Rucola

This review is long overdue, regarding our private event at Rucola.
My husband and I held our wedding at Rucola on a Friday afternoon in May 2015. From the time I contacted Rucola to inquire about using their space for our wedding, they were so incredible and gracious. After meeting the owner, Julian, and trying Rucola’s food, it was a no brainer for us.
We had 33 guests which fit perfectly in the space, full but not tight at all. We held our ceremony and reception inside Rucola; the décor and lighting is so beautiful, our photos turned out amazing.
The staff was so wonderful leading up to our event and the day of. The food was phenomenal, all of our guests enjoyed it. Overall we had the best day and we are so happy we picked Rucola for our wedding venue!

Amazing. Consistent. Our favorite local spot.

Very mixed feelings on this place. A friend and I met up with some college friends who live in Brooklyn and they took us here.
I ordered the shells. The pasta was delicious. Noodles were al dente and lots of flavor in the sauce. Perfect portion to not have leftovers. The downside was that this is pretty much the only thing that appealed to me on the menu. Not a ton of variety or choices.
The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. We sat inside but the patio looked great! Also, one of the best restaurant bathrooms I’ve ever seen! It smelled phenomenal (candles…nice touch!). I oddly wanted to just hang out in there.
The other major downside was our server. It was like everything we did was a massive inconvenience for her. Maybe she was having an off night… it happens. Also, my friend overheard her conversing about tables with the bartender and her comments were not very nice.
If I lived in the area, I might give it one more shot but I don’t see myself seeking it out on my next trip to the city.

Fresh, delicious and tasty. However, homemade bread for brunch is just a slice of crusty bread like you’d get from any italian restaurant… and breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg and cheese is really dry and boring — an egg in a dry bun with an almost undetectable amount of cheese. Blech.
Everything else though is delicious and interesting!

Really nice place for brunch. Cozy atmosphere. Delicious brunch.

Prices are really reasonable for the quality, portions, and location. But the food wasn’t especially impressive.
The rigatoncini ($ 16) and spaghetti ($ 17) were both good. We also shared the appetizer of three veggies ($ 14), crudo ($ 13), and lamb ($ 24). The flavors were ok, but nothing that really stood out.
My favorite part of our meal was the Panna cotta ($ 7). The texture was perfect.
Least favorite was the side of turnips ($ 7). Mostly tasteless and we pretty much left the whole dish untouched.
Overall, an ok neighborhood restaurant, but not worth making a special trip out.

Came in last night with a group at 11pm just for dessert and wasn’t disappointed. Awesome chocolate pudding and great pie!!! Can’t wait to come back for dinner. Super cute atmosphere. Great 90s hip hop jams. Friendly service. The place was still nearly packed at 11pm on a Saturday, which is always a good sign.

I read a recent eater article that explained how Unilocal reviews should be dismissed/​discounted based on their factoring-​in of the quality of service (or lack thereof). I’m not sure I agree with this, especially after my most recent dining experience at rucola. I review dining holistically — there are many factors I consider when I rate a place and I believe the service quality has to one of them. In this case, our server’s poor service completely detracted from what was otherwise a great meal. I won’t go into specifics, but I really hope this was an off night for him (although… we actually had the same server the first time we visited the restaurant and he was the same. this time was worse).
The food, however, is outstanding. From the bread and olive oil, to the pasta (spaghetti is better IMO between the 2 options), the endive salad, the trout, the standout being the beef shank. Absolutely delicious.
Super cute atmosphere, dimly lit and very rustic feeling. A bit tight on space (don’t expect space to spread out). Wait time can be long, but there are bars nearby.

This place is so overrated. On a recent trip for lunch, I tried to order a turkey sandwich– turkey being one of the ingredients most represented on the very limited lunch menu– and was told, without regret or apology, by the dismissive and rude server, that they were out of turkey. What followed was almost comically bad service, with it taking an hour to prepare a sandwich that consisted of one piece of meat and bread, and a shockingly inattentive– mostly absent– server. Also, it’s not cheap!
Dinner experiences have been better there but still don’t understand the lines/​wait/​hype surrounding this place.

Five stars for quality and deliciousness and atmosphere
We stopped in for brunch
There was a large selection of wines, cocktails, beers, and brunch drinks (try the Italian)
I like their minimalistic approach to food
Excellent quality, excellent pairings, and delicious
The atmosphere was rustic and peaceful, clean and calm
The crowd was calm as well. Not noisy.
Get there early as it gets crowded
I think maybe the seating arrangements were a little too close for comfort.
The smoked salmon was delicious
Pulled pork was great for spicy lovers
Avocado toast is a must try
The only down side was the menu is heavy with bread dishes (sandwiches).
They dont have too much variety in terms of meat dishes and sides
They serve one type of desert from four and twenty blackbirds bakery (which is oh so good).

My friend and I had the arugula salad to start, the whole roasted trout (fresh and light with lemon and parsley) and salmon entrees (my friend had this one, but I did have a bite of the wild mushrooms). We both enjoyed the food! Simple food, done well. There is something on the menu for everyone!
My take away, is that they’re a local restaurant that really succeeds with having great food, and great staff. I’ll definitely be back to try other items on the menu– especially one of their pastas! Ideally, getting a few things and sharing would be nice!

Love the food here. Went here twice. Had the cauliflower and eggplants for an appetizer and then moved on to the pastas. Everything was superbly delicious. Made the mistake to get the chocolate pudding and couldn’t finish it — it was so good, though! Next time I will share it, no way to finish it otherwise.
The service is reasonably nice and pretty fast. We sat at the bar once and at a table another time.
The only downside is the huge wait on some weekdays and of course the weekend. It’s a bit of a turn-​off having to wait 40 minutes for a free spot, but I guess that’s a good sign for the restaurant.
When in doubt, I’d give 4 ½ stars, but Unilocal only allows for full stars so you get my full vote, Rucola…

Very cozy ambiance with a decent brunch menu. Had the avocado toast with tomatoes and shared the French toast with my friend who ordered the salmon plate. All in all, a nice little brunch. The service was good too. Would love to go back!

Cute brunch place in great BH location.
It’s designed well with lots of natural light and two tables right beside the window.
I wish there were more places like this in BH as the wait is often too long to be reasonable for a relaxing brunch.

So. darn. good.
My boyfriend & I were a few blocks away (he was getting his haircut), and it was around 7pm, so I figured a Thursday night would be the perfect opportunity to get into Rucola without a long wait. I was right (we didn’t have to wait), but it’s not because the place wasn’t PACKED, it was definitely because we got very lucky and the timing worked out perfectly. I ordered a glass of their sangiovese and their cavatelli with wild mushrooms for my meal. The pasta was perfect! And the portion was huge, so I happily allowed my boyfriend to have as much as he wanted with his steak (which he also said was perfect).

An out of the way, kind of in the middle of nowhere restaurant that wins points for their full blast air conditioning and rustic décor more than for their food or service.
We had weekday breakfast here, which was filling but lackluster. The country breakfast, while a big plate, didn’t astound at all: the potatoes were flavorless, the toast was almost burnt, and the smoked pancetta was kind of weak.
All in all, an okay breakfast spot if you’re in the neighborhood but don’t go out of your way.

Cute, quaint, good food, strong hipster vibe. Not sure about adding all that spiciness in pastas, seems to take a bit away from its simplicity, but the service is great and place very adorable especially if you get a seat up front by the little window alcove.
One big plus is this place opens late.

Great place for brunch! Gorgeous décor with a really distinct rustic weathered-​wood theme going on – I would kill to have this place be my kitchen /​dining room.
I came here with a few friends for brunch on a Saturday — prices are reasonable, and servings are also fair for the price (especially sandwich plates). I had the smoked salmon platter with deliciously crispy potato pancakes and sour cream, which was good and filling, and also the (very creamy and rich!) yogurt topped with granola /​berries /​local honey. The coffee selections are a little bit on the pricey side. Overall, adorable farm-​themed place that I will be looking forward to visiting again for dinner or regular lunch!

Went for brunch, a really nice atmosphere and good value. I wouldn’t make a trip out there just for that but would definitely go back if in the area. Would like to try dinner.

WE LICKED OUR PASTA PLATE CLEAN. SERIOUSLY — PLATE IN FACE.
The fresh homemade pasta at Rucola is like no other. A total knock-​out. If you plan to go, just go to the gym that day and make sure you are aware that you will engorge your face with some of the best carbs in the area. Have a bowl… or two… or three?
The last time that we ventured to Rucola the following happened:
1) I ordered the Black Sea Bass (may have been a special),
2) Spouse ordered some unmemorable meat dish,
3) We ate our entrees and unmemorable appetizers and thought bleh — what’s the big deal about this place,
4) Table next to us was raving about some pasta dish,
5) We ordered the pasta dish,
6) After one bite each, our insides exploded with WTF — HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE??? The pasta was so simple, few ingredients, but exploded. A Shaman must have done some magic and infused the pasta with the unimaginable.
I would give 5 stars if the other food was outstanding. It wasn’t. But the pasta??? The pasta is amazeballs.