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Located in a beautiful part of Baltimore that looks more like Europe than the United States, Sotto Soppra is my favorite Italian restaurant in Maryland.
The pastas are so amazing, the wine selection great the interior is beautiful and the service top-notch. As other have said this is not casual, but it's not business jacket dinner either.
I highly recommend this restaurant. Try a pre-dinner cocktail at Red Maple just up the street for a really nice dinner date.
Executive Chef Bill Crouse is young and thin, but don't be fooled- he knows what he is doing! He's been cooking all his life and it shows in each wonderfully mastered dish served at Sotto. This restaurant has been a landmark of Mt. Vernon for many years and Bill has brought the food and atmosphere of this place to a whole new level.
Servers are also attentive (most of you will note that I am fast to talk trash about poor service) and for the ladies: pretty darn cute.
With delicious concoctions like:
Veal Agnolotti
Ricotta Gnocchi
Fettuccini Bolognese
Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli
Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese
Crème Brûlé
Warm Apple Strudel with vanilla gelato
You can't go wrong! This is another long standing location that continues to please. Also a very romantic location that won't break your wallet (only crack it a little).
Check out their website for a variety of events and specials including:
1. Opera night - dates vary so check with the website
2. Cooking classes run by Bill himself. I have taken a cooking class with Bill and not only is it extremely hands on cooking, but it is fun and you get to taste some of your inventions when it is all over (and drink some wine in the process!)
3. Monday- 1/2 of bottles of wine
4. Tuesday- Traditional Italian Dinner night
5. Wednesday- Chefs Tasting Menu
6. Wine tastings- you need to click on their "blog" link to get to the dates.
Honestly the Blog offers more insight than the official website so check it out for all of the cool events going on at Sotto- there's always something happening!
People thought this was:
Our waiter was definitely one of the friendliest waiters I've ever had. He took the time to explain every dish to my girlfriend and me, and at no time, despite the completely packed restaurant, did we have to wait to get his attention if we needed anything.
I came here twice: once during restaurant week and another time in the spring. I do not recommend coming here for restaurant week, as their selections are weak (generally it's never a good idea to go to a pricier restaurant for restaurant week). Otherwise, the dishes we ordered were tasty and the restaurant was the perfect place to eat before a concert at the Meyerhoff.
Overrated and overpriced.
$50 for a mediocre meal is definitely not worth it especially with much better restaurants nearby.
I've only been there once, so my review might not be accurate. But I will say what I know about this place.
I went during their $1 martini happy hour specials, which is great! I don't know if they exist anymore. The bartender was friendly and made really nice drinks (caramel apple martini, yummy!). Too bad the hours are very limited (4 to 6:30 PM).
I had very little food (and it was bar food) there, but I don't remember it being bad.
The ambiance there was a little weird as there were not too many people there (maybe because it was on a weeknight).
My girlfriend and I stumbled upon it while searching for a nice place for dinner in Baltimore (not an easy task, forgive me Baltimoreans). We hesitated at first due to a slightly stuffy vibe but decided to give it a go. Scallops (see picture) were delicate and delicious, as were couple other appetizers and a main course. Crème brûlée was average. Service was not fast but good and our waiter was helpful in presenting various meal options. One interesting detail is that their bread dipping olive oil had powdered parmesan added to it which, along with balsamic and freshly ground black pepper, was a novel and tasty treat.
This is a great restaurant. Very upscale, gourmet. Which means you need to ask questions. No restaurant is good at everything on their menu. Do some digging with your server. I have had some awesome risotto at this location. I like the atmosphere and service in this establishment.
I had been to Sotto Sopra once before upon a visit to Baltimore and had a very good experience, so when I moved here in August I was excited to try it again. However, my (solo) dining experience last night was below par in comparison to my previous visit.
Setting the tone for the evening was an experience I had with the owner, Riccardo, who was acting as host for part of the evening. I was seated at a table for two, which unfortunately was in the path of a very cold (October) draft if the interior door was left wide open. As this occurred at least three times within the first 20 minutes of being seated, I finally gave up on anyone appearing to please ask that the door be closed and got up to close it myself gently. I was immediately berated by Riccardo and told that I would "break the door" and to let him do it. I would have done so gladly, if he (or any of the other wait staff were around). It was a busy dinner service, and as a solo diner, I received little attention.
I asked my server what role he had in the restaurant and was told he was the owner, and that he could be "moody," and "cranky," and its hard to tell what kind of mood he is in. Well here's a bright idea...if you have a moody owner don't let him handle front of the house operations. Keep him as far away from paying clientele as you can, for that matter.
As far as the meal is concerned, the service was slow: 20 minutes for appetizer and an additional 30 minutes for entree delivery. I started with the cauliflower soup w/ goat cheese crostini, which was the highlight of the evening. A dish I had thoroughly enjoyed upon my last visit, the Straccetti di Pasta Fresca ai Funghi (handmade pasta with wild mushrooms in a veal stock) left me wanting this time around. The pasta was tasty, but the stock was less flavorful than I would have liked and the mushrooms were just plain rubbery.
I would have gladly given feedback to the manager (who was also the owner in this case), however given my previous encounter with him, I decided I didn't want to go down that road. My server was empathetic with my disappointment regarding the entree, but nothing was offered in replacement.
I know Sotta Sopra is capable of more than this, and perhaps I will try it again sometime later. However, I can't help but think that I received the poor service and extended wait that I did due to the fact that I was dining alone and easily ignored. Large parties and couples received prompt service around me. Also, I would definitely call ahead to make sure that if Riccardo was around, he was in a good mood that night.
People thought this was:
Simply put: Always reliable, always delicious.
Italian tends not to be my favorite for going-out cuisines (I figure I can make decent pasta myself), but Sotto Sopra goes well beyond my meager skills, and well beyond just pasta.
Although the pasta is yummy! Duck stuffed ravioli with butter and sage? Yes, please!
Lovely interior and fine service.
Mondays: Half-price bottles of wine (all wines)
People thought this was:
Not your typical Italian restaurant, so don't expect to find linguine, fettuccine, or anything you're used to seeing at an Italian restaurant.
That said, this is a great place for a date or business dinner, and would be at the top of my Baltimore list for those types of occasions. If you're looking for a social dinner with a group of friends or anything even remotely casual, I would look elsewhere, as Sotto Sopra would be way over the top.
Though their menu is quite limited, what they do have will blow you away. The bronzini, in particular, is out of this world. The Gnocchi di Ricotta is also excellent, but you shouldn't come to Sotto Sopra only to have gnocchi. When it comes to food, though, the single most important piece of advice I could offer would be to save room for dessert. The desserts are my absolute favorite in Baltimore... possibly anywhere. Crepes with nutella, apple pie with ice cream, chocolate up the wazoo... there is a delectable dessert here for EVERYONE.
The atmosphere is also very nice, and I've always found the service to be courteous and attentive. The location, in the heart of Mount Vernon near the Basilica, only adds to the ambience of a visit to Sotto Sopra. There is just something extra classy about pulling up to the valet parking, stepping out onto Charles Street with the monument and Basilica in full view, and walking into the serene, romantic atmosphere of the restaurant.
I highly recommend Sotto Sopra for a special occasion (or if it's on your company's dime, I'd recommend it any time).
I haven't been back to Charm City in a while, but here I was, looking for a comfortable, casual place to get a good meal, and I didn't want the Harbor with all its corporate and tourist crap.
Sotto Sopra delivered.
It was a Wednesday night, and the place was about half full. The hostess, Monica, is also a part owner of the place, and she made me feel right at home, seating me at the bar, introducing herself, and chatting about Italian restaurants in San Francisco. (Perbacco, congrats - you're known on both coasts). The bartender, Mark, was knowledgeable about the menu, and gracious with his drink pours. And the space was classy and refined and understated, with high ceilings and an upscale neighborhood feel.
On to the food. The prosciutto and melon was nice - I was surprised to see watermelon instead of canteloupe, but it was good prosciutto. On both Monica and Mark's advice, I had a half pasta course and an entree, and whil the portions were right that way, I sorely missed not having more of the house papardelle - proof positive that a simple pasta in red sauce, if the ingredients are done right, is one of the greatest things in life. My entree was 6 lamb chops in panko and mustard on a bed of gorgonzola polenta, and it rocked. I personally could have done without the mustard, but then, I typically hate mustard (and celery, but that's anothe story for another day). And the vanilla creme brulee for dessert was tasty.
How much for all this largesse, you ask? Throw in four drinks (hey, I was alone and I wasn't driving, STFU) and you come to a grand total of $84 for all of the above (and free ESPN News on mute). Sure, I could have gotten out a lot cheaper had I wanted to, but God knows I've spent a lot more for a lot less all over the place. This place will be a regular stop for me in Baltimore, no question.
Yelpers hooked me up once again. Great place, terrific food. Went with a large party, based solely on the fact that you Yelpers liked it. Let me tell you, the stakes were high; I had coworkers and my boss with me.
We had excellent starters - carpaccio, calamari and Pizza Sotto Sopra, a white pie with arugula, prosciutto, truffle oil and mozzarella. Our waiter guided us on selections and they were excellent, as was his portion advice.
Our waiter also gave us great, accessible guidance and feedback on wine choices. I don't know what it is about all these descriptions of wines having notes of leather and cherry and chocolate, etcetera, but I don't get that; our waiter gave us solid, understandable descriptions of wines based on their dryness, their "bite" and suggestions on types of flavors they'd go with. He knew about grapes and geography but didn't intimidate and seemed genuinely happy to spend time with us on the topic. I wish I could remember his name; I'd love to give him credit here. Next time, I'll bring a notebook!
Dinners were all well-received. I had a Rock Bass special that was beautifully prepared. Others had Osso Bucco and pastas that they all enjoyed very much. Pastas are house-made.
I don't remember what others had for dessert: I was deeply into my Pistachio-Chocolate Creme Brulee. Very tasty.
Sotto Sopra offered us a wonderful meal, great service and a very nice setting. It's convenient to the Inner Harbor and convention land, where we were, but felt wonderfully removed and not at all touristy. Well worth a visit.
I've been hearing great things about Sotto Sopra since I moved to Baltimore--and finally found an opportunity to try it. I have to say, my experience there was really disappointing.
I walked in a little past noon, and was surprised that there was practically no one at the restaurant yet. We were not even greeted by the maiter'd--in fact, he wasn't even present when we first walked into the restaurant. He breezed in a minute or two after my boyfriend and I had arrived, and were simply told "follow me"...as he was leaving after showing us the table, he turned around and asked us rather unceremoniously, "do you have a reservation"--which I did, but honestly, did it matter, seeing that there were only two other tables that were taken?
Our server was friendly, if a little...invasive of boundaries when we first arrived (think Artie in season 6 of the Sopranos). He only filled our water glasses once, at the very beginning--the glasses sat empty for a good half of the meal.
My boyfriend ordered rigatoni in tomato basil sauce--which tasted a bit like a microwave meal that you could find in any grocery store, that needs another 30 seconds or so. the mozzarella on the dish was cold, and the whole dish was only lukewarm.
My dish was the zucchini penne, which was bland and altogether underwhelming. again, my dish was lukewarm, and had a sheet of cheese on top that had been melted, and then solidified again by the time it reached the table--creating a tough sort of cap to the whole pasta. very unappetizing.
We also got a chocolate pistachio creme brulee--which had a bit too much chocolate for my taste, because it overwhelmed the pistachio. this, however, was probably the best part of the meal...and it was nothing special.
as a random comment, I really believe a place like this deserves a nice menu--we were given these "gazettes" printed on colored paper, that looked unprofessional, especially in a place that was decorated and had a bit of a "classy" feel to it. This was not a big problem, but struck me as a bit strange.
overall, a very disappointing experience, after all the recommendations that I've been hearing over the last year.
I agree that this is a far better place than anything still operating in Little Italy (sad to say). While not every single dish I've had here has been stellar, I've generally enjoyed most of them quite a lot (e.g., the kitchen seems to have a high batting average), and the banana-nutella crepe dessert helped me discover a new enthusiasm for warm banana as a flavor!
People thought this was:
Love this place! Skip Little Italy and head here for some of the best Italian in Baltimore. The Vitello Tonnato appetizer is exquisite (mouth starting to water), the Panzanella is just like being in a cafe in Italy, and the Carpaccio is perfect! Had an exceptional pappardelle and porcini pasta dish here once with huge slices of porcini that still makes me drool - so rich in a wonderful cream sauce (it was a nightly special, I don't think it's on the regular menu). The ravioli are delicious as well. The Branzino entree is also a winner.
In reality, I have never had a bad bite here. And that includes one night we went here for a work dinner where our table consisted of 22 people - they still did a nice job of coordinating everything and making us feel special.
Deborah, the manager, often works the hostess desk on weeknights and it is like coming home to see her smile - she even introduced us to her little boy once bringing him out to sit with us a bit. I know it is trite to say, but it really does feel like a great family-run Italian cafe where you have to stop in regularly just to say hello while enjoying superb food.
Sotto Sopra - don't ever leave us!!!!
Truly wonderful contemporary Italian cuisine in a stylish, sleek setting of a historic townhome in the Baltimore cultural districts - a short walk from the Harbor.
There is always something going on, now the Aperitivo Hour at the bar with discounted Italian beers and cocktails, small plates and $10 pastas. I've been three times for the chef''s $30 tasting menu and it is an excellent value.
Situated in the Charles Street corridor, SS is located in a gorgeous and elegantly restored downtown location - my only complaint is that it's a bit crowded for an intimate setting. If you arrive early (6-ish), you can probably beat the dinner crowd as it really starts to get going after 7-7:30p.
The food was excellent, what you'd expect, very upscale italian, but with an interesting twist. The gorgonzola infused gnocchi was an interesting and delicious twist off the potato dumplings. As another reviewer had commented, don't expect to eat a ton, but every bite will be delicious.
Excellent! Thanks Yelpers for sending me to a terrific restaurant. I was stressed out and needed some pasta and some wine. This place hit the spot.
The soup was an authentic minestrone, perfectly seasoned. They recommend ordering 3 courses, plus dessert. I opted for a soup, a pasta (spinach stuffed ravioli), and dessert.
Service was great. About my only complaint was that it was freezing every time the door opened, but what are you gonna do?
Highly recommended.
Very good. Sotto Sopra is one of my favorite resturants in the city. The food is flawess and the service is very good and friendly.They make all their pasta from scratch so it is fresh as it can get. Cocktails are a little pricey but that is what you expect when you go to a fancy resturant. They have the best desserts I have ever tasted. The place is flawess....
People thought this was:
A delightlful and intimate Italian influenced restaurant which serves nice novel dishes. It could certainly be a date restaurant. I would definitely suggest the roasted Romaine and the Veal medallions. They were simply fantastic! The prices were a little on the expensive side.
People thought this was:
Sotto Sopra offers excellent italian food outside of Little Italy. Fancy, but not overly expensive, with delicious far more casual lunches.
People thought this was:
Good food, great price, you can either have a romantic dinner or a nice group outing, they have a nice wine list and i like how the bar is situated at the back.
I have been here at least 10 times over the past couple of years and always have a good experience. The menu doesnt change much expect the daily specials but all the dishes are very fresh and creative ie not your typical Veal Pram or Rosittio. Definatly worth a trip if in the mood for good non traditional Italian food. I recommend going a little later in the evening after the rush dies down.
i agree with eric p. their pasta was pretty darn good. the lunch menu offer small size at a discounted price compared to dinner price. elegant decor. check out their web i think they offer opera dinner at the restraurant. go check em out.
People thought this was:
i was not impressed- sotto sopra has a respectable reputation, so i was disappointed with my dinner there. in their defense, i went on valentine's day, so the place was packed- i felt like couples were sitting on top of each other (i know most restaurants are similarly crowded for valentines dinner, but this was ridiculous). moreover, i felt the food was overpriced for what you got. i am hesitant to try them again.
Baltimore, MD
Category: Italian
Baltimore, MD
Category: Italian
Baltimore, MD
Category: Italian
Baltimore, MD
Category: American (New)
Baltimore, MD
Category: Italian
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