Trattoria Da Vinci
400 Sibley St, Saint Paul, MN, 55101
Trattoria Da Vinci Menu
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Le Antipasto
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Insalata
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La Pasta
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Signature Entrees
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Trattoria Da Vinci
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Le Antipasto
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Insalata
-
La Pasta
-
Signature Entrees
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Saint Paul for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Saint Paul for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
400 Sibley St
Saint Paul, MN, 55101 - Phone (651) 222-4050
- Website https://www.trattoriadavinci.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Anna B.
Parentals were in town to visit so we decided to venture downtown. Saturday night reservation for 4 at 6PM. Earlier than usual for us to accommodate having parents who like to eat earlier. The restaurant has a nice interior. Exposed brick walls, high ceilings, multi-tiered seating inside, guitar player picking classical tunes as you eat. The place was almost empty when we arrived. By the end of the night, we figured out why. PROM! lots of tables of high schoolers all over the restaurant. We started by splitting a large house salad. For a small share portion (enough to fill about a bread plate for 4 ppl) - a large is fine, if you're wanting more than that -- you may need about a large per 2-3 ppl. Two at our table had orders of the seafood pasta (Linguine alla Scoglio). Spicy red sauce with fresh seafood galore. I tasted my husband's -- it was awesome! Perfectly cooked calamari as well as shrimp, clams, mussels. YUM. I ordered the tagliatelle bolognese - it was good, but definitely on the salty and saucy side. I'm usually a sauce lover, but the saltiness was a bit much for me. Might just be personal preference --I still liked it. My mom tried the pasta bar. Trattoria Da Vinci has an option to have chefs cook to order any combination of pasta that you choose - all different proteins, sauces, veggies. The portions are already pretty normal to large for pasta dishes, but people that order at the make to order pasta bar probably get a little bit more! Desserts were good but not great. We tried the turtle cheesecake and the tiramisu. Turtle cheesecake was a plain cheesecake with chocolate sauce and caramel poured over the top and raw pecans on top. Tiramisu came out in a small bowl - not very well 'set" - more soupy/puddingy than some. Taste was still yummy. Overall, we had a fun night. Parking was easy in the small lot right next to the entrance of the restaurant - $5 and super convenient.
(3)Paruj A.
I eat here once in a while... and then I abstain for a few months because its so filling. If you haven't ever been here, then its a place you don't want to miss.
(4)Katharine C.
We ate here for dinner on a Saturday night. I wanted very badly to like it (LOVE the idea of a pasta bar), but I felt very underwhelmed. The check-in process for our reservation was painful. A hostess found our name on her list, then said nothing while she looked across the room and waited for her manager (?) to come over and look at the list, too. He finally came over, looked at the list, scanned the room, and then said to us, "there is still a party seated at your table" (there were empty tables, by the way ... but apparently our reservation for 4 was assigned to a very specific table). He didn't give any further direction. So I asked, "Should we wait here? Outside in the lobby? Will you call our name?" And then said yes, wait in the lobby, we will call your name. I have to add, our last name is Italian. And no one ever pronounces it right except for people who know Italian - they always get it right on the first try. And neither the hostess nor the manager said our last name correctly. No big deal, but just made me laugh since it was an "Italian" restaurant. We were seated. My husband and kids did the pasta bar. They seemed satisfied. I ordered off the menu. Our food was all supposed to come at the same time (the waiter said they have it coordinated so that the pasta bar guy pages him when all of the dishes are ready), but mine came a good 6 or 7 minutes after theirs. Not a big deal, except for the fact that the waiter made a deal out of the fact that the food would come together. Our waiter was very nice. Very attentive and very kind to our children (who are middle school aged). The bus boy who was supposed to refill our water and "bring more bread" was not nearly as attentive as the waiter. I chewed on some ice cubes for a while. The atmosphere was nice. It was a little crowded with one of the tables pushed up into the walkway area in front of the pasta bar. But the atmosphere was nice and there was someone there playing guitar. What he was playing wasn't my particular bag (cover tunes to a synthesizer backbeat), but I appreciate the effort of bringing live music into a restaurant. You don't see it very often and it's a great addition. So I give a big thumbs up for that. The price was okay. Not great, not horrible. We had enough leftovers that it made it feel okay. I don't think I'd go again. Or if I did, I might go for lunch when the pasta bar is only $11 and things might be a little more fast-moving as far as getting seated, having waters re-filled, etc. If you leave in St. Paul, you could check it out. For us, who live in the western suburbs, it was too far of a drive to be worth going again.
(3)Keith S.
Love this place for a number of reasons. The atmosphere. Beautiful space. You can wear a suit or denim & a nice shirt and be good. Some nights they have live music but it's strictly atmospheric, not a screaming band. Nobody seems to know about this place - so it's nice exposing people to this little secret in downtown St. Paul. Service has always been excellent. Pasta bar for lunch is great. Get what you want and experiment. The menu is great. I've had a few different plates and really enjoyed everything I had. I usually end up with substantial leftovers. The last thing I had there was the Linguini Alla Fiorentina. Real spice, flavor and richness. They have a bar. Great to meet someone before dinner or to move to after dinner. Pricing is fair. Parking is street but it's St. Paul which is usually easy. Bonus. Sometimes you can hang with a Wild player for a pregame meal.
(5)Suze S.
I come here for the atmosphere. PHENOMENAL. The food is pretty good too. It's Italian, probably in the American sense of the word. The portions of pasta are large, the sauce is put on thick. The sea food is the most delicate, unless you get the Frittura Mista- fried shrimp/scallops/calamari. (Which is very delicious, but makes you too full for dinner!) Several people I've gone with like the pasta bar, but when I go out, I like to relax and wait for the deliciousness to come to me, not go stand in line and make small talk with other diners at the pasta bar. I adore their gnocchi, and this is one of the few places in town that gives you enough to satisfy an adult appetite. In fact, they usually give me just a little too much, and I end up almost too full for dessert. (I said ALMOST. I really do have to be pretty sick to pass up dessert.) My favorite sauce with the gnocchi is the creamy Gorgonzola sauce which comes with chopped walnuts and is great with some Riesling. My second favorite is the butter and sage sauce which comes with tiny little chopped tomatoes which just MAKES the sauce and is also very good with Riesling. The Man gets Capellini Alla Checca which is one of the more lightly sauced dishes. He adds Italian Sausage. For dessert- the Lemon Sorbetto is creamy and satisfying if you are just looking for a few sweet bites to round out the meal. Or the Creme Brulee is also lovely, and large enough to share. Now- the atmosphere. Large, open ceilings, exposed brick, very old hardwood floors, open main dining floor. Yet somehow manages to be one of the coziest, most intimate feeling restaurants in St. Paul. There is "Da Vinci" artwork/sketches/machinery hanging all around, which is interesting to look at. On weekends, they have live music (instrumental, no singing) which is just loud enough to be enjoyable, but not so loud you cannot converse. Wait service has been impeccable. Friendly, not intrusive. Helpful, not condescending. Waters, wine and bread refilled in a timely manner. Great for dates, family nights, birthdays, after work get-togethers, or just a random night out for dinner. Nice jeans/tops are acceptable, as would a casual dress or khaki's, although you see a lot of more formal dress as well.
(4)Angela G.
Wonderful! My boyfriend and I only read some reviews before coming to eat here, and I'm not going to lie, the reviews didn't do this place justice. The staff was so polite. the atmosphere was beautiful and cozy. The food was obviously from scratch and it was delicious. Be warned, they WILL give you more bread while you're not looking and it WILL fill you up --- especially if you get the (*drool*) spinach are artichoke app. That's awesome if you're into leftovers (I had a great lunch the next day : )
(5)Paige V.
Wait staff took too long take orders, food came out fast..not tasty. Tasted like store bought boxed pasta. Wait staff gave us bill and we again waited way too long for her to return. Not recommended at those prices.
(2)Tony L.
Let me preface this by saying I used to work in the service industry and when I receive good service, I reward it with an appropriate tip - usually 20%, less if the service was lacking, more if it was exceptional. I called here to place an order for pickup as my sister has a newborn and didn't want to take her out. The order included 3 pastas, 3 entrées and a salad. After ordering everything the gentleman (I assume he was either the bartender or the manager) said that on orders this large an automatic 18% gratuity is included. Indeed, on the menu it says for parties of six or more it would be included; and I get why: when you have a big table with everyone paying separate checks, more often than not the tip ends up coming out smaller than when you have a 2 or a 4-top. I personally never enforced this at the wine bar I used to work at, and instead relied on the judgement of the diner, but I get it. I inquired as to what purpose the automatic gratuity served and he said it goes to the bartender (which I assume was him). I then hung up and contemplated the situation. On principle I disagree with paying an automatic 18% gratuity to some schmuck who is just tapping a few buttons on a POS screen. I would have left a gratuity on my own but I find it incredibly forward to assume the "service" you are providing by hitting some buttons on a computer to be worthy of an 18% tip. Needless to say, I called back a minute later to cancel the order and take my business elsewhere. Cossetta's is less than a mile away and your experience will be far superior.
(1)Colleen B.
I had my first dining experience here this weekend and it was mediocre. Nothing stood out about the experience but it wasn't bad. I've had better and would recommend other places before this for someone desiring Italian. We had the Linguine Al Gorgonzola, the Penne All'Alfredo Affumicato and the Italian Chop Salad. The portions were fairly generation and the dishes were fine, but not that memorable. The sauce in the linguine dish was a bit flat and could have used some added herbs or spices to make it more flavorful and complex. The vegetables and shrimp seemed to get a little lost and couldn't really hold up to such a heavy sauce. The penne dish was a bit on the spicy side to the point of covering up the flavors rather than enhancing them. I didn't think the dishes were worth the price but their prices are pretty standard for Italian places. The service was fine--attentive and helpful enough. The menus have a picture background on every page making them hard to read, especially in such low lighting. The atmosphere is cozy but still open. It seems like an appropriate place for a date or for a family with children over the age of 10. It isn't the best Italian but it does the job if you're looking for an Italian dinner place in downtown St Paul. Satisfying enough but not memorable.
(2)Linda H.
I really like this place, I have been here several times over the past five years. My last time was a few Saturday night's ago and this is the type of place you can go hang out, relax, and just take your time breaking bread with friends. I usually do not get the pasta bar but opted for it that night. I ordered a salad, a blue cheese crumble type of salad that was delicious. I almost wanted to lick my plate when I was finished. I most definitely will remember this salad when I want to get a take out order for salad. My DD had the chopped Italian salad which also was very good. The pasta bar is pretty good. The one thing i wish they would do and its probably obvious they do this for cost reasons, is they mix the green and red peppers together. I only wanted red peppers in my pasta, not green but there was not that option. Please Trattoria, can you have separate bins of peppers? Also, the shrimp were like the tiny salad shrimp, almost looked like they were out of the can. I really wanted to have shrimp and sausage in my concoction but there was NO WAY I would have trusted those teeny looking shrimp. I doubt anyone did; the silver bin was pretty full. In their defense, our wonderful server did inform us they were out of the seafood pasta on the menu so perhaps that is why they did not have larger shrimp on the pasta bar... Server was attentive, although, she could have filled drinks more regularly, but overall, she was very pleasant and worthy of a good tip. The chef at the pasta bar could have been a little more friendly. Thinking back, I am not sure he even spoke. i was afraid to ask him to pick out just the red peppers out of the bin for me so I just dealt with the green along with the red. Bread and Butter was great, with free refills, and their tiramisu is my fave of all Italian restaurants I have dined. The portion at the pasta bar is so big, I would challenge most anyone to eat it all in one sitting. Atmosphere is very nice and prices are fair. If only they would have separate silver bins for the peppers........
(4)Kristin M.
Three of us are in town for a work trip and we tried Trattoria da Vinci on Wed night based on our Yelp research for a good restaurant near our hotel. The food wow'd us so much we're back two nights later. The Penne al Gorgonzola has a smooth texture that melts in your mouth, never mind how the fabulous scents of cheese and cream pull you in! My teammates devoured the top-notch Ravioli di Granchio alla Genovese and the Gamberoni Portofino. Accompanied by a wonderful shiraz, the dishes were sublime. Another teammate had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. The meatballs exploded with flavorful spices in your mouth. The live music and ambience were icing on the cake. We'll be back when we visit St. Paul next, and our local friends have a new favorite spot!
(5)Dan B.
Trattoria does a nice balance of authentic dishes and Italian-American dishes. It's the kind of place were you can order veal scallopini, gnocchi, or cioppino and the guy next to you will be stuffing his face with the pasta bar. Let's start there. If you like your Italian a bit on the American side, Sara and I would highly recommend the "Pasta Bar Experience." It's the best pasta bar I've found in the Cities for two reasons: the number of ingredient options, and limitless toppings. Too often I've been to a pasta bar with 8 to 10 possible ingredients, and been disappointed at my lack of choices. Not the case at Trattoria da Vinci. There are plenty of options. Secondly, I hate going to a pasta bar and being told I get to choose three ingredients and after three there is an additional cost. That's like paying to get into an amusement park and then having to pay to ride the coaster. Stupid. If you like things a little more traditional, I say try the seafood. Trattoria da Vinci does a very nice job with their seafood selections, something you will not find more Americanized establishments. My two favorite things on the menu are the Frittura Mista and the Cioppino. The Frittura Mista is an appetizer of lightly breaded calamari, shrimp, scallops, and thinly sliced carrot and zucchini. It's amazing! No matter how many times we have it, it always comes out crisp, light, and fresh. More often then not, Sara and I split that to start. The Cioppino is a traditional seafood stew. A tomato based broth with heaps of mussels, calamari, scallops, fish, and shrimp. Served with grilled bread for dipping. The seafood is always cooked perfectly making it my favorite entree on the menu. TIP: if there's a tall, pretty, brunette behind the bar, sit there. That's Laura and she will take care of you. You'll probably see her sister, Maddie, running around too. She's about the cutest little hostess I've ever seen. By no means is Trattoria di Vinci on par with I Nonni in Mendota Heights, but it may give Pazzaluna a run for it's money. So next time you crave a few more traditional Italian options than you'll get at Olive Garden, and are willing to spend more than $10 a plate, I suggest you give Trattoria da Vinci a try.
(3)Diane W.
this place was over priced to me. The bread is cheap and they don't even provide a bathroom. I had the pizza bar which was ok. but, i rather have smaller portions and better quality food. not worth it... :(
(2)Jenny A.
Trattoria... a place where classy decor goes to die. Okay, that sounds a lot more harsh than I'm intending but I'm probably not too far off. Have you ever watch Robert Irvine have a shit fit over pieces of decor that just don't belong with the "theme". Well he'd crap his pants here. I mean, it's cool. Random mantels tacked to the wall highlighting prints of Mona Lisa and busts of, I dunno, Da Vinci I assume. The columns are gorgeous from afar, but up close they are tackily painted with streaks of gold and green. The faux wall with faux brick is gastly against the actual brick wall that gives you a sense of authenticity. Let's not forget the signed guitar hanging on the wall by the, what looks like anyway, Minnesota Wild Memorabilia? I didn't get close enough to say for sure. What boggles my mind is that they have so much to work with in the building and this is the direction they went with it. It's goofy to say the least, but I am not taking points off because of decor. The subtraction of those two valuable stars is strictly due to the food. I lean toward 3.5 stars but I have no way of showing that without going against my better judgment and giving them 4. Enough rambling, though... Here's my reasoning. The artichoke dip- Really good the first time I had it, although I thought the toast was too burnt and it left a bitter aftertaste. The second time seemed to be a different flavor in the dip than I remembered and I didn't really enjoy it. The artichoke was cut too small to get enough of it's tart flavor to break apart the rich creamy notes of the cheese. The dish began to feel like a chore to eat. I was genuinely sad because I had just talked up a storm about how much I liked it the first time. The parppadelle bolognese - If this was my dish I would have sent it back the second I received it. The sauce was loose and sweet and the only thing I could think of was the sauce in a can of Chef Boyardee. There was no depth, no spice, no real flavor and it was absolutely ruining the parppadelle noodles that deserved so much better. What a disappointment. The Ravioli... blah blah a-tini. Okay, I don't remember what it was called. It was crab stuffed Ravioli with a pesto cream sauce with shrimp and scallops. The ravioli were stuffed to the point of exploding open with crab goodness. I was shocked at the amount of crab actually stuffed into those babies. The scallops were melt in your mouth perfect and the shrimp was.. shrimp. The pesto sauce, on the other hand, was so thick it was almost glue like. The texture made it hard for me to enjoy. The amount of sauce covering those bad boy ravioli was ridiculous and unnecessary. Pesto is unbelievably flavorful so I would think hitting it on the thinner, less abundant side would have made for a more balanced dish. It was a half miss, really. If you make good pasta, there's no need to disguise it with gallons of sauce. Highlight those ravioli, dammit. If you don't make good pasta, then why are you serving pasta? I ordered a cocktail, as is usual for me, and succumbing to all that shiny summery feel I've been walking around with, I ordered a Black Cherry Mojito. Or what was supposed to be a mojito. It was an overly sweet syrupy minty mess. Not what I was thinking I was going to get. The service here does seem to be relaxed but still attentive. Our waiter was diligent and our glasses never had a chance to be empty. He added a splash of soda to my mojito when he noticed I wasn't drinking it. In normal Jenny fashion, I would have been on my second cocktail by this point, but I was happy that he'd even noticed it was barely touched. The prices are reasonable here and we had a good time despite the food woes. I don't know if I will be back, but if I am it won't be because someone had to drag me here. 3.5 stars for an A-ok experience, but not my idea of Authentic Italian (Like I would even know).
(3)Bob P.
We visited Trattoria Da Vinci on a Thursday night and it was very quiet. The waitstaff was attentive but not overbearing. We both had the pasta bar. The servings were very large, making for great leftovers. The side salads were fine, nothing special. We shared a gelato for dessert- the chocolate banana and it was wonderful. I'd like to return to try another pasta dish from the menu.
(4)Gary S.
We dined at Trattoria Da Vinci for the first time on a Saturday evening as part of our 25th anniversary celebration. We asked for a special table when we made our reservations. When we arrived at the restaurant (right on time), we had to wait approximately 15 minutes to be seated. We loved the ambience of the place, enhanced by the live guitarist. The music was just the right volume so as to complement the atmosphere, and not overpower it. Overall, our meal was wonderful and the food was exceptional--with a couple of exceptions, which kept me from giving a 5-star review. My wife ordered the seafood linguine and asked if the chef could substitute clams for the mussels (both were in the description of the dish). Our server said "no problem". When the linguine arrived, there were no clams and all mussels. After checking with the chef, our server informed us that the kitchen had run out of clams and the chef failed to communicate this with our server. They comped our desserts because of the error. I had the gelato for dessert, which was delicious, but I found a small piece of plastic (after I took the bite) in the gelato...not a great ending note for the meal. If the service had been as good as the food, I would have given Trattoria a 5-star rating. We will definitely return to sample more of their menu!
(4)Linda H.
I really like this place, I have been here several times over the past five years. My last time was a few Saturday night's ago and this is the type of place you can go hang out, relax, and just take your time breaking bread with friends. I usually do not get the pasta bar but opted for it that night. I ordered a salad, a blue cheese crumble type of salad that was delicious. I almost wanted to lick my plate when I was finished. I most definitely will remember this salad when I want to get a take out order for salad. My DD had the chopped Italian salad which also was very good. The pasta bar is pretty good. The one thing i wish they would do and its probably obvious they do this for cost reasons, is they mix the green and red peppers together. I only wanted red peppers in my pasta, not green but there was not that option. Please Trattoria, can you have separate bins of peppers? Also, the shrimp were like the tiny salad shrimp, almost looked like they were out of the can. I really wanted to have shrimp and sausage in my concoction but there was NO WAY I would have trusted those teeny looking shrimp. I doubt anyone did; the silver bin was pretty full. In their defense, our wonderful server did inform us they were out of the seafood pasta on the menu so perhaps that is why they did not have larger shrimp on the pasta bar... Server was attentive, although, she could have filled drinks more regularly, but overall, she was very pleasant and worthy of a good tip. The chef at the pasta bar could have been a little more friendly. Thinking back, I am not sure he even spoke. i was afraid to ask him to pick out just the red peppers out of the bin for me so I just dealt with the green along with the red. Bread and Butter was great, with free refills, and their tiramisu is my fave of all Italian restaurants I have dined. The portion at the pasta bar is so big, I would challenge most anyone to eat it all in one sitting. Atmosphere is very nice and prices are fair. If only they would have separate silver bins for the peppers........
(4)Kristin M.
Three of us are in town for a work trip and we tried Trattoria da Vinci on Wed night based on our Yelp research for a good restaurant near our hotel. The food wow'd us so much we're back two nights later. The Penne al Gorgonzola has a smooth texture that melts in your mouth, never mind how the fabulous scents of cheese and cream pull you in! My teammates devoured the top-notch Ravioli di Granchio alla Genovese and the Gamberoni Portofino. Accompanied by a wonderful shiraz, the dishes were sublime. Another teammate had the Spaghetti and Meatballs. The meatballs exploded with flavorful spices in your mouth. The live music and ambience were icing on the cake. We'll be back when we visit St. Paul next, and our local friends have a new favorite spot!
(5)Dan B.
Trattoria does a nice balance of authentic dishes and Italian-American dishes. It's the kind of place were you can order veal scallopini, gnocchi, or cioppino and the guy next to you will be stuffing his face with the pasta bar. Let's start there. If you like your Italian a bit on the American side, Sara and I would highly recommend the "Pasta Bar Experience." It's the best pasta bar I've found in the Cities for two reasons: the number of ingredient options, and limitless toppings. Too often I've been to a pasta bar with 8 to 10 possible ingredients, and been disappointed at my lack of choices. Not the case at Trattoria da Vinci. There are plenty of options. Secondly, I hate going to a pasta bar and being told I get to choose three ingredients and after three there is an additional cost. That's like paying to get into an amusement park and then having to pay to ride the coaster. Stupid. If you like things a little more traditional, I say try the seafood. Trattoria da Vinci does a very nice job with their seafood selections, something you will not find more Americanized establishments. My two favorite things on the menu are the Frittura Mista and the Cioppino. The Frittura Mista is an appetizer of lightly breaded calamari, shrimp, scallops, and thinly sliced carrot and zucchini. It's amazing! No matter how many times we have it, it always comes out crisp, light, and fresh. More often then not, Sara and I split that to start. The Cioppino is a traditional seafood stew. A tomato based broth with heaps of mussels, calamari, scallops, fish, and shrimp. Served with grilled bread for dipping. The seafood is always cooked perfectly making it my favorite entree on the menu. TIP: if there's a tall, pretty, brunette behind the bar, sit there. That's Laura and she will take care of you. You'll probably see her sister, Maddie, running around too. She's about the cutest little hostess I've ever seen. By no means is Trattoria di Vinci on par with I Nonni in Mendota Heights, but it may give Pazzaluna a run for it's money. So next time you crave a few more traditional Italian options than you'll get at Olive Garden, and are willing to spend more than $10 a plate, I suggest you give Trattoria da Vinci a try.
(3)Diane W.
this place was over priced to me. The bread is cheap and they don't even provide a bathroom. I had the pizza bar which was ok. but, i rather have smaller portions and better quality food. not worth it... :(
(2)Chris M.
Trattoria Da Vinci may not serve up the best Italian food in the Cities, but they do offer pretty consistent fare at reasonable prices in a cozy environment. The pasta bar appears to be the most popular offering here, especially during the lunch hour; as evidenced by the long queue to select all of the ingredients for your customized dish. Topping choices are plentiful, the prices are reasonable and in keeping up with Midwestern tradition the portion size borders on ridiculous. Aside from the pasta bar the rest of the menu is generally pretty consistent - I am definitely a fan of their artichoke dip and walleye, while the pizzas are so-so and a few of the fish specials I have had in the past have been forgettable. They also have a small bar and a relatively unknown happy hour during the weekdays that offers discounted drinks and small plates. While I can't say their food is near the top of my list, it is still consistently good and couple that with friendly service and the fact that Trattoria da Vinci has quietly been one of the cornerstones of the slowly growing Lowertown area over the past decade, I am decidedly a fan.
(4)Kurt S.
Chafee once said, "Trust is built with consistency" and that's exactly what Trattoria delivers on. Good tasting food and a great atmosphere. Every time. Of course, you'll read a lot of reviews that point out the pasta bar, and for good reason. It's excellent and adds a bit of uniqueness to the dining experience. The service has never been poor in numerous trips and the recommended wines never disappoint. A solid choice for a date night or taking the folks out for a special treat. The only downside is the parking options which are limited but come on... it's downtown St. Paul, what do you expect? Either way, it's location makes it easy to slip in and out of town as needed. Enjoy!
(4)Adam F.
Loved the food and atmoshphere! Haven't eaten Downtown St. Paul since I don't know when. Live music is a great touch, all staff was super nice. Had Mediterranean salad, seafood app, and pasta bar! The pasta bowl is huge. I couldn't wait to be hungry again to eat the leftovers! Can't wait to go back! Might go today! Lol
(5)Dana T.
Cute little Italian restaurant! After a long eventful day in St. Paul we came here to finish off the evening with a nice dinner. We opted for the pasta bar... It was build your own dish with a choice of sauce, noddles and a array of toppings. You point to everything you want and then the chef behind the bar combines everything and cooks it on the spot in front of you. I prefer this way over buffet style. I'm kind of a germaphobe and don't like other peoples fingers in my food, so this was nice to see one person in charge of manning the station. There server was very nice and prompt. The ambiance was mellow, style was casual, and there was even live music on the stage upstairs. The restaurant was clean and a good size, and the bar was even open to the restaurant so anyone seated there could view the live music as well. Located right next to Mears Park in St. Paul. Cute area, I'm sure I'll go back again in the future.
(4)Paruj A.
I eat here once in a while... and then I abstain for a few months because its so filling. If you haven't ever been here, then its a place you don't want to miss.
(4)karen k.
Omg , thought it would be a bust but was wonderful . Best spaghetti and meatballs . As good as what I've had in little Italy in Boston.
(5)Kim R.
Trattoria Da Vinci has been on my list of restaurants to try for over a year now. My mom and dad raved about their pasta bar, and I love the location by Mear's Park. I finally got around to trying the place this weekend and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, it's casual, but not too casual and I love the exposed brick walls. I was going to order the pasta bar, but decided to try their homemade gnocchi with tomato basil sauce instead. I was not disappointed. This gnocchi was excellent and I really loved the sauce. The gnocchi were soft and tender and the sauce was the perfect combination of tomato, basil and a sprinkling of parmesan (and I think a touch of cream). I woudl definitely order this dish again. My husband had the pasta bar and really enjoyed his meal, as well. He raved about the pasta and had enough for leftovers the next day. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate torte and it was another winning dish. It was kind of a mix between a flourless chocolate cake and a molten chocolate cake, in cupcake form with whipped cream frosting. When it came out, I was a bit skeptical but the first bite definitely changed my mind. The cake was rich and moist with just a bit of gooey fudge from the molten chocolate layer. The whipped cream helped to balance out the richness of the dessert and I also really liked the rasberry sauce that was drizzled on the plate.
(4)Tyana C.
A co-worker of mine suggested a ladies lunch and brought us there. I know all of them had been before but this was my first time going and didn't expect what I enjoyed. The atmosphere of the place was extremely nice and heavenly! With the decor and atmosphere makes you feel like you are in Italy. I indulged in the pasta bar, I had the hot red sauce with zucchini, shrimp, black olives, and much more. I loved that they cook it in-front of you and the food all seemed very fresh. The portion size is huge! Which meant leftovers for dinner. I would most definitely would come back here and have the pasta bar again or something off the menu, most likely during a dinner though so I can enjoy a glass of wine with this delicious food.
(5)Katy S.
Loved the pasta bar and the risotto was amazing too. really great find for great Italian food in Minneapolis. It gets busy so make reservations. The guitarist is a really nice touch to the romantic atmosphere.
(5)Alexis A.
I'm a big fan of the pasta bar and the Tiramisu. The pasta bar isn't cheap, but it's a big plate (usually two meals for me) and properly prepared. I love this place for "date night", and they have some decent wines and scotches, too.
(4)Rachel P.
While I understand most people come here for the pasta bar, I did not think the portion sizes would match up with my small appetite. I decided to order a pizza from the menu instead, and was informed that they no longer serve pizza. I went with an Italian sausage sandwich in the end. It was very good, though a small portion for the price. I came at lunch time with a group of 7 people who all opted for the pasta bar. Everyone was pleased with their meal and the service.
(3)Jackson F.
One of the best meals I had while in St Paul. TONS of food! The Pasta bar is awesome. Great service, great atmosphere, and an all around good time. Went with a group of people and we all loved it. We also all had leftovers because the amount of food was very generous and we all looked forward to the leftovers the next day (who does that?) but the food was that good. Highly recommend them and would definitely go back if I'm ever in the area again.
(5)Dan A.
Love this place. Menu changes a few times a year and items are very good, but you have to have the pasta bar. Create your own dish and then it is brought to your table. My wife and I both love the food and the service. One time they were out of the wine we wanted and we were not sure about what the waiter recommended. He brought us a sample glass and he was right on the money with his description. It was actually better than what we originally ordered. Great for a formal wear night or for on the run in jeans and a tshirt.
(4)Anna B.
Parentals were in town to visit so we decided to venture downtown. Saturday night reservation for 4 at 6PM. Earlier than usual for us to accommodate having parents who like to eat earlier. The restaurant has a nice interior. Exposed brick walls, high ceilings, multi-tiered seating inside, guitar player picking classical tunes as you eat. The place was almost empty when we arrived. By the end of the night, we figured out why. PROM! lots of tables of high schoolers all over the restaurant. We started by splitting a large house salad. For a small share portion (enough to fill about a bread plate for 4 ppl) - a large is fine, if you're wanting more than that -- you may need about a large per 2-3 ppl. Two at our table had orders of the seafood pasta (Linguine alla Scoglio). Spicy red sauce with fresh seafood galore. I tasted my husband's -- it was awesome! Perfectly cooked calamari as well as shrimp, clams, mussels. YUM. I ordered the tagliatelle bolognese - it was good, but definitely on the salty and saucy side. I'm usually a sauce lover, but the saltiness was a bit much for me. Might just be personal preference --I still liked it. My mom tried the pasta bar. Trattoria Da Vinci has an option to have chefs cook to order any combination of pasta that you choose - all different proteins, sauces, veggies. The portions are already pretty normal to large for pasta dishes, but people that order at the make to order pasta bar probably get a little bit more! Desserts were good but not great. We tried the turtle cheesecake and the tiramisu. Turtle cheesecake was a plain cheesecake with chocolate sauce and caramel poured over the top and raw pecans on top. Tiramisu came out in a small bowl - not very well 'set" - more soupy/puddingy than some. Taste was still yummy. Overall, we had a fun night. Parking was easy in the small lot right next to the entrance of the restaurant - $5 and super convenient.
(3)Crystal S.
Great Italian food at decent prices! I love the decor and the coziness of it. I had the pasta experience which was really good and ridiculously huge, seriously it was 3 meals! Great service as well. I will be back!
(4)E. C.
When I think of this place for lunch, I think better than Olive Garden. The food is tasty but does not awe me or blow me away. Come here early or you may be stuck in line as a lot of people do come here because of the lunch time buffet. It is neat that you go through the line and can customize your pasta creation as they make it in front of you before you go back to your table to eat but the flavor is lacking. Not bad by any means but doesn't have the slow cooked sauce taste that I would expect of good old fashioned Italian food.
(2)Xander C.
My mother and I went there at around 6:00. There were a few people at the bar and a few other groups at the tables so altogether a great atmosphere of surrounding conversations. I had the Gnocchi with Pesto and it was delicious as well as enough for two meals for me, and i'm a fairly big dude. My mom had the pasta bar and she said it was also very good as well as a lot. Live music started at 7:00 and they played songs we knew so that was a nice surprise. I will definitely go again with buddies or on a date.
(4)Tony L.
Let me preface this by saying I used to work in the service industry and when I receive good service, I reward it with an appropriate tip - usually 20%, less if the service was lacking, more if it was exceptional. I called here to place an order for pickup as my sister has a newborn and didn't want to take her out. The order included 3 pastas, 3 entrées and a salad. After ordering everything the gentleman (I assume he was either the bartender or the manager) said that on orders this large an automatic 18% gratuity is included. Indeed, on the menu it says for parties of six or more it would be included; and I get why: when you have a big table with everyone paying separate checks, more often than not the tip ends up coming out smaller than when you have a 2 or a 4-top. I personally never enforced this at the wine bar I used to work at, and instead relied on the judgement of the diner, but I get it. I inquired as to what purpose the automatic gratuity served and he said it goes to the bartender (which I assume was him). I then hung up and contemplated the situation. On principle I disagree with paying an automatic 18% gratuity to some schmuck who is just tapping a few buttons on a POS screen. I would have left a gratuity on my own but I find it incredibly forward to assume the "service" you are providing by hitting some buttons on a computer to be worthy of an 18% tip. Needless to say, I called back a minute later to cancel the order and take my business elsewhere. Cossetta's is less than a mile away and your experience will be far superior.
(1)Julia L.
Been here 3 x now and always leave totally satisfied. Consistently good food. Assuming they expect people to order from the pasta bar so not a big selection for other choices on the menu. Love the house musician.
(3)Nathan B.
I have been to the vast majority of Italian restaurants in the Twin Cities and this is as good as it gets. When I want a good meal at an affordable price, this is the place I go. The waitstaff is very friendly and courteous. Sometimes the wait time has been a little long, but I would rather wait a few extra minutes and get good food then get low-quality food fast. The food at this restaurant is top-notch. Anyone who says otherwise needs a taste-bud transplant. Decor and atmosphere is outstanding. I have had business meetings as well as romantic dinners here - everyone has always been very impressed. This is the place to go for Italian in the Twin Cities.
(5)Michael M.
Loved this place. Took a group of "foodies" here and it didn't disappoint. Everyone loved their meals and the pasta bar is awesome. The Cherry Mojitos are awesome!
(5)Kelly N.
The mixed pasta sauce is wonderful, just the right amount of heat. I always get the pasta bar, there is a great variety of ingredients to put in your dish. The portion is huge, I always have leftovers for lunch the next day! I love the ambiance here, the wood floors, exposed brick and the guitar player on the weekends make for a great night.
(5)Katharine C.
We ate here for dinner on a Saturday night. I wanted very badly to like it (LOVE the idea of a pasta bar), but I felt very underwhelmed. The check-in process for our reservation was painful. A hostess found our name on her list, then said nothing while she looked across the room and waited for her manager (?) to come over and look at the list, too. He finally came over, looked at the list, scanned the room, and then said to us, "there is still a party seated at your table" (there were empty tables, by the way ... but apparently our reservation for 4 was assigned to a very specific table). He didn't give any further direction. So I asked, "Should we wait here? Outside in the lobby? Will you call our name?" And then said yes, wait in the lobby, we will call your name. I have to add, our last name is Italian. And no one ever pronounces it right except for people who know Italian - they always get it right on the first try. And neither the hostess nor the manager said our last name correctly. No big deal, but just made me laugh since it was an "Italian" restaurant. We were seated. My husband and kids did the pasta bar. They seemed satisfied. I ordered off the menu. Our food was all supposed to come at the same time (the waiter said they have it coordinated so that the pasta bar guy pages him when all of the dishes are ready), but mine came a good 6 or 7 minutes after theirs. Not a big deal, except for the fact that the waiter made a deal out of the fact that the food would come together. Our waiter was very nice. Very attentive and very kind to our children (who are middle school aged). The bus boy who was supposed to refill our water and "bring more bread" was not nearly as attentive as the waiter. I chewed on some ice cubes for a while. The atmosphere was nice. It was a little crowded with one of the tables pushed up into the walkway area in front of the pasta bar. But the atmosphere was nice and there was someone there playing guitar. What he was playing wasn't my particular bag (cover tunes to a synthesizer backbeat), but I appreciate the effort of bringing live music into a restaurant. You don't see it very often and it's a great addition. So I give a big thumbs up for that. The price was okay. Not great, not horrible. We had enough leftovers that it made it feel okay. I don't think I'd go again. Or if I did, I might go for lunch when the pasta bar is only $11 and things might be a little more fast-moving as far as getting seated, having waters re-filled, etc. If you leave in St. Paul, you could check it out. For us, who live in the western suburbs, it was too far of a drive to be worth going again.
(3)Keith S.
Love this place for a number of reasons. The atmosphere. Beautiful space. You can wear a suit or denim & a nice shirt and be good. Some nights they have live music but it's strictly atmospheric, not a screaming band. Nobody seems to know about this place - so it's nice exposing people to this little secret in downtown St. Paul. Service has always been excellent. Pasta bar for lunch is great. Get what you want and experiment. The menu is great. I've had a few different plates and really enjoyed everything I had. I usually end up with substantial leftovers. The last thing I had there was the Linguini Alla Fiorentina. Real spice, flavor and richness. They have a bar. Great to meet someone before dinner or to move to after dinner. Pricing is fair. Parking is street but it's St. Paul which is usually easy. Bonus. Sometimes you can hang with a Wild player for a pregame meal.
(5)Rachel E.
Recently ventured over to Saint Paul for a mother-daughter dinner date. My mom had a gift card, but I would definitely go back to Trattoria da Vinci even without the draw of a free meal. The atmosphere is wonderful; very cozy, decorative touches, live music. Our waitress was also very helpful and friendly. We started with the caprese - my word was the mozzarella good! For entrees, my mom ordered the Penne al Gorgonzola (and I luckily got to take home her leftovers - delicious) and I ordered the Salmone al Limone. My salmon was fantastic and paired well with the potatoes and asparagus. Of course, an Italian meal is not complete without a bottle of wine. Another great find the other Twin City!
(4)Jacob B.
Wonderful service and food! Got there and were seated right away, orders taken promptly, and food came out extremely quickly. It was delicious! 10/10 would recommend for a nice "fancy" date night.
(5)Kita V.
There are certain restaurant you visit for one item and one item only. When I want a juicy lucy, I go to Matts. When I want a good chicken marsella, I go to Buca. When I want good pasta, I go here. Their pasta bar is awesome. I've been here no less than 10 times and have never had anything else on their menu. Great environment. Not dark and super loud. There's an older gentleman that plays guitar on the upper level. He plays cover tunes and he's very good. The bread and butter they serve is great. Their drinks menu is good. But the pasta experience that steals the show. It's not cheap but they give you a lot. I've never been able to finish off the plate. And it taste wonderful the Next day. My only complaint is the parking. On weekend nights it can be tight. Otherwise it's one of my favorite spot in the TC.
(4)Scott D.
Ordered salmon gnocchi - no salmon and the pasta was drenched in oil. Not tasty at all. Also, note I made a reservation thru Open Table and called to confirm since it was on Valentine's Day, which took the receptionist three separate phone calls to resolve. Initially, I was told I would not be honored a table. I found this striking since throughout dinner the restaurant was less than half capacity.
(2)Aaron C.
I ate here as part of a reserved group dinner party, so my experience is probably a bit unique. The only dinner item available was the oft-reviewed pasta bar which had myriad options. I had the penne and a mix of the spicy and mild red sauces along with a terrific assortment of veggies. I definitely got carried away with spice and probably overdid the crushed red pepper and pepperochinis, but that wasn't the big miss here. For some reason my dish had far too much sauce and not nearly enough pasta, so my dish looked more like soup midway through. I seemed to be in the minority, though as most others were either finishing their bowls or taking the rest home. Nice ambiance and setting. I'd certainly like to return to either try some other menu options or rectify my first pasta bar experience.
(4)Pamela S.
Definitely worth a visit. The atmosphere was great and there was live music, which made it very inviting. As for the food, it was delicious. The past bar is overwhelming but scrumptious and the Seafood stew was perfect.
(4)Suze S.
I come here for the atmosphere. PHENOMENAL. The food is pretty good too. It's Italian, probably in the American sense of the word. The portions of pasta are large, the sauce is put on thick. The sea food is the most delicate, unless you get the Frittura Mista- fried shrimp/scallops/calamari. (Which is very delicious, but makes you too full for dinner!) Several people I've gone with like the pasta bar, but when I go out, I like to relax and wait for the deliciousness to come to me, not go stand in line and make small talk with other diners at the pasta bar. I adore their gnocchi, and this is one of the few places in town that gives you enough to satisfy an adult appetite. In fact, they usually give me just a little too much, and I end up almost too full for dessert. (I said ALMOST. I really do have to be pretty sick to pass up dessert.) My favorite sauce with the gnocchi is the creamy Gorgonzola sauce which comes with chopped walnuts and is great with some Riesling. My second favorite is the butter and sage sauce which comes with tiny little chopped tomatoes which just MAKES the sauce and is also very good with Riesling. The Man gets Capellini Alla Checca which is one of the more lightly sauced dishes. He adds Italian Sausage. For dessert- the Lemon Sorbetto is creamy and satisfying if you are just looking for a few sweet bites to round out the meal. Or the Creme Brulee is also lovely, and large enough to share. Now- the atmosphere. Large, open ceilings, exposed brick, very old hardwood floors, open main dining floor. Yet somehow manages to be one of the coziest, most intimate feeling restaurants in St. Paul. There is "Da Vinci" artwork/sketches/machinery hanging all around, which is interesting to look at. On weekends, they have live music (instrumental, no singing) which is just loud enough to be enjoyable, but not so loud you cannot converse. Wait service has been impeccable. Friendly, not intrusive. Helpful, not condescending. Waters, wine and bread refilled in a timely manner. Great for dates, family nights, birthdays, after work get-togethers, or just a random night out for dinner. Nice jeans/tops are acceptable, as would a casual dress or khaki's, although you see a lot of more formal dress as well.
(4)Angela G.
Wonderful! My boyfriend and I only read some reviews before coming to eat here, and I'm not going to lie, the reviews didn't do this place justice. The staff was so polite. the atmosphere was beautiful and cozy. The food was obviously from scratch and it was delicious. Be warned, they WILL give you more bread while you're not looking and it WILL fill you up --- especially if you get the (*drool*) spinach are artichoke app. That's awesome if you're into leftovers (I had a great lunch the next day : )
(5)Paige V.
Wait staff took too long take orders, food came out fast..not tasty. Tasted like store bought boxed pasta. Wait staff gave us bill and we again waited way too long for her to return. Not recommended at those prices.
(2)Colleen B.
I had my first dining experience here this weekend and it was mediocre. Nothing stood out about the experience but it wasn't bad. I've had better and would recommend other places before this for someone desiring Italian. We had the Linguine Al Gorgonzola, the Penne All'Alfredo Affumicato and the Italian Chop Salad. The portions were fairly generation and the dishes were fine, but not that memorable. The sauce in the linguine dish was a bit flat and could have used some added herbs or spices to make it more flavorful and complex. The vegetables and shrimp seemed to get a little lost and couldn't really hold up to such a heavy sauce. The penne dish was a bit on the spicy side to the point of covering up the flavors rather than enhancing them. I didn't think the dishes were worth the price but their prices are pretty standard for Italian places. The service was fine--attentive and helpful enough. The menus have a picture background on every page making them hard to read, especially in such low lighting. The atmosphere is cozy but still open. It seems like an appropriate place for a date or for a family with children over the age of 10. It isn't the best Italian but it does the job if you're looking for an Italian dinner place in downtown St Paul. Satisfying enough but not memorable.
(2)Mike C.
Chris M. sums this place up the Best and I quote, "Trattoria Da Vinci may not serve up the best Italian food in the Cities, but they do offer pretty consistent fare at reasonable prices in a cozy environment." So many choices in the Twin Cites but I have frequent this place often. Actually, I forget about it but get reminded from my other half and then agree, yeah that place is good, let's go there tonight. I like the old style feel to the place and my food has alway been good. I do order off the menu and always a pasta dish here, so I have not tried anything else.
(4)Kurtis K.
Brought the family here after a great previous experience. The food is well above average but what I like is that the ambience is somewhat classy but far from uptight. I'd bring the family back again or return for a casual date.
(5)Victor M.
Me and my girlfriend have been to this place multiple times and we love the food. The pasta is great and so is there sea food. We have not had a bad experience there yet. Even when its packed we have been accommodated. The deserts are amazing and there Bar is good.. Has lots of scotch and other types of top shelf things. There steak was good. They carry a large selection of beer. This is not the place you would go to for a burger and a Budweiser lol. They have had live music most of the time i have been there. I do like the Leonardo Da Vinci inventions and the paintings all over the place it can use more paintings in the dining area but oh well
(5)Ann Marie F.
Nice! I had the spicy rosa sauce.. delish. It came over the seafood stew and gnocci. WOW! so good! My date got spaghetti and meatballs - he said it was good, not the best - but the meatballs were top-notch! The decor is very beautiful, it was warm by the window (usually I hate window spots cuz the chill), they had a really nice musician playing. Overall, a really really nice experience!
(4)Mike F.
Love the gnochhi with sage and the gorgonzola cream sauce penne! Live background music fits the ambiance.
(3)Karin M.
Honest Italian food, in a comfortable setting. We have been coming to Trattoria Da Vinci for a number of years and always look forward to returning. We have brought a number of friends and family who are instantly hooked on the restaurant. My first visit had me ordering the gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce and while that was divine, I was disappointed that they did not have chopped hazelnuts to sprinkle on top...those flavors work so well together and it add just the perfect amount of texture to contrast the creaminess. Since that first visit, I always order the pasta bar and haven't been disappointed since. The serving is huge - enough for two or three meals! I love all the options available, everything from meatballs to spinach to capers and beyond. Hubbs always orders off the menu - his favorite was the veal shank that they had on the menu in the past; however he always enjoys his selection and looks forward to panna cotta for dessert. A very comfortable place wither in jeans, formals, or in between.
(4)Thaddeus S.
Trattoria Da Vinci is my new favorite dinner spot in Lowertown. I love being able to conjure up my own concoction at the pasta bar. Or when I'm feeling a little lazy I usually follow the advice of the one and only bartender who has yet to steer me wrong. One particular dish that I yearn for weekly is the Rigatoni Al Gorgonzola. I was skeptical at first with gorgonzola in the name of the dish but once I had my first bite, I was more than convince that this dish would be a staple for some time to come. As a matter of fact I had it two nights in a row after the first try. The sauce is to die for; it's bold and creamy without being too rich. This is an "I can't get enough" combination for me. The decor has a comfortable brick and beam look and feel. They have live mellow background music on weekends. And during the week you will find a few locals quietly enjoying a glass of wine while catching up on the local gossip and managing to avoid their own dining rooms for another evening.
(4)Nathan C.
I came here with some local & out of town friends before a Wild game. I thought the place would be a little too expensive for my tastes, but I held no regrets after seeing the menu. The selection was fair for what they were asking, even on my budget. When my friends recommended the pasta bar, however, I couldn't say no, even with all the options on the menu. I won't lie; I was very impressed. At that price, you really get your bang for the buck. To this day it still stands as one of the better Italian dishes I've had at a restaurant. My only regrets are not being able to sample the wine selections and the parking situation going on in Lowertown. That can't really be helped, though. All in all, this place is definitely one of my top places to eat in the Cities. :)
(4)Andrew W.
I've only ever headed here for their lunch pasta bar and its fantastic. They give you portions that challenge the limits of the largest guts. This sounds trashy but it also happens to be high quality and delicious. I often catch myself at my desk fighting the urge to open the box of leftovers and keep eating cause its so damn tasty. The atmosphere is nice and classy, cool Da Vinci concepts hanging around the place and general renaissance decor. On game days you'll see MN Wild players carbing up for the night which is an added bonus. As much as I like to rip on St.Paul lowertown is pretty great and this place is a big reason I have that opinion.
(5)Anne P.
Solid. Trattoria da Vinci is tucked away inside the Park Square building, just up from Mears Park. Pretty close to the new 'scene' development going on in Lowertown. I would love to see more destinations in this area. I've been here a few times for very different reasons - lunches with a friend; coworkers going away party; date nights. I've been satisfied with the food I've eaten at each meal. I felt as welcomed with the large group as I did with the date night. I've ordered the quite popular pasta bar and off the menu. The line for the pasta bar moved pretty fast at lunch, which surprised me for some reason. They have a stage, presumably for live music, but it was never in use during the times I visited. They have TVs in the bar area, which I found to be tacky and distracting. The food was delicious but I'll be honest - on two of the trips I made there, me and others in my party had to run for the bathroom before the bill was paid (all the way out of the restaurant and down the stairs).
(4)Brian H.
The pasta bar is great. Huge helpings with lots of possibilities. I've never ordered off the menu so I can't help you there. If you come for lunch on a day that the Wild play you have a good chance of seeing some NHL players from our local team. If you are really hungry and want pasta, you can't go wrong here.
(4)Vicki W.
Great service, nice meal, pleasant ambiance and live music. Prices were reasonable.
(5)Dan S.
Awesome pasta bar!
(5)Shannon M.
I love coming to Trattoria Da Vinci. Not only are the restaurant and staff warm and inviting, but the food is fantastic. The pasta bar is to die for. I've also hosted and attended events here, Everybody raved about the food and had a wonderful time. It's a perfect spot for groups because they have tons of space. They also have a fantastic wine selection, and the bar is a great place to hang out and nosh before hitting up a concert down the street. It's great for all ages. I just purchased a Living Social gift certificate for Trattoria and can't wait to use it!
(5)R W.
Wow! Olive garden has better Italian food than this place. I think these people shop at sam's club and then microwave portions of it, slap it on the plate and call it food. salad was good but small- at least it was fresh. Entree was terrible. Risotto was like Jambalaya. they did not even thaw the dessert. Canolli was half frozen. At least they could have microwaved it properly. Terrible terrible terrible place to dine. I am actually very surprised that this place has 4 stars on yelp.
(1)Oomoo V.
This is the perfect place to go if you're a woman and you like being hit on by creepy old guys. Friday after work I thought I'd try Trattoria. My husband is working in Pittsburgh and I'm on my own up here. I figured a quiet glass of wine by the bar would raise my spirits. Apparently a woman isn't allowed to sit by herself at Trattoria. I was sipping my glass of wine and talking to my daughter on my cell phone. I noticed an old guy staring at me. And I mean staring. He actually interrupts my phone conversation to ask if he could talk to me. After I hang up with my daughter he says, "Do you want to come to my place for a night cap?" Guess he didn't notice my wedding ring. Having had quite enough, I pay my bill and head for the door. But the fun isn't over yet. A second old creep grabs my hand and asks why I'm leaving so soon. "Who am I going to look at?" he says. "All the beauty is leaving." Ted Baxter on Mary Tyler Moore had more tact. I freed my hand, which I later washed within an inch of its life. Needless to say, this female will never set foot in Trattoria again.
(1)Michael N.
I took a friend here to celebrate her new job. And the two of us were slightly impressed. Food: The people that have written that this is the best Italian that they've ever had are simply wrong, There are better Italian restaurants in walking distance. That being said, the food was good not great. I got the mushroom ravioli in a tomato cream sauce. Wine List: Pretty good but you can walk 50 feet to the Wine Bar next door and get a better selection. Ambience: I really liked the decor, and the restaurant is an absolutely huge space which is nice. The bathrooms are bit awkwardly situated, though. You actually have to go out of the restaurant and downstairs and then enter a code to go to the bathroom. I think that's a bit ridiculous. Parking: If you get there after 6 (maybe 5), there's free parking in the lot next to the restaurant, which was nice.
(3)John F.
Very good food, great atmosphere! Stands up to Italian eateries in North Beach San Francisco. Will go back again when in town.
(5)Heather P.
They have a pasta bar like no other. You can pick everything you want from the sauce to the noodles. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!
(5)Zheng W.
What a cute place in an awkward building! I thoroughly enjoyed my risotto and Pinot Grigio. It's in the gray zone between fine dining (Manny's and the like) and casual outing. You can get away with jeans or a dress. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the restaurant had wonderful ambience. I'm looking forward to going back and trying out some of the other delectable dishes on the menu.
(4)Becky L.
The frittura mista, gnocchi di patata and the blue salad were amazing. The parmesan crusted walleye with mushroom & asparagus risotto were fine, nothing special. Good live music on Friday nights.
(4)Dee T.
Swooped over to this restaurant when the Bulldog wait for a table was over an hour (for tots, seriously?). This did require a switch in thinking/food-drink anticipation for the night, but we were not all that disappointed. The place is actually quite small, small enough that we ended up having to wait for a table anyway...while we were seated, the place emptied out rapidly, so my advice would be to go after 8:30 if you don't want to wait. Food is fair. We all had salads, and liked them (caesar, caprese, and the very yummy Lattughino, which is chopped romaine, tomatoes, and olive tapenade in a feta dressing). We all pretty much gorged on their pasta dishes, and found them fair. The sauces are a bit...dense, if that's a way to put it...yet still flavorful and complementary to the pasta (mostly ravioli). They also list a dish on the menu called "The Pasta Experience" which had me giggling...but no one appeared to be high postprandially, so I guess it was just food. Big highlight of my experience was the dude with an electric guitar AND cheesy back-up music, warbling away at a funked-out rendition of "Hotel California." Loves.
(3)Johnee B.
First time here. Nice lighting and atmosphere. Wine by the glass pretty good and food was tasty and Hot. Heat Hot is Rare for the twin cities. Had the Bolognese sauce Pasta. Will come back again to try more items, maybe sit outside this time.
(4)Craig J.
Really great service, nice wine and food was excellent. Try the Frittura Mista for the most delightfully seasoned best prepared calamari, scallops and shrimp appetizer ever!
(5)G S.
I took my family to this place for my wife's birthday last year and it's not an experience I care to repeat. I could not believe other website rate this place 5 stars. When we were there, the chef clearly was not into cooking. Our pasta was running with olive oil and lack of taste. The pizza for the kids was not good either. The food is pricy and the bathroom for the restaurant is (far away) in a different floor of the building. "Avoid it" at all cost.
(2)Zelda P.
The ambiance was very nice - fun and fairly casual. Our waiter was friendly, though they should ask if you are first time guests. Two at our table would have liked the pasta bar, but didn't note it on the menu, so didn't realize it was there until it was too late (seated with their backs to it). The food varied. The brushetta was way too garlicky, one of us got a huge raw piece, which killed most taste for the rest of the meal. Both the Chop and Misiticanza salads were good, but far too much dressing. The Braciola was good though heavier on the mustard than you'd think from the description, Corsara and Barese were very good, and Contadina was good though not as described - had asparagus stalk only, no tips, and no artichoke hearts.
(2)Kareem S.
I'm a fan of this place. We planned on going to the Bulldog but that was packed, Barrio had reservations all night, so we ended up here. Probably the best place all along. Great food and service and we were able to get out pretty quickly. All in all a good solid choice if you're in downtown st paul looking for italian or an alternative to the typical bar/restaurant.
(4)Nancy F.
Went here to celebrate a family birthday. We all had a variety of tastes and likes, and if you've ever dined out with a large family, you know it can be a challenge to find something that the kids and picky family members will enjoy but is interesting enough for others with more adventurous tastes. What is nice about this place is that it's got enough of the classic stuff you'd expect to find at an Italian restaurant, plus a few things that are a little more adventurous. A few people got spaghetti and meatballs, and they enjoyed their meals. I got the gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce, and honestly, the cream sauce alone is worth the trip. The pasta bar looked pretty good, but I had my heart set on gnocchi. The live music is loud, but not so loud that you can't have a conversation. If you've got a wide variety of eaters in your group (vegetarians, picky, adventurous) ect everyone, save maybe the gluten free person can find something to love here. The one downside is that parking sucks and the bathroom is far from the restaurant.
(4)Brian W.
Excellent service, very nice balance between classy and relaxed, and fantastic vodka rosa sauce. Check this out if you have a Restaurant.com voucher or just love great Italian
(4)Josh S.
Stick with the pasta bar. Food hasn't been as great when I have ordered off the menu.
(3)Dan B.
Nice restaurant. Everyone in my party enjoyed their dinner. There was a pasta bar that we didn't partake in, but it looked good too. They had a guitarist that added to the atmosphere. The only weird thing was that the restrooms are downstairs and you need a code to get in. Doesn't really fit in with the rest of the restaurant.
(4)Jess J.
Great Italian place, decked out in (what else) Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings and inventions. Pasta dishes are very good, I'm a big fan of the aurora pasta. The chef's handmade gnocchi is the real star here though. Taste this and nothing else compares- the little bundles of potato goodness just melt in your mouth.
(4)Matthew G.
On of my favorites around town. The service is superb -- my glass of water never gets below the halfway point before it's full again. The food always is very good. The reason it's missing a star is because although the food is consistently excellent, it doesn't completely blow my socks off and the desserts are not of the same quality as everything else on the menu. If you're there for lunch, check out the pasta bar where you can create a custom pasta creation for yourself and have them cook it for you (you can do this at dinner too, but it's always kind of empty at dinner time). Don't miss it!
(4)D R.
This has been my favorite restaurant for years!! I always get the pasta bar because..let's face it...everyone likes to customize their food! I went there for my birthday a few weeks ago and I tried the Chicken with a mushroom cream sauce and a side of penne pasta and it was suprisingly good. I will say that, I'll most likely stick with the pasta bar from now on. I would also like to compliment the mussels for an appetizer. They are hand-down the best mussels I've ever had! For dessert, go with the chocolate tort with raspberry sauce...unbelievably good!!!
(5)