Reviews of Pulcinella's (Restaurant)

Haun Burlington

Very tasty food and good portions. Left very satisfied. Had to get dessert to go.

Sarah Galle

Highest quality food and service you will find anywhere nearby, even in some Burlington restaurants. Classy, Great atmosphere, a charming spot. It is pricey but unlike some other places it's worth every penny, and you can even get this great cuisine to go! They once had a four cheese gnocchi macaroni and cheese type dish with wild mushrooms, it was quite possibly the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. A great place to pop the question!

shannon Itzo

Wonderful quiet italian restaurant. Food and service was amazing. Will definitely be back again.

Barry Orlando

Italian food is better than this. It's not often I give a 2 star rating, but they earned it only for having a friendly staff. I had the chicken parmesan. It really tasted more like pizza because of the sauce and the browned mozzarella on it. The pasta was either undercooked or old. For the antipasto I had the calamari. The portion was fine but there was nothing to the taste of calamari, I mean it was blah and the ultra thin breading served no purpose. For us it costs over twice as much as it should have based on the quality of the meal. Also, it you read reviews on here, don't be fooled by 5 stars unless the reviewer really knows the place and can make good recommendations. I take no joy in writing this.

Bernadette B

I am very conflicted on my views of this place. The staff is warm and inviting and so is the ambience but you get what I'd like to term "mixed" bag with the food. It can either be very good or meh. The bread pudding is scrumptious!

Thin Mint

Worth every penny. Love the specials. Fantastic for dates. Good luck deciding what to order!!

Nancy Murphy

Very good meal. Had meatballs and salad and Calamari. Delicious.

Christy Jeffcoat

Wonderful!

Kathleen Kelly

Very good Italian food. Friendly service. Not super expensive. Will definitely return.

jessica coady

the food is okay, but i think the staff needs the most help.

B-Trone Skapown

Friendly staff (even when they are stressed), and the food is good, with decent portions. We visited on a Friday afternoon when there were only two servers and it was very busy. Although the servers were running all over the place, they continued to check in and did not let the stress effect their service. They also notified us about the included 18% tip with a party of 6+, which was much appreciated and is not always clear.

Steve Burt

Always great Italian food. One of our favorites.

Pamela Jacobs

Went for the first time for my friend's birthday. Never heard of this place, but my brother gave me gift certificates as Christmas. (He may have gotten them for a bargain at Costco...) Looked at the Italian menu online, but had no expectations. Totally thrilled & surprised with our lunch! Eggplant Panini was fresh and juicy. Had to ask for extra napkins. Which is a good thing! ☺️ Very generous portion and saved half to bring home. It came with salad. My friend had the classic spaghetti and tomato sauce. It was a bright sauce with herbs. The dessert menu looked enticing. We had discussed going to Al' French Fry's for creemees, but the birthday boy was happy to get house gelato. Vanilla for him and Pistachio for me. Again generous servings. Hallie was our friendly and knowledgeable server. She was very attentive and helpful in describing the menu. Kyla, the manager, stopped by several times,also, to fill our water glasses and ask how everything was. We went on a sunny Tuesday noontime. The crowd was a mix of seniors and business people on their lunch hour. There was a lot of light by the windows. Enjoyed the old school Italian posters and artwork. Next time I love to sit outside and try the pizza and dinner menu.

Chris Mazur

Really enjoyed our experience here. Atmosphere is casual but cozy and there seem to be sections of the restaurant with different lighting. We shared the fried mozzarella stuffed olives and a salad to start and that could have been a meal in itself. The olives came over a salad so the actual salad was unnecessary. They were interesting, but i'd probably never order then again. The entrees were also large and absolutely delicious. Server was right on. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Judy Thibault

Awesome Food

Sandy VT

We hadn't been there for some time. The tomato bisque was wonderful, as well as the bread with roasted garlic and olive oil. The fried calamari was not quite fried enough. We had veal scallopini , and veal parmesan. The scallopini had a nice sauce, the meat, however, lacked seasoning and taste, and the carmelized onions, were barely cooked at all....disappointing. The veal parmesan was enough for 2 people. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth taking home, as it wasn't that tasty. The service was excellent. The bathroom was filthy. For well over $100, we should have gone downtown.

R C N

Our favorite restaurant in Burlington area. Fanstastic authentic Italian. Buy gift cards at Costco for a nice discount too!

Matt Matt

Nice

Joseph A. Roberts III

Had a little problem finding the place, does not face the road and at night sign not very bright. Had the lasagna special, with braised beef and Italian sausage, delicious! Did not leave any room for dolce! Antipasto was a chickpea fritter!

Diane Scavotto

Visited a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with this restaurant. Everything was top notch! If ever in Burlington, it is a must eatery.

Douglas Littlefield

Excellent food, friendly efficient service....always perfect :)

Stephen Morabito

Great service, excellent pizza, unique atmosphere.

SPACEMAN

Great food and good service. Food takes a bit but that's because it's made to order

Margaret Gilman

Fabulous! Ceasar salad and calamari for lunch with a delicious Pinot noir. Total indulgence on a beautiful day.

Dustin C

Amazing handmade Italian, fresh and def one of thee best Italian restaraunt's I've ever experienced .

Wouter Rietsema

My son and I stopped in for a quick pasta dinner. I had agnolotti with butternut squash with pepita's and cranberry. Overall really good but too much cranberry - too sweet. My son had gnocchi with pesto which was very good. At at the bar and service was perfect. We will definitely go back as there menu looks good.

Michael Witter

Sue and I enjoyed a couple of Italian specials-of-the-day, soups and antipasti.

Colin Freas

Excellent Italian in the middle of Vermont! Delicious bruschetta with varied toppings on fresh made bread, fantastic ricotta gnudi, and amazing chocolate pudding. Attentive friendly service on a busy weekend (local colleges graduating.)

Herban Gypsy

Just meeting Kyla is worth the visit. But the food was awesome. As always, with every restaurant, there are more noodles than seafood. I think #GordonRamsay should pay a visit. Great place, great people!

Jason Groves

Wonderful place great burgers

Nancy Bourbon

My favorite place to have lunch with my daughter. Love the mushroom pizza!!!!

Michael & Lori Wilhide

What a great meal. Great atmosphere and service.

Lenay Miller

I would give it more stars if possible! Some of the best food we've ever eaten!

Cory D

You would never guess that this gem of a place was hidden in a strip mall. Authentic hand made to order pastas and an excellent wine selection. My go to date night spot with or without a reservation.

Alex Sausville

LOVE it here. Food is excellent as is the service. Great wine selection!

Kimberly Johnson

Great food, large portions and fabulous service!

Mandie Swiss

The food was as good as any Italian restaurant would serve in Europe. The server was very patient. We did not feel rushed through the meal. Huge portions, a good selection and a relaxing atmosphere.

Brooke Chamberlain

Soggy pizza, over-priced. Cannolis were acceptable. Adding a 20% tip (by the restaurant) for one pizza and two desserts came to $36.40... for LUNCH. Normally, I personally tip 20% on the ENTIRE bill, including taxes. Had the 20% been not FORCED upon me, the slow service and mediocre lunch would have deserved 10%. I will not be returning. There are far better Italian restaurants in Vermont, New York and the NYC, and of course, Italy!

Janet Wheeler

We really enjoyed this restuarant, we came twice in a 4 day visit to Burlington.

Tim Cannon

On the fancier some of Italian food, with fancy prices. I dislike the menu that requires you to know Italian to know what you are ordering. The wait staff was attentive to touch large group, and the food was good.

Susan Vitek

Love there soups and salads!!!

Matthew J Fitzgerald

Yummy dinner, casual atmosphere made our Anniversary just right...

Luis Arnaut

A hidden culinary gem in Vermont. The location is a bit misleading (in a rather old-fashion retail area). However, food is great: fresh pasta, excellent ingredients, and just the perfect seasoning. The crowd is around middle age (40s and 50s) but it is also a good place for younger people (late 20s, early 30s) for a good and hearty Italian dinner.

lisa müllerauh

Fantastic food, very good service, friendly happy people!

Heike Koelzow

Excellent Italian good at very fair prices. Recommended

Susan Ludwig

fantastic food, excellent service.

Mark Schneider

Just went for their 10th anniversary. Unbeleivable seafood dishes, amazing eggplant park. Great for a light meal or for more hearty meals.

Richard Smith

Great food and great service! All around great first experience at this restaurant.

Tariq Quadir

Amazing southern Italian (Sicilian)food with touch of Northern Italian (creamy sauces). Sam and Kayla have been running this great restaurant since 2007. Never had a bad meal here. A must try !!

Mark Winger

Always a favorite when craving delicious Italian cuisine. Quite possibly the best risotto I have ever eaten. Calamari appetizer is always cooked to perfection- lightly breaded, not greasy. Great menu options for every palate. Finish your meal with the bread pudding and you will not be disappointed. Friendly wait staff, great food- a consistent excellent dining experience.

Ryan LaVallee

Best Itallian food in South Burlington. Great staff. Good for dining in and take out.

Stormie Brown

Need more flavor

Aaron Fogg

Great classic Italian meal at a decent price.

Cindy Phenix

Great food and service.

Theresa Schneider

Great at usual. My husband and I often have lunch there. Great food and friendly staff.

Francisco Moreno

Very nice place, great food and very reasonable

Craig Knowles

Food is great and well presented to you. The cooks take the time to cook. Only downside we had was service was slow and took us a while to get our food.

Cameron Hay

My wife and I ate at Pulcinella's a few months ago and I have been meaning to write a review. Well, here it is! First off, the service was very personal and thorough. It definitely had a family-style italian feel. That said, there was a significant wait time once we ordered our good til when we got it (45 minutes or so). It was well worth the wait! Our dinners were fantastic! I highly recommended their pasta and seafood dishes (their lasagna is amazing). The prices were very fair for the portion sizes and quality. enjoy!

Teddie Lynn Lawson

Food was great. We all enjoyed our meal very much. Service was friendly. Food came out in a timely manner. Will absolutely go here again.

Tyler Beck

The food was amazing. I took a seat at the bar and started with a drink, the bartender was very informative and friendly. The starter selections were extensive and I ended up having the lasagna for dinner which was enormous and wonderful.

Jeffrey Kehler

Food is authentic Italian. Delightful and properly prepared. Noise level is a bit high so be prepared. Not high enough to eliminate conversation, however.

Laura Hopkinson

Mushroom Panini was good and side salad was fresh and light. Quick, casual and fresh. Alcohol way over priced but food was fairly priced

Kelsey Weidman

The lasagna is to die for. Totally worth the wait. If you want something less meaty or lighter, you should try the gnuddi. My favorite thing to get in fall is the pumpkin ravioli with cranberry compote! Nice atmosphere, good selection of wine and cocktails. The garlic oil and fresh warm bread is a great way to start the meal off.

Anthony Marthaler

Great Italian. Gnocchi was good and sauce had large pieces of tomato in it. Very fresh.

Sidney Gallaway

Didn't care for the service, but wow the food is fantastic! Blew my taste buds out of my head. Incredible.

Paul Romano

Do not bother. The Lasagnia special was frozen or prepared days ago. There is no other way to have it perfectly square and piled high. It tasted frozen as well. The Bolognese meat was the consistency of minced clams and sauce was like water. The bread was stale as well.

John Willard

The food was excellent

John Depaula

The Mushroom and Spinach panino had very little flavor. It took a very long time to arrive considering all of the ingredients were prepared ahead of time - the veggies were ice cold and the spinach raw. The Apple & Squash soup of the day, however, was excellent and served hot.

supriya dubey

Ambience and location is great, food was ok, service was great.

Robyn Latta

Pretty decent Italian food. I like the restaurant and the location - doesn't seem to get overly crowded like the downtown spots, so it's not super loud.

Stephen Bove

The swordfish I ordered was cold by the time it made it to my table. Server was not only lax in coming over but very lax in returning it to me. Still was not heated through but the serving dish was very hot. It appears that they think a great deal of their food, I was not impressed.

rick wright

Very good service and the food was excellent

Cynthia Easterly

Great service...food decent. Our pasta came out under cooked...but the flavors were nice.

Philip Conlon

I was impressed by the menu offerings that were very different than your typical Italian restaurant. Unfortunately the actual food did not impress and the service wasn't great either. We have tried Pulcinella's twice now and we will not be going back. The area could really use a restaurant that offers a unique Italian menu like they have. Actual service and quality must improve. They have an open kitchen and it was apparent that the staff was not passionate about their work.

Wilson Bick

I’m not sure why this is one of the top reviewed South Burlington restaurants but our experience was less than good. The food was extremely “meh” and the restaurant itself seemed to be in extreme need of renovations. Everything seemed kind of dirty and quite a few things seemed to be falling apart. Ultimately after spending $80 on lunch for two we discussed the meal we had and decided we would’ve rather gotten some McDonalds which says something as we’re both foodies and don’t mind paying for a good meal.

Mike Meskel

We arrived in a hotel in Burlington and needed dinner. We saw this restaurant was across the street, so we stopped in. We ordered food to go from the bartender. The staff was helpful. The food was good. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere and we would certainly come back if we lived around here.

Barbara Evans

Wonderful classic Italian dishes with an extensive wine list. Very knowledgeable and attentive waitstaff.

Dave McGuriman

It's literally just ok. I think it used to be better when it first opened which is the last time I was there. WE ordered a slew of small plates and sampled a large variety of food and it was 50/50 "not good"/ok. For instance the calamari wasnt cut properly so some was rubbery overcooked some was just right, we had a broccoli rabe dish that was straight raw garlic, inedible, took it home and cooked that garlic and then it was ok, . The marinated mushrooms were good. Our Croatian waitress was stellar and provided excellent friendly service.

Gavin Porter

Food is always good and service is great! Best true Italian food around!!

Andrew Smart

An absolute hidden gem! High quality, authentic italian cuisine made from scratch all in house. From the appetizer to the dessert, this is a must stop for all italian lovers!

Charles Capaldi

Decent Italian-American comfort food for only moderately high pricing. Great bar and a good place to get together with friends and family. But noticeable mistakes in the Italian on the menu that required a second drink to overlook. Attentive service, mediocre bread. Fun but not my grandmother's kitchen.

Mike Venuti

Great food and great service. Portions are generous.

Rory Stein

Great food, waiters were very nice

Mike Godfrey

I've NEVER been disappointed here!!! ❤❤❤

Allyson Y

The food was delicious! Our waitress was the best. We will definitely be back!

Kathy Kavanaugh

We always enjoy our meals and service at Pulcinella's....

Timothy Schein

Since I have been to Italy, this place gives you that same Italian style. It takes 30 minutes for them to make the entree, which some people might not enjoy. The pastas are their specialty, which most of my group ordered. The pizza was ok which my brother ordered and came with prosciutto and caramelized onions. They put 3 times the amount of onions as anything else. Overall a great restaurant if you have some time to sit down, relax and have a glass of wine and enjoy the atmosphere that is classic Italy.

Blade Sharp

Good authentic Italian food served in an open and cheerful room. Service is good and friendly. Several traditional selections of pasta with tomato sauce. Lunch specials. I've been there about a dozen times and have not been disappointed. I have one issue with the menu. If you order pasta with meatballs or sausage, the meat is an addition like a side dish. Why not just pasta with sausage or meatballs on the menu as a meal?