Went on a double date here and had a much more pleasant time than last time. Our waitress was pleasant and accommodating. The food was excellent, we were seated promptly, atmosphere was lively and cheerful. Everyone was pleased with their meals, beverages and desert. Will be back again!
(5)
Circle K.
As an Italian, I will normally not go to an Italian restaurant, instead hidden up my mother's kitchen if I want real Italian food. However, the other night we were driving around trying to decide what we wanted for dinner and decided to stop. So glad we did! The owners were lovely, true fellow paisans, and it only shows in their food. Best gnocchi I've had in forever, just like when my nonna used to make! We will definitely be back again!
(5)
Courtney R.
To say that this was excellent is truly an understatement. Everything from beginning to end was spectacular. We started off with tomato caprese and stuffed mushrooms, a house salad, then I had the seafood cannelloni, my mom had the white wine clams with linguine and my sister had the veal. I tasted all of the dishes and everything was so fresh tasting. The gentleman playing the piano added a taste of class to dinner that I was not expecting. I live in Atlanta and I'm already planning my next trip back down this way just to visit Brenda and eat some more AMAZING food. By the way, Brenda is an amazing waitress.
(5)
Pamela W.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and I visit my parents in Fleming Island a few times a year. We always make a trip to Santioni's for dinner while I am home. Since my parents have been living in the area for 26 years, they come here A LOT, and know Bruno very well and of course, come to see Roger, the pianist! Roger plays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings - he takes requests too. My father and I came Saturday 29th for dinner, it was a packed house! A lovely waitress, Dolly, took care of us. She remembers my last visit, a year ago, and recalls where we sat too! As we strolled through the dining room to our table, my father saw lots of people he knew - most of which are neighbors!! When pondering the extensive drink selections from their bar, Dolly helped me decide on the Lemoncello Cosmo - FAB-U-LOUS! We ordered wonderful selections from the menu - dad ordered the grilled grouper with fresh veggies, and upon Dolly's recommendation, I got the baked ziti with a side of meatballs - YUM! All the while, we are enjoying a wonderful dining experience and great conversation, the pianist Roger is playing some beautiful music for all to enjoy. At some point, Bruno came out to the dining room as Roger began playing, Dean Martin's, Volare`. The entire restaurant burst out in song, along with Bruno - what fun to see the warmth of the restaurant, come alive in song. I did manage to get a video of the song, which I will send along to Bruno! We practically closed the place, we stayed 3 hours! If you are a resident, or have out of town guests and are just visiting the area - I highly recommend a trip to Santioni's. It will be a treasured memory! Thanks to Bruno, the Santioni family, Roger and Staff ~ best wishes for continued success! "I left my heart in San Francisco"
(5)
Rhonda E.
Such a great little place. Very intimate. We've gone a few times, but our last visit was awesome! I had the Veal Marsala...such a treat. It came with a side of parmesan linguini that i had to take home (but was good even warmed up). We were celebrating the hub's birthday & they surprised him with a piece of tiramisu....yummy!! There is usually live entertainment. The owner came out & sang happy birthday in Italian to the hubs. :) Made our night!
(5)
Cindy C.
My husband Tim Coleman and I eat at Santioni's frequently. The food is always perfect and we love the atmosphere, the staff and Bruno ;)
(5)
Caron S.
Solid 4.5 stars -- we recently enjoyed a dinner at Santioni's on a Friday evening. It was our first time in and we were impressed by the cleanliness of the interior, and the attentiveness of our waitress and the staff. Oh, and the food was excellent! We lucked out dining early as it was still happy hour (two for one wine, beer and wells). I ordered two-for-one chianti. We started with salads (excellent to see romaine instead of wilted iceberg in our salads) and then ordered a small bianca pizza, which we loved, lobster ravioli in a rosato sauce, and the cavatelli pasta with bolognese. Even the complimentary bread was fantastic. We left full and happy, with leftovers to boot. Would highly recommend Santioni's for an italian date night.
(4)
Tom D.
Went for a special dinner with my wife. Good wine selection and attentive service. Meal was flavorful and savory. I had the veal Mediterranean. Nicely done all around. Second visit in 7 months, and it was very good. We'll be back.
(5)
Nicholl T.
Excellent food! Excellent service!! Great atmosphere. We can't wait to go back! Absolute must try!!
(5)
Nora B.
My dining experience went from very aggravating to very enjoyable! After a VERY long wait to be seated (easily over an hour) we finally got our table. I will say the wait was SO worth it. I have chicken with mushrooms and onions and a white wine sauce with alfredo pasta. It was one of the tastiest meals I have experienced. The owner started singing and you could tell he absolutely loved it. It was just a very enjoyable evening. We will be back!
(4)
Karen A.
Our favorite Italian restaurant in all of Florida! Bruno, owner, is so great! Such a special treat when he sings with the piano sometimes. Food is fabulous! 5-star all the way.
(5)
Charlie C.
Awesome location. Food is great. The staff is friendly and courteous. Bring the family for a great time.
(5)
Kristina K.
My family loves Italian food and this very quickly became a family favorite. The food is fantastic and the staff is great. Our Christmas dinner this year was a lasagna from Santioni's that was re-heated on Christmas and it still tasted amazing!
(5)
Joey B.
This place easily has one of the best wine lists in Clay County. It's well versed and has something for everyone. I'm a red wine person myself and I highly recommend the Hahn Pinot Noir or Bocelli Sangiovese..
(5)
Kristen M.
Under the old/new management its every bit the Santioni's (or Gubbios) that you remember. Just more expensive now. Still in an ugly strip mall. Pretty good food. Overpriced. Ugly-ish decor (although I'm diggin' the addition of the old family photos on the walls). And with futzy service. Will come back, just not very often
(3)
Teresa B.
Best bread anywhere! Then there's the food. Everything is always well prepared and very tasty. And if you're lucky the owner will stop by to give you his recommendation.
(5)
Greg C.
Ok people. We're talking good old fashioned Italian food. Honest ingredients. I just had one of the best ribeye steaks in town at this place! Terrific service and very pleasant decor. Get over to this place and support our local food scene. This place rocks!
(5)
Denis N.
Reviews are key, and this place cannot go without a positive one!! One of the best places for value for your money! Authentic food, a REAL ITALIAN owner, and a great setting. Must try!
(5)
Bruce J.
Had an amazing dinner here. Anyone in Fleming Island looking for authentic Italian, here it is. Great service, beautiful decor. Don't let the outside strip mall look fool you. The real deal!
(4)
Marsha W.
Superb food and song. I totally enjoyed Veal Mediterranean and the almond tiramisu was divine. Comfortable and warm for nice evening meal . I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys atmosphere and great food, drink and song.
(5)
Rick R.
Mama Mia! The food is excellent. They give large portions so be prepared to bring a doggy bag or two, or three home. Staff are very nice and the restaurant is low key. There is a nice wine selection and nice selection of appetizers. I am big on appetizers, and I love deserts - especially Tiramisu. In addition to the Italian fare, they also have great pizza. You cannot go wrong here, unless you have an intense hatred for Italian food or cannot do carbs. Otherwise, it's full steam ahead, baby! Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!
(4)
Ed J.
What a fantastic end to the work week. Where do I start? Seated promptly, greeted by our server Ryan who was the BEST. Great bred & salad, wife had the Eggplant parm which she described as outstanding and I had one of the best pizzas I have found in Jax. To top off the great food, keyboard paying good dinner and conversation musicians. This was our first visit after driving by twice a day for 3 years. We will be back often! Maybe this Friday!!!!!!
(5)
Mary L.
Bruno is amazing! The food is awesome! 5 star service! The bread that they give you in really good! They also make gluten free pasta! Oh and try the pizza, we couldn't stop eating it !
(5)
Diana P.
This place is fantastic! Wonderful service, and great food! Bruno is wonderful as cook and host....definitely try this local business out! The food is fantastic, especially their Tiramisu!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Laura G.
Went on a double date here and had a much more pleasant time than last time. Our waitress was pleasant and accommodating. The food was excellent, we were seated promptly, atmosphere was lively and cheerful. Everyone was pleased with their meals, beverages and desert. Will be back again!
(5)Circle K.
As an Italian, I will normally not go to an Italian restaurant, instead hidden up my mother's kitchen if I want real Italian food. However, the other night we were driving around trying to decide what we wanted for dinner and decided to stop. So glad we did! The owners were lovely, true fellow paisans, and it only shows in their food. Best gnocchi I've had in forever, just like when my nonna used to make! We will definitely be back again!
(5)Courtney R.
To say that this was excellent is truly an understatement. Everything from beginning to end was spectacular. We started off with tomato caprese and stuffed mushrooms, a house salad, then I had the seafood cannelloni, my mom had the white wine clams with linguine and my sister had the veal. I tasted all of the dishes and everything was so fresh tasting. The gentleman playing the piano added a taste of class to dinner that I was not expecting. I live in Atlanta and I'm already planning my next trip back down this way just to visit Brenda and eat some more AMAZING food. By the way, Brenda is an amazing waitress.
(5)Pamela W.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and I visit my parents in Fleming Island a few times a year. We always make a trip to Santioni's for dinner while I am home. Since my parents have been living in the area for 26 years, they come here A LOT, and know Bruno very well and of course, come to see Roger, the pianist! Roger plays on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings - he takes requests too. My father and I came Saturday 29th for dinner, it was a packed house! A lovely waitress, Dolly, took care of us. She remembers my last visit, a year ago, and recalls where we sat too! As we strolled through the dining room to our table, my father saw lots of people he knew - most of which are neighbors!! When pondering the extensive drink selections from their bar, Dolly helped me decide on the Lemoncello Cosmo - FAB-U-LOUS! We ordered wonderful selections from the menu - dad ordered the grilled grouper with fresh veggies, and upon Dolly's recommendation, I got the baked ziti with a side of meatballs - YUM! All the while, we are enjoying a wonderful dining experience and great conversation, the pianist Roger is playing some beautiful music for all to enjoy. At some point, Bruno came out to the dining room as Roger began playing, Dean Martin's, Volare`. The entire restaurant burst out in song, along with Bruno - what fun to see the warmth of the restaurant, come alive in song. I did manage to get a video of the song, which I will send along to Bruno! We practically closed the place, we stayed 3 hours! If you are a resident, or have out of town guests and are just visiting the area - I highly recommend a trip to Santioni's. It will be a treasured memory! Thanks to Bruno, the Santioni family, Roger and Staff ~ best wishes for continued success! "I left my heart in San Francisco"
(5)Rhonda E.
Such a great little place. Very intimate. We've gone a few times, but our last visit was awesome! I had the Veal Marsala...such a treat. It came with a side of parmesan linguini that i had to take home (but was good even warmed up). We were celebrating the hub's birthday & they surprised him with a piece of tiramisu....yummy!! There is usually live entertainment. The owner came out & sang happy birthday in Italian to the hubs. :) Made our night!
(5)Cindy C.
My husband Tim Coleman and I eat at Santioni's frequently. The food is always perfect and we love the atmosphere, the staff and Bruno ;)
(5)Caron S.
Solid 4.5 stars -- we recently enjoyed a dinner at Santioni's on a Friday evening. It was our first time in and we were impressed by the cleanliness of the interior, and the attentiveness of our waitress and the staff. Oh, and the food was excellent! We lucked out dining early as it was still happy hour (two for one wine, beer and wells). I ordered two-for-one chianti. We started with salads (excellent to see romaine instead of wilted iceberg in our salads) and then ordered a small bianca pizza, which we loved, lobster ravioli in a rosato sauce, and the cavatelli pasta with bolognese. Even the complimentary bread was fantastic. We left full and happy, with leftovers to boot. Would highly recommend Santioni's for an italian date night.
(4)Tom D.
Went for a special dinner with my wife. Good wine selection and attentive service. Meal was flavorful and savory. I had the veal Mediterranean. Nicely done all around. Second visit in 7 months, and it was very good. We'll be back.
(5)Nicholl T.
Excellent food! Excellent service!! Great atmosphere. We can't wait to go back! Absolute must try!!
(5)Nora B.
My dining experience went from very aggravating to very enjoyable! After a VERY long wait to be seated (easily over an hour) we finally got our table. I will say the wait was SO worth it. I have chicken with mushrooms and onions and a white wine sauce with alfredo pasta. It was one of the tastiest meals I have experienced. The owner started singing and you could tell he absolutely loved it. It was just a very enjoyable evening. We will be back!
(4)Karen A.
Our favorite Italian restaurant in all of Florida! Bruno, owner, is so great! Such a special treat when he sings with the piano sometimes. Food is fabulous! 5-star all the way.
(5)Charlie C.
Awesome location. Food is great. The staff is friendly and courteous. Bring the family for a great time.
(5)Kristina K.
My family loves Italian food and this very quickly became a family favorite. The food is fantastic and the staff is great. Our Christmas dinner this year was a lasagna from Santioni's that was re-heated on Christmas and it still tasted amazing!
(5)Joey B.
This place easily has one of the best wine lists in Clay County. It's well versed and has something for everyone. I'm a red wine person myself and I highly recommend the Hahn Pinot Noir or Bocelli Sangiovese..
(5)Kristen M.
Under the old/new management its every bit the Santioni's (or Gubbios) that you remember. Just more expensive now. Still in an ugly strip mall. Pretty good food. Overpriced. Ugly-ish decor (although I'm diggin' the addition of the old family photos on the walls). And with futzy service. Will come back, just not very often
(3)Teresa B.
Best bread anywhere! Then there's the food. Everything is always well prepared and very tasty. And if you're lucky the owner will stop by to give you his recommendation.
(5)Greg C.
Ok people. We're talking good old fashioned Italian food. Honest ingredients. I just had one of the best ribeye steaks in town at this place! Terrific service and very pleasant decor. Get over to this place and support our local food scene. This place rocks!
(5)Denis N.
Reviews are key, and this place cannot go without a positive one!! One of the best places for value for your money! Authentic food, a REAL ITALIAN owner, and a great setting. Must try!
(5)Bruce J.
Had an amazing dinner here. Anyone in Fleming Island looking for authentic Italian, here it is. Great service, beautiful decor. Don't let the outside strip mall look fool you. The real deal!
(4)Marsha W.
Superb food and song. I totally enjoyed Veal Mediterranean and the almond tiramisu was divine. Comfortable and warm for nice evening meal . I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys atmosphere and great food, drink and song.
(5)Rick R.
Mama Mia! The food is excellent. They give large portions so be prepared to bring a doggy bag or two, or three home. Staff are very nice and the restaurant is low key. There is a nice wine selection and nice selection of appetizers. I am big on appetizers, and I love deserts - especially Tiramisu. In addition to the Italian fare, they also have great pizza. You cannot go wrong here, unless you have an intense hatred for Italian food or cannot do carbs. Otherwise, it's full steam ahead, baby! Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!
(4)Ed J.
What a fantastic end to the work week. Where do I start? Seated promptly, greeted by our server Ryan who was the BEST. Great bred & salad, wife had the Eggplant parm which she described as outstanding and I had one of the best pizzas I have found in Jax. To top off the great food, keyboard paying good dinner and conversation musicians. This was our first visit after driving by twice a day for 3 years. We will be back often! Maybe this Friday!!!!!!
(5)Mary L.
Bruno is amazing! The food is awesome! 5 star service! The bread that they give you in really good! They also make gluten free pasta! Oh and try the pizza, we couldn't stop eating it !
(5)Diana P.
This place is fantastic! Wonderful service, and great food! Bruno is wonderful as cook and host....definitely try this local business out! The food is fantastic, especially their Tiramisu!
(5)