La Cucina Ristorante in Guelph

An incredible dining experience! Every detail was thoughtfully designed for comfort and wellness, from the temperature control for this menopause woman to the nutrient-rich menu. The calming ambiance and attentive staff made me feel truly cared for. Perfect for anyone seeking a five-star, feel-good meal!

Excelent food and service. Atmosphere was good. We sat at patio and was a bit cold as our heater not working properly

Amazing dinner last night. Have been here a few times now and consistently excellent food. Party of 4 and everyone raved about their dish. I also need to comment on our server Nyemu who was outstanding. Highly recommend.

This restaurant is amazing. The decor was beautiful, the kitchen is open so you can see the chef cooking. The team puts fresh roses on your table. The staff is super friendly, and very good at making food reco. The food was amazing, i got the boar lasagna which was delicious and they made me an amazing aperol spritz. It takes a little time to get your food because they make everything on the spot, but they give you free bread while you wait. The tiramisu was amazing, you could really taste the coffee flavor and there were not too much cream. There only negative was that the ac was too strong.

We were really looking forward to trying this place. The atmosphere and the charcuterie platter were great. The music was eclectic from old Italian classics into 2000 s pop back into Italian. We asked the waiter for recommendations. On recomendation we ordered the Risotto and Spezzatino. The risotto was under cooked and lacked flavour (was much better when we took it home and finished cooking it and adding more parm.) the spezzatino was well cooked and tender but the potatoes were under cooked and room temperature. Desert we had the homemade Tiramisu, it was lack luster. The ladyfingers were not dipped long enough as well the mascarpone was off. Overall was not worth the cost of the dinner and will not be able to recommend this and unfortunately when people ask us we will have to let them know about our experience.

For the second year in a row we celebrated a large family Birthday at La Cucina on Saturday, August 24/24. It was every bit as perfect as the party last year. The food was delicious the setting, (tables, flowers, music) was impeccable and the staff were as gracious and helpful as possible. Our guests are still talking about how wonderful everything was. Thank you so much Maria. Wendy Barrett Original Review June 24/23 Just celebrated a birthday with thirty guests at this restaurant. Every guest, without exception, raved about the venue and the food. The wait staff were superb, professional and friendly, and one of the owners, Maria, organized everything beautifully. All I had to do was enjoy the party. To say that the restaurant exceeded my expectations in every way is an understatement. My husband and I look forward to having many delightful meals at La Cucina, either with guests or simply on our own. Outstanding! W. Barrett

This is our 2nd year hosting a family event here and I really cant say enough about the food (especially yummy appetizers and desserts!) and the warm, accommodating and considerate service. Maria is wonderful. As is the entire staff - including the every-friendly kitchen staff. Looking forward to next year!! Thank you.

We called and spoke to the staff twice to book a patio table. The staff confirmed twice with two separate phone calls that it was a patio. When we showed up the staff was unfriendly and not easy to work with. I would suggest looking at other establishments before going here. We have eaten here multiple times before but will not be going back

Guelph s hidden gem! Best restaurant in Guelph - one of the few! Amazing food service and ambiance. Coming from Toronto, it s nice to have a place to dine when in Guelph!

terrible execution of fine dining. We were seated, then sat for ~10 minutes without anyone speaking to us or taking drink orders or anything. When we finally got attention, it was highly rushed....asking for full order immediately before even offering drinks. We ordered an appetizer- which ended up hitting our table almost instantly, before we had water or bread delivered, let alone the drinks we ordered. Ate appetizer for 10 minutes before our ordered drinks arrived. Eventually a manager came to apologize for the service and offered to comp a dessert - as such, we ordered a dessert we didnt need - and when the bill came, the charge for the dessert wasnt removed (we didnt bother fighting for it). Nice enough spot out on the patio....was really hoping to enjoy it....but for the prices charged, the execution was just awful and food just ok.

First time here. Very nice. A taste of Italy in downtown Guelph. Alison was our server and her service was first class. I ll be back.

Classy atmosphere, excellent, professional service, and delicious food all for a reasonable price. Professional restaurant experience with excellent value for money. We enjoyed Martinis, mussels, prosecco, tagliatelle, cheese cake and tiramisu all fabulous. The food would have received 5 stars, but they did not use fresh whipped whip cream for the their desserts it was from a can . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (and far better value than that loud Italian knock-off Scaddabush!!)

The service here was great! They were very quick and attentive. We got the bruschetta, lasagna and seafood pasta. I highly recommend the lasagna, it was delicious.

My husband and I went for dinner 2 weeks ago to celebrate our anniversary, and we had the best experience. Mikayla was our server, and she was amazing. She was kind, polite, and gave us some really nice recommendations when it came to food and wine. Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was exceptional. Thank you La Cucina and Mikayla for making our anniversary so special. We will definitely be back every year.

Probably best Italian restaurant in Guelph. Authentic food, cosy European atmosphere (especially on the balcony area), same service. The only drawback may be that there is no pizza option, but our kids really enjoyed pasta. Try crème brûlée for dessert, you will not regret it!

Kim and Allison were lovely and attentive to all our needs. Thanks so much.

We have great night, thanks Kim and Alison for looking for us MD

We hosted a small event at La Cucina last year and I must say we were all completely blown away by the food and the service. We had a prix- fixe menu for our guests and each of the entrees were an hit. Everything was so delicious, incredibly fresh, authentic and presented beautifully. After the event, my family and friends could not stop raving about the delicious food and how lovely the owners and staff were. Even though it s already highly rated, I don t believe people truly understand how remarkable this restaurant is, such a gem in Guelph and deserves so much praise. I can t wait to visit again!!

Starter was great, main meal, for me was wild boar lasagna, nice, but tomato sauce was too strong to tell if the boar had a unique flavour, so it was just any ordinary but nice lasagna. Bottom line I would go again

We had our 27 person wedding at La Cucina Ristorante in May 2024, and we had an amazing time across the board! Maria set up our menu, allowed us to make some modifications, and took care of us 100% of the way through - it was so easy! All our guests were raving about the food, the drinks, and the service. We had done some decorating in advance that day to add flowers and some center pieces, but the place is already quite beautiful and classy at it is. We were lucky that it was warm enough by mid-May for the upper-level patio to be opened where we had a cocktail hour with a bar set up outside. I had total access to the sound system to control audio outside and inside and could easily time everything perfectly by myself -- we had our first dance on the patio and changed the playlist to go with whatever phase of the night we were in. After a chill time outside, we moved inside for dinner. The apps, main courses, dessert, and service were all superb. Maria and her staff were there the whole time to make sure everything ran smoothly. Everything was perfecto and we, the couple, and our guests, could not be any happier!!! We are still talking about how great our wedding day was. Thank you Maria and team for making this so special and beautiful for us. You are the best hosts

Comparable pricing to other restaurants in Guelph, when it used to be considered expensive. The food was nice. We had a few starters. I ordered the pork and my partner ordered the daily fish feature, which was halibut. Flavourful and nice presentation. Service was prompt and attentive. Weve been served by the same gentleman at their other location, and he was professional and pleasant, as always. Decor and atmosphere was also nice, if slightly too bright. That might just be me, though -- and I also realize its an open kitchen and bar, so its likely for the staff to be able to get through service safely. Thank you! I look forward to coming by and enjoying your patio in the summer :)

The food is very good. Our table enjoyed shared little pizza bites and bruschetta, and mains meat pizza, fettucine, gnocchi, mushroom pizza. All so delicious. We all will be returning

A point of reference for my trips to Guelph, the food is 100% Italian, the location is also excellent. Either on site or with delivery I can satisfy my culinary cravings even in Canada. Well done

We went in today and the pizza was good but the pasta was overcooked and gummy. I don t understand how they could serve pasta like that. We won t be back.

The real italian deal, reminds me so much of the restaurants in Italy! Food and service were amazing!

Mosquitos inside while dining in the main restaurant not patio, olive oil served with bread smelt/tasted off and turned out to be expired. Food lacked flavour and the mozzarella literally tasted like nothing. I heard good things so maybe my expectations were too high

We had not been to La Cucina for a long time and decided to treat ourselves to a night out. The food and service are still excellent and the interior of the restaurant is still very welcoming. It is a lovely view to look out the window and see the skating rink at City Hall lit up at night. I do have one issue though. The tables for two are way too close together in the rear of the restaurant. I dont want to be able to reach over and almost touch the table beside me. It was not an issue the night we were there as it was not that busy and nobody was seated beside us (if there had been I would have requested another table). They should simply remove one of the tables for 2 in the back and that would allow enough space for an intimate dinner. I have eaten at their sister restaurant and noticed the same thing. My only other comment is that they should update their photos. The picture of the caprese salad is not how it is served. All in all, a very nice meal.

This is our familys go-to place for special occasions. The service and food are the best in the City of Guelph. Authentic italian food and attentive service.

I think I just had my favourite meal of the year! Everything was perfect / the food, the atmosphere and the service. Well done! This evening was terrific!

This was the most disappointing meal out in recent memory. I split the carpaccio with my date to start, which was actually quite nice, but the portion was very light. It was well seasoned with fresh grated parm, black pepper, balsamic, and was very fresh. The best part of the meal by far. I had the maialino in crusta. The pork was cooked past well done and had become stringy and chewy. The pastry was overdone on the outer layer, but raw in the layers underneath, giving me the impression the whole dish was pre-cooked then heated under a broiler? The asparagus was barely cooked past raw, and the onion was burnt on one edge. I split the tiramisu for dessert with my date. The dish arrived as a handful of some kind of dry, brittle cookies on a plate. It was smothered in a cream sauce that did not resemble the taste nor the texture of marscapone. It was dusted with cocoa powder and chocolate sundae sauce, but not any kind of coffee. I wish I had something redeeming to say about the restaurant, but the service experience was just OK at best. I can t recommend this place to anyone based on my experience - other Italian places in Guelph deliver both a superior meal and experience for a lower cost.

We always have a lovely experience at La Cucina -- food, service, and atmosphere are all wonderful. Thanks for a memorable evening! Wheelchair accessibility: Unfortunately, there are about 10 steps up to the restaurant -- and no elevator. The washroom is on the same floor (though a few steps up and down) but it is not a wheelchair accessible location. However, the staff were very helpful and accommodating with my husband and helped him navigate with his walker.

Great little place, stunning food and excellent service. It was worth every penny. Will absolutely return, hopefully soon.

If I could give 6 stars, I would. I went here for the first time with my girlfriend on our anniversary and the experience was spectacular. Maria took care of us, and arranged a beautiful card wishing us a happy anniversary which was placed at our table for our reservation time. We ordered bruschetta, calamari, and their lobster pasta. The food was delicious. Thank you Maria, and La Cucina staff for an amazing night!

Went last night with some girlfriends and had absolutely the best time. The cutest little hole in the wall restaurant, paired with friendly staff make a cozy and family feeling environment. The food was cooked to perfection, and priced fairly.

Beautiful spot right in the heart of DT Guelph. The atmosphere is relaxing and the food and wine were outstanding. A1service. We will definitely be back.

Food

Excellent

Always a great experience at LA Cucina. The Hosts, food and staff are great.

This was our first time at this restaurant. We are still sitting here waiting to pay our bill. This was a fantastic experience! The food was incredible! The ambiance is great! Clean washrooms!!!!! The best part of the meal was our waiter. He s phenomenal! Perhaps the best waiter we have ever had. La Cucina is a must in Guelph!

Absolutely delicious food and amazing service.

Probably the most authentic Italian pizza I ve had in awhile! And the arancini was delicious

Lovely Italian restaurant. Great food, excellent personalized service and a friendly atmosphere.

Everything I had was excellent, friendly servers. Amazing food but the portions are on the small side. We need at least a 3 corse meal here and the wine...

Hidden gem in Guelph! Authentic Italian experience, high quality food, and fantastic staff.

A most enjoyable dining experience. Thankyou.

As always La Cucina delivers as an one of the most elegant and delicious restaurants in Guelph . Chef David serves his own authentic and refined expression of Italian food. The strozzapreti gorgonzola pasta and lamb chops are just some highlights. Pair that with there timeless dinning room and always full patio (which is opening soon) and there service standards, La Cucina is the closest to fine dinning you will find in Guelph.

Very good italian restaurant, all what we tried was good with flavor. Thanks Steven for your advices and helping us choosing. For sure we will go back again.

Wow! This place surprised me. I feel like I m actually in Italy. Doesn t look like much from the outside, but once inside, it s very European. Our server spoke Italian and was very knowledgeable about all the food and wine. You can see the kitchen, and see the fresh pasta being prepared. It s a small place, but busy! Make sure to make a reservation.

The food was great. Put it on my favorite list.

Lovely Italian restaurant with a cute outdoor patio.

We held our daughters wedding at La Cucina. It was a wonderful venue with excellent food, drink, service and ambience. Maria, Bruno and their staff were terrific hosts. We recommend La Cucina with five stars. Magnifica!!!!!

Took forever for server to take order. Finally took our drink order came 35 minutes after we ordered it. Then ordered the food took 55 minutes to come . Food was over priced for small amount. And wasn t even that good. We have eaten better Italian restaurants then this place save your time and money.

Very disappointed with the food.

Food, service and atmosphere was excellent. It was like eating a meal prepared by Nona.

I like traditional pasta dishes from Italy. This is good.

Great experience and exquisite meal. I enjoyed a celebration dinner at this fine dining location. We absolutely loved the lovely lady serving us! She helped us choose a perfect meal suitable to our wants and needs. I can t wait to go back!

An absolutely delicious pizza shop in the heart of downtown Guelph. Really can t say enough good things about the pizza, it s true Italian pizza. Very good, will definitely be coming back!

We came for dinner celebrating my 73rd birthday! The experience including the food, the wine and the service was fantastic. All 3 of us had the same dish it was a ragu of Ontario bison served over rigatoni! The serving size was well worth the price and it was delicious. We had a bottle of Cab Sav from Friuli which was half price on this evening. The waitress served us a nice tiramisu (complimentary) for my birthday and it melted in our mouths! Everyone around us seemed to be enjoying the food and ambiance. We will be back!

Do not overlook this place. You must eat here and if you can, outside on the balcony. Service is phenomenal. Food is fresh and perfectly cooked. The burrata is a must order as an app. Risotto is amazing. For dessert, you must try the tiramisu.

Just had THE MOST AMAZING dinner. The Carpaccio was amazing. My pasta was lick the plate like no one is watching good. La Cucina kicked it out of the park. Alison (spelled correctly ha) was an awesome waitress. I ordered TORTELLI RICOTTA E TARTUFO James ordered TAGLIATELLE ALLARAGOSTA. Both were extremely good but mine won. It was incredible. Amazing food and service. If you havent gone to LA Cucina... GO!!

Was sick for 3 days after eating here

Great place to hang out after work with colleagues

Very tasty food

Food was mediocre at best. Salmon really had little taste. Lamb shank similar nonevent and was tough. Staff opened a door as kitchen area probably hot is at lower level than restaurant seating which then literally froze us. Over priced and over rated. Would not go back. Ever.

Food was decent in terms of traditional Italian. Service did not meet expectations. We were informed of the 2 hour seating upon reservation, and were continually rushed and reminded of said timing throughout our meal. With a very small restaurant, I respect a seating timeframe, however, this could have been conveyed less often and with more couth.

We ordered their special on New Years Eve and it was one of the best meals weve ever had! We highly recommend this restaurant. Cant wait until we can dine inside. The best! Carol and Rob

It was so delicious.

Always a fantastic dining experience.

Lovely Italian restaurant with attentive staff. Traditional food with a homestyle warmth and an uncomplicated presentation. Only issue is the wine list. Limited selection and limited value.

Molto Bene !!! What a fabulous authentic dining experience . The food was delicious and the atmosphere like being in Italy. The welcoming and friendly staff made the experience even more delightful . Definitely be back !

Incredibly fresh, great staff, the indoor space is open and feels bright. Food was impeccable and the portions were perfect!

I am unsure where to start. I will try to be nice. It was a small limited menu--only meat that day. The server/owner was really hard to understand. She spoke quietly and quickly and none of the sentences made any sense. I felt she didnt have much a social/emotional intelligence. Lastly, cold room. The atmosphere was all right though.

Wont find a better Italian restaurant in town -although their sister location la Cucina pizzeria is also exceptional. Love the authenticity of the brick it feels so warm and inviting.

Always delicious. Great service, excellent wines and ambience, and Thursday nights are our favourites - appetizer and main for a great price. Dessert was phenomenal. Honestly, wouldnt change a thing. Most delicious fine dining in Guelph by far. Will be back, and back, and back again.

Small family run business who take pride in their restaurant. Good was great and came out steaming hot.

Chris R. Was AMAZING!! So attentive and couldn t recommend this restaurant enough! He always made sure our glasses were never empty and never shyed away from small talk!! 10/10 recommend

First time there. Excellent food and service. Thank you!

One of my favourite restaurants in Guelph. The food is amazing (best pasta I have ever had). Atmosphere is excellent, along with the service. Would recommend to anyone looking to try something new in the city.

We picked up a truly amazing dinner for 4 last night. Enjoyed appetizers of mussels, caprese salad, shrimp and charcuterie mix. Mains were excellent -- lamb chops, pork ribs, pasta with shrimp and lobster. And half-price wine with take-out an added bonus. Highly recommend!

The duck was amazing !

Great starters- filet was perfect!

One of the best restaurants in Guelph.

So, I dont know if this a hidden gem, or if everyone else already knows about it, but Ive gotta, wow!! The food was fantastic, the wait staff excellent, some have served kings and queens. Make reservations, dont be disappointed.

A friends dinner was 45 minutes late (they made a mistake, accidents happen.) After they delivered dessert for half the table, they asked we leave in 10 minutes.

Great food and excellent service. Enjoyed the familial atmosphere and the view of the kitchen. We had the burrata appetizer, lamb, filet mignon, gelato affogato, and tiramisu. All were very well done.

Excellent service and the food was AMAZING. At our table of four we had the steak, lobster pasta and the lamb and all were highly praised. Dessert was lovely and the wine suggestions were perfect. Charming venue, will be back!

Half our party loved their entrees, the other half thought they were average. Similarly with the appetizers. We all loved the desserts. At this price point, though, I expect everyone to love it all.

Really nice place, excellent food

This Italian restaurant had very good food and a nice atmosphere but I m very disappointed with the service. I felt like the server would come say something quickly and walk away before I could ask anything I figured because it was busy but i don t believe that is an excuse. The thing that was the most off putting was that it was my girlfriend s Birthday and the server didn t want to seem to talk to her or make her feel comfortable and constantly turning his back toward her. I seemed to be treated quite differently and I m wondering if this is a type of discrimination because she is Asian??? The last thing that put us over the edge was that they brought out a birthday dessert while I was in the restroom. So my girlfriend sat by herself as other customers wished her happy birthday with the server nowhere to be found. I don t know if this all was intentional or not but I think some more care and some more emotional presence on the part of the server and perhaps more servers would help this restaurant to be more warm and inviting she was very upset and in tears on leaving I hope you are happy with your nose in the air attitude

Real delicious Italian food Portion are bit too small Atmosphere makes you feel at home

Had an incredible time tonight, first time eating at La Cucina. All of the food and drinks were outstanding and the service was top notch. Chris took amazing care of us and we will most certainly be returning many times.

Great spot.

La Cucina has consistently delivered an exceptional customer service and food experience. A staple in the Guelph downtown, its great Italian food that will satisfy any true Italian. If youve never been, its a must try!

Food is amazing and so is the atmosphere.

Great service, amazing wine and food!

Awesome... Everything was great. Try the fillet steak!

My family and I ate here Saturday evening. The atmosphere was lovely, the price point was good, the dinner was adequate, the server, handsome and charming but his cologne was overwhelming and lingered through our entire stay so much so that ot spoiled our meal.

The food was good but the service is one of the worse we have received in several years, I dont know where to start, basically the waitress dont pay any attention of the needs the customer could have, she doesnt know or is lacking the experience when to submit the order for a second plate to the kitchen after the customer have done the first, we had to wait so much time between plates that we were not hungry anymore, I dont understand how a place that is very, very expensive can have people with this type of customer service skills on the payroll. Very bad and very disappointed. If you want to get a huge bill and come out very disappointed then dont miss this place.

First experience and it was an absolute pleasure. The restaurant was so accommodating and the ambience on the patio was unmatched by any other restaurant Ive been too. Food was also delicious and service was excellent! Will definitely return!

Everything was absolutely delicious. Service was amazing!! We cannot wait to go back.

Truly Guelphs finest restaurant!

Wasnt impressed, felt outdated. Service was lacking.

Excellent food. Service pretty good as well.

Can I leave seven stars? My partner and I booked La Cucina for our wedding. We could not have made a better choice. Bruno, Maria and Errico, and the whole staff were simply amazing. First off, they always treated us like people they care about. When the weather turned against our outdoor ceremony plans at the University of Guelph, it was no problem to move the ceremony to La Cucinas covered patio. And our day turned out better for it too. The food was out of this world delicious, and all of our guests told us that they were delighted, and had a great time. We had a great time. Not only do we look forward to going back for the food, but we look forward to going back for the people. There are not too many places I can say that about. I encourage everyone who appreciates Italian cuisine to pay them a visit. You wont regret it.

Great ambience. Solid service. Good menu with very, very tasty burrata appetizer. However, DO NOT order the risotto. It was cold and flavorless - absolutely no seasoning. Big disappointment.

Great food and a great experience. Very classy, high end dishes and a beautiful charcuterie board. High end classic wines and a great desert menu!

Took 2 hours to get food

Amazing meal. Great service, food came quickly and was delicious. Highly recommend the meat & cheese board to start, and the gelato for dessert. Will be coming back here for sure.

It was such a beautiful place and the food was amazing. I had my family and friends with me and it was such a good time with an amazing server! It is definitely a place to go for a special occasion.

I was denied dinner. They said they were busy at 8pm and said no to serve us. There were empty seats available.

Delicious! Nothing else to say, too busy enjoying the foods :)

I was expecting a great meal based on the reviews but it was an all round disappointing experience for the four of us. Food was, for the most part, mediocre. The rabbit was inedible. Perhaps this was just an off plate. The other meals were okay but nothing memorable. The service was also, just okay, but again not to a high standard. I believe she was perhaps family or the owner (was an older lady). Prices were good and the atmosphere was quite nice. We were in the dining room which I quite enjoyed and the rooftop patio looked awesome. I would consider returning for a seat at the patio with a nice cocktail or two and perhaps an appetizer. I should add that they did comp the one main (rabbit) that missed the mark and that was appreciated.

Always great food!

I had dinner here Aug 24th 2022. The food was good and the drinks were cold it was almost perfect. At a fine dining restaurant I expect if I order a second Caesar drink that it would be garnished the same way the first was.Not here. Charcoal Steakhouse each drink is garnished the same and same is true for the Keg. We were served bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. There were 5 of us and three tables were pushed together. One set of oil and vinegar. They didnt ask if anyone wanted butter nor did they bring any. The appitizers came muscles, Caprese salad and soup. I have had many authentic Italian meals there was never a shortage of bread except here. The muscles were not served with any bread and you were not provided a spoon. Epic fail for a fine dining restaurant how do you eat the broth? It was Wednesday their pasta day. Our mains arrive steak, sea bass, black pasta and antipasto board. Everything was hot and right. However, the black pasta looked dull and lifeless. Restaurants make huge coin off pasta dishes so you would think some fresh herbs to garnish and a bit of color would not take away that much of the profit. The black pasta was not nicely separated it was a big ball in the centre of the bowl it had clams which have no color and cream sauce again no color. It was cooked more than el Donte. If you cannot get pasta cooked properly at an Italian fine dining restaurant on their pasta night its a fail. The antipasto board the meats were not nicely arranged it was as if they were simply dropped on the board. Steak was cooked beautiful. Sea bass was amazing. It was a great night there were a few misses to make it exceptional. I am being picky ....for a fine dining Italian restaurant - they should know better.

The food is always great, but the service is just awful and seemingly gets worse with each visit. We used to come here for every anniversary, but after our last experience --where we were turned away for the 8pm seating due to them being too busy, even though we had a confirmed reservation via email-- we will be finding a new place to celebrate. Truly unfortunate, as this used to be a great spot to enjoy a nice dinner.

Best authentic Italian in the city, everything is so fresh and flavorful. The lamb is my personal favorite and the Tiramisu is out of this world. Great wine list and priced very well.

The service, atmosphere and food are all amazing. My wife and I took a group of 24 into the restaurant for our wedding celebration and everything from The starters, ravioli, sea bass and the ribeyes (it takes talent to cook 24 ribeyes beautifully when the rest of the restaurant was also packed!) was cooked perfectly. Not a glass was empty or a request slow to be fulfilled. Cucina is my absolute favourite spot in Guelph without question after the amazing experience we had there last week. Make sure to read the bad reviews for a good laugh.

We hadnt been to La Cucina for over 5 years because we had a very mediocre experience on our last visit. On hearing numerous good reviews, we thought wed give it another chance. While the staff was amazing, the food was definitely not up to the quality we would expect from what should be an up-scale establishment. The calamari was tough and rubbery. My wife had the gnocchi and I had the pork tenderloin. Both were lacking in flavour. Im not sure how to reconcile the other glowing reviews here with our our experience, but Im sad to say we wont be returning.

Hands down the best tenderloin Ive ever had. Service was also excellent.

A place with great ambience to go for a birthday dinner. We sat on the patio, it was lovely. There are limited vegetarian options so be mindful about that. The service was wonderful, and everything was delicious. Would highly recommend! Vegetarian options: Limited,

Save your airfare to Rome - Eat here instead. This is the best Italian restaurant I ve ever experienced either here or in Italy. Fantastic food, ambience, service and value. Grazia Maria!

Great atmosphere, great food, professional service. Very nice wine menu. Awesome authentic Italian menu! Parking: Park right in front or in the pay across the street.

Absolutely delightful! Possibly the best Italian restaurant ths side of the Atlantic ocean. Truly makes you miss Europe from the moment you step through the door to hours or even days after leaving!

Great atmosphere and good food. Thanks Food

Good food, service was fast and exceptional! Sit at the rooftop with a heater, and a blanket provided. Its a bit pricey for an Italian food restaurant, but definitely not upscale.

It was a wonderful evening the staff was amazing and the food excellent it was hot and delicious

Was there for a birthday. The food was amazing and the service wonderful. A gurlph teeadure. We enjoyed the experience a lot. Definitely returning.

This is my favorite restaurant in Guelph! The food is amazing. If anything goes wrong, they always fix it and treat you with respect regardless of your age (I have experienced discriminatory actions from servers elsewhere based on my younger age). Top tier dinning in Guelph.

By far my favorite restaurant in Guelph. My boyfriend and I frequently dine here and have always felt very welcomed which is important to us being a younger couple (late 20s) as we have had poor experiences elsewhere. Along with exceptional service, the food is always excellent. Their pistachio cheesecake is to die for and when it isn t being served the tiramisu is also a phenomenal dessert!

I typically ignore reviews that complain about the price. We all want value from whatever choices we make, so if the total experience corresponds to the cost, then why complain. La Cucina is high end dining. The food is beautifully prepared and creative, and the menu is varied. There was four of us and the all our food arrived hot, and at the same time as everybody else at the table. None of this go ahead guilt while somebody is waiting.

Seriously, this is a GEM of Guelph. The food here is to die for. Tastes fresh, proportions are just right for upscale dining, and the service is stellar. Had the pleasure of being welcomed with no reservation, and the experience was amazing. My girlfriend and i were blown away with the quality and overall vibe of the place and would HIGHLY recommend if youre looking for a classy upscale date night

The food was so good, it tasted very fresh and homemade. We had the pasta al pomodoro and the ravioli burro e salvia. They both were very good, and would definitely recommend the ravioli. The restaurant is small but has a very cozy, warm atmosphere. The waiters were friendly as well. Overall definitely recommend!

It has been a while since have been able to return. Always enjoy. Great food and service. Thank you

The food and service were fabulous. Went back a few times and the food never failed to wow me. The stuffed calamari (if you like calamari of course) were delicious. The pasta marinara was cooked perfectly and dessert (chocolate cake my favourite) was super tasty. Service always great every time we went.

Just had a lovely takeout dinner for 4 with appetizers. Our original plan was to dine in but due to new covid measures and to resort to plan B. They did a great with the food, everything tasted great. Would recommend in a heartbeat

Best Italian food in Canada :) love the food and service!

The patio was very pleasant and the food was delicious. Staff was pleasant and efficient. We would certainly dine there again.

Great food and a pleasant atmosphere

This was one of my best experiences Ive had in two years. After a lovely patio tour of downtown Guelph, La Cucina was our dinner destination. We arrived 15 minutes early, (I apologize) yet they were unfazed, and had us seated within 5 minutes. After a longing stare at the beautiful dining area, we were seated on the heavenly roof-top patio. We were gifted an amazing server named Lex and she was so fun to talk with. Our night could not have been more perfect. Hats off to the kitchen, the food is so good. Started with the charcuterie board because its just wrong to miss that. My friend had the seafood pasta and let me try it. Amazing. I went full send and ordered the filet mignon and I may have teared up a bit. It was as tender as slicing through butter and cooked exactly rare. I regret not asking to thank the chef directly. I hope this review gets to the amazing people working there most of all. Thank you <3

Amazing food and service. Right from Bruno, Sergio, and the entire staff made us feel welcomed and appreciated.

We had our daughters baptism celebration on the rooftop at La Cucina. We cant speak highly enough of how happy we are with the food, service, and ambience here. Every single person LOVED their food, including the incredible antipasto. The service was absolutely top notch as well! This is the best restaurant in Guelph in my opinion and might be the best restaurant Ive been to in any country...it reminded me of being in a restaurant in Rome, but honestly even better.

so happy to be back again on the lovely roof top and it is still very good service and consistently good food! lamb chops are to die for! I love this place!

Went in with high expectations, left feeling disappointed. The menu is very limited. The appetizer selection is limited, the pasta selection is limited, and some of the most appealing mains were not available the night we went. The pasta is very expensive (~$30 per pasta) for the taste (lacks flavour, salt, heavily oiled [not sure why]) and the quantity. The tiramisu was terrible. Not sure how they can even call that tiramisu in an Italian restaurant. No salt on the table, had to ask for salt. No water on table either. Waitress didn t seem to care that our table had no drinks. The service was terrible for a fine dining establishment. The plates on our table had black dirt (dust?) and some kind of residue on them. The tables and chairs are not high end dining like others described here in these reviews. Overall, wouldn t go back. For a $400 dinner, it was very disappointing.

Absolutely incredible location. The food was very flavourful, the service was impeccable and the patio atmosphere is stunning!

Food and staff were amazing!

Amazing waitress; food was delicious. The house red was delightful. It was my sisters birthday and we lucked out on the half price bottle Tuesday deal. Would recommend to anyone who likes classy Italian dining!

The good food was really let down by our poor quality server. We went here for our 10th anniversary and while the food was good the server we had (a lady in her 50s, possibly the owner) just seemed too distracted and forgetful. We saw another server waiting on the other tables near by and he was just in a different league. He was attentive to his tables and always seemed to be moving. Our server forgot about our water, our bread, then our bread refill, then part of one of our orders. She just wasnt tuned in at all. Ultimately the food was nice but we wont be going back as I couldnt take the gamble on the service again.

Food was excellent

The Slow Roasted Boar & Pan Fried Duck Breast were delightful. But it was the Tartufo Limoncello dessert that made the evening complete.

Don t waste your time with this place. The customer service is awful. We supported La Cucina all throughout Covid ordering takeout. In the last few weeks suddenly they refuse to do takeout. We have attempted multiple times mid week with many hours notice and they turn us away with no remorse or thanks just state we are too busy. I m very disappointed.

love the pizza, my favourite is the Rustica!

Excellent food and atmosphere. The food has wonderful complex flavour, and the portion sizes arent too big. Highly recommended!

This is one of my favourite restaurants in Guelph! The photo is amazing I especially love the homemade pasta! Thanks La Cucina for making going out fun and delicious!

My favourite restaurant on planet earth. The food is impeccable, service outstanding, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Highly recommend!

Delicious food and excellent service.

Always a pleasure to have a meal at La Cucina. Delicious food made with high quality ingredients and excellent wines as compliments. A true gem.

Excellent food and great service!

Had the mignon it was the best I ever had. It was so soft and full of flavor. A bit pricy but so worth it.

Great ambiance...service and food

If you are in Guelph for any period of time and do not eat here, you are cheating yourself.

Authentic Italian fine dining.

Best food, Great ambiance, fair prices $$$$

The freshness and quality of ingredients were outstanding. The Burrata was creamy and rich and indulgent. The tavolozza di salumi was just right I took my time savoring every bite. Our waiter Michael reccomend some outstanding wine and had great energy. The atmosphere on the patio was relaxed and inviting.

Classy style of dealing

Amazing food and atmosphere. Our server was wonderful as well!

La Cucina has a wonderful atmosphere and great staff. It was a great to be out on the patio! We enjoyed our appetizers and drinks immensely and the dessert was also quite delicious. The three of us in our party all had the filet mignon, as it was the amazing $36 app and main deal. I ordered my steak to be done med-well, and found that it was not evenly cooked and fairly underdone. This was true of each of our parties steaks - we still ate them because it was a good cut of meat! (We did not feel the need to send back as parts where we started were cooked correctly, but the centers were underdone.) Overall, still great, and we will be back to try the pasta!!

Finally a place that feels like we just picked up where we left off.

Very small choice of food... The food was very bland, my wife and I will not be returning

This tucked away restaurant with Guelphs only rooftop patio is one of my favourites for Italian dishes. Great Menu and an incredible experience from the food to the service. When patios reopened in Guelph during the Covid-19 Pandemic, this patio took extra care to separate tables and make you feel safe, and at home.

Wowww!!! The best Italian restaurant I have ever been to. And trust me, I have been to too many. The Fettuccine was incredible. The Ravioli was immense. The stuffed calamari with sea bass and corn, out of this planet. Everything was super fresh. The Caprese salad felt like Sicily and heaven combined. The Tiramisu!!! The best I have ever had. Everything was super fresh. The Music was so beautiful and classy. The view of downtown Guelph!!! Did I mention the cocktails?? Old Fashioned!!! The Martinis!!! Well done La Cuicina. Super well done. Thank you for a great dinner. I am so impressed. Not often that I leave a review but here you are. I hope Covid ends soon and more customers come out and enjoy this amazing place.

Waiter did not ask us what we wanted to drink, did not introduce himself. We had to ask another waiter for water and cheese. I had the pasta with lobster and shrimp, I had one shrimp. Restaurant is very dusty. Didnt get asked if we wanted refills of drinks or nothing. Dessert was delicious. Appetizer could use two cheeses on the chicuterie board. Im not sure if we will return, but I think I would give it another go. Service needs to be better.

Sorry to say, this restaurant at which I had a wonderful meal 2 years ago, was a huge disappointment. This time I tried the pasta - their feature. It was a frutti di Mari in Marinara. Sadly the pasta was less than al dente - thick pasta dough, undercooked; served starchy and off-warm. The shrimp was chewy, the Sea bass was indistinguishable (probably not there at all) the calamari tasteless. Not that keen on mussels but preferred them to the pasta. I was hungry, I ate the seafood and about half the pasta. If I had been hosting (was a guest this evening) I d have sent my plate back to the kitchen and ordered something else. The wine list is very good for a small place - enjoyed a glass of Pecorino (White) and Barbera (red) with dinner. The service was friendly, but failed to get my meal to the table at its best. Not to be horrible, but even if it had, I couldn t have described it as good; certainly not worth recommending. Sorry, but in the past. you gave me reason to expect a higher standard.

Loved it

Burrata for appetizer....this is so delicious

Excellent restaurant! The food was phenomenal, the service excellent! They made a special occasion a little more special! Highly recommend!!!

Amazing food! Amazing service! Highly highly recommend!!

Not one bad thing to say about the place. Ive been to Italy and its like being back there. Love the place.

Bruno, and his beautiful wife, are the most wonderful restaurant owners. The place is absolutely stunning and the atmosphere is like a great European movie scene. The wait staff is exceptional. Completely. Their incredible Italian Chef (David), and his staff, bring true Italian cuisine to us here in Ontario. And it is absolutely World class. Dont deny yourself a chance to dine here before you die.

Very good food and service.

La Cucina is one of the top restaurants in the city. Its a go to for me for business clients or special occasions like birthdays. Top end Italian food, including seafood and steaks. I cant imagine anyone would go away feeling that they received less than fantastic food while having a meal there.

Amazing meal. Great service. A gem!

My boyfriend and I had a good time. This is a fine dining Italian restaurant so the food and beverages will be very expensive. You may end up paying $50 + for two people. I tried mussels for the first time and they were not bad (I m usually a picky eater). My pasta was delicious. We had a bottle of wine. The staff is very professional and kind.