CUCINA enoteca Newport Beach

This was my first time here at this location. The restaurant is so beautiful, just like the one at Irvine Spectrum.

We ordered the pappardelle ($24) and bucatini ($21). I've had the pappardelle a couple of times before and have always loved it. It's hearty and delicious, and they don't skimp on the short rib. The bucatini was a first. It was a tad salty but so good! I would definitely get it again. My toddler enjoyed his cheese and tomato pizza ($9).

I always love the food here. I think it's pricey, but you can taste the quality of the ingredients.

Cucina enoteca is a favorite among Fashion Island's milieu of fun dining options. The airy space mixes rustic wood and industrial elements, accented by colorful florals. It's feels like a special meal because of the seasonally driven menu, celebratory atmosphere, and great service, but prices are reasonable - it will add up if you're having wine and shared plates but these rarely disappoint. My last visit we got:
- House Chardonnay and the rose: good pour
- Ivan's Brussels sprouts: texturally these are everything restaurant brussel sprouts should be - super crispy orbs of salty fatty delisciousness. I will say these can be a tad greasy depending on who's making them. Comes with a unique spicy but not too spicy hot sauce on the side
- the squash blossoms: these things are legendary. Tender blossoms filled with a zesty creamy ricotta filling then fried to get their delicate batter perfectly crisp - drizzled with an herby oil. Very memorable, and the only bad part is only 3 per order (could honestly eat 10)
- the meatballs: flavorful juicy and great sauce - polenta's a little to thick but let's be honest it's that's not why you're ordering this one
- the pepperoni pizza: delish. crust is EXCELLENT, thin, super crispy not too charred (and not too much crust either - that's a personal pet peeve). Sauce was just spicy enough. Got a nice cheese pull without the level of cheese being overbearing. The combo of the hot honey and the burrata really complements the spicy meatiness of the pepperoni too

Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun modern californitalian meal!

This place is the real deal. INCREDIBLE food. We have been the the one in the spectrum before but found out that there was one closer to my house. This location especially has amazing food.

The pasta was to die for. The food overall is just so flavorful and perfect with every single bite. The focaccia...perfect. I have absolutely no complaints about the food and am so excited to try more on the menu.

Our waitress was lovely and very attentive. I loved the back patio as it was so beautiful and had such a nice vibe to it. I will be coming here again for sure. Def the place to go if you are looking for good Italian food in the area!

I love Cucina enoteca! Their food is amazing and always tastes great! They have a wonderful wine selection to choose from and the ambiance is great for date nights or large groups!

They also have a pretty good happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6. Pizza is one of the choices on the menu, yum!

Service is friendly and attentive. The food is great. If I had to influence you to get anything from the menu, order the polenta board appetizer!!! It is divine. 12/10

I've also ordered a meat pasta one time too and remember it was really savory and flavorful. And their drinks are great, they have a really good cucumber martini!

Overall amazing place, but I do recommend making reservations!

The food at Cucina Enoteca is quite good. No one in my party of 5 was left disappointed with their meals. We've had multiple dishes at the other location in Irvine Spectrum but this was our first time at the location in Newport. I'd describe the ambiance as casual chic, a nice place for dinner with friends, perhaps not the kind of place for little kids.

The service was friendly. The only thing that could have been improved was that we were seated in what appeared to be the adjunct section on the left of the restaurant, which was dark and moody in atmosphere. There were really no other parties in our area of the restaurant it may have been nice to be seated elsewhere.

I got there for my birthday lunch w my hubby.
It is beautiful inside the lighting, all table settings are cozy, even chic.
When I got the menu, I got dissapointed about the appetizer choices. I wanted calamari fries but they didn't have it.
Not much selections of pasta either.

I chose zucchini blossom stuffed cheese Tempura as our appetizer and I got shocked. Only 3 blossoms in the plate. What???? Not even 4 pieces???? Are you kidding me for $15.50???
I think something wrong here about the portion.
It was good taste but not really great dishes for me. I grow my own zucchinis in the summer in my backyard and that tiny zucchini portions....hard to understand. Not too hard to grow the zucchini blossoms. Only 3 pieces are crazy.

I got mushroom truffle oil pizza and my hubby got the rigatoni bolonaise w meat balls. The pizza was ok. Baked too much so the pizza dough was too crispy. Just mushroom toppings, nothing special for me. that is it!!

For the rigatoni bolonaise w meatballs, haha.....only 3 small meatballs w small mini size rigatoni pasta in the plate. I've never seen such small size rigatonis....might be mini size version??? No idea...
The meatballs tasted good but not the rigatoni pasta. No flavors!!!

I asked the server today is my birthday. And she gave us a small vanilla mousse w one tiny candle.
Another disappointing!!! No presentation either for the birthday girl. Ummmm....

Overall, the price is way high and the portion is quute small. I think it is not worthy spending over $100 plus tax for 2 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees before tip.

I don't know why the reviews on Yelp were 4 stars. Hard to believe it.

Pros
Ambiance: 4 stars

Cons
Price, portion: 2 stars
Service: 3 stars, not really excellent, not really attentive, no energy looks like.

I am an Italian but sometimes I don't understand the small portion of pasta especially at the fancy restaurant.
This restaurant is one of small portion restaraurants.
We expected a lot for my wife's big birthday on Sunday. She chose little close restaurant near our hotel.

For my First impression, not too bad!
The interior and lighting are beautiful.
But the menu, very limited to choose my faves.

My wife got the zucchini blossom tempura w stuffed cheese, mushroom pizza. I got rigatoni bolonaise w additional meatballs.

We toasted to celebrate the birthday w red wine, white wine before starting the appetizer.
My wife got little upset at the zucchini tempura portion. Only tiny 3 pieces!

For the pizza, she didn't like too crispy pizza dough. I was surprised about my rigatoni bolonaise.
It has only 3 small meatballs, tiny rigatoni pasta. Wow!!!
I was not happy either.

The server was not really attentive during our lunch and gave us the free small vanilla mousse for my wife. Then she left.

Overall, we paid expensive for the foods and service but it turned out not worthy for the special day.
Pros
Ambiance & Location: 4 stars
Right next to Nordstrom's, right across from our hotel "VEA Marriott"

Cons
Portion: not enough
Price: high
Quality: 3 stars
Service: not attentive, 3 stars

Being fromPhiladelphia I set the bar fight fairly high when it comes to Italian food. They did a good job- not great- but very good rendition of a variety of pasta dishes. Decent portions as well. Pricing reflects Newport Beach location.

Came here for dinner on a Monday, service was good and the food was as well. The braised short rib mafaldine was great! Only reason I am giving 3 stars instead of 5 is because we asked for all of our food to come out at once, but they brought the appetizer our first which was supposed to go with our mains and ended up being cold by the time the mains came. I was also really looking forward to ordering the giant meatball, but instead of one giant meatball they changed it to 3 small meatballs. Yet another victim of "shrinkflation" because the size of the meatballs together was definitely less than you would've gotten with the giant meatball.

Had the pleasure of Brigitte being our bartender she was super nice and helpful. We got a few drinks and a pizza . Only stopped in a for a quick bite but definitely will go back for a full dinner.make sure you stop by the bar ask for Brigitte

Excellent Food. The Pizza and the Pasta here are both really good. High quality scratch made food. Meatball appetizer is also top notch.

Has a nice interior design, comfortable seating.

Service is very good. It's not super fast, but that's probably not what you're looking for here.