all my life I have never had better Italian food. It is very clear that the chef is very proud of his dishes and the quality of his food. I tried the pasta with pesto, and it was so delicious that I can't wait to come back (I live about 5 hours away). The pizza was also wonderful. This could very well be my favorite restaurant- too bad it's so far away. Even the screaming, crying baby and his disgruntled mother sitting behind me could not ruin my dining experience. If I were in town I'd never pass up an opportunity to dine here.
(5)
Cole M.
This was our last meal of many excellent meals we had in the Santa Ynez Valley over Valetine's/President's Day weekend. A nice little Italian spot in Solvang. We sat outside, so we didn't really get to see the inside of the restaurant. The food was wonderful. I got a pizza with wild boar sausage and a few other ingredients. My girlfriend got the short rib tortelli and we split a caesar salad. Everything was on point and cooked to perfection. I have to say I enjoyed the pasta dish more than the pizza. I stopped short of giving this place 5 stars because it wasn't the greatest restaurant I have ever eaten at, nor do I care that much for Italian cooking. If I could give it 4.5 stars, I would because it is easily one of the better Italian spots I have ever patronized. Our server was very kind and attentive. We were recommended to go to Grappolo's in Santa Ynez, but I think this place was just fine and we would go back there again! Need to get some more beers on the menu, and definitely more of the local stuff that is right nearby (Firestone Walker and Figueroa Mountain).
(4)
Matt C.
Very nice restaurant, great service, excellent food. Within walking distance of most accommodations in Solvang. Ordered the roasted beets for starters: very well prepared. Then mushroom (funghi) pizza -- the truffle oil made it superb. The server was upfront and let us know the pizza would be plenty for two: it was plenty. Panna cotta for dessert and we were very pleased with the bill. We'll be back! Thank you for the great food and service Cecco!
(5)
Ron J.
Service bad,waited 20 mins, drinks took another 20, We are still waiting for sandwiches,many tables serviced and left. Food not worth waiting for. Pass on this place.
(2)
Allison H.
Cecco is a great little gem in the heart of Solvang. If you are looking for a nicer restaurant that doesn't look like a coffee shop and are willing to pay a little more $$, then Cecco is the place for you. It's an Italian restaurant with a wide variety of dishes and has a pretty decent wine list. I ended up getting the half roasted chicken which is definitely enough for 2 (I shared the dish with my fiancee) and also the ricotta salata salad. The roast chicken was juicy and flavorful and the highlight of the meal. The salad was alright, but lacking a bit in ricotta. The restaurant also has a wide variety of paninis and pizzas so there is definitely something for everyone here. I'd come back for sure.
(4)
Anna T.
The only reason I'm giving a 2 instead of 0 is because of the food. The food and wine was great however the staff and waitress were not. Attitude and weird looks is all we got when asked a simple question as in "what's in your soup".
(2)
Mark M.
Everything was great from the service to the food. We will definitely be back.
(5)
L T.
Tried this place out last week and thought it was pretty good! We both enjoyed a pizza and shared the beets appetizer. The pizza was pretty heavy on the toppings, almost too much! The flavor combos were good but not quite spot on. The appetizer was fine but nothing special. The service was very good. It's a nice option for Solvang.
(4)
Mrs L.
Excellent ravioli, great ambiance, nice service, super food! Evening patio romantic setting.
(4)
Christy A.
Worst service ever and our waitress was not in a welcoming mood. Didn't even tell us her name. On top of it, our order still wasn't on the table after 45 minutes and when we inquired about it, she said she doesn't know what happened but would check. We got our meal about 10 minutes after that. Food was ok. I gave the restaurant 2 stars because we were late for our reservation due to long lines at the Solvang Century registration and they still seated us right away even though there were people waiting.
(2)
Gregg P.
Waited to be seated. Staff just looked at us. Finally after 5 minutes , they took. Our name and told us to wait outside. Don't waste your time. I have never been treated like I was bothering them to eat there.
(1)
Diane M.
We had a caesar salad and a wonderful pizza with artichokes. The bread was divine as well. Highly recommended!
(4)
Sandra Q.
This was a pleasant surprise hidden in a very touristy Solvang. The calamari was GREAT, crispy but not greasy & nice dipping sauces. The funghi pizza was really good and the bolognese was such a treat...wild boar, mmmmm. Al carbonara is not my favorite but that even tasted yummy (although I personally wouldn't order it from any restaurant - I only had a bite since it's not my fave dish). The wines offered were quite overpriced/small pours so I'd skip those and get an Italian beer or an iced tea or good old water...especially if you've been out out wine tasting that day ;) I read a few reviews complaining about the service but that wasn't our experience. In fact, we had such a good time, we came here for dinner Friday and Saturday night and will definitely come back next time we're in Solvang!
I give this place 2.5 stars. First, I have to say they are one of the most popular place in this town I think because they are the Italian restaurant. I really didn't like their service, people in this town (vendors) seem not so friendly except for her very few vendors. My friend also mentioned this to me several times so I don't think I only felt this way however this is literally based on my experience with maybe 10 different shop employees during my visit. Our plates were dirty and we had to washed it with our water and paper towel. I asked to be seated in the corner and the waitress told me to just sit front of the table since the other table needed to be cleaned. I would have rather waited and sit by the corner but she didn't let me. Second I didn't like their menu because it was very limited and they didn't have seafood options. I only found like 2 shrimp and claim pasta from the menu. I was looking for more like seafood pasta or soup. I ended up ordering pizza and two appetizer. Beet salad was the only thing I liked but they have 5 super thin slice beets and that was the only bad thing because I wanted more. They were actually very very good and portion is pretty standard so I shouldn't complain. We had calamari and I just cannot believe that they don't serve cocktail sauce with their calamari. We just got a creamy ranch sauce? I asked for it but they didn't have it. So I ate three but couldn't eat anymore so I asked for marinara sauce and she have me some and it tasted so much better with it. I also orders pizza that she had recommended it is my own fault for going with her recommendation instead of my own but we literally hated the pizza only because we both dislike goat cheese and This herb that was in there but honestly their good is pretty authentic Italian. I just didn't like their service and dirty plates and limited selection on seafood options the fact that they didn't served cocktail sauce with calamari. I would have love the Pizza without the goat cheese. I don't know if I would ever go back since I can eat super yummy Italian good in la.
(2)
Ellen C.
Within a small town of Solvang, it's hard to find the eclectic food that you find in Los Angeles. Let's face it people, us Angeleno's are spoiled when it comes to food. We have all cuisines available and they are mostly good. So when I came here, I didn't expect the best Italian food ever and I was right. We ordered the wild boar burger and the margarita pizza. Both dishes could've used some more flavor and CHEESE! If you know me...it's all about the cheese (which they sadly lacked in that department). A little sniffle, but I wiped the tears away..no need to worry about me. A bit pricey for two dishes and 2 ice teas ~$30. One good thing about this location was the beautiful outdoor patio. It was a gorgeous day outside, great for people watching. Now, I wouldn't say "don't go here", because the food wasn't that bad and the the service was nice. I just like really GREAT food, hence my 3 stars
(3)
Marcella D.
Was in Solvang last week on a spontaneous vacation. Desk clerk at the Wine Valley Inn recommended Cecco's. The Spaghetti Bolognese made with boar meat was just FABULOUS. The only reason I didn't give it a 5, is that I don't do 5....but I'd certainly go 4.5 for Cecco's!! Also, my server, Emily, was wonderful. Attentive without being overbearing, and a great person to talk to.
(4)
Shannon G.
The service was a little slow. I never did get asked if I wanted a refill of my water or ice tea but I saw someone walking around with the water jug. Only bad thing I can say that is the reason for the 4 stars. I liked the food very much. The House Burger is wonderful!
(4)
A. T.
Who the hell wants to eat at an Italian restaurant when visting a neat little Danish town. I can eat Italian food at home. This is my thinking when nearly the rest of my group wants to eat here. Im hesitant on the situation. Party of nine we all sit down and order all kinds of different stuff. Wines, Calamari, salads, pizzas, pastas w/boar , oysters, and more. Enough to feed a small village. ALL of the food was good as was our waitress.
(5)
Monica C.
The weird thing about Solvang is that it's a town surrounded by some of the best wines and wineries in the world- so that should mean great food, right? WRONG. You can only eat so much schnitzel and abbleskevers before you want to punch somebody. Cecco is a breath of fresh air for Solvang! The food is creative and fresh- as good as anything you could get in a nice Italian restaurant in DTLA. So, it's a bit of a family style place- we had 4 adults and ordered an appetizer (the Calamari Fritti- DELICIOUS but not so inventive or new, huh?) and two pizzas. We finished everything, but there was no way we could eat more. My favorite pizza was the: PORCHETTA Imported seasoned roast pork, mozzarella, egg, sage and onions. Freaking amazing. I can't wait to go back and try the pastas and specials! You can sit inside or on the charming patio (it's heated!) and people watch. Service was good- nothing at all to complain about. Seriously, you should try this place.
(5)
Wazhma R.
We had a great meal here. Traditional Italian food in a cozy setting. Food & service were both top notch. I highly recommend Cecco for a romantic, comfortable dinner in Solvang.
(4)
Nishka B.
The pizzas were excellent! We liked the crust and toppings, but the funghi pizza was topped with melted goat cheese and was too strong for our taste. The bianca was really good. We had some fresh pasta with pesto - also very good. The bruchetta was a bit soggy as it had a lot of toppings, but the chickpea paste was good.
(5)
Nicholas B.
#yelpreview It was a Monday night in Solvang. This is tourist town, so many of the eateries close at 5pm. This restaurant was recommended by our the Wine Valley Cottages and Inn. Most entrees are closer to the $20 per, desserts are in the $10 range (would have ordered but thought that $10 for desert was way to pricey IMO). We had one of there pizza's it was really good and more then enough to share for two. The dough is thin and crispy, the tomato sauce is light, flavorful with hints of basil. Would come again.
(4)
Izabella O.
After a hot, long day spent wine tasting and walking around we were looking forward to a lovely dinner here last night, but unfortunately we were super disappointed. As many other customers mentioned it, it's all about the service (especially when you're spending a lot of money) but this place deserves zero starts for customer service. I guess they don't train their employees? The girl who sat us down looked annoyed when we walked up to the door. She rushed us to our seats and things just got worse from there. We asked for water, which took them a long time to bring and tasted moldy. The guy didn't even look at us when he filled up our glasses and didn't say anything back when I said "thank you". He pretty much had his back towards me, facing the street. I mean who does that? You don't have to be trained to know that that's not OK in this kind of job environment. When they brought the food the girl forgot to bring me a fork for my pasta (which is fine, we are all human) but when I asked for a fork she had an attitude, like I bothered her or something. I felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome which is quite bad when you spend $24 on a pasta dish which was very very oily. Such a bummer after a fun-filled and lovely day ...but hey, life isn't perfect right? However we will definitely take out money elsewhere next time.
(2)
Eva G.
What a sad experience this was. Very limited pasta menu. I asked if they could somewhat modify a pasta dish with only a few ingredients since I did not like the three choices on the menu. I was told by the server that it could not be done. She did not even offer to ask the chef and believe me, my request was very simple. Since they could not accommodate my pasta request, I ordered a specialty pizza which came with the cheeses barely warm or melted. I literally ate only two slices. My husband ordered the scallops which were only marginally warm. The server never came over to check on us and the restaurant was not crowded at all. As we were ready to leave, the manager came over and asked if everything was acceptable. I told him about my order and he said that they definitely could have accommodated my request and agreed (with an apology) that the server should have indeed asked the chef. Clearly, we will never return or recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants a good meal.
(1)
Justin H.
We went here on the recommendation of a local. The overall atmosphere was nice. We were the only people inside. We looked at the menu, which only had a few items. The girlfriend got the burger. Once it arrived the presentation was nice. It came with a nice Caesar salad. After biting in we found it was really red. Nicole, later offered to take it off the check. My pasta was nice. Small portion with no salad on the side. I was surprised not to have been served bread and oil, with how fancy the place looked. Overall I would look for a different place to eat. Not worth the prices to me.
(2)
Marie A.
We went here last night for Mothers Day,No complaints at all .we had reservations ,got seated right away.We were very well catered on by Jennifer she was awesome.I had the Tartare it was super then the Puttanesca it was delish... So much food i have enough for the next day for lunch.Our Son ordered a Gianni Pizza he loved it as well ... My husband had the Zuppa he said it was awesome and his Bolognese was great as well .. we all had to go boxes ..not leaving any thing behind, that how much we enjoyed the food .. i highly recommend this place .. fine food great service...i rate this a 5 star.
(5)
Michelle C.
My boyfriend and I ended up at Cecco Ristorante because everything else in Solvang closes super early and we got into town after 7. I originally ordered the Tortelloni, but the waitress returned to let me know they were out of that. I ended up ordered the Puttanesca. I asked if it had cheese on it, she said yes. I ordered it without cheese. The waitress repeated it back to me and clarified "no cheese." When our meal came out, my pasta was coated in shredded cheese. I clarified that I had ordered my pasta without cheese so the server took it back. We were seated on the patio and I had a clear view of the kitchen; I could see the look on the face of the chef roll his eyes at the server. My "new" Puttanesca came back out really fast. They scraped the cheese off the top and changed plates, but it still had cheese mixed in. I had to walk my plate back into the restaurant to explain to the staff that I am lactose intolerant and could not eat this dish with hidden cheese. My waitress, looking guilty quickly said they'd remake it. I have never had this happen and was extremely disappointed in the poor service and inattentive staff.
(1)
Mary R.
We were mostly happy at cecco. The pizza crust was wonderful and we enjoyed our antipasta. However, they were out of several items and that was disappointing. We really wanted to try the prickly pear lemonade. The tiramisu has heavy on the whipped cream. Other than that, the food was pretty good. However, the service and ambiance was a little off. Our server was very competent but I could overhear other tables experiencing less competent service. We were also seated near some young women who were repeatedly visited by one of the cooks. The pouty flirty girls combined with the cook's visits created a bit of a sideshow. It made it difficult to relax and enjoy our meal. We didn't have any trouble with our reservation but as we were leaving a group arrived and were turned away because they were closed. I think the actually do their last seating much earlier than their closing time. It would be really helpful if they clarified this rather than disappointing potential guests.
(3)
Kristina U.
Went here for lunch. Most places were very busy on account of the holiday weekend but we didn't have to wait for a seat inside here. Place is a little cramped but nice atmosphere. Waitress was polite but didn't seem happy to be there. At least she attended to us well. Ordered the Margherita pizza, delicious! Came out very hot and fresh with plenty of cheese! I'm a big cheese fan. Overall, good place to eat in a nice, calm atmosphere for lunch.
(4)
Lydia P.
Ordered a boar sausage pizza to go last night. Was so totally disappointed. It was one of the worst pizzas I have ever ordered. I got it without the kale. They put so much cheese it literally peeled off in one chunk. The boar sausage was good but it was drowned in the pool of cheese. I would have taken it back but they were already closed and we were at our hotel. We asked for it crispy but it ended up soggy because of the weight if the cheese melting into the crust!!!!!!!!
(1)
Rona L.
I go to Solvang a lot and love this restaurant. Really good Pizza and pasta dishes. When it's a holiday weekend I suggest making reservations. I am going there this weekend.
(5)
Gene R.
We were expecting Danish food, but we arrived late evening and we strolled around the ghost town that is Solvang. We'd parked in front of what appeared to be the only restaurant opened for business - a rustic Italian restaurant - Cecco. Ironically, my friend recalled Cecco having been featured in a Westways (AAA) restaurant review. We started our dinner with Calamari Fritti: fresh, perfectly prepared, and tasty. This was followed by pizze (pizza), "Gianni": perfect, delicious, and highly recommended! For dessert we ordered their Tiramisu: a very nice ending to a delicious dinner! The atmosphere at Cecco is nice and the service was excellent: helpful and very hospitable!
(5)
Amy W.
I know this place isn't a classic or traditional Danish restaurant or anything, which is what most people probably want when they visit Solvang, but I'm glad my boyfriend and I ate here instead of one of those places! It was delicious! He had this beer (La Rossa I think?) that he really liked and I ordered the prickly pear lemonade. For a pizza we ordered the Bianca, I believe. Great amount to share and a good pizza. The waitress was awesome and very helpful. I liked the prickly pear lemonade so much, she told me how to make it! The next time we're in Solvang, we'll stop by Cecco again.
(5)
Heather J.
Went here last night for dinner. Easy to get in on a week night. Their Chianti was a great table wine. Calamari was a delicious starter. The Caesar salad was great, but the Caprese was the winner!! I highly recommend the Bianca and Fungi pizzas! You will leave here fat and happy, no problem :)
(4)
Randi B.
This place was recommended for lunch by the server at a tasting room we were visiting. The food was good. I would give it 4 stars. But the service was a bit off. My friend ordered the fettuccine alfredo and asked for shrimp with it. The waitress said they didn't have shrimp. But there are a bunch of shrimp entrees on the menu...maybe they were out? I ordered the Spaghetti Bolognese. We were both starving, so my friend asked if we could have some bread while we waited. The waitress said she would need to go ask if they had bread. What? This is an Italian restaurant and you serve Panini's on your menu...how the hell would you not have bread? Next thing we knew, she brought the food out, so we told her to forget about the bread..."Oh, you don't want it now? Because I can still ask." No, we have food now, we are okay. She was just weird. My Bolognese was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. Perfect lunch portion too, not too much, not too little. My friend's fettuccine was tasty, but covered in peas. Neither of us remembered seeing peas in the description, and she hates peas. Obviously she was able to pick them out, but she wouldn't have ordered that (or asked for it without the peas) if the menu had the correct info. Good food, weird waitress. I would probably try some place else for lunch if I visited Solvang again.
(3)
Mike J.
Very nice place for non Danish food. Good pizza! Good salad! Pizza dough twirled fresh in the window. I would definitely recommend for a nice evening on the patio and a thin crust Fungi pizza.
(4)
Abdel Z.
Horrible service, we were seated at bar due to "reservations" even tho the reservations didnt show up. The people seated after us got to order their drinks AND food first. Bad management, everyone there didnt have a clue what was going on. To top it off, they had run out of soup. Thats a huge negative at restaurants, to "run out" of food. The caesar salad had old soggy lettuce, the margherita pizza was ok nothing special and the pasta was very oily. Dont waste your time AND money (its not cheap) at this place, its def not worth it. Im not sure how a place like this stays open...some people really have no taste buds...
(1)
Charla K.
Worst service I've had in a really long time. I don't know if the kitchen slowed down, or if our order was turned in late from the waitress but it was deplorable. The waitress seemed to go out of her way to ignore us, then the adults got their food and my daughters food sat in the window for 10 minutes, I finally went in to get it! I'm bummed... we eat here every time we are here and I'm not sure we will come again! I'm giving this a 1 star for service!!! The food would have been better if the service hadn't been lacking!!!
(1)
Michael O.
How do you know when you're in for a less-than-great dining experience? How about when you make a reservation for two and you get the worse table in the house. My gf's pasta was very salty. My pizza was decent but forgettable. The best parts of the meal were the olive oil and bread and the Tiramisu. Oh and one more thing, why call regular unsweetened iced tea "Paradise iced tea"? I didn't get a hint of anything in that drink. I despise meaningless fluff words in menu descriptions.
(1)
Ali A.
As a local, it is nice to have an Italian restaurant in solvang. This is our 5th visit or so. Food is very good and menu changes based on what is locally available,e. Pizzas are fabulous especially the wild boar sausage. Bolognese is amazing. I don't know how they get such depth of flavor. Service can be a bit slow but the ambiance is pleasant so we didn't really mind a little wait. Good job cecco!
(4)
Jenee' G.
Very disappointed with the service. The manager was very disrespectful, accused us of being drunk when we arrived. This was far from the truth. We ended up leaving before we ordered as we were over the comments from the manager. Ended up having a star 5 dinner at the Solvang Brewery. We had eaten there the night before and had another great dinner. We wound strongly recommend avoiding Cecco and eating at The Solvang Brewing Co. or Route 246.
(1)
Danette P.
Very disappointing. Swordfish was fishy & service was slow. When manager asked how our meal was, we praised wine but expressed discontent with barely eaten fish. Manager said it could be that way sometimes & did not offer to rectify situation. We are in Solvang monthly, but will not dine here again.
(1)
Megan C.
I enjoyed the pizza we ordered. It had boar sausage, kale, and tomatoes. I also had a prickly pear lemonade. The prices were pretty high but I liked the food. If you can afford it, then I'd recommend it.
(3)
Clem R.
Found this place on Yelp! Definitely worth 4 stars. Good service, good, fresh and fine food (we had the risotto and pasta a la putanesca), and there are some wines at a reasonable price! I was disappointed by the restaurants Solvang had to offer, I was happy to find this one... I recommend it.
(4)
C B A.
So, we decide to sit inside and we are offered a table directly next to one of the very few occupied tables.... We kindly asked if we can sit at another table and we point to our choice. All is well till the hostess chooses to seat another couple at a table where their shoulders are literally 20" away from ours. Mind you the place was 80% empty.... Where has common sense gone to?
(2)
Mark A.
Took my son here for some pasta while up in Monterey for the Sea Otter Classic bike race. Loved it. We had some super yum pizza and pasta. Excellent food and service. I will definitely look to return with my wife for a date night!
(5)
Spirit1819 B.
My family and I had lunch here on Sunday. We had a hamburger and raviolis. Both were very good. The wait staff were polite and efficient. Our meals came out expeditiously, The atmosphere was so nice. We sat in the patio and enjoyed the sunshine. I recommend dining here.
(3)
Josh G.
Surprise of the trip. The best Italian in years. I'll be back again.
(4)
Robert T.
Well we ended up at this place after the first 3 places we went to were closed. Who knew Solvang rolled up the sidewalks at 6 pm on a Monday night in mid September. We were glad we "ended up here". Friendly staff seated is immediately and brought us our adult beverages. The menu wasn't vast which worried me a little but I decided on the Pork Chop. Served on rice and with baby carrots in an orange marmalade sauce. My wife and I split a caesar salad to start and it was perfect. The main course came and it was perfectly cooked, perfectly presented and literally the best Pork Chop I have ever had. I'm so glad we got "stuck" at this place.
(3)
Ulysses G.
Not bad. went with family for lunch during a trip Solvang. OF course we shared =P. The pesto and the salmon salad weren't amazing but were still okay. Can't really go wrong with a Tuna Panini. But damn, that Bianca pizza was good! The seating outside isn't too shabby. I mean, not much of a view but the clock tower and people on the sidewalk.
(3)
Sean B.
UGH! What a mess of a dinner we had here on just about every conceivable level! We were here New Year's Eve with a group of 14 people and everyone in the group had nothing good to say. It started with the fact that they couldn't put us at one table as they had promised when we reserved. Then they changed the menu on us at the last minute. It was a prix fixe for $65 (not including alcohol) that was posted online for a week and they pulled out the most interesting items (like lobster) on the night of the dinner. THE FOOD: The starting salad and the desserts were good, but the rest was mediocre to bad all around...some particular lowlights: Roasted Prawns: clearly frozen and/or way overcooked Flatiron steak: it was served on a bed of refried beans...yes, friggin refried beans...it was nauseating! The service was a complete mess too. Everyone was nice and sure it was New Years, but courses came out 10+ minutes apart for people and the meal took 3 hours overall. It was a joke! And staff was clueless...the server didn't know what speck was when someone asked about it being on a pizza (said it was an herb). Maybe we just had a bad night, but oh what a mess of a night it was. This was particularly painful since it was New Years and how much we were paying. I hope to never go back!
(1)
Doug M.
Good lord the worst Italian food EVER! Service very slow and not too bright. Tomato soup over cooked, disgusting. Spaghetti and Mariana sauce so much garlic that vampires will not come within 5 miles of your current location. Terrible.
(1)
Ryan K.
This review was written a year ago, but it didn't post for some reason. Overall the food was really fresh and the staff was very friendly. Price wise it's a little on the high side, but considering the location it's not too bad. Tonight was our first time here because Root 246 was terrible and we had to leave, so Cecco was a real lifesaver! Will be back on our next trip.
(4)
Stephanie H.
Wanted to try something different on our last night in Solvang. Looked like a cute little place. Food was wonderful but service was less than adequate. When the young man brought us our menus he was surprised no server had approached us yet. When she finally came she appeared as though she could care less if we were there (she continued to focus on the Farmers Market going on in the street). Im all about service. We really just wanted to get up and leave, but it was s long day. This place gets a 3 simply because the bruschetta & pizza were very good.
(3)
Sue K.
Did a takeout on a Friday night at around 6pm. Town pretty much closes up and bakeries on Alisal Rd around 7 pm. Had the the Cecco salad which had different ingredients than the menu on their website. The lemon vinaigrette was more like an Italian...and the greens were not as fresh as it should be. 3 stars The Margherita pizza was just OK...nothing special. 3 stars Ordered the calamari which was pretty fresh and nicely breaded. 4 stars Cost: expensive for the items but you're in a tourist town so I guess it's expected. Picked up Scandinavian pastries for dessert...the best part of our meal!
(3)
Brooke K.
Not good! We came here for an engagement party and the service was terrible! The food took way too long and wasn't even tasty! I was really disappointed with everything; the service, the lack of flavor in their food, and their expensive prices. :-(
(1)
Frances L.
Currently my favorite dinner spot in Solvang! Cecco was recommended to us by a nice gentleman over at Alma Rosa Vineyards because Ben H. was severely craving mussels. This charming little Italian joint had a great menu, intimate atmosphere, and fantastic prices. The quality of the food was very good as not a single dish disappointed us. Our group of four easily got a 9PM dinner reservation on a Saturday night and feasted upon their Bianca pizza, mussels in cream sauce, calamari fritti, and their slow-cooked lamb and pork pasta bolognese. Portions were good for sharing (2 people for pasta, 2-3 people for pizza) and were appropriately priced at $10-18. Service was quick and friendly, and I am still thinking about how tender and juicy the braised shortrib was in my pasta dish. Considering many of the other dinner spots are mostly Danish-themed to some extent, this was a nice change of scenery without hurting the pocket book.
(4)
Lonie B.
Loved this place. Everyone is so friendly and the service and food was fabulous! Will definitely go back on my next trip through Solvang.
(4)
Jolene P.
Dinner tonight at Cecco's was really lovely. Great wine selection, the cecco salad and the pasta (I had a liguirne with pesto) was good, and the crème brulee was to die for... we sat out on the patio with the heat lamps on a cold night and it was very lovely.
(4)
Dennis O.
We came here for the Ossobuco Which according to the menu at the front door, they were serving. We asked for a table and then were told no Ossobuco We ordered pizza ( nothing else on menu ) And it was terrible. We had the Rocco and a prochuto which were not edible. This place is a wine bar only and not a food restaurant. Don't waste money here. I gave 1 star because the service was very good.
One of the newer food joints here in the valley. With Fairly limited selection up here this could be a welcome selection for the locals. A bit on the pricey side. We did a margarita pizza and a hsmbuger "wildboar n beef" with two icec teas. Ended at 30$ plus. Burger was not bad, the squared ciabattina bun helped with it. They serve dry, could use some specialty house sauce pre added. The pizza could use some adjustments, menu says burrata. Cants realy tell and didnt have the texture so they probally cut corners. There was quartered tomatoes, sliced would be better and give pizza more coverage. The dough was ok, needed cooked more on the bottom. Some bricks in oven would help ad the crust was a bit to dark with undercooked belly. I would give them 3 as selection in the valley is so limited that with some easy fixes they could give a lot more identity to the menu and restaurant.
(3)
Eric J.
I love trying local places especially when I am out of my local-LA comfort zone. I saw the beautiful spot of this location and had to give it a try and I sure do not regret it. I ordered a pizza and it was to freakin die for. I loved it, the bread of the pizza was amazing and the CHEESE, mmmmm! I want one of these in my town. Very busy when I came but service was up-to-par. Love it, if I return to Solvang I will definitely return to Cecco's! NOM! EJ
(5)
Marcus D.
Was up in SB this past weekend with the fam. Went to visit a friend up in Solvang and we had an early dinner at the newly opened Italian joint Cecco. Very very good food here and vegetarian friendly to boot. A little unexpected for Solvang where there is plenty of danish themed food - this was a pleasant surprise. I had a lovely vege pizza with porcini mushrooms, red onions and charred rapini. Delish. Everything else looked good as well. Nice presentation. They also have great wine. We tried some from Tantara and Palmina - both were superb. Will def go back next time we are up in that area.
(5)
Robert L.
Took a while for server to come to our table and greet us with a cup of water. Next waited over 45min when server finally came over and advised us that they had lost our order and asked if we were willing wait a bit longer to get our pizza out.
(1)
Amy L.
There were a number of problems with this place. First - the $7 soup portion was very small. Second - the entrees were brought out after only 5 minutes into eating our soup and salad. Third - Gamberetti pizza was described as having carmelized onions, but the onions on the pizza were obviously raw slices that were placed on the pizza before baking. Fourth - When I asked the waitress for dinner plates for the pizza, she said the plates we had were meant for that. They were bread plates, too small to hold a slice of pizza. It's been a long time since I've had such a negative experience at a restaurant. Guess it's a typical tourist trap.
(1)
Meghana B.
This place is located right in the heart of Solvang with a pretty ambiance and is good for entertainment(no live music...).... We ordered their appetizer - Olives and I just loved that..... it was simple yet delightful.... No one in our group was a really impressed by the entree' that we ordered - mainly pizza and pastas... not a lot of options for vegetarian people though..... besides we found the service to be a little slow.... not a deal breaker though... the cheesecake that we ordered was a little too sour in taste.....
(3)
Ana T.
We called at 8:00 p.m. to ask what time they closed and they said 10:00 p.m. Then we asked if we needed to make reservations for 2 at 8:30 p.m. and they said no. We arrived at 8:28 p.m. and they said they are no longer seating people for the night. Wow. I doubt an L.A. restaurant can beat this one!
(1)
Kate B.
Great food, great atmosphere, great service. I visited Solvang recently and we were wandering around looking for a place to eat. We decided on Cecco because it had some fantastic outdoor seating. My husband and I shared a Marco pizza...it was ridiculously delicious. I never thought tomatoes could taste that amazing, and the prosciutto was an amazing addition. It was balanced beautifully. Definitely a place to try!
(5)
Les W.
Went there at one pm not aloud to sit inside because they were getting ready for a party 6 hours later waitress was rude we left and went to solvang brewery. Wonderful food there. Monday dec 30
(1)
Shannon I.
Our party of four arrived five minutes early for a 7 PM reservation. The hostess had a bad attitude from the start. We were rudely shuffled off to the side of the hallway to wait for a table. A server walked up to the hostess indicating that two tables were available and ready. A Couple walked in off the street indicating they did not have a reservation. She promptly seated them before returning to seat us. On the upside, our server was wonderful. The Margarita pizza is tasty though the crust could have been crisper for wood-fired Pizza. The bruschetta and olive appetizer was only satisfactory. Lovely ambiance, though be prepared for loud volume.
(3)
Alison W.
Friends and I were up wine tasting and we asked for a dining recommendation. I was a little skeptical about going to Italian in a Danish town but we decided to give it a try. I live in an area with a plethora of good Italian dining choices but this place still managed to surprise me! I ordered the carbonara bolognese and I was blown away at how well seasoned the dish was. My friends went with a selection of options and they all wowed over a goat cheese pizza as well as a seafood dish that was piled high with clams. I've never had a carbonara bologneses that was comparable to the ones I had enjoyed in Europe but this one beat it. Service was generally ok and we enjoyed the outdoor seating so I can not comment on the inside ambiance. Outdoors was lovely given the day. I thought prices were a little high for the area but after having the dish I wouldn't mind paying for it again.
(5)
Harrison P.
When we arrived at the restaurant all of the chairs at the table were wobbly. They also had handed us a combination of new menus and menus from the day before that included dishes no longer being served. The wine my parents asked for was not available but the suggested wine was a good substitute. Though there were a few hiccups to begin with, the food was delicious. The handmade pizza and pasta were tasty and portion sizes were filling. The pizza crust was perfectly crispy and I highly recommend the pizza with the wild boar sausage and crispy kale. I ordered the hand-made pasta dish served with a pesto sauce and was not disappointed. The only thing was that the pesto was a little oily, but not enough to ruin the dish. My sister and mom shared the Lobster Risotto pasta and it was probably the best thing on the table. In the end, everybody had a great time and I highly recommend Cecco for a tasteful Italian dinner.
(4)
Michele B.
We made a reservation for 6:30, but at 6:26 we found out that our table had been given away. We discovered this because a hostess and a waitress were arguing loudly about it in front of us. Ok, we'll wait, no problem! We were seated next to the busser station and waited 20 minutes for someone to greet us/ take our drink order. Weird, but we're trying to be flexible. When we finally order, we had to tell our server what was on the "specials" board outside. Five minutes later, no pasta special, they're out... Ok, improvise. Aside- when we left the special was still on the board outside. The calamari appetizer was just ok. When our food arrives the pastas were both really small and SUPER salty. Because pasta is so inexpensive, $19 is ridiculous for the porion size. The pizza my son ordered was great dough but greasy. We kept hoping for greatness throughout the meal but it was a disappointment.
(2)
Grace C.
Delicious Italian food in Solvang. We came here during my best friends bachelorette party weekend & thoroughly enjoyed the food. We ordered the Marco & Gorlomi pizzas. The Gorlomi was definitely a hit, as we devoured it within 10 minutes. I ordered mushroom ravioli, which was also delicious. Ordered a bottle of prosecco between the five of us, which was light & perfect for the dinner. Our server was really sweet! Highly recommended if you're in Solvang.
(4)
D D.
The food and wine were absolutely delicious. They were perfectly happy with my request for a substitution on the vegetable. The salmon melts in your mouth. Also, they have a great selection of wines to compliment the dishes. Pizza's nice, but I recommend you try the other things on the menu. I'd like to go back and work my way through the menu. I met the owner before I ate there tonight. He brought a menu out to me and a coupon for $1 off a gelato as he owns the gelato shop. I guess I'm not into Danish - some of those cafes in Solvang are awful. Service before dinner arrived was a tiny bit slow which is why I didn't give 5 stars. If they have it, try the "Sexual Chocolate" red wine blend. Delicious!
(4)
Jen F.
I love their butternut squash tortellini! I also love the outdoor seating on a nice sunny day. You can have the kids run around the grass area while waiting for your food. Service was good too. Even though we came at a busy day & time, we didn't feel like we were neglected.
(4)
Burrito M.
Decent Italian food. I ordered a white pizza with mozz, ricotta, artichoke hearts, and arugula. It was pretty good, but not to die for. S.B. ordered the pasta bolognese and complained that he was still hungry afterward - it did look small, but he do a 50 mile bike ride that day, so he was probably hungry enough to eat a horse. Good service, OK food. Probably better than most of the other restaurants in town.
(3)
Anita H.
Spent a week in bicycling around the Santa Ynez Valley While staying in Solvang. We had our first and last meal in Solvang at Cecco. Our first meal I had the chicken and it was flavorful but would have liked the skin to be crispy. My husband had the spaghetti Bolognese which he said was delicious. Our second meal we each ordered salad as a starter, the Caesar and Cecco. Both were a nice size, tasty and well presented. We shared The Marco pizza. It was one of the best pizzas I have ever had. Emily, our wait person was excellent with wine recommendations as well as quantities to order.
(4)
Maruko X.
A very nice restaurant located in Solvang, with many outdoor seats setup, many menu choices and nice waiters. Tried their sandwiches, not too bad.
(3)
April Q.
Really loved dinner here and the funny thing is that I really hadn't expected anything in particular from this place.. didn't even look it up on yelp. I did, however, hear that they made great thin-crust pizzas.. which is what I didn't get, silly enough. I walked in on a Sat evening and was quickly seated at the wine bar along with a big party of folks. The server there was outstanding! He was friendly, funny, and engaging - he made you feel welcomed and like a priority. They were very busy that night and so was his bar area and he still was attentive, made conversation and was very helpful at recommending dishes or discussing cooking, etc. Very happy with the server! Ambiance was nice.. dark-lit, cozy, welcoming decor, good amount of noise and good crowd. The food: I had the roasted beet salad (red and golden beets) over arugula with a cheese (I forget which type it was).. salad was very good; simple, but flavorful and definitely a refreshing change from the typical romaine or spring mix salads; I also had the 2 Lamb Meatballs (another antipasto) in a super flavorful tomato broth with mushrooms and kale - fantastic! I couldn't have enjoyed this any more than I did. I MUST learn how to replicate this at home since I LOVE lamb. Fell in love with this dish. The tiramisu was very delicious - it was impressively assembled: all the ingredients in a little crucible made of chocolate, coupled with a shot of espresso - ah, yum!! What an ending. Also, the bread they give you with olive oil and balsamic was amazing - soft, fresh, you could smell it was complex flour.. it was wonderful dipped in the oil/balsamic and I quite literally could've had the whole loaf alone. So, wonderful service! Great, impressive meal and definitely some place I want to return to try again!
(5)
Cindy V.
Meh. I've experienced better is right. We walked up for lunch at approximately 11:45. There were two folks out front changing the signage for the specials of the day. The one who turned out to be our waitress was polite and cheery and said, "yes, come right in." The other a man who appeared to be the owner or manager couldn't have looked less excited to see us, he barely nodded yes and sort of rolled his eyes. This, needless to say, made us feel less than welcome. We were led to our table, handed menus and started to glance things over. The waitress informed us that they were out of the steak salad which was unfortunate since my dining partner was looking forward to having that for lunch. We both settled on chicken dishes she for the chicken Caesar salad and me for the grilled chicken pannini. The food came out and had a distinct fishy smell! Neither of us had fish for lunch, but still the food smelled like salmon. I'm wondering if by chance they keep the salad greens next to the fish in the fridge? Weird. Anyway, the rest of the experience was fine and the prices are reasonable for a relatively upscale dining establishment. I wasn't frilled or thrilled though and have experienced better. Of course, owner guy couldn't be bothered to say goodbye as we left. Argh, what a thankless human.
(2)
Sally S.
We were in Solvang for one day and we had dinner at Cecco. The service was wonderful and the food was outstanding. I had the beet salad and 4 of us shared two pizzas. OH MY! They were delicious and the cheese was exceptional. If you are in Solvang be sure to eat here.
(5)
Brad D.
Made reservations for dinner using the Open Table link on Cecco's website, for Tuesday at 9 or pm. We arrived at 9 pm to an almost empty restaurant. The chef was at the door looking a little agitated. We said we had reservations at 9. He said the last dinner seating was at 8:45, and that our Open Table reservation showed the time as 8:45. We explained that we indeed made it for 9. After a little more discussion, he said we could stay, but we would need to order quickly as the kitchen was getting ready to shut down. We felt a little uncomfortable, a little self rushed, but our waitress made us feel fine and did not try to rush us at all. We ordered a Caesars salad, a pizza, the grilled salmon over veggies and green lentils, with a nice bottle of wine. The salad was OK, nothing special. The pizza was simple but good. The real star was the salmon. It had a bit of a crisp outer surface, but the fish was cooked perfectly; moist and simply seasoned. The sauce, veggies and lentils seemed like an odd combination, but worked very well. Overall, a good meal, except for the problems with the reservation. NOTE: The next morning, I found my Open Table reservation confirmation that showed our reservation time at 9PM. I forwarded it to the restaurant's email address, explaining that we just wanted to show them that there seemed to be a problem with what Open Table allowed for last reservations vs. what Cecco expected and saw in their system. We also thanked them for serving us anyway, and for the good meal. I would have thought we would have received an acknowledgment, but we didn't. Oh well.
(4)
Sid G.
The quality of my lunch was okay.... But very limited menu... I was a little disappointed that they were not willing to customize my lunch...
(3)
Paul R.
Great food. Great service.
(5)
Michelle D.
I went here on Saturday. The waitress informed us the menu is printed daily. The calamari appetizer was so good. The bread that is served as well is yummy as well. I had the vagone (sp) which was a spaghetti noodle maybe with clams, tomatoes, and a few other things. The sauce was INCREDIBLE. I felt like I could drink it! My boyfriend had a pasta that had shrimp and a red sauce. It was beyond incredible and I will definitely go again. I just thought that my boyfriend was served more pasta than my plate. Maybe it was cause his was a little more?
(5)
Sherri P.
Great margarita pizza!
(5)
John K.
Loved the cannelloni...it was extremely good...the wild boar meatballs were excellent...the pizza was very good and the real Italians we took there raved about the Bolognese...
(5)
Sara L.
My boyfriend and I wandered over here and waited for it to open. I know that most things close early in Solvang so the choices for dinner are kinda limited. We walked in right at 5:30pm and asked for a table for two. The host said asked if we had a reservation and after stating we didn't, we were told that they were completely booked up for the night. The host asked one waitress if she would want to take us at one of her tables and then got seated. I had the Carbonara and my boyfriend had the margharita pizza. The crust of the pizza was thin and not too over done. It had really good flavor also. The carbonara was also good with a fried egg on top which made everything really wonderful. There were big chunks of bacon in the dish but still had a lot of fat attached to it. I would have like the bacon to be cut down a bit and trimmed. The bread with oil they brought to start was very soft and the oil was really good. We also split a Caesar salad to start which had really great flavor to it. You can taste the anchovies in the dressing which gave it a nice salty kick. This was topped with a sun-dried tomato crostini that was great. I will be back here for sure but will be making reservations ahead of time next time.
(4)
Jennifer F.
We came here on a Saturday evening. Most of the restaurants and shops in Solvang were already closed, and the restaurant was filled with young people sipping and chatting the evening away. The atmosphere is dim and intimate, and just slightly crowded. Service was swift. The menu is fairly short: appetizers, pizza, pasta, dishes, specials, and beverages. A full listing of wine is on the back. We had... "Marco" Pizza - Proscuitto, tomato sauce, mozzarella, rosemary, and sundried tomatoes. I've had authentic proscuitto before, and this was dull in comparison. The pizza as a whole was salty and dry. Spaghetti Bolognese - This was classic and standard. Risotto Di Mare - The rice was flavored with fresh tomato and was flavorful without being saucy. It was mixed with shrimp, squid, scallops, salmon, and baby octopus. The seafood was fresh and had great texture, and the salmon was very tender. The saffron pulled everything together. Delicious. Penne Pollo I Funghi - Penne pasta with chicken, porcini mushrooms, garlic, and tomato cream. This was alright. Spaghetti Alle Vongole - Spaghetti with steamed clams, white wine, garlic, and chili. We had this without chili, and it had a great flavor. This and the risotto were the table favorites. For dessert, the waiter introduced their four desserts and we selected the cheesecake to share. It was very light and creamy, served with berries and jam. We all enjoyed it, but were surprised at the $10 "surprise" tab for such a small slice. Everything else however, was reasonably priced. The pastas were $15-17, the risotto was $21, and the pizza was $18 ($15-18 in general). As for the rest of the menu, appetizers are $9-16 and plates & specials are $14-28. Cecco is a solid Italian restaurant and I wouldn't mind coming here again.
(3)
Krysti B.
OMG!!! It was fabulous. I had the pork chop with risotto and my hubby had the bolognese. We shared the hazelnut gelato. ALL of it was mouth watering! Our server was so kind and attentive. This is a a place I will recommend to everyone I know!
(5)
Lovetoeat T.
I wish I could really give this a 4 1/2 star rating. I dined here this last weekend with some foodie friends who's palates I can agree with. I did not go in with a lot of expectations considering italian seemed a bit out of place for Solvang, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the food. I recommend the fried oysters- which honestly blew me away. The fresh mignonette and tartar complimented the perfectly cooked oysters. We also had a caprese appetizer which had a nice presentation. We shared an oven cooked pizza with a beautiful thin crust and the pasta bolognese with wild boar. The bolognese was fantastic and highly recommended. The service- I can't generalize the day to day operations of the service staff but our service, considering the strength of the dishes, could have had more pride and attentiveness. Timing of coursing was way off and the food runner seemed very inexperienced and unable to answer questions-even unable to return with an answer. For me, service was a little below average on this day.
(4)
Pat A.
Great "date night" location. We enjoyed the meal and staff. Good place to stop for a meal after some Solvang tastings. A real antipasti is hard to find!
(4)
Edward W.
Solid little Italian place in Solvang. One step up from a pizza joint is cecco's. Go for the butternut squash ravioli in sage butter sauce. This is not an overly complex version of the dish, but it's made with tons of butter. As comedian John Caparulo says, "Anything is better with butter on it.". This dish is no exception. The wood fired pizza oven yields good enough pizza. I had the aglio olio white pizza with chiles and tons of garlic. Give this pizza an 8 on the EJW pizza scale. Stay away from the tomato soup. I think they opened a can of Campell's and threw in a leaf or two of basil and called it their own. Service is by a group of just out of high schoolers, and just about right for this little Solvang restaurant.
(3)
Roopa R.
Awful just awful Service! We went there on a Monday night - they were hardly busy! Took forever to seat us and that was just one of the many issues! Finally seated a waiter- came over a and practically threw 4 glasses of water at us- when we tried to explain we didnt need so many- he just left without letting us say anymore! We were there with 2 little kids and obviously thought we'd be waited on in a reasonable amount of time- 15-20 minutes went on with trying to entertain our very hungry children and no one had even come over to take drink orders! Let me say I'm really not one to complain- we visit a lot of restaurants and I don't writer bad yelp reviews so u can imagine! Long story short- my husband finally calls over the waitress who takes my order but forgets to take my husbands order!!! Come on!!!! My son orders a milk- which by the way we never get until he's practically crying about it towards the end of dinner! We ordered the pizza- very mediocre and penne arrabiata also nothing to talk about! No tip I tell you no tip!! Oh also- they placed us right next to their very large dog dish outside! Yuck/ imagine smelling a wet dog all night!!! One more thing- who puts the Heater on when its in the eighties!!!! I was sitting under a furnace- icing on the cake!!!!
(1)
Dennis P.
Been trying to get by this place since it opened and glad we finally made it!! Both the service and the food was great. We shared a Caesar salad, Fettuccine Carbanara and a chicken pizza. In my opinion it was every bit as good as the "other" Italian restaurant in the valley. Looking forward to returning soon!!!
(5)
Yardley P.
The food is great no questions about it until something happened... We ordered calamari, pizza, chicken fettucccini and tiramisu. So we are seated at the patio, moved at the next table because it smells like dog. Flies are flying everywhere..one went in our pasta, one in tiramisu. First, for the pasta, they did offer to give us a new plate amd apologize. When we got the new plate, the food tasted differently from the first one. Tasted bland and not as creamy as the other one. So we suspected, they just took out the fly, added some noodles and chicken and remade it. Put to waste! Second, for the tiramisu, it took them awhile to replace it so hmmm we wonder why.. all you need is get a new slice right? So, here it comes... it came out cut in half(first one is not and tiramisu are always served one whole piece) We all looked at the plate and so shocked that we don't know what to say until the server said "oh its a new piece, really it is new" yeah right! And you asked, what's the problem? Do you think we would really buy that alibi?! What they did is took out the portion where the fly have landed and just added another pice of tiramisu. We told the server that we don't want it but we'll just pay it anyways since it seems like they really need money for them to be doing dirty business like this. What a waste and a horrible experience!
(1)
Wendy A.
Okay five stars for the staff! the servers were sweet, and quick to get what we asked for. The food however was another story. Our boys 12/13 ordered the pizza (CPK is better) the bread for the dipping oil was over toasted (more like for a bruschetta) so dipping in oil was not good as it did not soak up the oil. My son ordered the Braised short rib ravioli the inside of the ravioli was great! tender meet and flavorfull! the pasta was poorly cooked with the ends on the side of crunchy! I had pasta putanesca, no complaints the shrimp was cooked well and vegetables were fresh, pasta al dente. My husband ordered the Pork chop. the first bite he said "wow" great flavor" second bite "does this look done" third bite RAW! this was not underdone pork but RAW. they sent it back (again servers great) brought it back "oh sorry about that" I would not go again, for the price I expect more and the quality was less than olive garden. The service was great, and staff very nice! Now they just need a good chef and decent cooks in the kitchen.
(2)
Shari Z.
Def. recommend the margarita pizza.
(3)
Peter W.
Good local restaurant with a passion for Italian food and seasonal ingredients. Caprese was outstanding with the fresh pesto and buratta. We had two pasta dishes that were both flavorful and creative. A little heavy but we both couldn't stop eating them. Wine list is well made with lots of great local wines In general fairly high priced but with some treasures - we found an 07 Kenneth Crawford Syrah which at $38 is a good deal. Becca provided us with great service and we really liked the atmosphere.
(5)
Toolguy G.
Stopped at Cecco Ristorante for lunch during our bi-annual trip up the coast. We were huge fans of Cafe' Anjelica until it closed its doors, and were looking for a replacement Italian restaurant in Solvang. We decided to give Cecco a try. We were greeted, although not enthusiastically, by our server and were seated on the left side of the restaurant and handed menus.The atmosphere & decor were both fine. I'm 1st generation 100% Italian, & we both love wine with food, but Cecco's wine by the glass prices are excessive. I don't recall specifically what we ordered but they were house versions, mine was $13, my wife's was $10, and neither were anything special. So be it, we were looking forward to our meals as this was our first food of the day after 2+ hours of driving. My wife and I are big Penne Bolognese fans. The menu listed Spaghetti Bolognese with Braised Wild Boar & Beef for $15. I asked our server if we could substitute Penne for Spaghetti, so she went to the kitchen. She returned & told us they were out of Penne (we were the first one's thru the door at 11:30am). Not a huge deal, but disappointing that an Italian place didn't have Penne. We both went ahead and ordered it anyway. We've eaten at many Italian places from the cheapest to the priciest, and in each case we were brought a basket of bread, butter and/or oil & balsamic to get us going before our meals arrived. At Cecco, we waited and waited but nothing came until I finally asked and our server told us they only bring bread if you ask for it. Again, not a huge deal but disappointing. When our meals came, we were both impressed at the presentation & portions. Ample pasta, lots of meat & sauce. The flavor of the sauce was well balanced, and the meat mixture was lean and tender although we had no idea of the Boar to beef ratio. With the addition of warm bread to clean off our plates, we had no complaints about our meals. Bottom line: Our meals were great, the service so-so, the wine expensive & not worth it. Solvang is in desperate need of a really good Italian restaurant. We miss Cafe' Anjelica and hope they re-open somewhere soon. Barring that, we may give Cecco another go in the fall...
(3)
Sarah R.
Loved Cecco. Here's what we ordered: Fried oysters-- get them. so good. Wild Boar meatballs-- everyone else loved them, I thought they we ok. Tomato soup-- thicker than you may expect, but delicious. Duck pizza-- um, yes please. and why can't I order this anywhere? Aglio olio pizza (prob. misspelled)-- I didn't try it, my spicy food lovin' husband & mother in law did and they both said it was WAY spicy, but good. Butternut Squash ravioli-- AMAZING. perfect. Pasta carbonara-- so my father in law has this "thing" with carbonara. he wanted it prepared in the traditional way where you mix the egg in off the heat so it just barely cooks and creates that great carbonara sauce. the chef at Cecco actually made it for him that way, and it was awesome. major props to the chef for being so accommodating. Everyone loved their dishes. We really wanted to try dessert but we were all so full. I would definitely come back here. Good service as well.
(4)
Mary C.
Took our pasta bologanse to go since we had our puppy with us. We asked for bread and it was put in with our order. Our server was extremely polite nice and accommodating. Asked if we wanted our bread while we waited for dinner, we declined. She apologized two or three times for the long wait for our meal even tho we had not complained nor had we even noticed a longer than average wait. Normally one serving of pasta and bread would be plenty for my husband and myself,but this serving would hardly be sufficient for one. The pasta was very "fat" , it was short and fat! There was no sauce just heavy oil and some small pieces of meat. It had no flavor, not garlic, not spicy, nothing, just blah. Too bad. The bread was blah also and the olive oil to go with was thick and acidic yik! My husband loves bread and olive oil, but didn't eat it. Oh well, at least we didn't overeat.
(2)
Dave L.
Nice. Especially attentive and professional service. Pizza was delicious. Tomato soup, not so much. Thick and salty.
(3)
G N.
This place is SO bad. Fettuccine sauce tasted like milk and butter ONLY. No flavoring at all..it was pretty disgusting, it's worse when you have to pay for something you only took 3 bites of. Never coming back here.
(1)
Carol E.
We made a last minute reservation for 6, and were seated on schedule. Fried oyster appetizer was absolutely wonderful. Some of us ordered pizzas -- very tasty. Beer and wine only for spirits. Highly recommend.
(4)
Reese J.
Super quick service and very friendly. Our server knew the menu and steered us right into the Carbonara which was rich and delicious. I had wild boar tortelli... hit the spot.. Very buttery and tasty.
(5)
Ryan A.
First time eating there on my birthday a week ago. Service was pretty prompt. Some food portions like the ravioli dishes are not adiquete for the price. I am happy to say that they offer dietary need dishes like gluten-free. I was thankful for that. Corkage fee runs you $15. even if you bring a screw capped bottle. Not too noisy but a little small. Dessert was amazing. And if you like the food and service, they offer you a chance to stay connected with the owner who offers special events. Overall, I was happy with this place. I will probably go back soon and sit outside on the patio for lunch.
(4)
Meg R.
3.5 to 4 stars. Pricier wine list than some other spots we'd seen here in Santa Ynez area and didn't help they were out of all the under $40 bottles by our 730pm arrival. Service was very attentive. Bistro atmosphere inside more inviting to us but outside patio was thriving. Really impressed with short rib, ricotta Tortellini but note it comes in smaller portion but rich and heavy. Shrimp puttanesca was very good with balanced sauce. Maybe a few more shrimp to pasta and I could have eaten more. Overall very enjoyable and fulfilling dinner.
(4)
Michael C.
This restaurant was recommended to us because it was the only one opened in Solvang on Monday night. Really? I have an idea to the Solvang restauranteurs, Open on Monday night! At any rate, this place was good. Food was okay. Our server was really good. The ambiance was just okay; borderline pizza shop but okay.
(3)
Rosie P.
We had the pleasure of going into Cecco on our vacation at the end of the summer. Both the food and the service were the best we've ever had in Solvang. As an appetizer we got the Bruschetta, it was delicious. Our entrees were lovely as well. Our son ordered the pork chop and polenta, the meat was cooked perfectly. As far as the service our waitress (Susan) was so nice and very attentive. As well as the busboy, who never let our drinks go dry, and the hostess was sweet as well. Overall, an amazing experience we will be back to Cecco next time for sure.
(5)
Brutal H.
This was my first time to this establishment and I'm a local. Over the years I've learned not to expect too much from the local eateries so I'm not disappointed. My experience is that most of the town of Solvang is a tourist trap with a lot of greedy property owners who extract usurious rents from their poor tenants and there is high tenant turnover. Not an ideal situation to operate a business. That being said...the food quality itself was good to excellent. The Bianca pizza was delicious and the bread with olive oil and drops of balsamic vinegar was yummy. The caramel creme brulee was very good and the wine and beer prices were typical for the area with a glass of Brander Cabernet Sauvignon for $9 a glass and Figueroa Mountain Stout for $5 a pint. The service however was bordering on abyssmal. We should have known this when reservations were available every 15 minutes from 6:30 to 7:30pm with only one and a half hours lead time. The hostess did find our reservation immediately, we were seated promptly, drinks were served relatively quickly, but then the wait began. The appetizer bread was served well after the drinks (faux pas to be sure). It appeared that the busboy and the server had no clear delineation of tasks and the busboy/server forgot to bring the appetizer bread no less than 3 times. There seemed to be conflicts between the busboy and the server. She spent more time talking to the busboy than serving the clientele. At one point, they had a lengthy verbal disagreement within 15 feet of our table. Perhaps what is really necessary is a strong floor manager to make sure the wait staff are working efficiently. It pains me to give reviews like this of local restaurants. I want so much for there to be good restaurants in Solvang, but one has to be realistic when comparing it to other locales that engender more competition. Overall, if you are expecting good food with iffy service, then you will not be disappointed. It will be some time before I return due to the lack of customer service and attentiveness. Although, it is not a particularly pricey establishment, I do expect better service than I received. It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes for the limited dining that we did. I believe with better service, this could be cut down easily by a half an hour. While one should patiently enjoy a good meal, this meal pushed the boundaries and tried my patience.
(3)
Lindsey m.
One of the best pizza's we've ever had! Every time we come to Solvang, we eat here. We always get the Margaheita pizza.
(5)
Abby G.
Oy Vey! We overhead some folks saying this was the favorite place in Solvang! Taste, is well, individual. We ordered a Marg pizza and a beet salad. Small pizza and pricey at $18. It was getting late, so we took the food to go, back to our hotel, and hungry, jumped right in. The crust was mushy, too much sauce, too little cheese. Not tasty! I love pizza and can eat it near anywhere, even a Domino's pizza if I have to. The beet salad -- the red beets were limp and very dark (not fresh, sorry, but not canned either). One Zantac later, we both felt better. Really, this is the best food in the Solvang? Yikes! Cute place. Outdoor seating. We'd try again, but steer clear of the Pizza.
(2)
Becca N.
Best rustic pizzas and pastas, and beyond friendly sweet staff :)
(5)
James M.
We have been very fortunate to have this really nice restaurant open here in Solvang. The food is really yummy, the staff always pleasant and friendly. For lunch there is the Chopped salad (5 stars) or new "sandwiches" (always tasty). Dinner has wonderful pizzas, or Osso Bucco, or amazing pastas. The wine list is complete and has some very interesting wines (even a Californian Gruner). We are from L.A. and so have a fair basis for good eats. We enjoy Cecco for lunch or dinner. Prices are reasonable. Book for dinner.
(5)
Renee B.
I stopped by this place a week ago with my husband and some friends. I wasn't in the mood for pizza, but was pleasantly surprised. My husband and I split a pizza that had some type of spicy pepperoni on it. The meat was good and the arugula that topped it was a nice touch. The crust was thin, but very filling. Our friends ordered the white pizza that they enjoyed as well. I will definitely make this place a must whenever I visit Solvang.
(4)
Maria G.
The setting is nice but a bit cramped. The Waitress forgot our bread not once but twice. She finally brought it out with our check. We tried the calamari and the tortellini. The food was ok. The tortellini was bland and was soaking in oil. I don't think it was worth the $40.
(2)
Jake V.
In retrospect unless you hang out at Solvang a lot (or are inundated by Danish culture) it seemed silly to go to an Italian restaurant. Food and service was decent enough but it was their bad luck that my dad had to order their panini. My dad is notorious for being very particular about his food orders and has little patience for food that isn't prompt and hot on arrival. I get pretty embarrassed by it honestly, he's a little too unforgiving, I feel. But the panini really was pretty cold, even though it had grill marks, as though it was pressed and then left to cool. The pizzas and pastas we ordered were decent, but the Kobe burger was well done instead of medium rare as was ordered. Also their deep fryer was on the fritz apparently so no fries to go with the burger (salad's good but not if it's a surprise ;)). It's nice to eat outside but if you have people who are sensitive to the sun they don't normally keep the inside of the restaurant open for lunch. They accomodated us but we were alone in there and felt kinda overlooked.
(3)
Ron B.
Excellent meal. Had some pizza's and the calamari and the whole family enjoyed everything. The service was also excellent. Thanks for the Yelp reviews that brought us here.
(5)
Steven W.
So delicious. Great thin crust and amazing service too. Best Italian food in solvang
(4)
Kara S.
We were told to go here by Mike at Carhartt, so we did and were not disappointed. Any restaurant that serves delicious bread with oil and vinegar already starts me off in a good mood. We ordered some salads to split - both were delicious. Everyone's meal was amazing. (Pasta carbonara, roasted chicken, mushroom pizza, and veal cheek tortellini) And the wine went perfectly with it. For dessert we got a chocolate mousse cake (nom nom nom) and the tiramisu (a bit too much cocoa on top). Cecco is now my new favorite place to have dinner when in Solvang!
(5)
Holly F.
Had some plain, dry, chewy mushroom/red meat ravioli that swam in a pool of cheap extra light olive oil for $19...need I say more?
(1)
Michele D.
I highly recommend the mushroom ravioli and the zuppa. Having a great time eating on the patio drinking prosecco with my meal. :) What I should add that the mushroom ravioli was so good, I wanted to lick the plate!! This is definitely worth a try if you are in the Solvang area.
(4)
Yuri B.
Good wine selection and pasta. Pizza was a bit disappointing (italian scale)
(3)
Marilyn M.
Great place on a Tuesday night! We were surprised that most of Solvang was closed up tighter than a drum on Tuesday. Cecco Ristorante was one of the few places that was open for dinner, but it turned out to be a real find. We sat on the patio, which was pleasant, and the service was friendly and attentive. We shared a salad and a pizza, and both were outstanding. The salad--oven-roasted beets with arugula, fresh mozzarella, capers and walnut oil--was amazingly fresh and flavorful. The crisp, thin-crusted and very rich funghi pizza was topped with crimini mushrooms, tomato sauce & fontina cheese. The dessert menu looked good but we were too full!
(4)
Jerry C.
We ate at Cecce last week when we were visiting in Solvang. We were seated outside and it was an overall nice experience. We had a pizza and shared a salad and I had a glass of wine while my wife had a glass of ice tea. Both food items were very nice and tasty. The service was good. The only negative about the experience that I can offer is that we were overcharged by 6 dollars from what the menu prices were. My $10 glass of wine showed up on the bill as $14 and the $18 pizza became $20. I called the server's attention to the error with the glass of wine but I was not sure about the price of the pizza until we left and looked it up on their menu and found out that sure enough it had been $18 and not the $20 that was on the bill. I would look at my bill carefully if you dine here as there may be many "mistakes" made that if one does not catch it then either the restaurant or the server is pocketing extra money.
(3)
Connie H.
The food had incredible flavor! Never expected to eat such great Italian food in a dutch town!
(4)
Emily H.
A bit pricey (more like standard LA prices) but super delicious. Everything was very fresh and normal Italian dishes had a unique twist to them. I recommend the Bolognese or the Pesto dishes...delish!
(4)
Apple L.
Bad place! I ordered a clam dish but the clams were full of sand!! Plus there was a tiny fly in the dish...the salami pizza was extremely salty and unfresh. Service was bad. Gave me 15 one dollars for change! Such an unpleasant experience.
(1)
Ashley B.
My boyfriend and I ate here after a day of wine tasting and the food was absolutely delicious. We got the calamari, the short rib tortellini (which may have been a special), and the salami pizza. The pizza was amazing and definitely the hit of the night, if not the whole trip! (And we are big pizza lovers). Thin crust, crispy, and amazing salami. Would definitely recommend cecco to anyone staying in Solvang who wants a casual, affordable and delicious dinner.
(5)
Michael S.
The food was above average, the portions were large, the prices were high but the ambiance made up for it all. We went for a mid week lunch and all around us were people enjoying themselves. My wife and I had the burger, one daughter had the pizza and another had the spaghetti. We came for the pizza and she said it was ok. Too much sauce but not bad. The spaghetti came with a very, very rich bolognaise sauce. The burger was all beef instead of the wild boar we came for but it was decent. The frys were decent as was the house salad. Lunch for the four of us was just under a hundred dollars and we had no alcohol. All in all, the price makes it hard to come back to find that one thing on the menu that makes this place special, but I am willing to give it a try the next time I feel like something special. The atmosphere there was that good.
(4)
Roni R.
Food was super yummy. Jennifer was very informative,prompt, and sweet. The rest of the staff was very great too. We ordered the mushroom and spinach raviolis and the seafood rissotto. They were delicious. We were stuffed but decided to get dessert it was so good. Great place to eat.
(5)
Robert G.
Went to visit friends in Buellton, we all went to Cecco for lunch and had a great meal, service was good. Then, we drank wine and well I need to go back. Go enjoy.
(4)
Pedro F.
Intended to eat at the local tavern but ended up here instead and I am SO glad we did (nothing against the local tavern). Walked in, didnt have reservations (I recommend that you do make a reservation), the host/manager (didn't have the warmest personality) however he was nice enough to take us for dinner. However our server Rene (cute red head, great smile and awesome personality) she made us feel welcome and quite comfortable. I recommend starting with the caprese (so fresh) then the Tortelloni (mouth watering) and the Gorlomi pizza. These are good enough to share. The portions are just right and you will definitely come back and so will I.
(4)
Sandra P.
Seems this place is a hit or miss... For us it was an average experience. We stopped here on a Friday night and sat outside in the patio. Here's what we tried: Complimentary Bread with olive oil- the warm bread basket came out quickly and was very tasty Caprese Salad- even though it sat on a bed of olive oil and pesto, it was incredibly bland Ravioli- it was prepared in a creamy sauce which tasted good, but was a bit too rich Salmon- cooked perfectly (not overdone) and tasted very good Overall we got attentive service, although like others, the order got messed up and our entree came out before the salad. The server was very apologetic, and we didn't make a fuss. It's a solid 3 stars.
(3)
Sam B.
Extremely poor service. Between orders mix ups, watery margherita pizza, server not showing up for 45 minutes - it was an unpleasant experience all around. We had party of 3 families. One member of our group did not even get his food almost an hour after rest of the party did. No bread served at the beginning of meal when all other tables got it. When we go t the breads, they only gave us 4 breads for 11 people. Definitely not worth the $20 for the pizza. food was bland and ordinary, not much taste. Definitely avoid it on our next trip to Solvang.
(1)
Suparada M.
We just come here with tour and didn't have much time. We use Yelp to find the restaurant around Solvang. That's what i found u. Great food and good service.
(4)
M G.
The best Caesar salad! I had the salmon and it was delicious. My husband had fried oysters and he said they were good. He did not really really like the monk fish-said it was ok! Short rib ravioli was amazing! Good dinner size. Large portions!
(4)
Mike B.
The food was remarkable, George suggested wine perfectly, Anna was super attentive and knowledgeable.
(5)
Glen N.
10 minutes can save you 15% on your car insu --- - oh wait, that's Geico. We've been four times in three visits: The bruschetta is like a cartoon bruschetta. It was ONE giant bruschetta the size of a shoe. It's so good. You'll feel like Ant-Man. Not bad for a piano playing Marx brother-- oh wait, that's Chico. Other items: The crunchy house bread w/ vinegar and oil is classic. The caprese salad is incredibly fresh, but not my favorite. The perfectly al dente Pasta Bolognese with wild boar is interesting. The pesto pasta dish was okay... the pasta ropey and the pesto may be too subtle. The pizzas are great. Save some of the Bianca to eat cold later- it melds into a different flavor. The white Gianni pizza is great, too. Though those cherry peppers made my pooper cherry. It's not cheap, the interesting menu is limited, and I'm not a fan of the $3 cans of soda and yucky iced tea, but it's a classy but unpretentious, dark and romantic restaurant with great service. Not bad for nine fingers--- oh wait, that's Conseco.
(4)
Marian B.
Portion is very small. As if you're ordering a kids meal. And food is salty on both plates we ordered. Over priced food for something you can get for half the price else where.
(1)
Matt G.
I stopped here because I was pretty hungry and I really didn't wanna continue to search haha.( lazy) So I came in and sat outside. The waitress was very attentive and even recommended things. But I ended up going with MARGHERITA Pizza. Boy was the a great pizza! I recommend to everybody trying that. Plus where I was sitting, it was such a beautiful place to relax and chat. I'm a fan.
(4)
sylvia n.
Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. We went last night without a reservation and they were very accommodating ! Water and soft warm bread came out right away. We atarted with the ceasar salad which was crisp and tasty. We ordered the Cinghale pizza our favorite and it came out just as we were finishing salad! Finished with the cheesecake which was recommended and it did not disappoint. Service was great..staff helps each other which I think is a great concept! Will be back! As a local it is a great place that is very reasonable !
(5)
Kelli S.
We saw the high ratings and got excited, but were highly disappointed. The service was terrible and it appeared that all the bus boys and helpers were 16 years old and more interested in giggling and nibbling on bread that was intended for the guests. We ordered the salmon because the descriptions sounded delicious and it was like a lean cuisine dinner... No flavor and hardly anything on the plate. If I'm going to pay $28 for an entree it should be better than that.
(1)
Vivian C.
This is a traditional Italian restaurant, and it looks and feels and tastes like one. We arrived around 7pm on a Saturday night, and didn't have to wait to be seated, which was nice. We ordered the funghi pizza and the carbonara pasta, both of which were delicious. The funghi pizza was very fragant with truffly goodness, and lots of goat cheese. It was a deliciously pungent pizza, in a good way! The carbonara came with this rich, creamy sauce that was very well made. Prices are mid-range. The pizza, by the way, is huge, and definitely enough for 2 people. This is an adorable little place, with good ambiance and good food. Service is a bit slow, though. I felt like we were waiting for quite a while for our food. However, I feel like that's not too much of a problem since you can just sip your wine and enjoy each other's company.
(4)
Chet M.
We had an excellent dinner. Split the beet salad it was perfect for two. We both had the short rib ravioli and it was covered with a mushroom sauce that was real tasty. For a great red wine by the Dolcetto by Palmina a really nice Italian grape that you don't see much.
(4)
R P.
The Gianni pizza, bolognese and creme brulee are so good. The bolognese is a MUST have - we make sure to take all of our out of town visitors here.
(5)
Vijay S.
Mind blowing food. Best Italian I have had in a while. The mushroom ravioli and puttanesca pasta was to die for.
(5)
Christine P.
We came here for dinner last night and were SO disappointed. Out of all the places in this cute little town, I still can't believe we flushed our money down the toilet here. First of all, every single one of those waitresses were extremely rude. Given that we came at about 9 when they closed at 10, everyone was way too busy cleaning wine glasses or counting their tips to provide even the slightest of acceptable service for our table. It took about 10 minutes before anyone came over to take our order, let alone ask us what we wanted to drink. Funny thing was that this redhead had been eyeballing us from behind the bar, and didn't let anyone know that we were more than ready to order. Once service FINALLY came around, we ordered the calamari, short rib tortellini, zuppa, bolognese, and the carbonara. Upon first impression, the plates were well presented with decent sized portions, but this place has had to have THE most bland pasta I've ever tasted. A well presentation doesn't make up for mediocre tasting dishes. Out of all the dishes, the calamari tasted the best, and I think that says a lot. In addition to the bland pasta, it took forever to wave down a waitress for water refills. The redhead behind the bar kept conversing with our waitress and although she saw that we needed help, she didn't even mention anything to our waitress as they continued to carry on with their conversation. All in all, please please please avoid this place. We spent $100 on food that would've tasted way better if I were to just whip it up myself at home. Spaghetti and meat sauce from a can tastes better than this place. Please heed my warning and stay away.
(1)
Melissa C.
This would be a higher number of stars had they handled a bad situation better. My husband and I were there last night for our wedding anniversary. We did not have reservations, but were seated quickly. The waitress did take a little long to get to us and get our drink orders. We ordered the scampi appetizer and the waitress came back and they had sold out, so we ordered the bruschetta - which was very good. While waiting for dinner, a couple came in and was seated next to us that was clearly drunk - and their swaying and bobbing was annoying/uncomfortable. Then the lady started vomiting (practically on our feet). This all said, this is not the restaurant's fault that a customer was vomiting. They moved us to a different table right away. Unfortunately, after seeing and smelling vomit - we could not eat. Thus we walked up to the front and asked to leave. They asked us if we wanted to take our main courses to go. The manager on staff gave us condescending looks as if it was our fault that we were leaving/wanted to cancel the order. We declined to take the main course that hadn't been served in a to go bag, so they took the main course off the tab and had us pay for everything else. I had not even gotten through 1/3 of my glass of wine. The poor form in my opinion here was that 1) The couple was obviously inebriated and should have not been allowed in the restaurant and 2) To actually charge us for appetizers and drinks that were stopped abruptly due to something so gross was pretty low. Had this been handled differently, I would have gone back. However in my opinion how a restaurant handles a bad situation speaks volumes of the management and owners - they will not get my business again.
(1)
Anna Z.
This restaurant is absolutely adorable! If you can be seated in the patio on a nice day, definitely do that. I came with my family on a sunny day for lunch and was seated right away. Since it was a little bit chilly, we really appreciated having the heat lamps in the patio to keep us warm while still enjoying the outside view. The waitress was really friendly and quickly provided us hot water after we asked for it. There were 7 of us (1 child) and the food we ordered was plenty. We ordered the gianni pizza, gorlomi pizza, spaghetti with red sauce, cecco burger, and this ravioli dish that I forgot the name of. The waitress said each pizza had 8 slices so it can feed two people and she was right, it was pretty big. Both the pizzas were delicious! The Gianni had salami with a red sauce and arugula on top. The only downside was that it was a tad bit too salty but it was on this crunchy thin crust. I liked the Gorlomi alot! It's a pizza that I have never tasted before. First of all, it's a white sauce but the special part is that it's spicy! Definitely a must try if you like pizza and you stopped by here. My brother wanted just a basic spaghetti but surprisingly they didn't have that on their menu. Their lunch menu was actually rather limited and now when I look up their lunch/dinner menus online, I realized a lot of things have changed. For example, I can't find the ravioli dish online at all even though I just visited there a week ago. Anyways, the spaghetti he got was just with red sauce with no meat or anything and it tasted pretty bland. the ravioli dish had about 6 pieces of ravioli with a creamy sauce and was so-so. I wouldn't get it again since there's nothing special about it. However, my favorite dish was definitely the cecco burger. It was massive and so juicy and absolutely flavorful and delicious. The fries it came with looked like these giant potato twists. Very unique and not something I have seen before. Definitely get this dish!! We were too full for dessert but I would have liked to try the tiramisu! Also didn't try their wine since we were going to go wine tasting after lunch. Overall, it was a really nice lunch experience.
(4)
Jennifer S.
We've been to Solvang many times and we wanted to try something a little different. When we saw the quaint little Italian restaurant with the patio seating and reviewed the menu, we decided to stay for lunch. At the door, we were told to wait while they got tables ready. After 5-8 minutes, a server (?) came by asking if we were waiting to be seated. We said yes and she stated something about how extremely crazy busy they were. Honestly, it didn't seem that busy. Anyway, we were seated in the patio and our server took orders for drinks and then food. I ordered the turkey panini (real Italian right? :P) and hubby got the Tortellini. The meals were not brought out at the same time and the side Cesar Salad that came with my panini tasted so much better than the panini itself; the turkey was almost flavorless. Hubby's tortellini was tasty but the portion size was not enough for the price. The service was only so so. Server didn't seem really interested in serving. We didn't get asked to have our waters refilled. I was disappointed in my sandwich. At 11 bucks at least get the turkey sandwich right! I guess that's what I get for ordering a turkey sandwich at an Italian restaurant.
(3)
Aileen K.
Such a disappointment. There were so many restaurants to choose from in this hustle bustle cute Danish city but we went with this one because it had a nice outdoor patio and it looked somewhat fancier, which is what we wanted. Nothing really popped out from the menu but after we ordered our drinks, we decided to order family style and get the cecco burger, salmon salad, golormi pizza (White Pizza with shaved garlic and mozzarella spicy pepperoncino) and a salumi sandwich just to get a feel for everything on their menu. Once again, nothing caught our attention but at this point it was rude to leave so we figured, why not just go for it? The first thing I was annoyed at was the fact that their fries are potato wedges.Care to share that with your customers when asking them which side they would like? We thought they were normal french fries so we chose that for all our sides and eded up being super disappointed by the shapeless, salty little things. Everything was just salty. Even the salad was so drenched in sauce that it was too much. The salmon was fishy and the sandwich bread was not what they had promised. Nothing was special and in fact, we kept moaning at having to finish the food. Luckily one of us was hungry so we managed to finish everything but wow, looking at other people's faces while they were eating, we were all thinking the same thing and we were getting pissed. Do not come to this place even if they have outdoor seating. Trust me!
(1)
Appa A.
Is there a "zero" star rating? No??? Ah well, I will settle for next best rating then. We have ordered pesto pasta and pruschetto pizza This turned out to be a Over hyped yelp restaurant - a total let down - Rude manager that does not greet and is downright gruff with the guests - The food arrived quickly (which turned out to be "too" quick" - read on for the reason. - The pasta was cold - turned out they dont make the dishes to order !! - The pesto contained "sour" (read - tinned) bellpapers, flavorless pesto and bland pasta - The pizza contained flavorless meat and red onion and pretty much thats all Overall huge disappointment. I would avoid this place !!
(1)
Dustin T.
Have enjoyed a number of meals here. Their food is delicious, especially after a day of wine tasting. I recommend there: Oysters Fritti Polpette Spaghetti Bolognese I do wish that they would pair up with the countless local vineyards and offer a more diverse selection of local wines, but usually I've consumed so much wine by the time I get here that a couple glasses of water suffice. Also, depending upon the day, I recommend calling ahead for a reservation. If it is a busy weekend, you will be glad you did.
(4)
Josh S.
Food and service were great. We ordered a pizza the bolognese and formaggio sandwich and everything was excellent.
(5)
Ana L.
Unfortunately, we tried everything to have a good experience here. We first came here and my husband went in to find us a table- again he was turned away, but this time no one even looked him in the eye (second time in Solvang). He walked right out and said we are not going there. Due to few places being open and dog friendly we decided to give it another try. Here is what happened: 1. The bruschetta was one piece of bread 2. The waitress we told about our first experience explained that basically it was not her fault and the hostesses fault and then only tool our coffee off the check for our experience. When restaurants with these places only take the coffee off, it basically means oh screw you, but here is something anyway. 3. The waitress barely talked to us. I understand it is busy, but when it is $20 for 5 tortoloni, I dont understand taking only the coffee off. We are not planning on coming back any time soon.
(2)
Anu B.
The food was delicious! We got the bruschetta, mushroom ravioli and Mary's chicken. Food was well portioned, not ridiculously big- I liked that. The tomato sauce with the ravioli was best I've had. We had a great time. I would love to visit again!
(4)
Nikki L.
We were in Solvang for a mini getaway and asked around for good dinner recommendations. Several different Sommeliers recommended Cecco. The dish was great (even though they messed up the order). The servers there seemed a little spastic or frazzled, despite there only being a few small parties in our section, but ours was very friendly and accommodating. Overall, a pleasant experience.
(4)
Vikas B.
Food here is real good. This place has become one of my top places to have pizzas. We had Gorlomi pizza and it was just too good. A must try place.
(5)
Tere P.
My husband and I came here for dinner. We liked the ambiance with the dim lighting and mellow background music. The service was adequate. The food was great. We ordered the caprese salad and the bianca pizza. The wait for the pizza was a tad long but not excessive. The bread and olive oil was very good and kept us satisfied until our food arrived. We also appreciated the fact that it was open till 9 pm. Be warned, this town shuts down early.
(4)
Cindy A.
This place is the best. I came back after two years, still good. Oh those pork chops are so good.
(5)
Baron V.
Stopped here for lunch for visiting the charming Scandinavian town of Solvang. They had tables open and seated us right away. Very nice and relaxing outdoor patio with wind screens and shade. Ordered one pepperoni and arugula pizza which was enough for the two of us. The pizza was very delicious in the Naples style with a crispy and toasted crust with a great taste and texture. Perfectly prepared. Really it put all the other brick oven Napoli pizzas that I've had to shame. And the other ones were highly rated Chicago establishments. Overall a very pleasant and relaxing place to spend an afternoon.
(4)
Niki S.
Wonderful atmosphere of partially dim lights, attentive and friendly servers and a great central location beckoned us to this delicious and truly memorable dinner. With Chef David in the kitchen, we trusted the skill and praises of the locals and asked for him to serve us dishes with pairings that he enjoyed cooking. Appetizer: A mouth-watering, flavorful, vibrant, sexy seafood ceviche. The last time I was intoxicated by an appetizer of this level, I was on my honeymoon, in Naples, eating at a Michelin-star restaurant. Seriously. Wine: David paired our dishes with a prosecco that was dry, with slight floral notes and just the right amount of flirtatious bubbles that danced along the front of my tongue and ticked my nose. Dishes/Dessert: The bolognese was so rich, balanced, and so damn tasty, I didn't want to share a bite. The wild boar couldn't have been more tender. The sauce oozed love, and patience, one of which had simmered and been given time for all the flavors and spices to come together into a harmony with the pasta cooked perfectly al-dente. Our tiramisu was soaked in an earthy, strong espresso, the cream and cake proportions right on track with one another, and beautiful plating for dessert. The service at Cecco was outstanding, from the minute we walked in and were greeted, to our server (I wish I wrote her name down) who really took her time to talk with us, share about herself, and what she enjoys on the menu and why she loves the food at Cecco as well. ALL IN ALL: The difference between amazing food and really good food is the combination of an emotional movement and connection between the harmony in the ingredients, and the love put into them. Every dish was moving, exciting, and full of sensory evocations. I would love to continue seeing Chef David's creations go up on the menu more and more, and can't wait to go back.
(5)
Nelson C.
So disappointing on so many levels. From the teetering tables, annoyed staff (we needed utensils) , from our water glasses directly poured from the tap. Most disappointing, the food. We tried their "famed" bolognese and it came cold/ warmish. The sauce which is supposed be rich and laced with long cooked/stewed wild boar was instead sad and dribbled with small pieces of meat the resembled something from a carne asada burrito. The whole meal had me wondering how fresh it really was. We got the Marco pizza and except for the crust (wood fired ) , I didn't know you could ruin a pizza. Way too much prosciutto , flavorless sauce and the cheese, once it cooled revealed its true nature. It could've been Monterey Jack, who knows but most definitely not mozzarella. We poked , dissected and ate what we could but most of it we left it on our plates. To add insult to injury , we were charged full price ( way over priced in the first place for the quality) even after we discussed our concerns with the manager. He informed us we should have told him immediately. Immediately, later ; what's the difference? I'm letting you know now. You can't fix what is overall a poorly executed -not fresh made meal. He should have at least compensated one of the meals. I should mention the caprese was good but for 4 slices of tomato, cheese and 4 leaves of basil for 15 bucks? Ouch. Been coming to Solvang for over ten years, this is by far our most disappointing meal, experience. I should've listened to the other yelper's warnings . They were pretty spot on .
(1)
Casey M.
We came here for dinner on a very busy Friday night before the Solvang Century. Luckily we made reservations a few days in advance. The staff was very friendly and efficient despite the crowd. Food was good and came out quickly. Calamari was delicious! As was the bruschetta and spaghetti. The restaurant was clean and, even with a full house, not too loud. We paid the bill but left our credit card on the table by mistake. We realized it later that night but weren't able to call until he following afternoon. They held it for is to pick up after showing ID. Defiantly going back!
(5)
Mani M.
Nice place for dinner just next to the park at Solvang. Good ambience, nice wines, great food.
(4)
Nicole A.
Oh my god, the Marco pizza. PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA! But seriously, the Marco pizza is absolutely delicious. I thought I was going to cry when I was eating it because it was that good. This pizza is not your typical greasy boring pizza. This pizza is rich, it's flavorful, it's multi-layered with flavor! The Marco came with prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, sage and mozzarella. Oh my, the prosciutto was a perfect compliment to this pizza and the sage.... the sage added such a sweetness.. The best pizza of my life. Ever. I'd come back up here again to take the people I love here, because I want to make them happy and feed them this delicious and amazing pizza. Forget any other place you think has great pizza because this place is it. This is exquisite and delicious artisan pizza. You will cry tears of joy. Name your first child after whatever pizza you get.
(5)
Stephanie C.
After a full day of wine tasting in Solvang we stumbled upon this SUPER cool little spot! We saw it was a little busy but it looked like a super cool atmosphere so we went in & they surprisingly seated us right away! (In the patio, on a warm day) it was perfect! We started off with some bread which was DELICIOUS! Service was GREAT 5/5 we waited for like 15 mins for a pizza which was AMAZING. FOOD was great 5/5 & I had an iced tea & wine which was AWESOME 5/5. loved loved loved this place!!
(5)
Monika M.
Although it was 3.5 star on yelp, we still gave it a shot- BIG mistake. Order the olive hummus appetizer - came in a small bowl with bread that tasted like the fully cooked pizza base. It was ok but they had layered stuff greens on the bottom on the bowl, so the bowl looks full of the spread we ordered while it was around half of it.... Sounds like cheating already Soup - the tomatoe soup tastes good and comes in a smal bowl too Fungi pizza - did not have any goat cheese as listed on the menu but was cooked well and we liked it Tiramisu- ok who add cinnamon to the top layer, raspberry syrup at the bottom on the plate and sprinkles sugar powder on a tiramisu?? Service - let me start by saying that there were only 2 tables to wait including us. the only server waiting was sweet BUT 1. did not give us napkins. When we asked she got us paper napkins while all other tables had the cloth napkins. 2. Did not ask or got us cheese or chili flakes for the pizza while got cheese and chillie flakes for the next table who had ordered pizza. 3. Did not asked for even water after getting the food. **NOT RECOMMENDED** for people who would are looking for Hospitality with food... Like me. I would NOT go back
(2)
Lori M.
I try not to expect too much when I'm spending an afternoon in a touristy place like Solvang. For me, Cecco felt like a restaurant a bit tired of those tourists. We had already looked at a few other restaurants and decided no. When we strolled across the threshold at Cecco, we were getting hungry. My friends read the menu, decided there were plenty of tempting items on the menu, and decided to stop here. The patio is pretty big and offers a shady respite from the meandering crowd. We waited just 15 minutes before being seated and immediately started to decide on lunch. The waitress was fine, perhaps a bit slow, and not all that engaging. Lunch was about the same: fine, a bit slow to arrive (we only ordered salads and one soup), and not all that engaging. The salads were fresh and I was told that the soup was good. My chopped Insalata di Cecco with baby lettuces, tomato, chick peas, ricotta salata & lemon vinaigrette was a bit small and the vinaigrette didn't taste that lemony. If you are looking for outside dining, Italian food, and aren't in a rush, Cecco is a fine place to stop.
(3)
Laurie T.
Cecco was recommended by coworker for birthday dinner before theatre event. The food was ordinary, service was less than ordinary, the menu was WAY overpriced for "ordinary". No birthday dessert unless paid for!!?!? My extended family will not be returning or recommending this ordinary restaurant to others. I suggest the management clean up the food, service and price if they wish to have return customers... NOTHING SPECIAL!!!
(1)
Robert T.
Stopped in for pizza. The have artsie pizze :-\ No pepperoni! We had the prosciutto, rosemary n other stuff. Very tasty, some what burnt crust. Sodas in cans n bottles so no free refills. Creme brulee was under cooked (soupy) told the waitress and no empathy. Definitely not worth $10.00! Nice ambience
(3)
Sandra O.
Not worth your money. Tomato soup is bland and way to hot. Pizza was extra salty and over cooked. I would go as far as calling my pizza burned. The shrimp pasta and bread were the only things that are decent, but I won't come back. Food is over prices, quality of food is that of a beginner cook and the service is sub par.
(1)
Cat B.
We had the calamari, Caesar salad, burrata n beets, porchetta n blanco pizza, carbonara, bolognaise, and tortellino. Most memorable are Caesar, burrata, pizza, and all three pasta dishes. Yummy yummy yummy. Definitely coming back. Service was awesome too and very friendly. P.S. I'm not related or affiliated with this restaurant at all. I saw the negative reviews and I guess that's just the difference in taste and experience.
(5)
Tara G.
We came here for dinner last month. No wait, got a table right away on a Sunday. The menu sounded good. Service was ok, it was stuffy & we had to ask for the AC to be turned on. We were are a party of 6 and had ordered a couple pizzas, salads, and a pasta to share at the table. All of our food came out except for 1 pizza with no explanation. The server came back and said that when they took the pizza out of the oven it ripped so they were re-making it. We understood, mistakes happen, and we had other food to occupy us. The pizza finally gets there and it was the worst cooked pizza I've had. It was like they rushed to cooking of it and it didn't cooked all the way, just until the cheese melted. We could not finish it because it was raw dough in the middle. The server took the pizza off the bill, but it left us disappointed.
(2)
Max H.
The portions are too small, I went to a noodle place after school to get a real dinner. It's very expensive, and the taste isn't worth the money.
(2)
William D.
Wonderful for Lunch too. Chopped salad is very good. They even have water bowls for your dog on the outside patio.
(4)
Joe J.
A group of us enjoyed a great dinner here. We all had a Peroni, and split the caesar and clams. The appetizers were delicious. The salad was crisp, and the broth the clams came with was tasty. It also included a large red chili-like pepper, which was phenomenal. We all had the bolognese, and everyone loved it. Leftovers were eaten for breakfast! Fairly priced, quality food, and good service. I'd recommend. Note: as mentioned, the variety of the meal was limited, only entree that we all tried was the bolognese. Still, it was meaty, and we were told it is cooked down throughout the day.
(5)
Erlinda R.
3.5 Stars. FYI No changing table to change your baby We only ate here because it seemed like everything was closed for the night and we were really hungry from all the walking and riding the bike around town. This place re-opens at 5pm. We got there at 5:15pm and were told that there was a 10 minute wait. They ended up sitting us outside underneath a heater. The host just puts the menus down on the table and then left. She didn't offer us a highchair or let us know that our server will be with us shortly. Nonetheless, the server who bought us all waters was helpful enough to get us one and explained that the kids can order a kids portion of pasta w/butter or pasta w/alfredo sauce for $10 (which was not on the menu). Our server was really great, she recommended a lot of the items on the menu. Both her favorites and what gets ordered a lot from other customers. This is what we ended up ordering... *Pork Chop- Yummy!! My husband had it medium well. It was really juicy and tasty, especially with the sweet sauce. *Bolognese- This is like a spaghetti dish w/ tiny bits of meatballs. It was good, but a little bit on the salty side. I was expecting bigger chunks of meatballs... *Puttanesca- My daughter had this w/out the chili flakes, which I think, made the dish tasted bland. *Calamari- Flaky, lightly salted. Tarter sauce was really good *Fried Oysters- This was okay, I still prefer my oysters on the grill w/ lemon & tabasco sauce *Kids Pasta w/Butter *Kids Pasta w/Alfredo Sauce To me, the atmosphere of the restaurant seemed to be on the fancy side, however, our food and overall experience was average.
(3)
A A.
Lots of choices in the thin crust pizza selections--from a wood fired brick oven too. Had the wild boar sausage pizza and the margarita pizza--tasty. Good Caesar salad. We walked in as a party of 6 mid week without reservations and had a brief wait. Why? This is probably 1 of 3 reasonably priced restaurants that are open (which are not Danish) after 5PM
(4)
John P.
Being locals who dine out often and like to mix it up with our experiences, we were excited to try Cecco's. We gave them a month to shake out the kinks and get things squared away before we dined. We arrived, with a reservation, on a Saturday evening and the table we had requested wasn't available, so we waited a few minutes & decided to take another. The place was very busy and we were glad & felt that was a good sign. However, this was not to be. We waited far too long to have a waiter arrive to greet us & take the beverage order. He disappeared & we eventually had to flag another person for our wine. Not a good start. After another long wait we finally placed our order and then the wait really started. The salad I ordered never arrived and the dinners took about 25 minutes, but only after another "flagging." The salad order had been "dropped," so no salad. Boo. My pizza, the margarita was average at best. No zesty garlic taste, & no imagination whatsoever. My wife's raviolis were very tasty, yet not even close to a full or 3/4 plateful. Cecco was woefully understaffed & according to friends that dined there this past week, still is, and the pizzas they had were also forgettable. Hopefully the owner & chef will read the reviews & "kick it up" a few notches when it comes to service & genuine Italian zesty cuisine. We're putting Cecco on "hold" until we start hearing consistently good comments from people we know & trust who, like us, dine out often & know excellent Italian cuisine.
(3)
Jeff N.
Love this place!! There is not a restaurant in this area that has the quailty and service of Cecco. The chef/owner David has an amazing staff and knows great food as he has been cooking mostly in Santa Barbara top restaurants for many years.... The pizza's are not to be missed - thanks for finally bringing quailty to Solvang!!
(5)
Samantha W.
I was in solvang for my spring break weekend and my family and I went to Cecco for dinner. We ordered the rissoto di gabacce mare, spaghettini bolognese, gianni pizza, liguini (with clam), and calamari- all of which were amazing. Unlike the other Danish family restaurants in Solvang, Cecco is an Italian themed restaurant. The presentation of the food was flawless and the service was great. There were people left and right helping you out. And it doesn't hurt that they have a cute waiter there.
(5)
Elizabeth L.
I wish I could give this place zero stars. I had tomato soup...how can you get that wrong? It tasted like pasta sauce they were trying to pass off as soup. My hubby and I had ,calamari, too chewy, which means the seafood was not fresh. My husband had pasta with pesto, again, such a simple dish, how could the chef mess that up? I don't know, but somehow he managed. My hubby is the easiest person in the world to please when it comes to dining. He has not once complained that food at a restaurant was bad and we've been dining together for many years! He thought every dish was terrible also, so for him to say that, trust me, it's BAD. Don't waste your money here!
(1)
David C.
I came here over the Labor Day weekend. Solvang was very crowded and hot during the day I went to this restaurant. I have to say that most of the customers I saw were tourists and many were in poor moods because of the heat. When I came, there was only outdoor seating, and maybe just half the seats had shade. Most of the customers were a hot and a bit demanding. But the staff were always courteous and really took the attitudes on the chin. They were extremely accommodating and really made an effort to make their customers comfortable. Now the food, I wasn't crazy about. My wife ordered a tomato soup. It was salty- I don't know if it came out of a can or maybe it sat in a pot too long, but it was very salty. The bread only comes out if it is requested. But we weren't asked if we wanted any. And half my hamburger bun was burned- but it was served to me like that- half black. I sent the bun back, which they promptly changed. The fries were really short- like the fries you get left at the bottom of a bag of fries. Well, I wasn't crazy about the food, but the service as so stellar, I am assuming that it was a crazy day and everybody was off, except the hostess and waitresses.
(4)
Cristian C.
This place has great pizza! I really liked the duck confit and pear pizza. The margarita pizza was tasty as well. We ordered a few appetizers to start and they were great. We ate here for my sister in law's birthday and they brought out the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. Great wine list and really friendly service too. Can't go wrong with this place. Great place to eat with a group.
(5)
Louis C.
Excellent pizza and pasta. Beautiful ambiance on patio seating. Extensive wine menu.
(5)
D W.
I was in Solvang for the Tour of California and was recommended to eat hear from a wine tasting. This was the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've ever had. I was there a couple weeks ago and I'm still dreaming about it. Tendor, full or flavor, fresh and unbelievablely delicious. The staff were incrediblt friendly too. Highly recommend!!
(5)
Kelly R.
My husband and I spent our first evening at Cecco. The staff was very nice and attentive. The meal was great and the wine excellent. The only real fault I have is the restaurant is a bit small and tables are scrunched together so you're privy to others conversations. That's the only reason for 4 stars and not 5. I would highly recommend this place to family and friends.
(4)
rena s.
We ate here two nights in a row and both nights Jennifer was our waitress. She was very nice and professional. The spaghetti bolognese was very good according to my husband, and I loved the shrimp scampi appetizer--unbelievably good. The hot bread they bring with dipping oil--also good. Ceasar salad good but would be better if it had croutons in it. We ordered the creme brulle and did not care for it, they try to give it a salty/sweet taste and it didn't work for us. This place is small--but once seated, you don't feel that way. We would return definitely.
(4)
dj f.
Couldn't get a last minute table at Los olivos cafe so I turned to open table to find something for 6pm on a Sat nite ( at 5:30)... Cecco had a table so we decided to try it out..I would prob not have ever thought to go here otherwise....I don't ever think of Solvang as having great restaurants ...much less great Italian restaurants ....but Cecco turned ot to be a nice surprise. I had a house salad and the bolognese pasta and my wife had a pizza with artichokes and ricotta...both dishes were great...the pizza crust was thin, crispy and tasty. The boldness was made with boars meat and was gamey..Ina good way...we paired it with Palmina's 07 Nebbiolo...which had great acidity to scrub away the oils and fats from the food...all in all..a good meal and unexpected one on short notice...the restaurant has plenty of bar style seating so it is likely you can get a seat on all but the busiest holiday nights...the staff was pleasant and the mood was good...the tables are kinda close together and we had a table that had a lot of ped traffic but it didn't bother us...we would go back
(4)
Robert H.
This was our first visit and went because of the very positive review in the Santa Barbara Newspress. We arrived for dinner at 5:10 PM and was told they were not yet open for dinner and that we would have to eat out side and use the lunch menu. We ask when dinner starts and was told "5 PM". After some discussion by the staff, we were told they were open for dinner and was seated. After ten minutes of waiting at the table with no contact by any of the wait staff, we left. We told the hostess station that we were leaving because of no service or contact for 10 minutes. (We then walked to Root 246 and had an excellent meal with excellent service.) If they are not ready for any reason, that should have been explained and we would come back when the were ready. Completely ignoring us is not the way to run a business. We are locals, eat out often and like to support good establishements. We would only recommend Cecco with serious caveats. Maybe it was a one time experience but it was a very negative first impression for us.
(1)
Susan B.
I was in Solvang with my 12-year old son for a holiday, when we searched online for interesting restaurants in town (preferably open after 6:00 pm). Cecco was within walking distance (we had surreyed past it the day before) and had pretty good ratings online. Furthermore, the menu was available online, which was very helpful. We arrived at our designated reservation time and were treated not like a family with potentially annoying kids, but as a five-star guest (my son's words!). Our server was very attentive, knowledgeable and helpful. He was completely sensitive to the peculiarities of a young person's palate, and even helped introduce him to the deliciousness of their special Ahi tuna appetizer (one of the best appetizers -- please try!). The wine was excellent and all the food seemed really fresh (not just the tuna and halibut, but also the pizza ingredients). We felt like honored guests and my son felt very grown up. And yeah, we had a great meal! I have been to plenty of trendy, up-scale-type Italian "ristorantes," but I was most impressed by their ability to treat a middle-aged mom and "tween" son like they were the most important customers in the house! This alone, of course, wouldn't make up for crappy food, but the food was great. We'll be going back there the next time we're in Solvang.
(5)
Rory M.
Yikes. Please let me preface this review by informing you that we spend at least one weekend a month in the Solvang/Santa Ynez/Los Olivos area. We have nothing but great love for this part of California and wish we could spend all our time here. Cecco proved to not be representative. Let's start with the service. We arrived on the nose for our reservation. The restaurant was busy but not packed to the gills. The hostess (and as we later learned, manager) immediately seated us at one of the several open tables. Our table, though reserved, was not yet set. A back server sporadically and awkwardly dashed around the restaurant to set our table. This was a sign of things to come. We stared at each other for about 15 minutes, trying to decide if we should bail. unfortunately before we could make our escape, our server decided to check in with us. Fearing we may never see him again, we placed our order for everything at once. We then watched him pour one of our glasses of wine - the sparkling one, which usually is best not left out. He proceeded to diligently ignore that glass of wine and check in with all the other tables he was serving. Then, he appeared to remember that he had another glass of wine to pour, but first decided to bring over the glass of sparkling by itself, and then wandered off towards the bar again. We watched for about five minutes as he once more checked in at the other tables and then again realizied that he had another glass of wine to pour. We had the opportunity to take in the loud, intoxicated patrons seated at the bar while watching him hunt for a "clean" glass for this second wine. The hostess brought us our salad, which was surprising given that there seemed to be a multitude of servers and back servers aimlessly hustling around. The Cecco Salad. Drastically over dressed with oil. Salad dressing? Not so much. Mixed greens, sad wrinkled tomatoes, random unevenly-cooked cold potato chunks/slices, flavorless non-descript cheese. Its crowning glory, however, were the cold and soggy lightly-breaded FRIED artichoke hearts. WTF. My girlfriend had to hide hers beneath the sad bread they had brought to the table. Inedible. I would tell you more about the store-bought loaf of bread that I just mentioned, but it hardly seems worth the trouble in light of the pizza, about which I will now elucidate. Now, other Yelpers have stated that the pizza is a redeeming quality of this otherwise uneven experience. That was, sadly, not the case. They should eat out more often and elsewhere. We ordered the mushroom, excuse me, "funghi," pizza. Oh boy. It arrived moderately hot and with a concern-inducing sheen of oil floating across the surface. At Chuck-e-Cheese they at least have the good manners to provide paper napkins to dab away the grease. I mention Chuck-e-Cheese (and its sister company Showbiz Pizza) simply to provide a sense of the level of pizza satisfaction available here. Two half-eaten, tasteless and worryingly ketchup-flavored pizza slices later, and we were headed for the door. The hostess/manager did take the pizza off our check, but the two substandard glasses of wine and sad salad still resulted in a $30 tab. She apologized and told us no one else had complained "that night." Perhaps she said more than she meant to. Regardless: If you're going to charge $17 for a "wood fired" pizza, it better be really good. Many many other restaurants achieve this feat. Cecco does not. Run, don't walk, but in the other direction. Or, to quote "Billy Madison,": "I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
(1)
David M.
The butternut squash ravioli and the chicken were both phenomenal. Service was friendly and excellent. The patio at night was charming. I highly recommend this place.
(5)
Lisa M.
Good food. Good Service. Nice Location. We were looking for a nice spot to have a light lunch after driving up from Los Angeles and chose Cecco. We shared a panini, pizza and a salad. The food wasn't particularly noteworthy, but everything was tasty and fresh which deserves an extra star when you are in a tourist heavy area.
(4)
Jon F.
good food. good wine. come here after an afternoon of wine tasting
(4)
judi m.
We just tried cecco for the first time and were really impressed! I had the carbonara, pasta was al dente, and the flavor with the egg over the noodles was terrific, My hubby had osso bucco, it was flavored beautifully with just the right amount of spices to enhance the meat which fell off the bone. We are looking forward to our next visit.
(4)
Jeff K.
Service was great, food wonderful. We had the "Porchetta" pizza (pork, egg, cheese, and sage. It had a very nicely done crust that was a good combination of crisp and chewy, and a wonderfully done lightly cooked sunny side up egg (can't bear overdone eggs). Beautiful weather and patio dining made the lunch gloriously sublime.
(5)
H. Beth L.
Had a wonderful lunch, sat at the bar by pizza oven. The turkey panini sandwich with side salad was perfect and I took half the sandwich home. Service was so efficient that it could have been toned down just a notch or maybe if they were a bit busier it might have been less. Fine line between great service and a little to much but that is just a small complaint overall great place to eat!
(4)
Darleta P.
Excellent food! Great service! Will go back again. I just don't get to Solvang as often as I would like to.
(4)
Irma H.
We live locally and have visited this restaurant several times. The food is generally good, but the service is not. The menu is varied, with good pizza, but the rest of the menu changes quite frequently, so don't develop a "favorite". In addition, the portions vary from day to day - I don't know why this is. So I would rate the food as "inconsistent". The service, on the other hand is consistent; it's bad. While the wait staff is friendly, it seems that no one has ever done this type of work before. It takes a long time to enter the order into their computer. The food comes out of the kitchen in a haphazard fashion. The last time, we received one salad and had to wait ten minutes while the chef was "still working on" the other appetizers. Another time, we had just started our appetizers when the main course arrived. There is no coordination between the kitchen and the rest of the staff, and no one is in charge in the dining room. Mind you, this is a very small restaurant that is rarely full. The prices are reasonable, except the desserts, which are not worth $10.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Ron J.
Sunday afternoon in early August: a nice time to enjoy outdoor eating in a Solvang courtyard. In the future, however, we'll go elsewhere. While the food was satisfactory -- nothing bad even though nothing stood out as exemplary -- management obviously does not train the Sunday afternoon staff well. We had a busboy apologize three times for not bringing bread before finally doing so. We asked for more water halfway through the meal but never could get the server to do more than "I'll come back with some soon." Trying to flag someone down was truly an exercise in futility. The staff simply has not been taught well, and we are frankly embarrassed that our town offers this low level of service to the many tourists coming to town. We will go elsewhere when we're in the mood for Italian food or eating in a courtyard.
(2)J B.
My wife and I went here while touring on our tandem bike. We looked at the menu and after seeing only 4 pasta choices none of which sounded great we left. After walking around town for about an hour we realized that there is no where to eat dinner in Solvang that didn't look like some cheesy dive tourist trap so we returned to Cecco as it was our only option. My wife ordered the Stolpman Sangiovese, a wine we have had several times before. Well there was something wrong with the wine, it tasted very harsh and was difficult to drink. We notified the waiter and he was very nice about it and brought us a new glass which was the same as the first. I think they either got some bad bottles or did not store it properly. My wife ordered the pasta with bolognese. It was ok but certainly nothing special. I had the pasta puttanesca. It came with shrimp which were fine, but the sauce had no flavor and there were whole dried olives that tasted very strong and overwhelmed everything else. I will say the service was very good and the pizzas looked good. Next time I am in Solvang I will go to Panino before it closes and get a salad or sandwich as it is the only place that I know has decent food.
(2)E. S.
Went there after an afternoon of lots of wine tasting. Wanted a small meal and a place to hang out and enjoy the last fleeting hours of our weekend getaway. Every person on staff was super friendly and greeted us with a smile. Enjoyed a fresh mesclun greens salad with a tangy lemon vinaigrette and a homemade pasta filled with ribmeat and wine sauce. There were also yummy succulent pieces of the meat over the pasta. It was drizzled shavings of cheese and it was just DE licious. Glad we found Cecco's. We will definitely be back. The only thing I would change, would be to add a few more selections of reds by the glass! Otherwise------awesome place.
(4)Sofia C.
This place is amazing! I had the salade di mare with swordfish. The fish was SUPER juicy and had beautiful grill marks on it. The ravioli were also delicious and were definitely homemade. All the food felt fresh. The pizza was a legitimate italian pizza. My husband is a native italian and we know pizza and believe me, this is as italian as it gets. The service was great and we really enjoyed sitting out on their patio. We will definitely go back.
(5)Dawn S.
Good wine selection. We shared a beet and arugula salad that was a just right balance of sweet and peppery greens. The margherita pizza was so fresh and delicious. My parents shared the pizza with black olives and oregano and said it was very tasty. I also had the tomato "zuppo"; hearty and flavorful. Our service was top notch (thanks Aaron). Cecco is a really nice alternative to the standard Solvang dining experience.
(4)Cheryl K.
Alrightee then...let's begin. This was my second dining experience at Cecco's. First time around I found it difficult to find something I wanted on the limited menu. However, when I did find something that sounded good, it was good. Tasting that is. Serving and service--an entirely different story. So, I didn't report in to YELP just yet, figured it was a new restaurant and had a few wrinkles to iron out. Six months later, those wrinkles should have been botoxed away, but alas, the lousy service has found a permanent home at Cecco's!! Tonight, two of us were served dinner, two others sat waiting. Seriously, five minutes passed before a waitress came over to explain the mix-up causing the delay. Who cares? Bring all four meals at once--don't let two of us sit there letting our food get cold while we wait for everyone to be served. And then, there are the little things: It was at least 10 minutes after being seated before we were even greeted by the waiter, even longer to get water (had to ask) and bread (had to beg) and no, they were not busy. Each subsequent water refill was by request only; maybe Cecco should get bigger water glasses or a more attentive water-filler-upper. The waiter kept a low profile and we pretty much had to ask for everything and anything we wanted/needed. The food: good+, but not excellent. Too much salt (and remember, not enough water). In the "not their fault" category, I was bitten by a mosquito and scratched my leg vigorously throughout the meal, which, in hindsight, probably took some of my focus off the sub standard service.
(3)Chris W.
Holy crap amazing! Be prepared to spend some money, but well worth it! Portions were great, food was out of this world, and service was very professional.
(5)A P.
Found this restaurant on Open Table. We came here so my husband could get a carbo load before riding in Solvang Double Century (200 miles). He got a sausage pasta dish and I got the Bianca pizza. The crust on the pizza was amazing. Probably one of the best thin crust pizzas I've had in a long time. I think it was way better than Amici's from SF known for their thin crust. And it was not oily or greasy or buttery at all at the bottom. The artichokes though could have had more body and less cooked, but all in all very good. I also had a glass of the chef's homemade white blend. It was quite nice. We also had the salad which had a nice dressing-- it was the lemon one. Quite refreshing and light.
(4)Amanda M.
We went here for lunch. We sat on the patio which was nice. It wasn't crowded at all, which is unfortunate because that would have let me excuse the terrible service we received. Terrible service. Let me say that again, terrible service!. Our waitress messed up our order and brought our entrees before our appetizer. Any other place would comp the appetizer in that instance. There was no offer. More frustrating though was that the waitress never offered to refresh our drinks, and never checked on us, not once. She was older an blonde who was simply standing inside the restaurant where nobody was seated, and neglecting us out on the patio. We got to the point where we asked other waitresses for help. Food was good, but the service made it an unpleasant lunch. Hopefully our old blonde waitress was just checked out for the day and isn't usually so terrible. Food was good and reasonably priced, but next time in Solvang we would not waste our time here.
(1)Shan A.
We really enjoyed stopping in Solvang to stretch our legs and walk around the shops. We sat outdoors in a nice area and order the Cecco salad, Caesar salad and shared a small Cinghiale which is a boar sausage pizza on very thin crust. It was ok ...the waitress was preoccupied but nice the few times we saw her.
(3)Tim G.
Great food, service not so much. Our server seemed to be more interested in turning over the table than taking care of us. At one point our server cut my wife off mid sentence presumably because she was not ordering quickly enough then dashed off to seat another victim, I mean customer. Only when the check arrived, and her tip in jeopardy, did our server seem to make a weak attempt at being attentive. Will not eat there again.
(2)Kacie T.
Amazing food and staff!!! I highly recommend... I'd give more stars if I could!
(5)Sara W.
Ate here about two weeks ago and was very underwhelmed. The restaurant is clean, well kept, and the server was polite. However, the restaurant was mostly empty (only 4 tables of customers) and the hostess sat us on a two top (normally that is fine) that was wobbly and against a wall. Looking back we should have just asked to sit at another table. Regardless of the "time out" seating the food was over priced for what it was, C+ at best!!! $15 for only 3 oysters in an appetizer and $20 for a personal pizza. Even more disappointing was the Caesar salad which was lettuce with a hint of "sweet" Caesar dressing. I would NOT eat here again even if the prices were lower. I wanted ITALIAN food, not a creative version.
(2)Anna W.
Solvang needs more places lik Cecco. It offers an amazing wine list featuring local wines plus some Italian wines. We had the Calamari, Caprese (made with Arugula, fantastic heirloom tomatoes and Burrata) and the butternut squash ravioli with sage butter. The service was excellent. It also has some nice outdoor seating on a plaza, which is great if you go there for lunch.
(4)Brittney S.
Amazing pizza one of the best pizzas I've had outside of Italy! We shared the prosciutto pizza, salad, pasta and wine-everything was excellent. Definitely recommend this Italian eatery if you find yourself in Solvang!
(5)Duncan S.
Simply awesome. We were stranded on Valentine's Day because the reservation we made at another restaurant ended up only having a prefixed menu with limited options for $90 a person! No way! We walked down the street and came upon this gem at around 9:45. Other restaurants had already shut their kitchens down but the owner was kind enough to seat us and allow us to enjoy their amazing food. The owner suggested a fine wine and provided a glass for us to taste, which we ended up buying a bottle of! We ended up ordering two amazing pizzas, calamari, Ravioloi, and super fresh Bruschetta. The food is delicious and is very reasonably priced for how good is taste! This is a must visit for anyone going to Solvang!
(5)Michelle W.
Never again. Listed menu on Open table not correct. Purposely made reservations for their oysters. Then were told the chef wouldn't make them, even though the half shell oysters were available which we ended up having to order. Ordered two appetizers, they came quickly but the risotto appetizers were not even warm, the inside risotto and meat was stone cold. By the time I received them back my husband had finished his food, we decided not to try to attempt our luck on a main course since the starters had failed terribly. Ate elsewhere for the balance of diner. Heard great things about the restaurant but it was a terrible dining experience.
(1)John O.
The service and food were wonderful. The Carbanera was so good and the sauce was creamy but not overwhelming. The pizza was excellent, toasty, and tasty! The Putanesca was spicy and fresh. Everything was wonderful and we'll be back!!!
(5)Daniela A.
I was happy to find an Italian restaurant in Solvang. I asked the waitress if we could seat inside since my mom was sick. She said it was not possible and she was not even concern and not show any interest to have us as costumer. So we left..... I m not even curious about the food. Customers need to be treated nicely.
(1)Brooke D.
We were looking for a local place so we yelped it...informal and homey. Make sure to say lite dressing on the Cesar salad. I'm not a bread eater but I had plenty. The Puttanesca was fabulous or maybe it was the wine but regardless a very nice meal. Creme brûlée was delish! Danielle was our server and she was perfectly on point. Bon appetite!!
(4)Ed E.
My family and I spent 3 days in Solvang last month. We had the typical Danish breakfast, lunch and Dinner the 1st 2 days. The last day we road the Suri bicycle for and hour around town. When we returned it we saw this Italian place with outdoor seating. We tried two of the specialty pizza(Marco & Bianca) and were really delicious! We ended up coming back later that evening for dinner. And so glad we did! We had the Calamari and Oysters Fritti for apps. For dinner I had the special seared tuna, Wow that was so good i wanted to take one back to our room for later. My wife had the wood roasted filet with mushrooms. Spectacular is all I could say. We had coffee and no dessert. No room! We only wish we lived closer to this place! We will make this our must stop whenever we come into town. Cheers!
(5)Sherri C.
My friends and I came here a few days ago and had a less than desirable service and food. First off it was not busy and we had to ask several times if we could get our water glasses filled (which was all we were drinking). My friends Chicken was burnt and dry and absolutely inedible. My friend was offered something else in return and opted for a cesear salad that didn't even have croutons added to it once it was brought out. My other friend's dinner was a tortellini that was very good but only had about 7 on the plate. For the price we we expected a little more. She was still hungry afterwards. I ordered a pizza that was ok. A bit plain in the taste but not bad. The service wasn't anything to write home about but at least the bus lady was on top of clearing off our table. They did write off my friends dinner which was acceptable at the end but we will not return to this restaurant again.
(2)Charlotte L.
Waitress recommended the bolognese pasta. I was very disappointed. Bolognese sauce was bland and portion small for the price. My husband was happy with his turkey sandwich and fries. I left hungry with no desire to return.
(2)Jake S.
This restaurant is really romantic. Really enjoyed the service and the ambiance. Wine prices are pricey, but the beer/cocktail prices are totally reasonable. Pizza from the Wood-fired oven was fantastic. Our server was friendly and attentive. Would recommend to anyone looking for a romantic night out.
(5)Kai R.
Ok - what are the chances you can get decent Italian food, including pizza in Solvang? I had low expectations (all of the danish restaurants are always packed in Solvang with long wait times), but was very surprised. The food is good here, quite good actually. Had 2 pizza's, 1 pasta, 1 salad. Note - if you order a salad here, ask for dressing on the side (the drench it otherwise). Price point is $2-3 higher than it should be, but again, this is Solvang where everything is expensive.
(4)Alyssa D.
We ate here for dinner on 7/10. It was myself, husband, and 3 kids. When we walked in a gentleman I'm assuming was the manager asked if we had a reservation. We said we didn't and he acted as if they were super busy so we'd have a bit of a wait. He asked if we wanted inside or out and we said first available. He told us they would have a table outside ready but it would probably be a 15 minute wait or so. We told him no problem. After the wait, our server came to seat us. They had moved two tables together in the only spot on the entire patio with full sun and no way to position umbrellas to offer shade. I happen to have a medical condition that prevents me from being able to be in direct sun for more than short periods of time. When we had arrived, there was a small table in that spot, so it never occurred to us we'd be seated there. Anyway, my husband kind of hesitated when the server said we could be seated. She was a bit rude when asking if the spot was not okay and if we'd prefer to be inside. My husband told her that yes, we needed to go inside. So we went in, sat down, and apparently the manager said something to her or gave her a dirty look or something I totally missed, but my husband caught. When we sat down, he told me he thought the guy was pissed we sat inside. So then I see Mr. Manager, literally right next to us and in earshot, lecturing our server about seating us inside. She tells him that she offered us the table outside and we chose to sit inside instead. He then says something along the lines of, "let me tell you something....they think they can just walk in here and get a table...." At that point I'm so fuming mad I ask my husband if we should just walk out. I don't know if this guy was annoyed we had kids sitting inside or thinks his restaurant is so elite nobody should attempt to eat there without a reservation. Although the patio was full, the inside was empty. So why, exactly, did we have to sit and wait for a table for 15-20 minutes? There were 3 other tables with people inside when we were seated. One table was done right about the time we came in. Another table finished about 15 minutes later. No other people were ever seated inside while we were there. I have no clue why there was an issue with seating us inside...unless it's because we have kids. Our kids have eaten at FAR nicer establishments than this place. They were not noisy, rowdy, obnoxious or messy other than some bread crumbs. The food was good, but nothing particularly exciting. I had the bolognese which was good, my husband had the special (some kind of white fish. I forgot what kind) and found a few bones in his fish. Our kids split the salmon. We also had cannoli and tiramisu for dessert. The shell for the cannoli was stale and there were large chunks (not the usual small shavings for flavor) of orange rind in the filling and zero chocolate chips. The tiramisu was probably one of the worst I've had. It was completely flavorless with the exception of a very overpowering taste of cinnamon on top. The food was good enough that if the manager hadn't been such a jerk we would go back if ever in the area, but it was definitely not good enough to make up for his crappy attitude. I gave 3 stars because the food was decent (except dessert) and our server was accommodating with seating us inside and allowing us to get plain pasta with the salmon. The manager needs to find a new attitude or new line of work.
(3)courtney o.
Walking around Solvang and stumbled upon this Italian goodie! They were very accommodating and sat us immediately. The wine list was extensive but the beer list was very short but they had my kids favorite- Mexican Coke. Now onto the food! I had the Gorlomi (white pizza) and it was yummy. My husband had the bolognese which was made with short rib, he loved it! My kids split the Marco pizza and they said it was delicious. This restaurant has a very large outdoor seating area but if you want a romantic setting eat inside. Our waitress was very nice but a little slow. The prices are a little high but again that's Solvang! We will definitely be returning here.
(4)Irina V.
Funghi pizza was fab as was the sparkling wine. Waitress was bland and service took awhile though we were one of ONLY two couples sitting outside
(4)Dave And Sammie H.
Came here for lunch today amidst the pouring rain... My fiancé got the gluten-free bolognese, which has chunks of tender meat, so yummy. I got the tortelino with short rib and mushroom, which was good but very small! Intimate place with good view of Mission street. Service is ok. Definitely will come back next time we are in town.
(4)Iain A.
The food and service were excellent. Caesar Salad and Pollo Pizza were the best I have tasted. This could have been good restaurant in Roma or Florence. I agree with a previous review that the wine looked short on the pour, so we went with beer. Italian and draft, so good when paired with pizza.
(5)Shaobin G.
Nice restaurant in Solvang. Had Spaghetti Bolognese and pizza. Both were pretty tasty.
(5)Mayra R.
My friend and I came to Solvang from LA to do some wine tasting and I have to say I read the reviews and thought definitely have to come here and check it out. It's a small cute place, the food was good , but the service was TERRIBLE !!! We sat in a patio with no attention and No Menus whatsoever after about 8 mins my friend just decided to get up and just go get the menu herself !!! The waitress came 2 mins later and asked if we were ready !! ...I thought to myself ...Are u kidding me ?!? I told her "well we just got the menus " And she responded with "well now you HAVE a menu !! Do u know what r u getting ?? what kind of response is that!!! Later on My friend asked she could bring straws and she brought ONE UNWRAPPED !! What century is this ?? The food service was fast though I can't complain about that but the service /attitude of the waitress / manager was awful.
(2)kim g.
Food is good however we get the caprese salad for dinner and came back to get it for lunch and its not on the menu. We asked the waitress and she said the chef would not make it. 2 days in a row we asked. We are talking about cheese and tomatoes here. Not difficult but I guess for him it is. We went to Chomp and had a fabulous lunch. Not going back here. Also too expensive. Quick note, for dessert we had creme brulee and it was very expensive and a inch thick in a 4 inch bowl. Over priced place.
(2)Jennifer D.
We got the Gianni and the Cesca pizzas and sat outside on the patio. Both pizzas were good, although the Gianni was a bit salty. Servers were nice, but unfortunately, service was lacking. When ordering our food, my husband told the server he had not yet decided on what glass of wine or beer to get. Okay, she said, however she never came back so he decided not to order anything. So with our small glasses of water on a hot day with salty pizza, we quickly ran out of water. But nobody came around to refill them or even check on us. I ended up going inside to flag down the nearest person to request some water. A nice young woman obliged and refilled our glasses with room temperature water - *sigh* - well, I guess it was better than nothing.
(3)Erica S.
In solvang for the day with the family. It was pouring rain and we were running around trying to find a place to eat that had indoor seating. The chef opened the door as we walked by and welcomed us in for a warm dry meal. How nice already! Very beautifully decorated place with cozy atmosphere. We ordered the brushetta which was fantastic, the chef told us she sundried the tomatoes herself and made the marinated artichokes as well. Definitely recommend ordering that. Tomato basil soup excellent, as was the pizza we ordered. Nice place for a rainy day lunch or a tasty romantic dinner.
(5)Mudit J.
My wife and I came here with some friends to eat dinner on our recent visit to Solvang. We wanted come wood fired pizza and this place looked busy, so we thought we would give it a try. The service and food were excellent. We ordered the Wild Boar Sausage pizza and the spaghetti Bolognese, both of which were excellent choices. The pasta was cooked well and the pizza was extremely flavorful. We did not order any wine because we had just finished a day of wine tasting! Also, after ordering, they give you warm bread and oil/vinegar. Expect each dish to cost approximately $20ish. We sat outside on a cold night, but they have a covered patio with heaters, which kept us warm.
(4)Jeff M.
Great Italian eatery located in the heart of Solvang. The menu consists of a number of traditional appetizers, wines, and a great selection of gourmet pizzas. We ordered a Caesar Salad and a pizza which had a mix of cheeses, salami, and arugula. Both were very tasty. I loved the atmosphere and the service was fantastic. Give this place a try if you are in the mood for some good Italian fare.
(4)Larry K.
Such a nice escape from the tacky overbearing tourism outside the door. Solvang is not known so much for fine dining but this place could change that ! Very attentive staff and superb food .
(5)Andras H.
The restaurant was very busy, but the staff made an effort to seat and serve quickly and attentively. The beet salad is phenomenal and Chris makes delicious pizza (he was on #77 when we were leaving).
(5)June B.
Had the pizza Gianni, a little salty for my taste, but it was tasty. Fresh ingredients, good service, cute place with patio for the pooch. Wished they had a little more selection for the pizza.
(3)Scott E.
horrible overpriced food. soup was a cup of mush. salad cost $15 and could have been prepared by an unskilled child. meal was tasteless and overcooked. bread was doled out as if they really didn't want to give it away for free. soda served in a can with charges for refills. this is not fine dining. it is a sham posing as a fine restaurant. avoid it at all costs so it can fail and be replaced by a real restaurant.
(1)Turkey B.
I recommend this restaurant. The prices were high but the service was awesome and the food was pretty darn good for Solvang. We are spoiled with many trips to Italy so, I can never compare anything to Italian pizza and pasta. As far as American fair goes the pizza was rather thick but well done hot and the sauce was tasty. The short rib ravioli was very creamy and tasty I approve! The waitress and waiter were pleasant, i'm teetering between three and four stars, it really is a three-star experience but I will give it four because everyone is so nice and the food was not bad at all.
(4)Lars B.
Last night, my daughter was visiting with her best friend and I wanted to take her to a special restaurant. Being new in the town of Solvang, I wasn't sure where to go. I had been to Cecco's once before with some friends from out of town and we loved our experience there. I chose Cecco's again last night and was once again, very pleased. Amazing food and amazing service. We shared the Putanesca and Tortellini family style with a side of Caesar Salad. Every bite was delectable. And, I can't say enough about our server, Chelsie. Thank you! Now I know where I will take all of my out of town visitors.
(5)David W.
A lot of places "make" food. The chef at Cecco "creates" it. What a wonderful understanding of flavor the creative force here must have. Bravo!!
(5)Angel G.
"Hospitality means H-O-S-P-I-T-A-L-I-T-Y, too bad I have to spell it out" for this restaurant I'm only 14 years old and I see this issue at this restaurant...!!Unbelievable!!
(1)Vy P.
Downtown Solvang was just amazing in terms of shopping and beauty, but this restaurant showed that Solvang was plentiful in good food. We sat on the patio, which had a spectacular view. I had the turkey panini, which combined several flavours and textures that flowed beautifully with one another. Though the panini had a bit too much Dijon mustard for my taste, I'd give it two thumbs up.
(5)Tom B.
Walking down street in Solvang looking for a place to eat. We stopped to read specials outside and a person brought a menu out to us to read. We t h ought it looked good to try. We were seated and and left alone for more 10 minutes in a nearly empty restaurant. No one asked us anything, finally a waiter came into our area and when we asked for help, he looked at us with a blank stare, no apology nothing. We left.
(1)Kaitlyn T.
This is absolutely delicious. I recommend getting the braised short rib tortelloni. They are like little pillows of heaven. Sit outside, enjoy the breeze, and breathe.:)
(5)Aki K.
In all my life I have never had better Italian food. It is very clear that the chef is very proud of his dishes and the quality of his food. I tried the pasta with pesto, and it was so delicious that I can't wait to come back (I live about 5 hours away). The pizza was also wonderful. This could very well be my favorite restaurant- too bad it's so far away. Even the screaming, crying baby and his disgruntled mother sitting behind me could not ruin my dining experience. If I were in town I'd never pass up an opportunity to dine here.
(5)Cole M.
This was our last meal of many excellent meals we had in the Santa Ynez Valley over Valetine's/President's Day weekend. A nice little Italian spot in Solvang. We sat outside, so we didn't really get to see the inside of the restaurant. The food was wonderful. I got a pizza with wild boar sausage and a few other ingredients. My girlfriend got the short rib tortelli and we split a caesar salad. Everything was on point and cooked to perfection. I have to say I enjoyed the pasta dish more than the pizza. I stopped short of giving this place 5 stars because it wasn't the greatest restaurant I have ever eaten at, nor do I care that much for Italian cooking. If I could give it 4.5 stars, I would because it is easily one of the better Italian spots I have ever patronized. Our server was very kind and attentive. We were recommended to go to Grappolo's in Santa Ynez, but I think this place was just fine and we would go back there again! Need to get some more beers on the menu, and definitely more of the local stuff that is right nearby (Firestone Walker and Figueroa Mountain).
(4)Matt C.
Very nice restaurant, great service, excellent food. Within walking distance of most accommodations in Solvang. Ordered the roasted beets for starters: very well prepared. Then mushroom (funghi) pizza -- the truffle oil made it superb. The server was upfront and let us know the pizza would be plenty for two: it was plenty. Panna cotta for dessert and we were very pleased with the bill. We'll be back! Thank you for the great food and service Cecco!
(5)Ron J.
Service bad,waited 20 mins, drinks took another 20, We are still waiting for sandwiches,many tables serviced and left. Food not worth waiting for. Pass on this place.
(2)Allison H.
Cecco is a great little gem in the heart of Solvang. If you are looking for a nicer restaurant that doesn't look like a coffee shop and are willing to pay a little more $$, then Cecco is the place for you. It's an Italian restaurant with a wide variety of dishes and has a pretty decent wine list. I ended up getting the half roasted chicken which is definitely enough for 2 (I shared the dish with my fiancee) and also the ricotta salata salad. The roast chicken was juicy and flavorful and the highlight of the meal. The salad was alright, but lacking a bit in ricotta. The restaurant also has a wide variety of paninis and pizzas so there is definitely something for everyone here. I'd come back for sure.
(4)Anna T.
The only reason I'm giving a 2 instead of 0 is because of the food. The food and wine was great however the staff and waitress were not. Attitude and weird looks is all we got when asked a simple question as in "what's in your soup".
(2)Mark M.
Everything was great from the service to the food. We will definitely be back.
(5)L T.
Tried this place out last week and thought it was pretty good! We both enjoyed a pizza and shared the beets appetizer. The pizza was pretty heavy on the toppings, almost too much! The flavor combos were good but not quite spot on. The appetizer was fine but nothing special. The service was very good. It's a nice option for Solvang.
(4)Mrs L.
Excellent ravioli, great ambiance, nice service, super food! Evening patio romantic setting.
(4)Christy A.
Worst service ever and our waitress was not in a welcoming mood. Didn't even tell us her name. On top of it, our order still wasn't on the table after 45 minutes and when we inquired about it, she said she doesn't know what happened but would check. We got our meal about 10 minutes after that. Food was ok. I gave the restaurant 2 stars because we were late for our reservation due to long lines at the Solvang Century registration and they still seated us right away even though there were people waiting.
(2)Gregg P.
Waited to be seated. Staff just looked at us. Finally after 5 minutes , they took. Our name and told us to wait outside. Don't waste your time. I have never been treated like I was bothering them to eat there.
(1)Diane M.
We had a caesar salad and a wonderful pizza with artichokes. The bread was divine as well. Highly recommended!
(4)Sandra Q.
This was a pleasant surprise hidden in a very touristy Solvang. The calamari was GREAT, crispy but not greasy & nice dipping sauces. The funghi pizza was really good and the bolognese was such a treat...wild boar, mmmmm. Al carbonara is not my favorite but that even tasted yummy (although I personally wouldn't order it from any restaurant - I only had a bite since it's not my fave dish). The wines offered were quite overpriced/small pours so I'd skip those and get an Italian beer or an iced tea or good old water...especially if you've been out out wine tasting that day ;) I read a few reviews complaining about the service but that wasn't our experience. In fact, we had such a good time, we came here for dinner Friday and Saturday night and will definitely come back next time we're in Solvang!
(5)Erin D.
Absolutely a must visit in solvang! I only wish my stomach were larger so we could keep ordering and trying more food!!!! Cecco ensalata Tomato bisque Trifoile pesto pasta Creme brûlée Leo Leo gelato All of it was outstanding! And service was flawless
(5)Kelly C.
I give this place 2.5 stars. First, I have to say they are one of the most popular place in this town I think because they are the Italian restaurant. I really didn't like their service, people in this town (vendors) seem not so friendly except for her very few vendors. My friend also mentioned this to me several times so I don't think I only felt this way however this is literally based on my experience with maybe 10 different shop employees during my visit. Our plates were dirty and we had to washed it with our water and paper towel. I asked to be seated in the corner and the waitress told me to just sit front of the table since the other table needed to be cleaned. I would have rather waited and sit by the corner but she didn't let me. Second I didn't like their menu because it was very limited and they didn't have seafood options. I only found like 2 shrimp and claim pasta from the menu. I was looking for more like seafood pasta or soup. I ended up ordering pizza and two appetizer. Beet salad was the only thing I liked but they have 5 super thin slice beets and that was the only bad thing because I wanted more. They were actually very very good and portion is pretty standard so I shouldn't complain. We had calamari and I just cannot believe that they don't serve cocktail sauce with their calamari. We just got a creamy ranch sauce? I asked for it but they didn't have it. So I ate three but couldn't eat anymore so I asked for marinara sauce and she have me some and it tasted so much better with it. I also orders pizza that she had recommended it is my own fault for going with her recommendation instead of my own but we literally hated the pizza only because we both dislike goat cheese and This herb that was in there but honestly their good is pretty authentic Italian. I just didn't like their service and dirty plates and limited selection on seafood options the fact that they didn't served cocktail sauce with calamari. I would have love the Pizza without the goat cheese. I don't know if I would ever go back since I can eat super yummy Italian good in la.
(2)Ellen C.
Within a small town of Solvang, it's hard to find the eclectic food that you find in Los Angeles. Let's face it people, us Angeleno's are spoiled when it comes to food. We have all cuisines available and they are mostly good. So when I came here, I didn't expect the best Italian food ever and I was right. We ordered the wild boar burger and the margarita pizza. Both dishes could've used some more flavor and CHEESE! If you know me...it's all about the cheese (which they sadly lacked in that department). A little sniffle, but I wiped the tears away..no need to worry about me. A bit pricey for two dishes and 2 ice teas ~$30. One good thing about this location was the beautiful outdoor patio. It was a gorgeous day outside, great for people watching. Now, I wouldn't say "don't go here", because the food wasn't that bad and the the service was nice. I just like really GREAT food, hence my 3 stars
(3)Marcella D.
Was in Solvang last week on a spontaneous vacation. Desk clerk at the Wine Valley Inn recommended Cecco's. The Spaghetti Bolognese made with boar meat was just FABULOUS. The only reason I didn't give it a 5, is that I don't do 5....but I'd certainly go 4.5 for Cecco's!! Also, my server, Emily, was wonderful. Attentive without being overbearing, and a great person to talk to.
(4)Shannon G.
The service was a little slow. I never did get asked if I wanted a refill of my water or ice tea but I saw someone walking around with the water jug. Only bad thing I can say that is the reason for the 4 stars. I liked the food very much. The House Burger is wonderful!
(4)A. T.
Who the hell wants to eat at an Italian restaurant when visting a neat little Danish town. I can eat Italian food at home. This is my thinking when nearly the rest of my group wants to eat here. Im hesitant on the situation. Party of nine we all sit down and order all kinds of different stuff. Wines, Calamari, salads, pizzas, pastas w/boar , oysters, and more. Enough to feed a small village. ALL of the food was good as was our waitress.
(5)Monica C.
The weird thing about Solvang is that it's a town surrounded by some of the best wines and wineries in the world- so that should mean great food, right? WRONG. You can only eat so much schnitzel and abbleskevers before you want to punch somebody. Cecco is a breath of fresh air for Solvang! The food is creative and fresh- as good as anything you could get in a nice Italian restaurant in DTLA. So, it's a bit of a family style place- we had 4 adults and ordered an appetizer (the Calamari Fritti- DELICIOUS but not so inventive or new, huh?) and two pizzas. We finished everything, but there was no way we could eat more. My favorite pizza was the: PORCHETTA Imported seasoned roast pork, mozzarella, egg, sage and onions. Freaking amazing. I can't wait to go back and try the pastas and specials! You can sit inside or on the charming patio (it's heated!) and people watch. Service was good- nothing at all to complain about. Seriously, you should try this place.
(5)Wazhma R.
We had a great meal here. Traditional Italian food in a cozy setting. Food & service were both top notch. I highly recommend Cecco for a romantic, comfortable dinner in Solvang.
(4)Nishka B.
The pizzas were excellent! We liked the crust and toppings, but the funghi pizza was topped with melted goat cheese and was too strong for our taste. The bianca was really good. We had some fresh pasta with pesto - also very good. The bruchetta was a bit soggy as it had a lot of toppings, but the chickpea paste was good.
(5)Nicholas B.
#yelpreview It was a Monday night in Solvang. This is tourist town, so many of the eateries close at 5pm. This restaurant was recommended by our the Wine Valley Cottages and Inn. Most entrees are closer to the $20 per, desserts are in the $10 range (would have ordered but thought that $10 for desert was way to pricey IMO). We had one of there pizza's it was really good and more then enough to share for two. The dough is thin and crispy, the tomato sauce is light, flavorful with hints of basil. Would come again.
(4)Izabella O.
After a hot, long day spent wine tasting and walking around we were looking forward to a lovely dinner here last night, but unfortunately we were super disappointed. As many other customers mentioned it, it's all about the service (especially when you're spending a lot of money) but this place deserves zero starts for customer service. I guess they don't train their employees? The girl who sat us down looked annoyed when we walked up to the door. She rushed us to our seats and things just got worse from there. We asked for water, which took them a long time to bring and tasted moldy. The guy didn't even look at us when he filled up our glasses and didn't say anything back when I said "thank you". He pretty much had his back towards me, facing the street. I mean who does that? You don't have to be trained to know that that's not OK in this kind of job environment. When they brought the food the girl forgot to bring me a fork for my pasta (which is fine, we are all human) but when I asked for a fork she had an attitude, like I bothered her or something. I felt so uncomfortable and unwelcome which is quite bad when you spend $24 on a pasta dish which was very very oily. Such a bummer after a fun-filled and lovely day ...but hey, life isn't perfect right? However we will definitely take out money elsewhere next time.
(2)Eva G.
What a sad experience this was. Very limited pasta menu. I asked if they could somewhat modify a pasta dish with only a few ingredients since I did not like the three choices on the menu. I was told by the server that it could not be done. She did not even offer to ask the chef and believe me, my request was very simple. Since they could not accommodate my pasta request, I ordered a specialty pizza which came with the cheeses barely warm or melted. I literally ate only two slices. My husband ordered the scallops which were only marginally warm. The server never came over to check on us and the restaurant was not crowded at all. As we were ready to leave, the manager came over and asked if everything was acceptable. I told him about my order and he said that they definitely could have accommodated my request and agreed (with an apology) that the server should have indeed asked the chef. Clearly, we will never return or recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants a good meal.
(1)Justin H.
We went here on the recommendation of a local. The overall atmosphere was nice. We were the only people inside. We looked at the menu, which only had a few items. The girlfriend got the burger. Once it arrived the presentation was nice. It came with a nice Caesar salad. After biting in we found it was really red. Nicole, later offered to take it off the check. My pasta was nice. Small portion with no salad on the side. I was surprised not to have been served bread and oil, with how fancy the place looked. Overall I would look for a different place to eat. Not worth the prices to me.
(2)Marie A.
We went here last night for Mothers Day,No complaints at all .we had reservations ,got seated right away.We were very well catered on by Jennifer she was awesome.I had the Tartare it was super then the Puttanesca it was delish... So much food i have enough for the next day for lunch.Our Son ordered a Gianni Pizza he loved it as well ... My husband had the Zuppa he said it was awesome and his Bolognese was great as well .. we all had to go boxes ..not leaving any thing behind, that how much we enjoyed the food .. i highly recommend this place .. fine food great service...i rate this a 5 star.
(5)Michelle C.
My boyfriend and I ended up at Cecco Ristorante because everything else in Solvang closes super early and we got into town after 7. I originally ordered the Tortelloni, but the waitress returned to let me know they were out of that. I ended up ordered the Puttanesca. I asked if it had cheese on it, she said yes. I ordered it without cheese. The waitress repeated it back to me and clarified "no cheese." When our meal came out, my pasta was coated in shredded cheese. I clarified that I had ordered my pasta without cheese so the server took it back. We were seated on the patio and I had a clear view of the kitchen; I could see the look on the face of the chef roll his eyes at the server. My "new" Puttanesca came back out really fast. They scraped the cheese off the top and changed plates, but it still had cheese mixed in. I had to walk my plate back into the restaurant to explain to the staff that I am lactose intolerant and could not eat this dish with hidden cheese. My waitress, looking guilty quickly said they'd remake it. I have never had this happen and was extremely disappointed in the poor service and inattentive staff.
(1)Mary R.
We were mostly happy at cecco. The pizza crust was wonderful and we enjoyed our antipasta. However, they were out of several items and that was disappointing. We really wanted to try the prickly pear lemonade. The tiramisu has heavy on the whipped cream. Other than that, the food was pretty good. However, the service and ambiance was a little off. Our server was very competent but I could overhear other tables experiencing less competent service. We were also seated near some young women who were repeatedly visited by one of the cooks. The pouty flirty girls combined with the cook's visits created a bit of a sideshow. It made it difficult to relax and enjoy our meal. We didn't have any trouble with our reservation but as we were leaving a group arrived and were turned away because they were closed. I think the actually do their last seating much earlier than their closing time. It would be really helpful if they clarified this rather than disappointing potential guests.
(3)Kristina U.
Went here for lunch. Most places were very busy on account of the holiday weekend but we didn't have to wait for a seat inside here. Place is a little cramped but nice atmosphere. Waitress was polite but didn't seem happy to be there. At least she attended to us well. Ordered the Margherita pizza, delicious! Came out very hot and fresh with plenty of cheese! I'm a big cheese fan. Overall, good place to eat in a nice, calm atmosphere for lunch.
(4)Lydia P.
Ordered a boar sausage pizza to go last night. Was so totally disappointed. It was one of the worst pizzas I have ever ordered. I got it without the kale. They put so much cheese it literally peeled off in one chunk. The boar sausage was good but it was drowned in the pool of cheese. I would have taken it back but they were already closed and we were at our hotel. We asked for it crispy but it ended up soggy because of the weight if the cheese melting into the crust!!!!!!!!
(1)Rona L.
I go to Solvang a lot and love this restaurant. Really good Pizza and pasta dishes. When it's a holiday weekend I suggest making reservations. I am going there this weekend.
(5)Gene R.
We were expecting Danish food, but we arrived late evening and we strolled around the ghost town that is Solvang. We'd parked in front of what appeared to be the only restaurant opened for business - a rustic Italian restaurant - Cecco. Ironically, my friend recalled Cecco having been featured in a Westways (AAA) restaurant review. We started our dinner with Calamari Fritti: fresh, perfectly prepared, and tasty. This was followed by pizze (pizza), "Gianni": perfect, delicious, and highly recommended! For dessert we ordered their Tiramisu: a very nice ending to a delicious dinner! The atmosphere at Cecco is nice and the service was excellent: helpful and very hospitable!
(5)Amy W.
I know this place isn't a classic or traditional Danish restaurant or anything, which is what most people probably want when they visit Solvang, but I'm glad my boyfriend and I ate here instead of one of those places! It was delicious! He had this beer (La Rossa I think?) that he really liked and I ordered the prickly pear lemonade. For a pizza we ordered the Bianca, I believe. Great amount to share and a good pizza. The waitress was awesome and very helpful. I liked the prickly pear lemonade so much, she told me how to make it! The next time we're in Solvang, we'll stop by Cecco again.
(5)Heather J.
Went here last night for dinner. Easy to get in on a week night. Their Chianti was a great table wine. Calamari was a delicious starter. The Caesar salad was great, but the Caprese was the winner!! I highly recommend the Bianca and Fungi pizzas! You will leave here fat and happy, no problem :)
(4)Randi B.
This place was recommended for lunch by the server at a tasting room we were visiting. The food was good. I would give it 4 stars. But the service was a bit off. My friend ordered the fettuccine alfredo and asked for shrimp with it. The waitress said they didn't have shrimp. But there are a bunch of shrimp entrees on the menu...maybe they were out? I ordered the Spaghetti Bolognese. We were both starving, so my friend asked if we could have some bread while we waited. The waitress said she would need to go ask if they had bread. What? This is an Italian restaurant and you serve Panini's on your menu...how the hell would you not have bread? Next thing we knew, she brought the food out, so we told her to forget about the bread..."Oh, you don't want it now? Because I can still ask." No, we have food now, we are okay. She was just weird. My Bolognese was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. Perfect lunch portion too, not too much, not too little. My friend's fettuccine was tasty, but covered in peas. Neither of us remembered seeing peas in the description, and she hates peas. Obviously she was able to pick them out, but she wouldn't have ordered that (or asked for it without the peas) if the menu had the correct info. Good food, weird waitress. I would probably try some place else for lunch if I visited Solvang again.
(3)Mike J.
Very nice place for non Danish food. Good pizza! Good salad! Pizza dough twirled fresh in the window. I would definitely recommend for a nice evening on the patio and a thin crust Fungi pizza.
(4)Abdel Z.
Horrible service, we were seated at bar due to "reservations" even tho the reservations didnt show up. The people seated after us got to order their drinks AND food first. Bad management, everyone there didnt have a clue what was going on. To top it off, they had run out of soup. Thats a huge negative at restaurants, to "run out" of food. The caesar salad had old soggy lettuce, the margherita pizza was ok nothing special and the pasta was very oily. Dont waste your time AND money (its not cheap) at this place, its def not worth it. Im not sure how a place like this stays open...some people really have no taste buds...
(1)Charla K.
Worst service I've had in a really long time. I don't know if the kitchen slowed down, or if our order was turned in late from the waitress but it was deplorable. The waitress seemed to go out of her way to ignore us, then the adults got their food and my daughters food sat in the window for 10 minutes, I finally went in to get it! I'm bummed... we eat here every time we are here and I'm not sure we will come again! I'm giving this a 1 star for service!!! The food would have been better if the service hadn't been lacking!!!
(1)Michael O.
How do you know when you're in for a less-than-great dining experience? How about when you make a reservation for two and you get the worse table in the house. My gf's pasta was very salty. My pizza was decent but forgettable. The best parts of the meal were the olive oil and bread and the Tiramisu. Oh and one more thing, why call regular unsweetened iced tea "Paradise iced tea"? I didn't get a hint of anything in that drink. I despise meaningless fluff words in menu descriptions.
(1)Ali A.
As a local, it is nice to have an Italian restaurant in solvang. This is our 5th visit or so. Food is very good and menu changes based on what is locally available,e. Pizzas are fabulous especially the wild boar sausage. Bolognese is amazing. I don't know how they get such depth of flavor. Service can be a bit slow but the ambiance is pleasant so we didn't really mind a little wait. Good job cecco!
(4)Jenee' G.
Very disappointed with the service. The manager was very disrespectful, accused us of being drunk when we arrived. This was far from the truth. We ended up leaving before we ordered as we were over the comments from the manager. Ended up having a star 5 dinner at the Solvang Brewery. We had eaten there the night before and had another great dinner. We wound strongly recommend avoiding Cecco and eating at The Solvang Brewing Co. or Route 246.
(1)Danette P.
Very disappointing. Swordfish was fishy & service was slow. When manager asked how our meal was, we praised wine but expressed discontent with barely eaten fish. Manager said it could be that way sometimes & did not offer to rectify situation. We are in Solvang monthly, but will not dine here again.
(1)Megan C.
I enjoyed the pizza we ordered. It had boar sausage, kale, and tomatoes. I also had a prickly pear lemonade. The prices were pretty high but I liked the food. If you can afford it, then I'd recommend it.
(3)Clem R.
Found this place on Yelp! Definitely worth 4 stars. Good service, good, fresh and fine food (we had the risotto and pasta a la putanesca), and there are some wines at a reasonable price! I was disappointed by the restaurants Solvang had to offer, I was happy to find this one... I recommend it.
(4)C B A.
So, we decide to sit inside and we are offered a table directly next to one of the very few occupied tables.... We kindly asked if we can sit at another table and we point to our choice. All is well till the hostess chooses to seat another couple at a table where their shoulders are literally 20" away from ours. Mind you the place was 80% empty.... Where has common sense gone to?
(2)Mark A.
Took my son here for some pasta while up in Monterey for the Sea Otter Classic bike race. Loved it. We had some super yum pizza and pasta. Excellent food and service. I will definitely look to return with my wife for a date night!
(5)Spirit1819 B.
My family and I had lunch here on Sunday. We had a hamburger and raviolis. Both were very good. The wait staff were polite and efficient. Our meals came out expeditiously, The atmosphere was so nice. We sat in the patio and enjoyed the sunshine. I recommend dining here.
(3)Josh G.
Surprise of the trip. The best Italian in years. I'll be back again.
(4)Robert T.
Well we ended up at this place after the first 3 places we went to were closed. Who knew Solvang rolled up the sidewalks at 6 pm on a Monday night in mid September. We were glad we "ended up here". Friendly staff seated is immediately and brought us our adult beverages. The menu wasn't vast which worried me a little but I decided on the Pork Chop. Served on rice and with baby carrots in an orange marmalade sauce. My wife and I split a caesar salad to start and it was perfect. The main course came and it was perfectly cooked, perfectly presented and literally the best Pork Chop I have ever had. I'm so glad we got "stuck" at this place.
(3)Ulysses G.
Not bad. went with family for lunch during a trip Solvang. OF course we shared =P. The pesto and the salmon salad weren't amazing but were still okay. Can't really go wrong with a Tuna Panini. But damn, that Bianca pizza was good! The seating outside isn't too shabby. I mean, not much of a view but the clock tower and people on the sidewalk.
(3)Sean B.
UGH! What a mess of a dinner we had here on just about every conceivable level! We were here New Year's Eve with a group of 14 people and everyone in the group had nothing good to say. It started with the fact that they couldn't put us at one table as they had promised when we reserved. Then they changed the menu on us at the last minute. It was a prix fixe for $65 (not including alcohol) that was posted online for a week and they pulled out the most interesting items (like lobster) on the night of the dinner. THE FOOD: The starting salad and the desserts were good, but the rest was mediocre to bad all around...some particular lowlights: Roasted Prawns: clearly frozen and/or way overcooked Flatiron steak: it was served on a bed of refried beans...yes, friggin refried beans...it was nauseating! The service was a complete mess too. Everyone was nice and sure it was New Years, but courses came out 10+ minutes apart for people and the meal took 3 hours overall. It was a joke! And staff was clueless...the server didn't know what speck was when someone asked about it being on a pizza (said it was an herb). Maybe we just had a bad night, but oh what a mess of a night it was. This was particularly painful since it was New Years and how much we were paying. I hope to never go back!
(1)Doug M.
Good lord the worst Italian food EVER! Service very slow and not too bright. Tomato soup over cooked, disgusting. Spaghetti and Mariana sauce so much garlic that vampires will not come within 5 miles of your current location. Terrible.
(1)Ryan K.
This review was written a year ago, but it didn't post for some reason. Overall the food was really fresh and the staff was very friendly. Price wise it's a little on the high side, but considering the location it's not too bad. Tonight was our first time here because Root 246 was terrible and we had to leave, so Cecco was a real lifesaver! Will be back on our next trip.
(4)Stephanie H.
Wanted to try something different on our last night in Solvang. Looked like a cute little place. Food was wonderful but service was less than adequate. When the young man brought us our menus he was surprised no server had approached us yet. When she finally came she appeared as though she could care less if we were there (she continued to focus on the Farmers Market going on in the street). Im all about service. We really just wanted to get up and leave, but it was s long day. This place gets a 3 simply because the bruschetta & pizza were very good.
(3)Sue K.
Did a takeout on a Friday night at around 6pm. Town pretty much closes up and bakeries on Alisal Rd around 7 pm. Had the the Cecco salad which had different ingredients than the menu on their website. The lemon vinaigrette was more like an Italian...and the greens were not as fresh as it should be. 3 stars The Margherita pizza was just OK...nothing special. 3 stars Ordered the calamari which was pretty fresh and nicely breaded. 4 stars Cost: expensive for the items but you're in a tourist town so I guess it's expected. Picked up Scandinavian pastries for dessert...the best part of our meal!
(3)Brooke K.
Not good! We came here for an engagement party and the service was terrible! The food took way too long and wasn't even tasty! I was really disappointed with everything; the service, the lack of flavor in their food, and their expensive prices. :-(
(1)Frances L.
Currently my favorite dinner spot in Solvang! Cecco was recommended to us by a nice gentleman over at Alma Rosa Vineyards because Ben H. was severely craving mussels. This charming little Italian joint had a great menu, intimate atmosphere, and fantastic prices. The quality of the food was very good as not a single dish disappointed us. Our group of four easily got a 9PM dinner reservation on a Saturday night and feasted upon their Bianca pizza, mussels in cream sauce, calamari fritti, and their slow-cooked lamb and pork pasta bolognese. Portions were good for sharing (2 people for pasta, 2-3 people for pizza) and were appropriately priced at $10-18. Service was quick and friendly, and I am still thinking about how tender and juicy the braised shortrib was in my pasta dish. Considering many of the other dinner spots are mostly Danish-themed to some extent, this was a nice change of scenery without hurting the pocket book.
(4)Lonie B.
Loved this place. Everyone is so friendly and the service and food was fabulous! Will definitely go back on my next trip through Solvang.
(4)Jolene P.
Dinner tonight at Cecco's was really lovely. Great wine selection, the cecco salad and the pasta (I had a liguirne with pesto) was good, and the crème brulee was to die for... we sat out on the patio with the heat lamps on a cold night and it was very lovely.
(4)Dennis O.
We came here for the Ossobuco Which according to the menu at the front door, they were serving. We asked for a table and then were told no Ossobuco We ordered pizza ( nothing else on menu ) And it was terrible. We had the Rocco and a prochuto which were not edible. This place is a wine bar only and not a food restaurant. Don't waste money here. I gave 1 star because the service was very good.
(1)Macey H.
I would not hesitate recommending this restaurant to anyone. Everything we had, including the service, was incredible. Bruschetta appetizer was delicious. It comes on one large, toasted piece of bread with a juicy, yellow tomato and was perfectly beautiful to look at and to eat. Next we had the Beet Salad, to which I had many trepidations about trying. Being in an Italian restaurant I wanted to go the Caesar route, however the waitress talked me into the Beet salad as being the "staff favorite"...and I can see why. I wouldn't hesitate ordering it again. The roasted beets were paired beautifully with the perfect mozzarella cheese and slightly salt and peppery arugula. Mmmm....yum. The highlight of the meal was the bolognese made with wild boar meat. After going back and forth between the carbonara and the bolognese I'm so happy we chose the bolognese. It was full of flavor and not overpowered with sauce or noodles. It was definitely enough for my fiancé and I to share. We were given a delicious Parmesan to top it with as well. Definitely the best meal we had during our 5 night stay in wine country. We finished with gelato and cappuccinos. It was the perfect end to the perfect meal. Our waitress was pleasant and offered great recommendations when asked. Neither our wine nor our water glasses went dry. A definite must-try that will leave you and your belly happy.
(5)Travis H.
One of the newer food joints here in the valley. With Fairly limited selection up here this could be a welcome selection for the locals. A bit on the pricey side. We did a margarita pizza and a hsmbuger "wildboar n beef" with two icec teas. Ended at 30$ plus. Burger was not bad, the squared ciabattina bun helped with it. They serve dry, could use some specialty house sauce pre added. The pizza could use some adjustments, menu says burrata. Cants realy tell and didnt have the texture so they probally cut corners. There was quartered tomatoes, sliced would be better and give pizza more coverage. The dough was ok, needed cooked more on the bottom. Some bricks in oven would help ad the crust was a bit to dark with undercooked belly. I would give them 3 as selection in the valley is so limited that with some easy fixes they could give a lot more identity to the menu and restaurant.
(3)Eric J.
I love trying local places especially when I am out of my local-LA comfort zone. I saw the beautiful spot of this location and had to give it a try and I sure do not regret it. I ordered a pizza and it was to freakin die for. I loved it, the bread of the pizza was amazing and the CHEESE, mmmmm! I want one of these in my town. Very busy when I came but service was up-to-par. Love it, if I return to Solvang I will definitely return to Cecco's! NOM! EJ
(5)Marcus D.
Was up in SB this past weekend with the fam. Went to visit a friend up in Solvang and we had an early dinner at the newly opened Italian joint Cecco. Very very good food here and vegetarian friendly to boot. A little unexpected for Solvang where there is plenty of danish themed food - this was a pleasant surprise. I had a lovely vege pizza with porcini mushrooms, red onions and charred rapini. Delish. Everything else looked good as well. Nice presentation. They also have great wine. We tried some from Tantara and Palmina - both were superb. Will def go back next time we are up in that area.
(5)Robert L.
Took a while for server to come to our table and greet us with a cup of water. Next waited over 45min when server finally came over and advised us that they had lost our order and asked if we were willing wait a bit longer to get our pizza out.
(1)Amy L.
There were a number of problems with this place. First - the $7 soup portion was very small. Second - the entrees were brought out after only 5 minutes into eating our soup and salad. Third - Gamberetti pizza was described as having carmelized onions, but the onions on the pizza were obviously raw slices that were placed on the pizza before baking. Fourth - When I asked the waitress for dinner plates for the pizza, she said the plates we had were meant for that. They were bread plates, too small to hold a slice of pizza. It's been a long time since I've had such a negative experience at a restaurant. Guess it's a typical tourist trap.
(1)Meghana B.
This place is located right in the heart of Solvang with a pretty ambiance and is good for entertainment(no live music...).... We ordered their appetizer - Olives and I just loved that..... it was simple yet delightful.... No one in our group was a really impressed by the entree' that we ordered - mainly pizza and pastas... not a lot of options for vegetarian people though..... besides we found the service to be a little slow.... not a deal breaker though... the cheesecake that we ordered was a little too sour in taste.....
(3)Ana T.
We called at 8:00 p.m. to ask what time they closed and they said 10:00 p.m. Then we asked if we needed to make reservations for 2 at 8:30 p.m. and they said no. We arrived at 8:28 p.m. and they said they are no longer seating people for the night. Wow. I doubt an L.A. restaurant can beat this one!
(1)Kate B.
Great food, great atmosphere, great service. I visited Solvang recently and we were wandering around looking for a place to eat. We decided on Cecco because it had some fantastic outdoor seating. My husband and I shared a Marco pizza...it was ridiculously delicious. I never thought tomatoes could taste that amazing, and the prosciutto was an amazing addition. It was balanced beautifully. Definitely a place to try!
(5)Les W.
Went there at one pm not aloud to sit inside because they were getting ready for a party 6 hours later waitress was rude we left and went to solvang brewery. Wonderful food there. Monday dec 30
(1)Shannon I.
Our party of four arrived five minutes early for a 7 PM reservation. The hostess had a bad attitude from the start. We were rudely shuffled off to the side of the hallway to wait for a table. A server walked up to the hostess indicating that two tables were available and ready. A Couple walked in off the street indicating they did not have a reservation. She promptly seated them before returning to seat us. On the upside, our server was wonderful. The Margarita pizza is tasty though the crust could have been crisper for wood-fired Pizza. The bruschetta and olive appetizer was only satisfactory. Lovely ambiance, though be prepared for loud volume.
(3)Alison W.
Friends and I were up wine tasting and we asked for a dining recommendation. I was a little skeptical about going to Italian in a Danish town but we decided to give it a try. I live in an area with a plethora of good Italian dining choices but this place still managed to surprise me! I ordered the carbonara bolognese and I was blown away at how well seasoned the dish was. My friends went with a selection of options and they all wowed over a goat cheese pizza as well as a seafood dish that was piled high with clams. I've never had a carbonara bologneses that was comparable to the ones I had enjoyed in Europe but this one beat it. Service was generally ok and we enjoyed the outdoor seating so I can not comment on the inside ambiance. Outdoors was lovely given the day. I thought prices were a little high for the area but after having the dish I wouldn't mind paying for it again.
(5)Harrison P.
When we arrived at the restaurant all of the chairs at the table were wobbly. They also had handed us a combination of new menus and menus from the day before that included dishes no longer being served. The wine my parents asked for was not available but the suggested wine was a good substitute. Though there were a few hiccups to begin with, the food was delicious. The handmade pizza and pasta were tasty and portion sizes were filling. The pizza crust was perfectly crispy and I highly recommend the pizza with the wild boar sausage and crispy kale. I ordered the hand-made pasta dish served with a pesto sauce and was not disappointed. The only thing was that the pesto was a little oily, but not enough to ruin the dish. My sister and mom shared the Lobster Risotto pasta and it was probably the best thing on the table. In the end, everybody had a great time and I highly recommend Cecco for a tasteful Italian dinner.
(4)Michele B.
We made a reservation for 6:30, but at 6:26 we found out that our table had been given away. We discovered this because a hostess and a waitress were arguing loudly about it in front of us. Ok, we'll wait, no problem! We were seated next to the busser station and waited 20 minutes for someone to greet us/ take our drink order. Weird, but we're trying to be flexible. When we finally order, we had to tell our server what was on the "specials" board outside. Five minutes later, no pasta special, they're out... Ok, improvise. Aside- when we left the special was still on the board outside. The calamari appetizer was just ok. When our food arrives the pastas were both really small and SUPER salty. Because pasta is so inexpensive, $19 is ridiculous for the porion size. The pizza my son ordered was great dough but greasy. We kept hoping for greatness throughout the meal but it was a disappointment.
(2)Grace C.
Delicious Italian food in Solvang. We came here during my best friends bachelorette party weekend & thoroughly enjoyed the food. We ordered the Marco & Gorlomi pizzas. The Gorlomi was definitely a hit, as we devoured it within 10 minutes. I ordered mushroom ravioli, which was also delicious. Ordered a bottle of prosecco between the five of us, which was light & perfect for the dinner. Our server was really sweet! Highly recommended if you're in Solvang.
(4)D D.
The food and wine were absolutely delicious. They were perfectly happy with my request for a substitution on the vegetable. The salmon melts in your mouth. Also, they have a great selection of wines to compliment the dishes. Pizza's nice, but I recommend you try the other things on the menu. I'd like to go back and work my way through the menu. I met the owner before I ate there tonight. He brought a menu out to me and a coupon for $1 off a gelato as he owns the gelato shop. I guess I'm not into Danish - some of those cafes in Solvang are awful. Service before dinner arrived was a tiny bit slow which is why I didn't give 5 stars. If they have it, try the "Sexual Chocolate" red wine blend. Delicious!
(4)Jen F.
I love their butternut squash tortellini! I also love the outdoor seating on a nice sunny day. You can have the kids run around the grass area while waiting for your food. Service was good too. Even though we came at a busy day & time, we didn't feel like we were neglected.
(4)Burrito M.
Decent Italian food. I ordered a white pizza with mozz, ricotta, artichoke hearts, and arugula. It was pretty good, but not to die for. S.B. ordered the pasta bolognese and complained that he was still hungry afterward - it did look small, but he do a 50 mile bike ride that day, so he was probably hungry enough to eat a horse. Good service, OK food. Probably better than most of the other restaurants in town.
(3)Anita H.
Spent a week in bicycling around the Santa Ynez Valley While staying in Solvang. We had our first and last meal in Solvang at Cecco. Our first meal I had the chicken and it was flavorful but would have liked the skin to be crispy. My husband had the spaghetti Bolognese which he said was delicious. Our second meal we each ordered salad as a starter, the Caesar and Cecco. Both were a nice size, tasty and well presented. We shared The Marco pizza. It was one of the best pizzas I have ever had. Emily, our wait person was excellent with wine recommendations as well as quantities to order.
(4)Maruko X.
A very nice restaurant located in Solvang, with many outdoor seats setup, many menu choices and nice waiters. Tried their sandwiches, not too bad.
(3)April Q.
Really loved dinner here and the funny thing is that I really hadn't expected anything in particular from this place.. didn't even look it up on yelp. I did, however, hear that they made great thin-crust pizzas.. which is what I didn't get, silly enough. I walked in on a Sat evening and was quickly seated at the wine bar along with a big party of folks. The server there was outstanding! He was friendly, funny, and engaging - he made you feel welcomed and like a priority. They were very busy that night and so was his bar area and he still was attentive, made conversation and was very helpful at recommending dishes or discussing cooking, etc. Very happy with the server! Ambiance was nice.. dark-lit, cozy, welcoming decor, good amount of noise and good crowd. The food: I had the roasted beet salad (red and golden beets) over arugula with a cheese (I forget which type it was).. salad was very good; simple, but flavorful and definitely a refreshing change from the typical romaine or spring mix salads; I also had the 2 Lamb Meatballs (another antipasto) in a super flavorful tomato broth with mushrooms and kale - fantastic! I couldn't have enjoyed this any more than I did. I MUST learn how to replicate this at home since I LOVE lamb. Fell in love with this dish. The tiramisu was very delicious - it was impressively assembled: all the ingredients in a little crucible made of chocolate, coupled with a shot of espresso - ah, yum!! What an ending. Also, the bread they give you with olive oil and balsamic was amazing - soft, fresh, you could smell it was complex flour.. it was wonderful dipped in the oil/balsamic and I quite literally could've had the whole loaf alone. So, wonderful service! Great, impressive meal and definitely some place I want to return to try again!
(5)Cindy V.
Meh. I've experienced better is right. We walked up for lunch at approximately 11:45. There were two folks out front changing the signage for the specials of the day. The one who turned out to be our waitress was polite and cheery and said, "yes, come right in." The other a man who appeared to be the owner or manager couldn't have looked less excited to see us, he barely nodded yes and sort of rolled his eyes. This, needless to say, made us feel less than welcome. We were led to our table, handed menus and started to glance things over. The waitress informed us that they were out of the steak salad which was unfortunate since my dining partner was looking forward to having that for lunch. We both settled on chicken dishes she for the chicken Caesar salad and me for the grilled chicken pannini. The food came out and had a distinct fishy smell! Neither of us had fish for lunch, but still the food smelled like salmon. I'm wondering if by chance they keep the salad greens next to the fish in the fridge? Weird. Anyway, the rest of the experience was fine and the prices are reasonable for a relatively upscale dining establishment. I wasn't frilled or thrilled though and have experienced better. Of course, owner guy couldn't be bothered to say goodbye as we left. Argh, what a thankless human.
(2)Sally S.
We were in Solvang for one day and we had dinner at Cecco. The service was wonderful and the food was outstanding. I had the beet salad and 4 of us shared two pizzas. OH MY! They were delicious and the cheese was exceptional. If you are in Solvang be sure to eat here.
(5)Brad D.
Made reservations for dinner using the Open Table link on Cecco's website, for Tuesday at 9 or pm. We arrived at 9 pm to an almost empty restaurant. The chef was at the door looking a little agitated. We said we had reservations at 9. He said the last dinner seating was at 8:45, and that our Open Table reservation showed the time as 8:45. We explained that we indeed made it for 9. After a little more discussion, he said we could stay, but we would need to order quickly as the kitchen was getting ready to shut down. We felt a little uncomfortable, a little self rushed, but our waitress made us feel fine and did not try to rush us at all. We ordered a Caesars salad, a pizza, the grilled salmon over veggies and green lentils, with a nice bottle of wine. The salad was OK, nothing special. The pizza was simple but good. The real star was the salmon. It had a bit of a crisp outer surface, but the fish was cooked perfectly; moist and simply seasoned. The sauce, veggies and lentils seemed like an odd combination, but worked very well. Overall, a good meal, except for the problems with the reservation. NOTE: The next morning, I found my Open Table reservation confirmation that showed our reservation time at 9PM. I forwarded it to the restaurant's email address, explaining that we just wanted to show them that there seemed to be a problem with what Open Table allowed for last reservations vs. what Cecco expected and saw in their system. We also thanked them for serving us anyway, and for the good meal. I would have thought we would have received an acknowledgment, but we didn't. Oh well.
(4)Sid G.
The quality of my lunch was okay.... But very limited menu... I was a little disappointed that they were not willing to customize my lunch...
(3)Paul R.
Great food. Great service.
(5)Michelle D.
I went here on Saturday. The waitress informed us the menu is printed daily. The calamari appetizer was so good. The bread that is served as well is yummy as well. I had the vagone (sp) which was a spaghetti noodle maybe with clams, tomatoes, and a few other things. The sauce was INCREDIBLE. I felt like I could drink it! My boyfriend had a pasta that had shrimp and a red sauce. It was beyond incredible and I will definitely go again. I just thought that my boyfriend was served more pasta than my plate. Maybe it was cause his was a little more?
(5)Sherri P.
Great margarita pizza!
(5)John K.
Loved the cannelloni...it was extremely good...the wild boar meatballs were excellent...the pizza was very good and the real Italians we took there raved about the Bolognese...
(5)Sara L.
My boyfriend and I wandered over here and waited for it to open. I know that most things close early in Solvang so the choices for dinner are kinda limited. We walked in right at 5:30pm and asked for a table for two. The host said asked if we had a reservation and after stating we didn't, we were told that they were completely booked up for the night. The host asked one waitress if she would want to take us at one of her tables and then got seated. I had the Carbonara and my boyfriend had the margharita pizza. The crust of the pizza was thin and not too over done. It had really good flavor also. The carbonara was also good with a fried egg on top which made everything really wonderful. There were big chunks of bacon in the dish but still had a lot of fat attached to it. I would have like the bacon to be cut down a bit and trimmed. The bread with oil they brought to start was very soft and the oil was really good. We also split a Caesar salad to start which had really great flavor to it. You can taste the anchovies in the dressing which gave it a nice salty kick. This was topped with a sun-dried tomato crostini that was great. I will be back here for sure but will be making reservations ahead of time next time.
(4)Jennifer F.
We came here on a Saturday evening. Most of the restaurants and shops in Solvang were already closed, and the restaurant was filled with young people sipping and chatting the evening away. The atmosphere is dim and intimate, and just slightly crowded. Service was swift. The menu is fairly short: appetizers, pizza, pasta, dishes, specials, and beverages. A full listing of wine is on the back. We had... "Marco" Pizza - Proscuitto, tomato sauce, mozzarella, rosemary, and sundried tomatoes. I've had authentic proscuitto before, and this was dull in comparison. The pizza as a whole was salty and dry. Spaghetti Bolognese - This was classic and standard. Risotto Di Mare - The rice was flavored with fresh tomato and was flavorful without being saucy. It was mixed with shrimp, squid, scallops, salmon, and baby octopus. The seafood was fresh and had great texture, and the salmon was very tender. The saffron pulled everything together. Delicious. Penne Pollo I Funghi - Penne pasta with chicken, porcini mushrooms, garlic, and tomato cream. This was alright. Spaghetti Alle Vongole - Spaghetti with steamed clams, white wine, garlic, and chili. We had this without chili, and it had a great flavor. This and the risotto were the table favorites. For dessert, the waiter introduced their four desserts and we selected the cheesecake to share. It was very light and creamy, served with berries and jam. We all enjoyed it, but were surprised at the $10 "surprise" tab for such a small slice. Everything else however, was reasonably priced. The pastas were $15-17, the risotto was $21, and the pizza was $18 ($15-18 in general). As for the rest of the menu, appetizers are $9-16 and plates & specials are $14-28. Cecco is a solid Italian restaurant and I wouldn't mind coming here again.
(3)Krysti B.
OMG!!! It was fabulous. I had the pork chop with risotto and my hubby had the bolognese. We shared the hazelnut gelato. ALL of it was mouth watering! Our server was so kind and attentive. This is a a place I will recommend to everyone I know!
(5)Lovetoeat T.
I wish I could really give this a 4 1/2 star rating. I dined here this last weekend with some foodie friends who's palates I can agree with. I did not go in with a lot of expectations considering italian seemed a bit out of place for Solvang, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality and freshness of the food. I recommend the fried oysters- which honestly blew me away. The fresh mignonette and tartar complimented the perfectly cooked oysters. We also had a caprese appetizer which had a nice presentation. We shared an oven cooked pizza with a beautiful thin crust and the pasta bolognese with wild boar. The bolognese was fantastic and highly recommended. The service- I can't generalize the day to day operations of the service staff but our service, considering the strength of the dishes, could have had more pride and attentiveness. Timing of coursing was way off and the food runner seemed very inexperienced and unable to answer questions-even unable to return with an answer. For me, service was a little below average on this day.
(4)Pat A.
Great "date night" location. We enjoyed the meal and staff. Good place to stop for a meal after some Solvang tastings. A real antipasti is hard to find!
(4)Edward W.
Solid little Italian place in Solvang. One step up from a pizza joint is cecco's. Go for the butternut squash ravioli in sage butter sauce. This is not an overly complex version of the dish, but it's made with tons of butter. As comedian John Caparulo says, "Anything is better with butter on it.". This dish is no exception. The wood fired pizza oven yields good enough pizza. I had the aglio olio white pizza with chiles and tons of garlic. Give this pizza an 8 on the EJW pizza scale. Stay away from the tomato soup. I think they opened a can of Campell's and threw in a leaf or two of basil and called it their own. Service is by a group of just out of high schoolers, and just about right for this little Solvang restaurant.
(3)Roopa R.
Awful just awful Service! We went there on a Monday night - they were hardly busy! Took forever to seat us and that was just one of the many issues! Finally seated a waiter- came over a and practically threw 4 glasses of water at us- when we tried to explain we didnt need so many- he just left without letting us say anymore! We were there with 2 little kids and obviously thought we'd be waited on in a reasonable amount of time- 15-20 minutes went on with trying to entertain our very hungry children and no one had even come over to take drink orders! Let me say I'm really not one to complain- we visit a lot of restaurants and I don't writer bad yelp reviews so u can imagine! Long story short- my husband finally calls over the waitress who takes my order but forgets to take my husbands order!!! Come on!!!! My son orders a milk- which by the way we never get until he's practically crying about it towards the end of dinner! We ordered the pizza- very mediocre and penne arrabiata also nothing to talk about! No tip I tell you no tip!! Oh also- they placed us right next to their very large dog dish outside! Yuck/ imagine smelling a wet dog all night!!! One more thing- who puts the Heater on when its in the eighties!!!! I was sitting under a furnace- icing on the cake!!!!
(1)Dennis P.
Been trying to get by this place since it opened and glad we finally made it!! Both the service and the food was great. We shared a Caesar salad, Fettuccine Carbanara and a chicken pizza. In my opinion it was every bit as good as the "other" Italian restaurant in the valley. Looking forward to returning soon!!!
(5)Yardley P.
The food is great no questions about it until something happened... We ordered calamari, pizza, chicken fettucccini and tiramisu. So we are seated at the patio, moved at the next table because it smells like dog. Flies are flying everywhere..one went in our pasta, one in tiramisu. First, for the pasta, they did offer to give us a new plate amd apologize. When we got the new plate, the food tasted differently from the first one. Tasted bland and not as creamy as the other one. So we suspected, they just took out the fly, added some noodles and chicken and remade it. Put to waste! Second, for the tiramisu, it took them awhile to replace it so hmmm we wonder why.. all you need is get a new slice right? So, here it comes... it came out cut in half(first one is not and tiramisu are always served one whole piece) We all looked at the plate and so shocked that we don't know what to say until the server said "oh its a new piece, really it is new" yeah right! And you asked, what's the problem? Do you think we would really buy that alibi?! What they did is took out the portion where the fly have landed and just added another pice of tiramisu. We told the server that we don't want it but we'll just pay it anyways since it seems like they really need money for them to be doing dirty business like this. What a waste and a horrible experience!
(1)Wendy A.
Okay five stars for the staff! the servers were sweet, and quick to get what we asked for. The food however was another story. Our boys 12/13 ordered the pizza (CPK is better) the bread for the dipping oil was over toasted (more like for a bruschetta) so dipping in oil was not good as it did not soak up the oil. My son ordered the Braised short rib ravioli the inside of the ravioli was great! tender meet and flavorfull! the pasta was poorly cooked with the ends on the side of crunchy! I had pasta putanesca, no complaints the shrimp was cooked well and vegetables were fresh, pasta al dente. My husband ordered the Pork chop. the first bite he said "wow" great flavor" second bite "does this look done" third bite RAW! this was not underdone pork but RAW. they sent it back (again servers great) brought it back "oh sorry about that" I would not go again, for the price I expect more and the quality was less than olive garden. The service was great, and staff very nice! Now they just need a good chef and decent cooks in the kitchen.
(2)Shari Z.
Def. recommend the margarita pizza.
(3)Peter W.
Good local restaurant with a passion for Italian food and seasonal ingredients. Caprese was outstanding with the fresh pesto and buratta. We had two pasta dishes that were both flavorful and creative. A little heavy but we both couldn't stop eating them. Wine list is well made with lots of great local wines In general fairly high priced but with some treasures - we found an 07 Kenneth Crawford Syrah which at $38 is a good deal. Becca provided us with great service and we really liked the atmosphere.
(5)Toolguy G.
Stopped at Cecco Ristorante for lunch during our bi-annual trip up the coast. We were huge fans of Cafe' Anjelica until it closed its doors, and were looking for a replacement Italian restaurant in Solvang. We decided to give Cecco a try. We were greeted, although not enthusiastically, by our server and were seated on the left side of the restaurant and handed menus.The atmosphere & decor were both fine. I'm 1st generation 100% Italian, & we both love wine with food, but Cecco's wine by the glass prices are excessive. I don't recall specifically what we ordered but they were house versions, mine was $13, my wife's was $10, and neither were anything special. So be it, we were looking forward to our meals as this was our first food of the day after 2+ hours of driving. My wife and I are big Penne Bolognese fans. The menu listed Spaghetti Bolognese with Braised Wild Boar & Beef for $15. I asked our server if we could substitute Penne for Spaghetti, so she went to the kitchen. She returned & told us they were out of Penne (we were the first one's thru the door at 11:30am). Not a huge deal, but disappointing that an Italian place didn't have Penne. We both went ahead and ordered it anyway. We've eaten at many Italian places from the cheapest to the priciest, and in each case we were brought a basket of bread, butter and/or oil & balsamic to get us going before our meals arrived. At Cecco, we waited and waited but nothing came until I finally asked and our server told us they only bring bread if you ask for it. Again, not a huge deal but disappointing. When our meals came, we were both impressed at the presentation & portions. Ample pasta, lots of meat & sauce. The flavor of the sauce was well balanced, and the meat mixture was lean and tender although we had no idea of the Boar to beef ratio. With the addition of warm bread to clean off our plates, we had no complaints about our meals. Bottom line: Our meals were great, the service so-so, the wine expensive & not worth it. Solvang is in desperate need of a really good Italian restaurant. We miss Cafe' Anjelica and hope they re-open somewhere soon. Barring that, we may give Cecco another go in the fall...
(3)Sarah R.
Loved Cecco. Here's what we ordered: Fried oysters-- get them. so good. Wild Boar meatballs-- everyone else loved them, I thought they we ok. Tomato soup-- thicker than you may expect, but delicious. Duck pizza-- um, yes please. and why can't I order this anywhere? Aglio olio pizza (prob. misspelled)-- I didn't try it, my spicy food lovin' husband & mother in law did and they both said it was WAY spicy, but good. Butternut Squash ravioli-- AMAZING. perfect. Pasta carbonara-- so my father in law has this "thing" with carbonara. he wanted it prepared in the traditional way where you mix the egg in off the heat so it just barely cooks and creates that great carbonara sauce. the chef at Cecco actually made it for him that way, and it was awesome. major props to the chef for being so accommodating. Everyone loved their dishes. We really wanted to try dessert but we were all so full. I would definitely come back here. Good service as well.
(4)Mary C.
Took our pasta bologanse to go since we had our puppy with us. We asked for bread and it was put in with our order. Our server was extremely polite nice and accommodating. Asked if we wanted our bread while we waited for dinner, we declined. She apologized two or three times for the long wait for our meal even tho we had not complained nor had we even noticed a longer than average wait. Normally one serving of pasta and bread would be plenty for my husband and myself,but this serving would hardly be sufficient for one. The pasta was very "fat" , it was short and fat! There was no sauce just heavy oil and some small pieces of meat. It had no flavor, not garlic, not spicy, nothing, just blah. Too bad. The bread was blah also and the olive oil to go with was thick and acidic yik! My husband loves bread and olive oil, but didn't eat it. Oh well, at least we didn't overeat.
(2)Dave L.
Nice. Especially attentive and professional service. Pizza was delicious. Tomato soup, not so much. Thick and salty.
(3)G N.
This place is SO bad. Fettuccine sauce tasted like milk and butter ONLY. No flavoring at all..it was pretty disgusting, it's worse when you have to pay for something you only took 3 bites of. Never coming back here.
(1)Carol E.
We made a last minute reservation for 6, and were seated on schedule. Fried oyster appetizer was absolutely wonderful. Some of us ordered pizzas -- very tasty. Beer and wine only for spirits. Highly recommend.
(4)Reese J.
Super quick service and very friendly. Our server knew the menu and steered us right into the Carbonara which was rich and delicious. I had wild boar tortelli... hit the spot.. Very buttery and tasty.
(5)Ryan A.
First time eating there on my birthday a week ago. Service was pretty prompt. Some food portions like the ravioli dishes are not adiquete for the price. I am happy to say that they offer dietary need dishes like gluten-free. I was thankful for that. Corkage fee runs you $15. even if you bring a screw capped bottle. Not too noisy but a little small. Dessert was amazing. And if you like the food and service, they offer you a chance to stay connected with the owner who offers special events. Overall, I was happy with this place. I will probably go back soon and sit outside on the patio for lunch.
(4)Meg R.
3.5 to 4 stars. Pricier wine list than some other spots we'd seen here in Santa Ynez area and didn't help they were out of all the under $40 bottles by our 730pm arrival. Service was very attentive. Bistro atmosphere inside more inviting to us but outside patio was thriving. Really impressed with short rib, ricotta Tortellini but note it comes in smaller portion but rich and heavy. Shrimp puttanesca was very good with balanced sauce. Maybe a few more shrimp to pasta and I could have eaten more. Overall very enjoyable and fulfilling dinner.
(4)Michael C.
This restaurant was recommended to us because it was the only one opened in Solvang on Monday night. Really? I have an idea to the Solvang restauranteurs, Open on Monday night! At any rate, this place was good. Food was okay. Our server was really good. The ambiance was just okay; borderline pizza shop but okay.
(3)Rosie P.
We had the pleasure of going into Cecco on our vacation at the end of the summer. Both the food and the service were the best we've ever had in Solvang. As an appetizer we got the Bruschetta, it was delicious. Our entrees were lovely as well. Our son ordered the pork chop and polenta, the meat was cooked perfectly. As far as the service our waitress (Susan) was so nice and very attentive. As well as the busboy, who never let our drinks go dry, and the hostess was sweet as well. Overall, an amazing experience we will be back to Cecco next time for sure.
(5)Brutal H.
This was my first time to this establishment and I'm a local. Over the years I've learned not to expect too much from the local eateries so I'm not disappointed. My experience is that most of the town of Solvang is a tourist trap with a lot of greedy property owners who extract usurious rents from their poor tenants and there is high tenant turnover. Not an ideal situation to operate a business. That being said...the food quality itself was good to excellent. The Bianca pizza was delicious and the bread with olive oil and drops of balsamic vinegar was yummy. The caramel creme brulee was very good and the wine and beer prices were typical for the area with a glass of Brander Cabernet Sauvignon for $9 a glass and Figueroa Mountain Stout for $5 a pint. The service however was bordering on abyssmal. We should have known this when reservations were available every 15 minutes from 6:30 to 7:30pm with only one and a half hours lead time. The hostess did find our reservation immediately, we were seated promptly, drinks were served relatively quickly, but then the wait began. The appetizer bread was served well after the drinks (faux pas to be sure). It appeared that the busboy and the server had no clear delineation of tasks and the busboy/server forgot to bring the appetizer bread no less than 3 times. There seemed to be conflicts between the busboy and the server. She spent more time talking to the busboy than serving the clientele. At one point, they had a lengthy verbal disagreement within 15 feet of our table. Perhaps what is really necessary is a strong floor manager to make sure the wait staff are working efficiently. It pains me to give reviews like this of local restaurants. I want so much for there to be good restaurants in Solvang, but one has to be realistic when comparing it to other locales that engender more competition. Overall, if you are expecting good food with iffy service, then you will not be disappointed. It will be some time before I return due to the lack of customer service and attentiveness. Although, it is not a particularly pricey establishment, I do expect better service than I received. It took about 1 hour and 45 minutes for the limited dining that we did. I believe with better service, this could be cut down easily by a half an hour. While one should patiently enjoy a good meal, this meal pushed the boundaries and tried my patience.
(3)Lindsey m.
One of the best pizza's we've ever had! Every time we come to Solvang, we eat here. We always get the Margaheita pizza.
(5)Abby G.
Oy Vey! We overhead some folks saying this was the favorite place in Solvang! Taste, is well, individual. We ordered a Marg pizza and a beet salad. Small pizza and pricey at $18. It was getting late, so we took the food to go, back to our hotel, and hungry, jumped right in. The crust was mushy, too much sauce, too little cheese. Not tasty! I love pizza and can eat it near anywhere, even a Domino's pizza if I have to. The beet salad -- the red beets were limp and very dark (not fresh, sorry, but not canned either). One Zantac later, we both felt better. Really, this is the best food in the Solvang? Yikes! Cute place. Outdoor seating. We'd try again, but steer clear of the Pizza.
(2)Becca N.
Best rustic pizzas and pastas, and beyond friendly sweet staff :)
(5)James M.
We have been very fortunate to have this really nice restaurant open here in Solvang. The food is really yummy, the staff always pleasant and friendly. For lunch there is the Chopped salad (5 stars) or new "sandwiches" (always tasty). Dinner has wonderful pizzas, or Osso Bucco, or amazing pastas. The wine list is complete and has some very interesting wines (even a Californian Gruner). We are from L.A. and so have a fair basis for good eats. We enjoy Cecco for lunch or dinner. Prices are reasonable. Book for dinner.
(5)Renee B.
I stopped by this place a week ago with my husband and some friends. I wasn't in the mood for pizza, but was pleasantly surprised. My husband and I split a pizza that had some type of spicy pepperoni on it. The meat was good and the arugula that topped it was a nice touch. The crust was thin, but very filling. Our friends ordered the white pizza that they enjoyed as well. I will definitely make this place a must whenever I visit Solvang.
(4)Maria G.
The setting is nice but a bit cramped. The Waitress forgot our bread not once but twice. She finally brought it out with our check. We tried the calamari and the tortellini. The food was ok. The tortellini was bland and was soaking in oil. I don't think it was worth the $40.
(2)Jake V.
In retrospect unless you hang out at Solvang a lot (or are inundated by Danish culture) it seemed silly to go to an Italian restaurant. Food and service was decent enough but it was their bad luck that my dad had to order their panini. My dad is notorious for being very particular about his food orders and has little patience for food that isn't prompt and hot on arrival. I get pretty embarrassed by it honestly, he's a little too unforgiving, I feel. But the panini really was pretty cold, even though it had grill marks, as though it was pressed and then left to cool. The pizzas and pastas we ordered were decent, but the Kobe burger was well done instead of medium rare as was ordered. Also their deep fryer was on the fritz apparently so no fries to go with the burger (salad's good but not if it's a surprise ;)). It's nice to eat outside but if you have people who are sensitive to the sun they don't normally keep the inside of the restaurant open for lunch. They accomodated us but we were alone in there and felt kinda overlooked.
(3)Ron B.
Excellent meal. Had some pizza's and the calamari and the whole family enjoyed everything. The service was also excellent. Thanks for the Yelp reviews that brought us here.
(5)Steven W.
So delicious. Great thin crust and amazing service too. Best Italian food in solvang
(4)Kara S.
We were told to go here by Mike at Carhartt, so we did and were not disappointed. Any restaurant that serves delicious bread with oil and vinegar already starts me off in a good mood. We ordered some salads to split - both were delicious. Everyone's meal was amazing. (Pasta carbonara, roasted chicken, mushroom pizza, and veal cheek tortellini) And the wine went perfectly with it. For dessert we got a chocolate mousse cake (nom nom nom) and the tiramisu (a bit too much cocoa on top). Cecco is now my new favorite place to have dinner when in Solvang!
(5)Holly F.
Had some plain, dry, chewy mushroom/red meat ravioli that swam in a pool of cheap extra light olive oil for $19...need I say more?
(1)Michele D.
I highly recommend the mushroom ravioli and the zuppa. Having a great time eating on the patio drinking prosecco with my meal. :) What I should add that the mushroom ravioli was so good, I wanted to lick the plate!! This is definitely worth a try if you are in the Solvang area.
(4)Yuri B.
Good wine selection and pasta. Pizza was a bit disappointing (italian scale)
(3)Marilyn M.
Great place on a Tuesday night! We were surprised that most of Solvang was closed up tighter than a drum on Tuesday. Cecco Ristorante was one of the few places that was open for dinner, but it turned out to be a real find. We sat on the patio, which was pleasant, and the service was friendly and attentive. We shared a salad and a pizza, and both were outstanding. The salad--oven-roasted beets with arugula, fresh mozzarella, capers and walnut oil--was amazingly fresh and flavorful. The crisp, thin-crusted and very rich funghi pizza was topped with crimini mushrooms, tomato sauce & fontina cheese. The dessert menu looked good but we were too full!
(4)Jerry C.
We ate at Cecce last week when we were visiting in Solvang. We were seated outside and it was an overall nice experience. We had a pizza and shared a salad and I had a glass of wine while my wife had a glass of ice tea. Both food items were very nice and tasty. The service was good. The only negative about the experience that I can offer is that we were overcharged by 6 dollars from what the menu prices were. My $10 glass of wine showed up on the bill as $14 and the $18 pizza became $20. I called the server's attention to the error with the glass of wine but I was not sure about the price of the pizza until we left and looked it up on their menu and found out that sure enough it had been $18 and not the $20 that was on the bill. I would look at my bill carefully if you dine here as there may be many "mistakes" made that if one does not catch it then either the restaurant or the server is pocketing extra money.
(3)Connie H.
The food had incredible flavor! Never expected to eat such great Italian food in a dutch town!
(4)Emily H.
A bit pricey (more like standard LA prices) but super delicious. Everything was very fresh and normal Italian dishes had a unique twist to them. I recommend the Bolognese or the Pesto dishes...delish!
(4)Apple L.
Bad place! I ordered a clam dish but the clams were full of sand!! Plus there was a tiny fly in the dish...the salami pizza was extremely salty and unfresh. Service was bad. Gave me 15 one dollars for change! Such an unpleasant experience.
(1)Ashley B.
My boyfriend and I ate here after a day of wine tasting and the food was absolutely delicious. We got the calamari, the short rib tortellini (which may have been a special), and the salami pizza. The pizza was amazing and definitely the hit of the night, if not the whole trip! (And we are big pizza lovers). Thin crust, crispy, and amazing salami. Would definitely recommend cecco to anyone staying in Solvang who wants a casual, affordable and delicious dinner.
(5)Michael S.
The food was above average, the portions were large, the prices were high but the ambiance made up for it all. We went for a mid week lunch and all around us were people enjoying themselves. My wife and I had the burger, one daughter had the pizza and another had the spaghetti. We came for the pizza and she said it was ok. Too much sauce but not bad. The spaghetti came with a very, very rich bolognaise sauce. The burger was all beef instead of the wild boar we came for but it was decent. The frys were decent as was the house salad. Lunch for the four of us was just under a hundred dollars and we had no alcohol. All in all, the price makes it hard to come back to find that one thing on the menu that makes this place special, but I am willing to give it a try the next time I feel like something special. The atmosphere there was that good.
(4)Roni R.
Food was super yummy. Jennifer was very informative,prompt, and sweet. The rest of the staff was very great too. We ordered the mushroom and spinach raviolis and the seafood rissotto. They were delicious. We were stuffed but decided to get dessert it was so good. Great place to eat.
(5)Robert G.
Went to visit friends in Buellton, we all went to Cecco for lunch and had a great meal, service was good. Then, we drank wine and well I need to go back. Go enjoy.
(4)Pedro F.
Intended to eat at the local tavern but ended up here instead and I am SO glad we did (nothing against the local tavern). Walked in, didnt have reservations (I recommend that you do make a reservation), the host/manager (didn't have the warmest personality) however he was nice enough to take us for dinner. However our server Rene (cute red head, great smile and awesome personality) she made us feel welcome and quite comfortable. I recommend starting with the caprese (so fresh) then the Tortelloni (mouth watering) and the Gorlomi pizza. These are good enough to share. The portions are just right and you will definitely come back and so will I.
(4)Sandra P.
Seems this place is a hit or miss... For us it was an average experience. We stopped here on a Friday night and sat outside in the patio. Here's what we tried: Complimentary Bread with olive oil- the warm bread basket came out quickly and was very tasty Caprese Salad- even though it sat on a bed of olive oil and pesto, it was incredibly bland Ravioli- it was prepared in a creamy sauce which tasted good, but was a bit too rich Salmon- cooked perfectly (not overdone) and tasted very good Overall we got attentive service, although like others, the order got messed up and our entree came out before the salad. The server was very apologetic, and we didn't make a fuss. It's a solid 3 stars.
(3)Sam B.
Extremely poor service. Between orders mix ups, watery margherita pizza, server not showing up for 45 minutes - it was an unpleasant experience all around. We had party of 3 families. One member of our group did not even get his food almost an hour after rest of the party did. No bread served at the beginning of meal when all other tables got it. When we go t the breads, they only gave us 4 breads for 11 people. Definitely not worth the $20 for the pizza. food was bland and ordinary, not much taste. Definitely avoid it on our next trip to Solvang.
(1)Suparada M.
We just come here with tour and didn't have much time. We use Yelp to find the restaurant around Solvang. That's what i found u. Great food and good service.
(4)M G.
The best Caesar salad! I had the salmon and it was delicious. My husband had fried oysters and he said they were good. He did not really really like the monk fish-said it was ok! Short rib ravioli was amazing! Good dinner size. Large portions!
(4)Mike B.
The food was remarkable, George suggested wine perfectly, Anna was super attentive and knowledgeable.
(5)Glen N.
10 minutes can save you 15% on your car insu --- - oh wait, that's Geico. We've been four times in three visits: The bruschetta is like a cartoon bruschetta. It was ONE giant bruschetta the size of a shoe. It's so good. You'll feel like Ant-Man. Not bad for a piano playing Marx brother-- oh wait, that's Chico. Other items: The crunchy house bread w/ vinegar and oil is classic. The caprese salad is incredibly fresh, but not my favorite. The perfectly al dente Pasta Bolognese with wild boar is interesting. The pesto pasta dish was okay... the pasta ropey and the pesto may be too subtle. The pizzas are great. Save some of the Bianca to eat cold later- it melds into a different flavor. The white Gianni pizza is great, too. Though those cherry peppers made my pooper cherry. It's not cheap, the interesting menu is limited, and I'm not a fan of the $3 cans of soda and yucky iced tea, but it's a classy but unpretentious, dark and romantic restaurant with great service. Not bad for nine fingers--- oh wait, that's Conseco.
(4)Marian B.
Portion is very small. As if you're ordering a kids meal. And food is salty on both plates we ordered. Over priced food for something you can get for half the price else where.
(1)Matt G.
I stopped here because I was pretty hungry and I really didn't wanna continue to search haha.( lazy) So I came in and sat outside. The waitress was very attentive and even recommended things. But I ended up going with MARGHERITA Pizza. Boy was the a great pizza! I recommend to everybody trying that. Plus where I was sitting, it was such a beautiful place to relax and chat. I'm a fan.
(4)sylvia n.
Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. We went last night without a reservation and they were very accommodating ! Water and soft warm bread came out right away. We atarted with the ceasar salad which was crisp and tasty. We ordered the Cinghale pizza our favorite and it came out just as we were finishing salad! Finished with the cheesecake which was recommended and it did not disappoint. Service was great..staff helps each other which I think is a great concept! Will be back! As a local it is a great place that is very reasonable !
(5)Kelli S.
We saw the high ratings and got excited, but were highly disappointed. The service was terrible and it appeared that all the bus boys and helpers were 16 years old and more interested in giggling and nibbling on bread that was intended for the guests. We ordered the salmon because the descriptions sounded delicious and it was like a lean cuisine dinner... No flavor and hardly anything on the plate. If I'm going to pay $28 for an entree it should be better than that.
(1)Vivian C.
This is a traditional Italian restaurant, and it looks and feels and tastes like one. We arrived around 7pm on a Saturday night, and didn't have to wait to be seated, which was nice. We ordered the funghi pizza and the carbonara pasta, both of which were delicious. The funghi pizza was very fragant with truffly goodness, and lots of goat cheese. It was a deliciously pungent pizza, in a good way! The carbonara came with this rich, creamy sauce that was very well made. Prices are mid-range. The pizza, by the way, is huge, and definitely enough for 2 people. This is an adorable little place, with good ambiance and good food. Service is a bit slow, though. I felt like we were waiting for quite a while for our food. However, I feel like that's not too much of a problem since you can just sip your wine and enjoy each other's company.
(4)Chet M.
We had an excellent dinner. Split the beet salad it was perfect for two. We both had the short rib ravioli and it was covered with a mushroom sauce that was real tasty. For a great red wine by the Dolcetto by Palmina a really nice Italian grape that you don't see much.
(4)R P.
The Gianni pizza, bolognese and creme brulee are so good. The bolognese is a MUST have - we make sure to take all of our out of town visitors here.
(5)Vijay S.
Mind blowing food. Best Italian I have had in a while. The mushroom ravioli and puttanesca pasta was to die for.
(5)Christine P.
We came here for dinner last night and were SO disappointed. Out of all the places in this cute little town, I still can't believe we flushed our money down the toilet here. First of all, every single one of those waitresses were extremely rude. Given that we came at about 9 when they closed at 10, everyone was way too busy cleaning wine glasses or counting their tips to provide even the slightest of acceptable service for our table. It took about 10 minutes before anyone came over to take our order, let alone ask us what we wanted to drink. Funny thing was that this redhead had been eyeballing us from behind the bar, and didn't let anyone know that we were more than ready to order. Once service FINALLY came around, we ordered the calamari, short rib tortellini, zuppa, bolognese, and the carbonara. Upon first impression, the plates were well presented with decent sized portions, but this place has had to have THE most bland pasta I've ever tasted. A well presentation doesn't make up for mediocre tasting dishes. Out of all the dishes, the calamari tasted the best, and I think that says a lot. In addition to the bland pasta, it took forever to wave down a waitress for water refills. The redhead behind the bar kept conversing with our waitress and although she saw that we needed help, she didn't even mention anything to our waitress as they continued to carry on with their conversation. All in all, please please please avoid this place. We spent $100 on food that would've tasted way better if I were to just whip it up myself at home. Spaghetti and meat sauce from a can tastes better than this place. Please heed my warning and stay away.
(1)Melissa C.
This would be a higher number of stars had they handled a bad situation better. My husband and I were there last night for our wedding anniversary. We did not have reservations, but were seated quickly. The waitress did take a little long to get to us and get our drink orders. We ordered the scampi appetizer and the waitress came back and they had sold out, so we ordered the bruschetta - which was very good. While waiting for dinner, a couple came in and was seated next to us that was clearly drunk - and their swaying and bobbing was annoying/uncomfortable. Then the lady started vomiting (practically on our feet). This all said, this is not the restaurant's fault that a customer was vomiting. They moved us to a different table right away. Unfortunately, after seeing and smelling vomit - we could not eat. Thus we walked up to the front and asked to leave. They asked us if we wanted to take our main courses to go. The manager on staff gave us condescending looks as if it was our fault that we were leaving/wanted to cancel the order. We declined to take the main course that hadn't been served in a to go bag, so they took the main course off the tab and had us pay for everything else. I had not even gotten through 1/3 of my glass of wine. The poor form in my opinion here was that 1) The couple was obviously inebriated and should have not been allowed in the restaurant and 2) To actually charge us for appetizers and drinks that were stopped abruptly due to something so gross was pretty low. Had this been handled differently, I would have gone back. However in my opinion how a restaurant handles a bad situation speaks volumes of the management and owners - they will not get my business again.
(1)Anna Z.
This restaurant is absolutely adorable! If you can be seated in the patio on a nice day, definitely do that. I came with my family on a sunny day for lunch and was seated right away. Since it was a little bit chilly, we really appreciated having the heat lamps in the patio to keep us warm while still enjoying the outside view. The waitress was really friendly and quickly provided us hot water after we asked for it. There were 7 of us (1 child) and the food we ordered was plenty. We ordered the gianni pizza, gorlomi pizza, spaghetti with red sauce, cecco burger, and this ravioli dish that I forgot the name of. The waitress said each pizza had 8 slices so it can feed two people and she was right, it was pretty big. Both the pizzas were delicious! The Gianni had salami with a red sauce and arugula on top. The only downside was that it was a tad bit too salty but it was on this crunchy thin crust. I liked the Gorlomi alot! It's a pizza that I have never tasted before. First of all, it's a white sauce but the special part is that it's spicy! Definitely a must try if you like pizza and you stopped by here. My brother wanted just a basic spaghetti but surprisingly they didn't have that on their menu. Their lunch menu was actually rather limited and now when I look up their lunch/dinner menus online, I realized a lot of things have changed. For example, I can't find the ravioli dish online at all even though I just visited there a week ago. Anyways, the spaghetti he got was just with red sauce with no meat or anything and it tasted pretty bland. the ravioli dish had about 6 pieces of ravioli with a creamy sauce and was so-so. I wouldn't get it again since there's nothing special about it. However, my favorite dish was definitely the cecco burger. It was massive and so juicy and absolutely flavorful and delicious. The fries it came with looked like these giant potato twists. Very unique and not something I have seen before. Definitely get this dish!! We were too full for dessert but I would have liked to try the tiramisu! Also didn't try their wine since we were going to go wine tasting after lunch. Overall, it was a really nice lunch experience.
(4)Jennifer S.
We've been to Solvang many times and we wanted to try something a little different. When we saw the quaint little Italian restaurant with the patio seating and reviewed the menu, we decided to stay for lunch. At the door, we were told to wait while they got tables ready. After 5-8 minutes, a server (?) came by asking if we were waiting to be seated. We said yes and she stated something about how extremely crazy busy they were. Honestly, it didn't seem that busy. Anyway, we were seated in the patio and our server took orders for drinks and then food. I ordered the turkey panini (real Italian right? :P) and hubby got the Tortellini. The meals were not brought out at the same time and the side Cesar Salad that came with my panini tasted so much better than the panini itself; the turkey was almost flavorless. Hubby's tortellini was tasty but the portion size was not enough for the price. The service was only so so. Server didn't seem really interested in serving. We didn't get asked to have our waters refilled. I was disappointed in my sandwich. At 11 bucks at least get the turkey sandwich right! I guess that's what I get for ordering a turkey sandwich at an Italian restaurant.
(3)Aileen K.
Such a disappointment. There were so many restaurants to choose from in this hustle bustle cute Danish city but we went with this one because it had a nice outdoor patio and it looked somewhat fancier, which is what we wanted. Nothing really popped out from the menu but after we ordered our drinks, we decided to order family style and get the cecco burger, salmon salad, golormi pizza (White Pizza with shaved garlic and mozzarella spicy pepperoncino) and a salumi sandwich just to get a feel for everything on their menu. Once again, nothing caught our attention but at this point it was rude to leave so we figured, why not just go for it? The first thing I was annoyed at was the fact that their fries are potato wedges.Care to share that with your customers when asking them which side they would like? We thought they were normal french fries so we chose that for all our sides and eded up being super disappointed by the shapeless, salty little things. Everything was just salty. Even the salad was so drenched in sauce that it was too much. The salmon was fishy and the sandwich bread was not what they had promised. Nothing was special and in fact, we kept moaning at having to finish the food. Luckily one of us was hungry so we managed to finish everything but wow, looking at other people's faces while they were eating, we were all thinking the same thing and we were getting pissed. Do not come to this place even if they have outdoor seating. Trust me!
(1)Appa A.
Is there a "zero" star rating? No??? Ah well, I will settle for next best rating then. We have ordered pesto pasta and pruschetto pizza This turned out to be a Over hyped yelp restaurant - a total let down - Rude manager that does not greet and is downright gruff with the guests - The food arrived quickly (which turned out to be "too" quick" - read on for the reason. - The pasta was cold - turned out they dont make the dishes to order !! - The pesto contained "sour" (read - tinned) bellpapers, flavorless pesto and bland pasta - The pizza contained flavorless meat and red onion and pretty much thats all Overall huge disappointment. I would avoid this place !!
(1)Dustin T.
Have enjoyed a number of meals here. Their food is delicious, especially after a day of wine tasting. I recommend there: Oysters Fritti Polpette Spaghetti Bolognese I do wish that they would pair up with the countless local vineyards and offer a more diverse selection of local wines, but usually I've consumed so much wine by the time I get here that a couple glasses of water suffice. Also, depending upon the day, I recommend calling ahead for a reservation. If it is a busy weekend, you will be glad you did.
(4)Josh S.
Food and service were great. We ordered a pizza the bolognese and formaggio sandwich and everything was excellent.
(5)Ana L.
Unfortunately, we tried everything to have a good experience here. We first came here and my husband went in to find us a table- again he was turned away, but this time no one even looked him in the eye (second time in Solvang). He walked right out and said we are not going there. Due to few places being open and dog friendly we decided to give it another try. Here is what happened: 1. The bruschetta was one piece of bread 2. The waitress we told about our first experience explained that basically it was not her fault and the hostesses fault and then only tool our coffee off the check for our experience. When restaurants with these places only take the coffee off, it basically means oh screw you, but here is something anyway. 3. The waitress barely talked to us. I understand it is busy, but when it is $20 for 5 tortoloni, I dont understand taking only the coffee off. We are not planning on coming back any time soon.
(2)Anu B.
The food was delicious! We got the bruschetta, mushroom ravioli and Mary's chicken. Food was well portioned, not ridiculously big- I liked that. The tomato sauce with the ravioli was best I've had. We had a great time. I would love to visit again!
(4)Nikki L.
We were in Solvang for a mini getaway and asked around for good dinner recommendations. Several different Sommeliers recommended Cecco. The dish was great (even though they messed up the order). The servers there seemed a little spastic or frazzled, despite there only being a few small parties in our section, but ours was very friendly and accommodating. Overall, a pleasant experience.
(4)Vikas B.
Food here is real good. This place has become one of my top places to have pizzas. We had Gorlomi pizza and it was just too good. A must try place.
(5)Tere P.
My husband and I came here for dinner. We liked the ambiance with the dim lighting and mellow background music. The service was adequate. The food was great. We ordered the caprese salad and the bianca pizza. The wait for the pizza was a tad long but not excessive. The bread and olive oil was very good and kept us satisfied until our food arrived. We also appreciated the fact that it was open till 9 pm. Be warned, this town shuts down early.
(4)Cindy A.
This place is the best. I came back after two years, still good. Oh those pork chops are so good.
(5)Baron V.
Stopped here for lunch for visiting the charming Scandinavian town of Solvang. They had tables open and seated us right away. Very nice and relaxing outdoor patio with wind screens and shade. Ordered one pepperoni and arugula pizza which was enough for the two of us. The pizza was very delicious in the Naples style with a crispy and toasted crust with a great taste and texture. Perfectly prepared. Really it put all the other brick oven Napoli pizzas that I've had to shame. And the other ones were highly rated Chicago establishments. Overall a very pleasant and relaxing place to spend an afternoon.
(4)Niki S.
Wonderful atmosphere of partially dim lights, attentive and friendly servers and a great central location beckoned us to this delicious and truly memorable dinner. With Chef David in the kitchen, we trusted the skill and praises of the locals and asked for him to serve us dishes with pairings that he enjoyed cooking. Appetizer: A mouth-watering, flavorful, vibrant, sexy seafood ceviche. The last time I was intoxicated by an appetizer of this level, I was on my honeymoon, in Naples, eating at a Michelin-star restaurant. Seriously. Wine: David paired our dishes with a prosecco that was dry, with slight floral notes and just the right amount of flirtatious bubbles that danced along the front of my tongue and ticked my nose. Dishes/Dessert: The bolognese was so rich, balanced, and so damn tasty, I didn't want to share a bite. The wild boar couldn't have been more tender. The sauce oozed love, and patience, one of which had simmered and been given time for all the flavors and spices to come together into a harmony with the pasta cooked perfectly al-dente. Our tiramisu was soaked in an earthy, strong espresso, the cream and cake proportions right on track with one another, and beautiful plating for dessert. The service at Cecco was outstanding, from the minute we walked in and were greeted, to our server (I wish I wrote her name down) who really took her time to talk with us, share about herself, and what she enjoys on the menu and why she loves the food at Cecco as well. ALL IN ALL: The difference between amazing food and really good food is the combination of an emotional movement and connection between the harmony in the ingredients, and the love put into them. Every dish was moving, exciting, and full of sensory evocations. I would love to continue seeing Chef David's creations go up on the menu more and more, and can't wait to go back.
(5)Nelson C.
So disappointing on so many levels. From the teetering tables, annoyed staff (we needed utensils) , from our water glasses directly poured from the tap. Most disappointing, the food. We tried their "famed" bolognese and it came cold/ warmish. The sauce which is supposed be rich and laced with long cooked/stewed wild boar was instead sad and dribbled with small pieces of meat the resembled something from a carne asada burrito. The whole meal had me wondering how fresh it really was. We got the Marco pizza and except for the crust (wood fired ) , I didn't know you could ruin a pizza. Way too much prosciutto , flavorless sauce and the cheese, once it cooled revealed its true nature. It could've been Monterey Jack, who knows but most definitely not mozzarella. We poked , dissected and ate what we could but most of it we left it on our plates. To add insult to injury , we were charged full price ( way over priced in the first place for the quality) even after we discussed our concerns with the manager. He informed us we should have told him immediately. Immediately, later ; what's the difference? I'm letting you know now. You can't fix what is overall a poorly executed -not fresh made meal. He should have at least compensated one of the meals. I should mention the caprese was good but for 4 slices of tomato, cheese and 4 leaves of basil for 15 bucks? Ouch. Been coming to Solvang for over ten years, this is by far our most disappointing meal, experience. I should've listened to the other yelper's warnings . They were pretty spot on .
(1)Casey M.
We came here for dinner on a very busy Friday night before the Solvang Century. Luckily we made reservations a few days in advance. The staff was very friendly and efficient despite the crowd. Food was good and came out quickly. Calamari was delicious! As was the bruschetta and spaghetti. The restaurant was clean and, even with a full house, not too loud. We paid the bill but left our credit card on the table by mistake. We realized it later that night but weren't able to call until he following afternoon. They held it for is to pick up after showing ID. Defiantly going back!
(5)Mani M.
Nice place for dinner just next to the park at Solvang. Good ambience, nice wines, great food.
(4)Nicole A.
Oh my god, the Marco pizza. PIZZA PIZZA PIZZA! But seriously, the Marco pizza is absolutely delicious. I thought I was going to cry when I was eating it because it was that good. This pizza is not your typical greasy boring pizza. This pizza is rich, it's flavorful, it's multi-layered with flavor! The Marco came with prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, sage and mozzarella. Oh my, the prosciutto was a perfect compliment to this pizza and the sage.... the sage added such a sweetness.. The best pizza of my life. Ever. I'd come back up here again to take the people I love here, because I want to make them happy and feed them this delicious and amazing pizza. Forget any other place you think has great pizza because this place is it. This is exquisite and delicious artisan pizza. You will cry tears of joy. Name your first child after whatever pizza you get.
(5)Stephanie C.
After a full day of wine tasting in Solvang we stumbled upon this SUPER cool little spot! We saw it was a little busy but it looked like a super cool atmosphere so we went in & they surprisingly seated us right away! (In the patio, on a warm day) it was perfect! We started off with some bread which was DELICIOUS! Service was GREAT 5/5 we waited for like 15 mins for a pizza which was AMAZING. FOOD was great 5/5 & I had an iced tea & wine which was AWESOME 5/5. loved loved loved this place!!
(5)Monika M.
Although it was 3.5 star on yelp, we still gave it a shot- BIG mistake. Order the olive hummus appetizer - came in a small bowl with bread that tasted like the fully cooked pizza base. It was ok but they had layered stuff greens on the bottom on the bowl, so the bowl looks full of the spread we ordered while it was around half of it.... Sounds like cheating already Soup - the tomatoe soup tastes good and comes in a smal bowl too Fungi pizza - did not have any goat cheese as listed on the menu but was cooked well and we liked it Tiramisu- ok who add cinnamon to the top layer, raspberry syrup at the bottom on the plate and sprinkles sugar powder on a tiramisu?? Service - let me start by saying that there were only 2 tables to wait including us. the only server waiting was sweet BUT 1. did not give us napkins. When we asked she got us paper napkins while all other tables had the cloth napkins. 2. Did not ask or got us cheese or chili flakes for the pizza while got cheese and chillie flakes for the next table who had ordered pizza. 3. Did not asked for even water after getting the food. **NOT RECOMMENDED** for people who would are looking for Hospitality with food... Like me. I would NOT go back
(2)Lori M.
I try not to expect too much when I'm spending an afternoon in a touristy place like Solvang. For me, Cecco felt like a restaurant a bit tired of those tourists. We had already looked at a few other restaurants and decided no. When we strolled across the threshold at Cecco, we were getting hungry. My friends read the menu, decided there were plenty of tempting items on the menu, and decided to stop here. The patio is pretty big and offers a shady respite from the meandering crowd. We waited just 15 minutes before being seated and immediately started to decide on lunch. The waitress was fine, perhaps a bit slow, and not all that engaging. Lunch was about the same: fine, a bit slow to arrive (we only ordered salads and one soup), and not all that engaging. The salads were fresh and I was told that the soup was good. My chopped Insalata di Cecco with baby lettuces, tomato, chick peas, ricotta salata & lemon vinaigrette was a bit small and the vinaigrette didn't taste that lemony. If you are looking for outside dining, Italian food, and aren't in a rush, Cecco is a fine place to stop.
(3)Laurie T.
Cecco was recommended by coworker for birthday dinner before theatre event. The food was ordinary, service was less than ordinary, the menu was WAY overpriced for "ordinary". No birthday dessert unless paid for!!?!? My extended family will not be returning or recommending this ordinary restaurant to others. I suggest the management clean up the food, service and price if they wish to have return customers... NOTHING SPECIAL!!!
(1)Robert T.
Stopped in for pizza. The have artsie pizze :-\ No pepperoni! We had the prosciutto, rosemary n other stuff. Very tasty, some what burnt crust. Sodas in cans n bottles so no free refills. Creme brulee was under cooked (soupy) told the waitress and no empathy. Definitely not worth $10.00! Nice ambience
(3)Sandra O.
Not worth your money. Tomato soup is bland and way to hot. Pizza was extra salty and over cooked. I would go as far as calling my pizza burned. The shrimp pasta and bread were the only things that are decent, but I won't come back. Food is over prices, quality of food is that of a beginner cook and the service is sub par.
(1)Cat B.
We had the calamari, Caesar salad, burrata n beets, porchetta n blanco pizza, carbonara, bolognaise, and tortellino. Most memorable are Caesar, burrata, pizza, and all three pasta dishes. Yummy yummy yummy. Definitely coming back. Service was awesome too and very friendly. P.S. I'm not related or affiliated with this restaurant at all. I saw the negative reviews and I guess that's just the difference in taste and experience.
(5)Tara G.
We came here for dinner last month. No wait, got a table right away on a Sunday. The menu sounded good. Service was ok, it was stuffy & we had to ask for the AC to be turned on. We were are a party of 6 and had ordered a couple pizzas, salads, and a pasta to share at the table. All of our food came out except for 1 pizza with no explanation. The server came back and said that when they took the pizza out of the oven it ripped so they were re-making it. We understood, mistakes happen, and we had other food to occupy us. The pizza finally gets there and it was the worst cooked pizza I've had. It was like they rushed to cooking of it and it didn't cooked all the way, just until the cheese melted. We could not finish it because it was raw dough in the middle. The server took the pizza off the bill, but it left us disappointed.
(2)Max H.
The portions are too small, I went to a noodle place after school to get a real dinner. It's very expensive, and the taste isn't worth the money.
(2)William D.
Wonderful for Lunch too. Chopped salad is very good. They even have water bowls for your dog on the outside patio.
(4)Joe J.
A group of us enjoyed a great dinner here. We all had a Peroni, and split the caesar and clams. The appetizers were delicious. The salad was crisp, and the broth the clams came with was tasty. It also included a large red chili-like pepper, which was phenomenal. We all had the bolognese, and everyone loved it. Leftovers were eaten for breakfast! Fairly priced, quality food, and good service. I'd recommend. Note: as mentioned, the variety of the meal was limited, only entree that we all tried was the bolognese. Still, it was meaty, and we were told it is cooked down throughout the day.
(5)Erlinda R.
3.5 Stars. FYI No changing table to change your baby We only ate here because it seemed like everything was closed for the night and we were really hungry from all the walking and riding the bike around town. This place re-opens at 5pm. We got there at 5:15pm and were told that there was a 10 minute wait. They ended up sitting us outside underneath a heater. The host just puts the menus down on the table and then left. She didn't offer us a highchair or let us know that our server will be with us shortly. Nonetheless, the server who bought us all waters was helpful enough to get us one and explained that the kids can order a kids portion of pasta w/butter or pasta w/alfredo sauce for $10 (which was not on the menu). Our server was really great, she recommended a lot of the items on the menu. Both her favorites and what gets ordered a lot from other customers. This is what we ended up ordering... *Pork Chop- Yummy!! My husband had it medium well. It was really juicy and tasty, especially with the sweet sauce. *Bolognese- This is like a spaghetti dish w/ tiny bits of meatballs. It was good, but a little bit on the salty side. I was expecting bigger chunks of meatballs... *Puttanesca- My daughter had this w/out the chili flakes, which I think, made the dish tasted bland. *Calamari- Flaky, lightly salted. Tarter sauce was really good *Fried Oysters- This was okay, I still prefer my oysters on the grill w/ lemon & tabasco sauce *Kids Pasta w/Butter *Kids Pasta w/Alfredo Sauce To me, the atmosphere of the restaurant seemed to be on the fancy side, however, our food and overall experience was average.
(3)A A.
Lots of choices in the thin crust pizza selections--from a wood fired brick oven too. Had the wild boar sausage pizza and the margarita pizza--tasty. Good Caesar salad. We walked in as a party of 6 mid week without reservations and had a brief wait. Why? This is probably 1 of 3 reasonably priced restaurants that are open (which are not Danish) after 5PM
(4)John P.
Being locals who dine out often and like to mix it up with our experiences, we were excited to try Cecco's. We gave them a month to shake out the kinks and get things squared away before we dined. We arrived, with a reservation, on a Saturday evening and the table we had requested wasn't available, so we waited a few minutes & decided to take another. The place was very busy and we were glad & felt that was a good sign. However, this was not to be. We waited far too long to have a waiter arrive to greet us & take the beverage order. He disappeared & we eventually had to flag another person for our wine. Not a good start. After another long wait we finally placed our order and then the wait really started. The salad I ordered never arrived and the dinners took about 25 minutes, but only after another "flagging." The salad order had been "dropped," so no salad. Boo. My pizza, the margarita was average at best. No zesty garlic taste, & no imagination whatsoever. My wife's raviolis were very tasty, yet not even close to a full or 3/4 plateful. Cecco was woefully understaffed & according to friends that dined there this past week, still is, and the pizzas they had were also forgettable. Hopefully the owner & chef will read the reviews & "kick it up" a few notches when it comes to service & genuine Italian zesty cuisine. We're putting Cecco on "hold" until we start hearing consistently good comments from people we know & trust who, like us, dine out often & know excellent Italian cuisine.
(3)Jeff N.
Love this place!! There is not a restaurant in this area that has the quailty and service of Cecco. The chef/owner David has an amazing staff and knows great food as he has been cooking mostly in Santa Barbara top restaurants for many years.... The pizza's are not to be missed - thanks for finally bringing quailty to Solvang!!
(5)Samantha W.
I was in solvang for my spring break weekend and my family and I went to Cecco for dinner. We ordered the rissoto di gabacce mare, spaghettini bolognese, gianni pizza, liguini (with clam), and calamari- all of which were amazing. Unlike the other Danish family restaurants in Solvang, Cecco is an Italian themed restaurant. The presentation of the food was flawless and the service was great. There were people left and right helping you out. And it doesn't hurt that they have a cute waiter there.
(5)Elizabeth L.
I wish I could give this place zero stars. I had tomato soup...how can you get that wrong? It tasted like pasta sauce they were trying to pass off as soup. My hubby and I had ,calamari, too chewy, which means the seafood was not fresh. My husband had pasta with pesto, again, such a simple dish, how could the chef mess that up? I don't know, but somehow he managed. My hubby is the easiest person in the world to please when it comes to dining. He has not once complained that food at a restaurant was bad and we've been dining together for many years! He thought every dish was terrible also, so for him to say that, trust me, it's BAD. Don't waste your money here!
(1)David C.
I came here over the Labor Day weekend. Solvang was very crowded and hot during the day I went to this restaurant. I have to say that most of the customers I saw were tourists and many were in poor moods because of the heat. When I came, there was only outdoor seating, and maybe just half the seats had shade. Most of the customers were a hot and a bit demanding. But the staff were always courteous and really took the attitudes on the chin. They were extremely accommodating and really made an effort to make their customers comfortable. Now the food, I wasn't crazy about. My wife ordered a tomato soup. It was salty- I don't know if it came out of a can or maybe it sat in a pot too long, but it was very salty. The bread only comes out if it is requested. But we weren't asked if we wanted any. And half my hamburger bun was burned- but it was served to me like that- half black. I sent the bun back, which they promptly changed. The fries were really short- like the fries you get left at the bottom of a bag of fries. Well, I wasn't crazy about the food, but the service as so stellar, I am assuming that it was a crazy day and everybody was off, except the hostess and waitresses.
(4)Cristian C.
This place has great pizza! I really liked the duck confit and pear pizza. The margarita pizza was tasty as well. We ordered a few appetizers to start and they were great. We ate here for my sister in law's birthday and they brought out the best cheesecake I've ever tasted. Great wine list and really friendly service too. Can't go wrong with this place. Great place to eat with a group.
(5)Louis C.
Excellent pizza and pasta. Beautiful ambiance on patio seating. Extensive wine menu.
(5)D W.
I was in Solvang for the Tour of California and was recommended to eat hear from a wine tasting. This was the best Spaghetti Bolognese I've ever had. I was there a couple weeks ago and I'm still dreaming about it. Tendor, full or flavor, fresh and unbelievablely delicious. The staff were incrediblt friendly too. Highly recommend!!
(5)Kelly R.
My husband and I spent our first evening at Cecco. The staff was very nice and attentive. The meal was great and the wine excellent. The only real fault I have is the restaurant is a bit small and tables are scrunched together so you're privy to others conversations. That's the only reason for 4 stars and not 5. I would highly recommend this place to family and friends.
(4)rena s.
We ate here two nights in a row and both nights Jennifer was our waitress. She was very nice and professional. The spaghetti bolognese was very good according to my husband, and I loved the shrimp scampi appetizer--unbelievably good. The hot bread they bring with dipping oil--also good. Ceasar salad good but would be better if it had croutons in it. We ordered the creme brulle and did not care for it, they try to give it a salty/sweet taste and it didn't work for us. This place is small--but once seated, you don't feel that way. We would return definitely.
(4)dj f.
Couldn't get a last minute table at Los olivos cafe so I turned to open table to find something for 6pm on a Sat nite ( at 5:30)... Cecco had a table so we decided to try it out..I would prob not have ever thought to go here otherwise....I don't ever think of Solvang as having great restaurants ...much less great Italian restaurants ....but Cecco turned ot to be a nice surprise. I had a house salad and the bolognese pasta and my wife had a pizza with artichokes and ricotta...both dishes were great...the pizza crust was thin, crispy and tasty. The boldness was made with boars meat and was gamey..Ina good way...we paired it with Palmina's 07 Nebbiolo...which had great acidity to scrub away the oils and fats from the food...all in all..a good meal and unexpected one on short notice...the restaurant has plenty of bar style seating so it is likely you can get a seat on all but the busiest holiday nights...the staff was pleasant and the mood was good...the tables are kinda close together and we had a table that had a lot of ped traffic but it didn't bother us...we would go back
(4)Robert H.
This was our first visit and went because of the very positive review in the Santa Barbara Newspress. We arrived for dinner at 5:10 PM and was told they were not yet open for dinner and that we would have to eat out side and use the lunch menu. We ask when dinner starts and was told "5 PM". After some discussion by the staff, we were told they were open for dinner and was seated. After ten minutes of waiting at the table with no contact by any of the wait staff, we left. We told the hostess station that we were leaving because of no service or contact for 10 minutes. (We then walked to Root 246 and had an excellent meal with excellent service.) If they are not ready for any reason, that should have been explained and we would come back when the were ready. Completely ignoring us is not the way to run a business. We are locals, eat out often and like to support good establishements. We would only recommend Cecco with serious caveats. Maybe it was a one time experience but it was a very negative first impression for us.
(1)Susan B.
I was in Solvang with my 12-year old son for a holiday, when we searched online for interesting restaurants in town (preferably open after 6:00 pm). Cecco was within walking distance (we had surreyed past it the day before) and had pretty good ratings online. Furthermore, the menu was available online, which was very helpful. We arrived at our designated reservation time and were treated not like a family with potentially annoying kids, but as a five-star guest (my son's words!). Our server was very attentive, knowledgeable and helpful. He was completely sensitive to the peculiarities of a young person's palate, and even helped introduce him to the deliciousness of their special Ahi tuna appetizer (one of the best appetizers -- please try!). The wine was excellent and all the food seemed really fresh (not just the tuna and halibut, but also the pizza ingredients). We felt like honored guests and my son felt very grown up. And yeah, we had a great meal! I have been to plenty of trendy, up-scale-type Italian "ristorantes," but I was most impressed by their ability to treat a middle-aged mom and "tween" son like they were the most important customers in the house! This alone, of course, wouldn't make up for crappy food, but the food was great. We'll be going back there the next time we're in Solvang.
(5)Rory M.
Yikes. Please let me preface this review by informing you that we spend at least one weekend a month in the Solvang/Santa Ynez/Los Olivos area. We have nothing but great love for this part of California and wish we could spend all our time here. Cecco proved to not be representative. Let's start with the service. We arrived on the nose for our reservation. The restaurant was busy but not packed to the gills. The hostess (and as we later learned, manager) immediately seated us at one of the several open tables. Our table, though reserved, was not yet set. A back server sporadically and awkwardly dashed around the restaurant to set our table. This was a sign of things to come. We stared at each other for about 15 minutes, trying to decide if we should bail. unfortunately before we could make our escape, our server decided to check in with us. Fearing we may never see him again, we placed our order for everything at once. We then watched him pour one of our glasses of wine - the sparkling one, which usually is best not left out. He proceeded to diligently ignore that glass of wine and check in with all the other tables he was serving. Then, he appeared to remember that he had another glass of wine to pour, but first decided to bring over the glass of sparkling by itself, and then wandered off towards the bar again. We watched for about five minutes as he once more checked in at the other tables and then again realizied that he had another glass of wine to pour. We had the opportunity to take in the loud, intoxicated patrons seated at the bar while watching him hunt for a "clean" glass for this second wine. The hostess brought us our salad, which was surprising given that there seemed to be a multitude of servers and back servers aimlessly hustling around. The Cecco Salad. Drastically over dressed with oil. Salad dressing? Not so much. Mixed greens, sad wrinkled tomatoes, random unevenly-cooked cold potato chunks/slices, flavorless non-descript cheese. Its crowning glory, however, were the cold and soggy lightly-breaded FRIED artichoke hearts. WTF. My girlfriend had to hide hers beneath the sad bread they had brought to the table. Inedible. I would tell you more about the store-bought loaf of bread that I just mentioned, but it hardly seems worth the trouble in light of the pizza, about which I will now elucidate. Now, other Yelpers have stated that the pizza is a redeeming quality of this otherwise uneven experience. That was, sadly, not the case. They should eat out more often and elsewhere. We ordered the mushroom, excuse me, "funghi," pizza. Oh boy. It arrived moderately hot and with a concern-inducing sheen of oil floating across the surface. At Chuck-e-Cheese they at least have the good manners to provide paper napkins to dab away the grease. I mention Chuck-e-Cheese (and its sister company Showbiz Pizza) simply to provide a sense of the level of pizza satisfaction available here. Two half-eaten, tasteless and worryingly ketchup-flavored pizza slices later, and we were headed for the door. The hostess/manager did take the pizza off our check, but the two substandard glasses of wine and sad salad still resulted in a $30 tab. She apologized and told us no one else had complained "that night." Perhaps she said more than she meant to. Regardless: If you're going to charge $17 for a "wood fired" pizza, it better be really good. Many many other restaurants achieve this feat. Cecco does not. Run, don't walk, but in the other direction. Or, to quote "Billy Madison,": "I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
(1)David M.
The butternut squash ravioli and the chicken were both phenomenal. Service was friendly and excellent. The patio at night was charming. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Lisa M.
Good food. Good Service. Nice Location. We were looking for a nice spot to have a light lunch after driving up from Los Angeles and chose Cecco. We shared a panini, pizza and a salad. The food wasn't particularly noteworthy, but everything was tasty and fresh which deserves an extra star when you are in a tourist heavy area.
(4)Jon F.
good food. good wine. come here after an afternoon of wine tasting
(4)judi m.
We just tried cecco for the first time and were really impressed! I had the carbonara, pasta was al dente, and the flavor with the egg over the noodles was terrific, My hubby had osso bucco, it was flavored beautifully with just the right amount of spices to enhance the meat which fell off the bone. We are looking forward to our next visit.
(4)Jeff K.
Service was great, food wonderful. We had the "Porchetta" pizza (pork, egg, cheese, and sage. It had a very nicely done crust that was a good combination of crisp and chewy, and a wonderfully done lightly cooked sunny side up egg (can't bear overdone eggs). Beautiful weather and patio dining made the lunch gloriously sublime.
(5)H. Beth L.
Had a wonderful lunch, sat at the bar by pizza oven. The turkey panini sandwich with side salad was perfect and I took half the sandwich home. Service was so efficient that it could have been toned down just a notch or maybe if they were a bit busier it might have been less. Fine line between great service and a little to much but that is just a small complaint overall great place to eat!
(4)Darleta P.
Excellent food! Great service! Will go back again. I just don't get to Solvang as often as I would like to.
(4)Irma H.
We live locally and have visited this restaurant several times. The food is generally good, but the service is not. The menu is varied, with good pizza, but the rest of the menu changes quite frequently, so don't develop a "favorite". In addition, the portions vary from day to day - I don't know why this is. So I would rate the food as "inconsistent". The service, on the other hand is consistent; it's bad. While the wait staff is friendly, it seems that no one has ever done this type of work before. It takes a long time to enter the order into their computer. The food comes out of the kitchen in a haphazard fashion. The last time, we received one salad and had to wait ten minutes while the chef was "still working on" the other appetizers. Another time, we had just started our appetizers when the main course arrived. There is no coordination between the kitchen and the rest of the staff, and no one is in charge in the dining room. Mind you, this is a very small restaurant that is rarely full. The prices are reasonable, except the desserts, which are not worth $10.
(3)