Leonardo's Cucina Italiana - SOLVANG

I wanted to wait a day before writing this review, because my experience at this restaurant was not only about the food, which I would rate as a solid 7 out of... read more I wanted to wait a day before writing this review, because my experience at this restaurant was not only about the food, which I would rate as a solid 7 out of 10. The staff, particularly the older members, were excellent.

Wow, we had an amazing dinner here! Although Saturday night was busy, we found comfortable seats at the bar at 7 p.m. The staff took great care of us, and the b... read more Wow, we had an amazing dinner here! Although Saturday night was busy, we found comfortable seats at the bar at 7 p.m. The staff took great care of us, and the bar was excellent. The cocktails were delicious, making it tough to decide on our meal since everything on the menu sounded fantastic. We were very pleased with our experience and will definitely return!

If you are in the mood for Italian while visiting the Solvang area - that would be a great place to dine. You have a great wine card and many dinners. Our appet... read more If you are in the mood for Italian while visiting the Solvang area - that would be a great place to dine. You have a great wine card and many dinners. Our appetizer cup salad and beet salad were delicious. Our dinner lobster pasta, orecchiette pasta with sausage, and pasta with Bolognese were tasteful with a beautiful presentation.

Now, onto the service: our server, Arturo, along with all the staff who filled our water, cleared our table, and delivered our food, were incredibly friendly an... read more Now, onto the service: our server, Arturo, along with all the staff who filled our water, cleared our table, and delivered our food, were incredibly friendly and attentive. The service alone deserves more than five stars! Now let's talk about the food. The spaghetti with meatballs was perfectly cooked, accompanied by a delicious marinara sauce and four generous meatballs—it was divine. The crispy calamari? I had asked for it to be very crispy, and it exceeded my expectations—it was cooked perfectly! The Caesar salad was hands down one of the best I’ve ever had, especially with the homemade croutons that were outstanding. Then came the star of the show: the cioppino. It arrived in a massive bowl—seriously, it was huge! The seafood was incredibly fresh and cooked to perfection. The broth was out of this world, and I loved how it stayed hot until I finished the dish. I suspect the bowl they use is specially designed to retain heat for a long time! Finally, for dessert, we indulged in panna cotta. It was fantastic—the sauce was delicious, and the custard had just the right sweetness with a perfect texture. Italian food in Solvang? Yes! We will absolutely be back!

Delicious Italian food. My husband and I had the shrimp and scallop risotto. It was perfect in every way. The calamari appetizer was delicious as well. The serv... read more Delicious Italian food. My husband and I had the shrimp and scallop risotto. It was perfect in every way. The calamari appetizer was delicious as well. The service was excellent. Highly recommend!