Spuntino

Thanks to friends who invited us here for dinner — a great experience all around. We were greeted by one of the owners (his wife is the chef). Our server knew the details of the new seasonal menu & we all enjoyed our dishes. The best gelato was the cookies & cream!
As noted by others, it was spendy, but a special place to go for a special occasion.

From the moment we walked in, the rich aroma told me I was in for a special meal. After enjoying a antipasto of tuscan salami, roquefort cheese and other delicious bites, I enjoyed the polpo — octopus, chorizo, chilis, and more. Delicious homemade gelato and fresh coffee followed. Our server Anna was an expert of the menu, and oh so friendly. Run, don’t walk to Spuntino.

Spuntino is a wonderful restaurant. The cuisine is authentic, but with fresh and inventive touches. A good example is the arancini — filled with Talleggio and hatch chiles. The homemade pastas are all wonderful, making it very difficult to choose. And the «secondi» options, while not numerous, are delicious. The flattened pan roasted chicken is fabulous, particularly when placed on top of a fantastic pane cotto. If the food was all there was, I would be a regular. But wait… there’s more! Elliot has a superb Italian wine program. If you’re an old world wine person, you need to be here. The list is ably curated with many unusual selections at a variety of price points. For example, I can’t think of many restaurants anywhere outside Italy with more than one Etna Rosso. Elliot has two. Make sure you ask for the «off-​list» for some unique options you just won’t find anywhere else.

My favorite restaurant in Denver! Despite the many options for wonderful dining in the Lohi/​Highlands area, Spuntino is above and beyond!
The service is great and the food is incredible, always innovative with seasonal dishes and the ambience is just wonderful.
Great date night spot and place to take out of town visitors.

Quaint restaurant, good food. Friendly staff.
The Happy Hour is well worth it. I went for dinner and loved it.

Will write more later, but wonderful meal.
Much later — all four family members had a wonderful meal, lots of wine, excellent Italian food. As someone used to DC and East Coast prices, I didn’t think it was «pricey» but maybe it is for Denver.

I have been waiting for quite some time to check this place out and finally decided to go ahead and go with a girlfriend for dinner the other week. So glad I did and honestly wish I had gone sooner. The only drawback and reason for me not giving 5 stars was the fact that it took over an hour to get our food. I had just gotten done with crossfit and I was sitting across the table from my 9mo pregnant friend. Definitely not a combo you want to see hangry! When the food finally arrived we were ready to devour on site. I can’t speak for her dish as I didn’t try any since I’m not a fish fan, but my risotto was superb. Hands down probably the best I’ve ever had. The chef was nice enough to add some extra protein in my dish by throwing in some prosciutto with the raw egg, mushrooms and cream sauce. It was to die for. I’m salivating now just thinking about it. There was absolutely nothing to criticize about this dish. Can’t wait to go back and try more. Hopefully the wait won’t be as long next time.

This place is pricey for Denver, so be prepared. The food is really great. I don’t think it’s farm to table, but it has that same feel to it.
They have items that I believe are on the menu all the time, but they have a ‘daily’ menu that they prepare for you.
Food was excellent, and I tried tastes of my companions as well. It’s a place that has a nice environment, older building, close to Lo-​Hi, but I think it is on the outskirts of it. Parking is provided right outside and we did get a spot. I’m not sure if everyone does get one.
We couldn’t get the wine we wanted, and the owner actually came out for a visit to make some recommendations. He was very nice and checked up on us again later. I love that small place feel even though there were plenty of other tables there.
I will most certainly go back to this place, it was excellent.

Started with the cheeseboard and some prosciutto. It was a little pricey to me ($ 28), but totally worth it. Their Roquefort blue cheese was some of the best I’ve tasted.
The hubs and I both had tasty cocktails; I had a Professor Negroni– a great spin on a classic Negroni and The Gardener’s Collins– a refreshing mojito-​like drink.
The restaurant was featuring their fall menu and there were several things that sounded great. We both decided on pasta for dinner. I had the Bigoli, which had a tomato based sauce, red pepper, a little spice, and tender sausage. He had the gnocchi with Brussels sprouts, which was also very tasty with really flavorful pesto.
We will most definitely go back!

Named one of the best Italian restaurants in Denver, I knew I had to check it out.
You can make reservations so that’s a plus and there was actually plenty of parking on a weeknight when we came.
While we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive we sat at the bar, where we found out the bartender and chef are owners of the restaurant. Makes me think of all those locally owned restaurants in hidden corners of Italy.
So the food was delicious. We ordered two of the flatbreads and the mushroom one melted in our mouths. Their pasta is fresh and housemade and their flavored did not disappoint.
My only warning is: it’s a small place and the kitchen is literally like 10 feet of space next to the bar. Since there is one chef and another sous chef helping it takes awhile to get your meal/​appetizer. The service is great but if you have a sitter or a time limit, this may not be the place for you.
Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant and cheap now but for their price, the portion size is tiny. For a serving of their pasta (12 – 15 $) you get like a cup or two of food.
To summarize: delicious food but not worth the time or money you have to invest.

So, I chose this place based on the reviews and it turned out to be a fantastic recommendation! The server was attentive and the food and the wine/​cocktails came out really quick (which was something I was worried about since some of the reviews said it was slower service-​it was not at all. We did go on a Tuesday night at 7:30).
I had a delicious tagliatelle and my fiancé had a squid ink pasta with clams dish. We both agreed it was the best pasta we’ve had in Denver.
Also, his cocktail with bourbon, bitters and ginger beer was phenomenal.
The gelato though — you must try some. Yum! Overall, I would absolutely come here again and can’t wait to do so.
Lastly, the atmosphere was great for a date spot.

Homemade cheeses, pastas, gelatos and cocktails! What more could you want?!
I went here with my parents and with some friends a little over a month later. They had different menus each time and the offerings were so decadent each time! My father works in Italy and he will tell you that this is some of the best Italian food he has had outside of Italy!
They have an extensive wine list, but their wine prices are a bit spendy. Regardless I would go here again in a heartbeat!

This small and intimate place is awesome and offers great food, service and a relaxed vibe! We arrived for lunch and ordered the Porchetta Panini (Slow-​roasted organic Berkshire pork, fontina, spicy aioli, and pickled onions on brioche). I opted for the ½ sandwich with soup or salad for $ 10. Just got to say that this panini was off the charts tasty and well worth the price.
The food is exceptional fresh and all options are made in house. I would also recommend the Agnello Panini $ 11 (Spiced lamb sausage, sesame-​whipped ricotta, and picked herbs on ciabattini) and certainly don’t forget to order some housemate Gelato $ 4/​$ 6. We had the Oreo Cookie gelato and yes… it was also melt in your mouth awesomeness.
Side notes:
–Spuntino’s has a charming bar for cocktails and dining.
–Small patio with a few tables for two person parties.
–Free parking on the east side of the building.
–The restrooms are located downstairs and I did not see an elevator so maybe keep this in mind if someone in your party is handicapped.

I loved Spuntino! Someone from work had recommended this place and I’m so glad I listened to their recommendation!
We were able to book a same day reservation for 7:15pm on a Friday. While the place wasn’t full when we arrived, it definitely filled up pretty quickly after our arrival with a good number of walk-​ins. I did hear the host say they had a little bit of a wait around 7:30 — 7:45, so maybe reservations are a good idea.
As for the ambiance, food, drinks — I loved everything. It’s definitely your slower Italian style service, so just be prepared to lazily make your way through dinner. This isn’t the place to try to get in and out for a quick bite. Take your time and enjoy your company!
I had the carbonara pasta and the hubby had a pasta special — both of which were excellent. We also started with a Brussels sprout bruschetta and some porchetta, and gobbled up every last morsel.
Pro tip — they only have reservations via Unilocal

My girlfriend and I just ate here for the first time during Restaurant Week. We were very happy with our whole meal. Their pancetta bruschetta was delish… maybe my favorite item of the meal. They said they sell it on a sandwich at lunch… I’ll have to come back for that.
The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente.
The homemade gelato was amazing… the strawberry panna cotta gelato might be the best ice cream I’ve ever had. We took home a pint to go.
Bottom line, delicious food, good service, and an overall pleasant experience

This place was a roller coaster of different emotions! I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while & unfortunately didn’t have the foresight to make reservations ahead of time on the weekend that I went. They take online reservations so make sure to check that out before coming because the joint’s small & popular. The restaurant was accommodating to my party of 4 as they allowed us to dine at the corner of the bar area. The bartender that served us was super cool, informative, friendly & attentive. He took his time in explaining his craft (bartending & making sodas) & also gave us suggestions on appetizers we could share. We ordered the Confit Brussels sprouts bruschetta, Virginia ham, chimichurri for $ 6 as well as the Funghi, Hunt & Gather mushrooms, Caciocavallo fonduta, pickled onions, house made foccacia for $!0 from the appetizer menu. The bruschetta comes in a quantity of 2 while the foccacia portion size is bigger & probably enough for 4.
Both appetizers were great & fresh. For my main entrée I had the Bigoli Carbonara, Tender Belly pork belly, Pecorino, egg, black pepper for $ 19 & shared some Pollo, crispy half chicken, polenta, wilted greens, jus $ 19 with a friend. Between the 2 dishes the chicken was definitely the better choice. I expected more from the pasta because I was thinking: «well this is an Italian place so pasta is probably superb here!» I was wrong & disappointed with my pasta dish. The pork belly was great, tender & savory but the pasta was too al dente & was incredibly salty. The flavor that was there was also not noteworthy. My friend got the same dish & ended up not even eating 25% of it because she found it so salty & unappetizing. The main entrees also took incredibly long to come out. The server apologized for the delay which was a great/​nice gesture. He also apologized that my friend was disappointed in her dish & he offered to take it off the menu. This was also a very nice gesture though my friend kindly thanked him & refused it.
Though the pasta was a disappointment, I was happy to see that the chicken was not. Chicken is something that can be difficult to cook correctly. I am always scared to order chicken because of the prospect that it might be dry or chewy. This chicken had a crispy skin without being oily. The flavor profile was great & the greens that accompanied it were simple but complimentary to the chicken.
What I also liked about this place was their house made sodas. I got to try the ginger beer, a salted lemon basil seed soda & a root beer that had anise in it. You could tell the sodas were well crafted with fresh ingredients. The salted lemon soda reminded me of the Vietnamese variation.
For dessert we tried their Oreo, pistachio & hazelnut gelato. The Oreo gelato wasn’t recognizably Oreo in flavor but it was still good. My favorite was the hazelnut. It tasted like I was straight up eating Ferrero Rocher.
The ambience at this place is also great. It’s modern & sleek and not too upscale. You can come here dressed casually or a little fancier & they’d both be appropriate. Lighting is dim so it might be a good spot for a dinner date or cocktail/​happy hour.

When you wake up the morning after a meal out and the first thing that crosses your sleepy mind is the previous nights meal, you know it was fantastic.
The hubs and I dropped in for dinner Friday night. We didn’t have reservations but were able to still get a seat.
The cocktails we had were fantastic. So fantastic that we were able to chat with the bartender about his geniusness. I opted for a vodka, prosecco and lemon sorbet cocktail with a hit of mint. The hubs got a rye whiskey, blackberry whiskey and lemon cocktail. There were other elements to each cocktail but the bottom line was delicious. Hence chatting with the bartender.
For my app I went with the house made focaccia with a little cheese and wood mushrooms. There were moments when it pushed the limit of salty but the mushrooms with the cheese were divine. The hubs got the rabbit rillette with house made pickled carrots. Fantastic.
The real winner for me was my chicken dish. Half a chicken deboned with the exception of one bone, it was juicy with crispy skin and excellent flavor. Complementing the chicken was some of the best polenta I’ve ever had with sautéed greens.
The hubs got the lamb bolognese which was a hit with him. I personally like my pasta al dente but he was ok with the softer pasta.
Our waitress was super sweet and attentive which helped with the little longer than usual wait between courses. Overall this was a slam dunk and I would definitely come back.

Wow, this place is amazing!!! We started with the acorn squash bruschetta and burrata which were both amazing. Then we had the lamb pappardelle and the dinner special Scottish salmon. Oh my, they were both good but the salmon was some of the best I have EVER eaten! For dessert we had a warm cookie and the chocolate caramel sea salt gelato. Damn, that gelato is awesome.
The staff is knowledgable, and very helpful!, I wish it were closer and I would be a regular.
I would recommend this place to anyone.

The service is impeccable, the food is original and delicious, and the atmosphere is charming as all get out.
So the kid food is fun. They provide funky kid utensils and the children’s chicken is wonderful.
The butter for the bread is nothing short of amazing.
For salad lovers Mary the one with walnuts, it’s epic.
You can’t go wrong with any of their pasta. It’s made from scratch and it is amazing.
So the gelato is really good and the macaroons are not the French kind, but are great none the less.
The only reason for 4 stars is it takes around 2 hours to get out of here.

This charming LoHi eatery is a perfect locale for an afternoon with no worries in the world except what kind of delicious flavor of gelato you’ll choose. The ambiance, service, and concise menu lend themselves to a care free and laid back experience. The décor, almost whimsical with a forest-​inspired wallpaper motif and dark wood slats that make the tables, benches, and bar, is perfectly matched with the rustic or Italian farmhouse vibe found in the beautiful light fixtures above the bar.
The lunch menu is appropriate for a light lunch. Complete with packed paninis, robust salads, and two savory pasta dishes that recall the delectable dishes I could only find while studying abroad in Florence. Knowing I was going to wrap up my meal with a gelato, I went the light route with the Rucola salad: arugula, onions, sea salt, goat cheese, and almonds. Simple but strong. The arugula was super fresh and wild. So much so, It was hard to fit just one forkful of the leaves in my mouth.
I was also excited to learn that gelato wasn’t the only menu item house made, but their sodas are, too. The house made Root Beer had such a distinct ginger flavor and was divine its perfect balance of sugar and bitterness. After all the fresh food, fast and polite service, and soft panini bread — It was no shock to me that one of the flavors of gelato was Pistachio! The generous serving was creamy and full of flavor, however I am a sucker for the actual crunch in the ice cream and only wish a tad there were actual pistachios in the gelato, but that’s just not the gelato way. I recommend Spuntino for a lovely brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks with friends, family, loved ones, or even an interview. It’s an all around dandy place!