Tramonti
528 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062
Tramonti Menu
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Address :
528 Seabright Ave
Santa Cruz, CA, 95062 - Phone (831) 426-7248
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :12:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Jeff G.
Would like to give a five star review, but had to wait about 10 minutes to get my check and the place was empty. My advice: clean up tables later and tend to the guests that are still being served. Having said that... The pizza is amazing! Perfectly cooked, thin crust, fresh ingredients. The mozzarella really kicks it up a notch. And the thin crust is light and delicious. I usually don't eat the end of the crust, but I dipped into into my spaghetti sauce and kept right on chomping down, nom nom! This is coming from a guy that doesn't actually like pizza that much. Also had the spaghetti and meatballs. Best.Meatballs.Ever! Wow, these guys were really knocking it out of the park for me. The Mediterranean salad was simple and delicious too - the mozzarella cheese, tomato and a light oil and vinegar dressing was a subtle, yet brilliant combo. This was the first time here for me at Tramonti. Since I'm not a pizza eater very often, it took some time for me to come around.
(4)Alice S.
I'm currently between 3-4 stars for this place. 3 because of my actual experience, but 4 because I'm hopeful that when I go again, I'll order things that will hopefully be more suited to my tastes. Dined here with family. Seated without wait. Decor is very clean, hip, felt like more in SF vs SC. First thing we noticed, italian speaking patrons and chefs! A good sign... We were immediately served some bread, with olive and balsamic and water. We ordered the veggie platter for apps (very good) though dunno what the potato salad was doing there. Then ordered the salame pizza, and the roasted veggie pizza, along with putannesca. Pizzas were awesomely thin which was great. They were both too salty for me. Not just the toppings, but the dough was too salty as well. The puttanesca sauce was excellent, but the pasta was undercooked. It was so "Al Dente" that when you bit into it, you could see the uncooked flour in the middle and it was even slightly crunchy. Not sure what was up with that, but we were too hungry to send it back. I will give it another try because of the photos on this yelp and because there were other items I would like to try that I think I'll like. But if it's not a huge win for me then, I dont' think I'll return.
(3)Pat Z.
Superb bread with olive oil; Nizza salad had fresh tuna & anchovies: pizza was tasty; cafe Americano was lovely. The service was great. This place was a find!
(5)Kirsty R.
Visited here after a long day at the boardwalk with two tired kids. Hubby's pizza was large, fresh and delicious, and my pesto pasta hit the spot nicely. The kids enjoyed their pizzas too. Prices were really reasonable. The wait staff were friendly and attentive without being in your face. We will definitely visit again next time we're Santa Cruz way.
(5)William F.
Oh baby. We love this place. We go there just about every week and love it. Eatin there in about an hour. Most of the menu I like -- perhaps one or two items only are a little too esoteric for my palate -- NOT TO SAY that this place is pedestrian--quite the opposite. This is a neighborhood bistro run by Italians who've somehow been transported to Santa Cruz. Went there again last night and couldn't be more delighted. We have been going just about every week and have eaten most everything on the menu. This place is wonderful.
(5)Elena K.
I ate at Tramonti's this past weekend and loved it. Great service, delicious food. I highly recommend a glass of prosecco and the Noci pizza. Plus anything with their homemade sausage. Only complaint: Where is your website, Tramonti? The link tramontipizza.com doesn't work. I wish I could view the menu to find the name of the prosecco I had.
(4)Rah F.
food really good I'm just sad we left our leftovers customer service on point good atmosphere
(5)Cassidy A.
Great atmosphere! Gnocchi was so delicious. Waiter Shamis had great recommendations. Salad dressings could have been more unique. So reasonable lots of pizza choices!
(4)Dana R.
I am always hesitant to try Italian restaurants without talking to someone I trust. A friend and I were in Santa Cruz for a few days from Los gatos and nothing on the La Posta menu that night stood out for us so we took a chance on Tramonti. The good: the gnocchi. Fabulously light and fluffy and the perfect balance of Gorgonzola in the sauce. Very nice servers. The bad: the pizza. I have no idea who the other people are that have raved about the pizza here but it is wrong on so many levels, the most important being the dough. Greasy, lacking the right chew, zero flavor, the texture of bread versus pizza dough, completely off texture. Zero fermentation of the dough to develop chew and flavor. Too much cheese. Not Italian style at all. We make our own dough at home and ferment it for 2--3 days. If you want to cheat, buy dough from lamonacos and it will be 10 times better than this dough. The wine: terrible. We chose between the least of the evils but it was hard to finish. We appreciate selected and limited wine lists but this was really so limited and tasted like $7 bottles for $38. Might come back to try other pastas but would absolutely avoid the pizza at all costs. Bring your own wine and pay the corkage or simply get some pasta to go...
(2)Patti S.
LOVE THIS PLACE!!! You taste the freshness in the ingredients!! The veggie soup is the BEST!!! LOVE the pizza & the pasta!! Service was GREAT!! Go often!! Enjoy!!
(5)Amanda J.
We don't come to Santa Cruz much but we decided it was time for a family trip. We didn't like the service, nor the atmosphere. They messed up twice on our order and the food wasn't good either. We won't be back. Very disappointed in our experience
(1)Ginger C.
Ate in Italy and this is so close! Highly recommend! Even desserts! They will accommodate any special requests (and tell you if they don't think it will work), most everything is house made and local fresh. Nice little char blisters add to the flavor. Big Italian families and every sort. Nice soft sound buzz (good acoustics).
(5)Sistrsprkl S.
We took our little ones here a few weeks ago and dined outside on an unseasonably warm evening. It is a great place for kids! Our server was very friendly and not annoyed by the kids. I had the gorgonzola gnocchi and it was fine but there was too much sauce and the gnocchi were harder/tougher than I'd prefer. My husband had the lasagna which looked great, and he raved about it. Overall, it was a good meal with great service and they have a very pleasant patio. I'd go back but try another dish.
(4)Kylie B.
Came in today with my 10 year old son and his two friends. I knew pizza would be a hit because two of the boys are picky eaters. We showed up during a non busy time and was greeted by Lucy. She told us to pick any table to sit at. She quickly brought us water and bread. One of the boys wanted butter and she gladly brought that out too. When she took our order she explained how things were served and sizes. We ordered a few pizzas and spaghetti. All of it was delicious! We never ran out of water or bread. Lucy was a great waitress. She made conversation with the boys and even played a song my son requested. We will be back next time we visit Santa Cruz!
(5)Gina S.
Went tonite with the family and loved it! Great atmosphere for kids with a huge gorgeous communal table in the middle of the dining room. Professional, clean and delicious. Will return for sure.
(5)Nina B.
Tramonti is a very cute restaurant and I really like what they're going for. The have peroni on tap and the food is reasonably priced and of decent quality. That being said, I have one major qualm: The owners let their very young, very rambunctious child run wild in the restaurant. She was breaking plates, being loud, and running all over the place. It was super distracting and annoying, not to mention extraordinarily unprofessional. I would not return, simply based on the atmosphere.
(3)Ethan B.
We went back after being away from Santa Cruz for a year, we went to the restaurant, and it was as good as ever--- Class act all the way-- Real Italian Food----GREAT!!!!
(5)Connie C.
We entered the restaurant and we were greeted like we were family. The owners & most of the staff are Italian born and you can tell in the manner they prepare their food. It was complete perfection of cooking & friendliness. The price is very reasonable for the wine & the food. We ordered two pizzas both were delicious the crust and combination of ingredients just melt in your mouth. We highly recommend this place to anyone in the area.
(5)Katie K.
Went for an early dinner yesterday and the place was empty. The woman at the front immediately asked "to go?" I planned on dining in but I said "to go" also since it seemed she wanted me out of there. While I was waiting for my pizza with no red onions and lasagne I asked for some water and bruschetta since I'd been at the beach all day and was starving. It was pretty good. I paid and left to drive to sacramento. When I got home, the pizza had red onion all throughout and the lasagne tasted like beef aroni out of a can but with less meat. Not really worth the stop.
(2)Kimberly S.
Came from out of town looking for a casual Italian restaurant, and was able to find this one on Yelp. Surprisingly they were able to squeeze in a table of 5 into a packed room of happy customers. The customer service was absolutely amazing!!! Every single staff member including the cooks, bussers, servers, and owner acknowledged our table and made us feel at home. The food was good, not the best Italian I have had, but everything was presented beautifully and had a variety of delicious flavors. Our table ordered several different pizzas, a pasta dish, and the polenta dish with meatballs. All the entrees tasted overly salty, but the dessert which was some sort of Nutella and dough concoction made by the owner was absolutely incredible!!! Over all I would recommend if youre looking for a romantic spot to have a nice Italian dinner, or a casual spot to take your family. P.S. the owner who is Italian is very enthusiastic and passionate about what he does and his restaurant, which made it so much more enjoyable and authentic!
(4)Allie R.
$7 Margherita pizzas!!! One of the best deals in town! The gnocchi alla bava is the ultimate comfort food: delicious house made gnocchi smothered in cheese!!! Tasty unique pizza varieties made with no tomato sauce, also for $3 you can get an order of their pizza Bianca which is the delicious pizza dough baked with herbs and olive oil- great to absorb all that extra cheese sauce from the gnocchi alla bava.... A must-try in SC,,
(5)Christina G.
Served warm water on table with no ice. (That is weird!). Had to ask for ice twice before we finally received it half hour later...one glass of it to share between 4 people. It was enough for 1 person. Pizza was very good. The server seemed polite but the Service was horrible. Never checked on us after we received dinner. Out of warm water, never received refills. No salt and pepper on table. Had to ask for check from another server because we were waiting so long. Not sure where the server was.... I don't even think he had any other tables left. The sad thing is, it was my sons birthday dinner... :(. Was going to order dessert but didn't want to continue with such horrible service. Would never go back.
(2)Laura L.
The staff was nice and friendly, but I didn't care too much for the food here. I ordered the lasagna which lacked flavor and meat. It also came loaded with parmigiana cheese, which I don't care too much for. it wasnt even freshly grated parm cheese. The other dishes that my dad and boyfriend got were also loaded with cheese and lacked in flavor. Overall, I would not go back
(3)T G.
My all time favorite Santa Cruz Italian Restaurant. The food is fantastic, service and price all a 10+. I would highly recommend this place.
(5)Jeff W.
Best Italian food ever! Salads, pizza and pasta you can't go wrong! Service is incredible! These guys are amazing! No fresher better Italian food around! Love this place!
(5)Guido M.
This is the best Pizza in the Bay Area, or at least the best I found after hard research during a few years. And I am Italian and a pizza lover. I was back at Tramonti so many times that I tried most of their salads too and pasta and their wonderful Italian beer (Menabrea, look it up as a winner in European beer competitions). The staff is super-nice and they got a large parking too, so no hassles! Enjoy!!!
(5)Alexander J.
I love this place. Excellent pastas and pizzas made the Italian way.
(4)Kim A.
My egg noodles with meat sauce was good but could have used more meat. My husband ordered the polenta with meatballs. Polenta was yummy and creamy but meatballs - way too salty. My husband likes his salt but couldn't eat more than 1/2 of one. Good portions though.
(3)Mad Hatter Z.
The one star is for the food. We came here on a Sunday afternoon and ordered their arugula prosciutto pizza with two glasses of their sangria which was on their happy hour. We asked the server which dishes are they known for and he named all of the most expensive items on their menu.. Hmmm alright. The pizza itself was ok nothing spectacular but not bad. When we asked for the check our sangria was charged as house wine which made our check $10 more than what it should have been. Once we pointed out the mistake he corrected it and said he was sorry. It still left very sour taste in our mouths. It is very insulting that he assumed we weren't going to notice. People are not stupid and if he hadn't been so money hungry and greedy and just been genuine with us he would have gotten a big tip. Nobody wants to feel cheated. That's all.
(1)Jesus M.
The food was just plain bland. Pastas lacked salt and flavor; gnocchi ,the dish I had, was repulsive. It tasted like just dough. The breakfast pizza also lacked flavor. The menu was average and not a big variety. I will never come here again. They asked if I wanted a box, I said "no...put in in the garbage where it belongs"
(1)Yvette B.
They stopped placing their water cups upside down and added a patio and new menu items!!! Thank you!!!
(5)BenandSophiesmom T.
Good pizza crust. Delicious toppings. Sauce with spaghetti also very good. Huge portions. We could have gotten away with 1 pasta dish and 1 pizza. Since we didn't know had a ton of leftovers! The meat and cheese appetizer was delicious. Even their water was good (some restaurants in Santa Cruz had awful water!) Highly recommend if you want a good pasta or pizza.
(5)Barbara M.
We've been here a few times for dinner now. Staff is consistently friendly and attentive. We find the portions perfect for sharing. The salads are nice and fresh and they have a few varieties we've tried so we've not yet settled on a favorite yet. We've had the bianca pizzas and love the nice crispy crust.. Great gnocchi, and other pasta dishes are yummy, too. They have gluten-free pasta on request, and they have been very accommodating about modifications to their dishes [extra vegetables, no cheese, etc.]. One last plus, our server had great recommendations for a red wine we were interested in, so don't hesitate to ask their opinion. They have a lunch and dinner specials running throughout the week. We intend to take advantage of those!
(5)Josie S.
Pizza, gnocchi and bubbles...yum! Had such a great meal here with one of my besties! I have travelled extensively throughout Italy, so I have become quite the foodie snob when it comes to pizza and pasta in this country, but wow! I was so impressed with Tramonti. We started off with glasses of Prosecco, then shared a pizza and the gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce, and a bottle of Chianti. Delish! I can't remember what pizza we had now, but it had a runny egg on it. Heavenly. The crust was perfect and the ingredients plentiful but not overly crowded, and simple. Wish we had had room for dessert - next time. Staff was friendly and were eager to offer recommendations and the location is perfect, especially for an after dinner walk to Seabright beach. I will be back!
(4)Trevor A.
Went here on a whim on a Saturday night with no reservations and got a table within 10 minutes when they said 15 to 20 minute wait. The pizza here is absolutely to DIE for if you like either Neopolitan or New York style crusts. Had a Meo without red onions and it was literally perfect. My only complaints are the majority of the dining room is way to communal so privacy is nearly impossible and the beer selection is nowhere near as awesome as the wine list. My advice: Get a room with a fridge and order this greatness to go and have a six pack of your favorite ales at the room.
(4)Fabio V.
There are no 6 stars:( i loved the food and the evirroment. the waiter Rebecca was fantastik. Thanks guys
(5)Mon M.
This is one of the beat Italian restaurants I've been to in Northern Cali. We have been here twice and the pesto and ear shaped pasta were Divine. The soups were great too. They told us they make all their pastas fresh every morning, and you can definitely taste the difference. We will be coming back here again soon!
(5)Alessandro A.
I'm a true Italian and a real pizza connoisseur and lover. Here, I could finally find a true italian "pizzaiolo" (pizza maker) that makes a traditional PIZZA. The owner, Beppe, is the real deal.. originally from Tramonti (famous Italian village with the very best pizzeria) is truly passionate in his art of making pizza. Try the profiterole, absolutely the best!
(5)Craig F.
Just got back from dinner with my wife. Gnocchi was super doughy, not a great presentation, looked like slop...terrible presentation. Pizza lacked as well. Service was fine. Save your money!
(1)Alicia C.
So yummy and such a great find in Santa Cruz. The kids pizza was good! I order the Mama Rosa gluten free pizza and it was yummy. Hands down the regular dough is simply to die for! We ordered a mini calzone that was huge! It was very good too. We ordered the lasagna and it was so good. Each bite was rich in flavor! The Sangria was excellent. Probably the best I ever had! Place was clean, bathroom was clean, pleasant service. We ordered coffee and that was on the house. We will definitely be back! The whole family was full due to their generous portions.
(5)Brittany C.
My boyfriend and I had dinner here and had an amazing time! Our server Becca was everything a good server should be; attentive, energetic, and just an all around funny, cool person. We had the breakfast pizza and it was to die for.
(5)Julie K.
Wow get here early : this place fills up fast! Want a fabulous pizza? Italian style? Come here! Seriously - come here early and be prepared to wait if you arrive after 7pm! I had the gnocchi which was delicious but everyone else ordered the pizza and the wait was so worth it! Yes! I was lucky enough to get a piece from my significant other and that is what I shall have the next time. Service is attentive.
(5)Lynne W.
We really enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere of this restaurant! We came at 9 pm with about 40 friends and family after an event and were quickly seated and served! The food was delicious, priced reasonably, large portions and friendly service. I had the gnocchi and my husband had the best calzone! My son was in heaven with the huge portion of pasta with prawns. The owner checked on us several times and thanked us on our way out. We are definitely coming back and recommending to friends! Wish they had one closer to Monterey... It would be our favorite family dining restaurant!
(5)Bombtwinz B.
Tramonti is a genuine Italian restaurant located within miles of the beach in the most ideal neighborhood in Santa Cruz, CA. Known for their gastronomic cuisine, Tramonti creates the most salivating pizzas and pastas with what should be considered a well-deserved reputation. Tramonti keeps their menu simple to focus on their ingredients and the quality of food; their selections are distinctive signature dishes that will have customers coming back for more. With a kitchen and a brick oven fully visible, patrons are able to watch the Master Chef intimately prepare pizza time and time again. The authentic atmosphere welcomes everyone for a time well spent while indulging in mind blowing international quality cuisine. We would highly recommend this place for people who appreciate exquisite taste, culture, and hospitality.
(5)Rowland W.
Food was great. Service was poor. We went during Labor Day weekend on a Sunday night. One waitress taking orders on at least sixteen tables. There were 3-4 server "helpers" that brought bread, water, etc but the waitress was the only one taking orders, processing the check,etc. The waitress was excellent, just too many tables to serve. Maybe it was unusually busy for a holiday Sunday evening so I want to give the benefit of the doubt. If wait doesn't matter go because again, the food was great. Just too many tables for one waitress to give excellent service.
(3)Cami C.
I LOVE their GF pasta with meat sauce! Service can be a little slow at times, and you have to call ahead for the GF pasta as it takes 20 minutes. But the food is excellent.
(5)Mark P.
Gnocchi with Gorgonzola was indeed good. We ordered the Santa Croce salad specifically for the toasted hazelnuts, very Italian, but it was brought out to us with walnuts instead without informing us they were out of hazelnuts. Shoulda asked first :) but it was a good salad anyway ! Wish I wasn't off gluten for the moment, otherwise I'd've tried their pizza as it looks delish!
(4)Tamar L.
Well crafted Italian food in a comfortable, convivial atmosphere. I like the center table made of a polished tree trunk; it gives the place a natural, vaguely rustic feel. Tramonti is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the Santa Cruz area. I often crave their wood-fired pizza and a glass of their house Chianti. Currently their pizza is my favorite around here, with Bantam a close second. The crust is so good that I have even relished it cold the next day (and I usually dislike cold pizza). It has just the right amount of red sauce, and cheese and toppings are generous. I recommend asking for some parmesan, chili flakes, and their house-made chili oil to enhance the flavors. They have excellent salads. The grigliatina is my favorite; it is composed of salad greens, roasted vegetables and fresh ricotta, finished with a dollop of olive oil. A small salad is big enough for two to share. Their pastas are good too; I especially liked the puttanesca, which was flavorful without being too pungent. The gnocchi with gorgonzola and the Ligurian pasta with pesto were both well made, though mild. I would have liked to have seen more vegetables or herbs or something added to those dishes. I also tried their eggplant parmesan one time, which was superb, sumptuous but not overly heavy. Affogato is a must for dessert here. I was told that their vanilla ice cream and espresso are imported from Italy; whether that is true or not, the tastes are transporting.
(5)Flip S.
Good food, good service and a nice clean restaurant! I had the lasagne and liked it a lot. My kids each had a different pizza and they were both really good as well. The owners are very nice and welcoming. Over all a great dining experience and highly recommended.
(5)Wilbur W.
This restaurant rates 4.5 stars. I rarely order lasagna anywhere but for some inexplicable reason, decide to order it here. Was I glad? You bet! Most places have lasagna that makes you feel like you've swallowed both of Popeye's wrist anchors. Not at Tramonti's. Their lasagna is flavorful and light - in my humble and limited experience it is the best I've had. It would get the full 5 stars if it offered a full course meal with the lasagna such as minestrone soup and garlic bread and small salad for a few dollars more. Service was friendly and good. It's not far from the beach boardwalk - a convenience. I will try their salads next time...
(5)R S.
arrived on friday at 5:30 as they opened. seated quickly with our choice of tables. all the tables are quite closely aligned so there's not a whole lot of privacy but i do understand they want to make the most of what quickly becomes a packed house. decor is upbeat. silverware is modern and delightful. what a nice treat, especially for santa cruz! excellent water. thank you! service is very friendly and helpful with an offer to sample a couple wines before making our selection. nice! ordered the delicious multi-bean (vege yay!) soup, a beautiful and generous salad, along with a mama rosa pizza. table was a bit small to accommodate the large plates and portions, but the service was so darn good that they were there taking our plates away the minute needed. the place does fill up quickly and gets a bit loud but not overly so, and we never felt rushed throughout our meal. in fact, the plates came out in a leisurely manner which we enjoyed as we began to slow down into the beginning of our weekend. now, the pizza! the wood-fired pizza was almost perfect, save parts of the bottom were a bit burnt for my preference. the parts that weren't were a delicate balance between soft/crisp that is difficult to achieve. topping portion was adequate and cheese light and tasty. would have liked some hot pepper flakes but didn't get around to asking before the pizza was all gone! very tasty. we'll be back for more!
(5)Max H.
Been here five times now. Good Pizza! Among the best in Santa Cruz at the moment. I'd give five stars if only the place was a little bit less noisy. It fills up very quickly in the evening, because this Pizzeria is a big local hit but I prefer takeout now, because it's so darn stressful to eat in here, there is so much noise. With older kids that might be an advantage though. I myself prefer Bantam Pizza which is little quieter and still has good pizza, even though it's more expensive.
(4)Judi G.
My first visit was a few days after they opened and I look forward to eating my way through their menu of pizzas, pastas and salads, all of which seem to be made with high quality ingredients. The pizzas are a generous size for a very reasonable price. The olives were not the canned black olives one often gets as a pizza topping, and the crust was delicious. Given the hard surfaces, the noise level could become loud (hopefully they won't feel the need to add piped-in music or TV screens!). The modern decor is sophisticated and I predict Tramonti will be VERY popular.
(4)Courtney S.
Food was bland, but no salt or pepper on the table. They made 5 families who showed up before they opened wait outside in the heat for 20 minutes, which was a little strange. The pizzas looked good, but my husband and I both got pasta, which was not bad, but not good. They bring you water without ice, and if you want bread you can purchase some for $3.50. We declined and the waitress brought us out a few pieces, which was nice of her. Otherwise, the service was not great. My husband said the chianti was the cheapest and worst he has ever had. I would give this place another chance for the pizzas, but my husband swears he will never go back! We didn't get any dessert, but I saw on the menu there is a $2/person cake cutting fee if you bring in your own cake! So I'f you and seven of your friends and family come in there for your birthday and bring a cake (which I don't recommend because the only tables for big groups are long and thin and not good for conversation), they will charge you $16 to cut your cake, which I think is ridiculous. Tuesday night they have neighborhood specials, which is $15 for a beer/wine, margarita pizza (looked good) and a salad/soup.
(2)Laura R.
What a good find! This place was awesome. Good prices, good service, good food! Santa Cruz needs more places like this!
(4)Frank N.
The food was great, we order a family salad that feed three, great pizza, gnocchi and lasagna. The gnocchi in cream sauce had nice flavor. My wife loved the lasagna. It was a little loud but that was because the place was packed. Try and arrive early to get a seat. Will go again foe sure.
(5)J R.
Busy and loud--good place for large parties with children. We've eaten here twice recently, wanting to like the place and giving it a second try after our first mediocre experience. Both times service was slow, pizza was short on taste, environment was too loud to carry on a conversation. On the positive side, the salads are delicious and quite interesting.
(2)Midtown Local G.
how do you not have a menu online???
(4)Joey F.
I was surprised by how good this place was. It has two, more authentic-looking Italian places within a minute's walk, but Tramonti stood up to scrutiny. First of all, they have a massive menu than can cater to pretty much any tastes, which is great. Nice, open seating is good too. The food is excellent-I ordered a Seabright pizza, and I tried some of the pesto egg noodles, and both were delicious. Tramonti's two main drawbacks, and the reasons, for the 4 rather than 5 star rating, were the overly large portion size and the annoyingly base-heavy music. Still a great place!
(4)J S.
Went here on a recommendation from another restaurant that was filled up. It was great! Simple, but excellent menu. Owner/chef was friendly. Home-made pasta was delicious.
(4)Karen K.
Update and Upgrade from 1 star review to 2 stars on June 29, 2013 In response to my unpleasant dining review (outlined below), the Tramonti chef wrote me a private Yelp response which was very kind. In addition to profusely apologizing, he also offered my friends and I a chance to return and have a free meal. I thought that was generous and kind and I wanted to spread the word that they were caring and responsive to my experience. However, the experience was so intense that night, that I agree with what my friend wrote back when I told him about the free meal offer: "I appreciate the offer from (the chef) and hope they learn from the experience. It is not as simple as a free meal for me. Maybe after some time passes and they have a chance to get their act together, I will return." 1 star Yelp review on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 Tramonti on Tuesday night June 25 turned out to be a disaster. I will not return and plan to advise others that they too, may experience this type of failed service. I am upset by the experience I had and feel it was handled amazingly poorly by the wait person and the manager - who never came to speak to us about the issue (we were told he was too busy in the kitchen but may be able to come out in 10 minutes or more after we had already waited.. that was after we desperately just wanted to leave). Without going into the he said/she said of it all: Tramonti, make this a learning experience: If you FAIL to deliver a diner's dinner at all, after an entire hour has passed after ordering it (and being repeatedly assured it's on its way, you need to take immediate steps to: 1. Apologize profusely to that poor hungry person and the rest of the party, 2. Immediately offer to comp the entire dinner and 3. If you really want to be smart offer something free, too; like a dessert or incentive to come back. What not to do is act annoyed and have a grumpy waitress slam down a plate of food, sulk off and make the customers wait for a response. You have failed customer 101 so appallingly that I won't be returning. The interactions with our waitress were increasingly awful and other staff people got involved as well. I felt inclined for the first time in my life, to just leave without paying a cent. But I waited out the conflict as people bumbled about. Please note: I had been a fairly regular customer prior to tonight and found the service ok, but worth the wait for the tasty and reasonably proiced food. This evening I had invited two friends to join me there for the first time. None of us plan to return. I am still shaken from the complete unpleasantness of the whole ordeal. And to top it off: the fact that the manager (even if he was cooking) could not be bothered to come out of the kitchen to apologize? That was lame. Do some customer service training for the entire staff!
(2)Ashley B.
The atmosphere is great. Seems like an ideal place for families. The food was not that great - our pizza was salty and the gnocchi was bland. I feel like we ordered the wrong things because it seems like a popular place. I would try it again but will definitely order something different. Service was efficient and staff was friendly
(3)Margaret K.
We just moved into the fantastic Seabright neighborhood. A friend from San Francisco came to visit and we went to Tramonti for lunch. What a delight! I was in the mood for pasta and had the spaghetti. The tomatoes tasted like they had been picked 5 minutes before (maybe they had?). My friend had pizza without red sauce - what do you call that? I forget, but it had arugula and prosciutto. Lucky me, he didn't want his leftovers to sit in the car all day, so he gave them to me! A nice touch is the ice cold bottle of water they brought to the table. The one and only criticism I have is that the floor is noisy - chairs being moved make an unpleasant noise - I don't like that about any restaurant. BUT if you want real Italian and fresh fresh fresh - this is a lunch destination of big city class. Very glad to have this place so nearby.
(4)Stephen M.
Food was decent. But I can't get over how bad the service was. I'll never go back because of it.
(2)Tamara M.
Just had dinner here with my large family last weekend. One star is because the owners/staff are very friendly and accommodating. Another star for the pizza, which is decent wood fired pizza. And that, sadly, is all. I ordered the lasagna which tasted like it came out of a can. My mom ordered the gnocchi which tasted like identified mush in bland white sauce. My aunt ordered soup which literally tasted LIKE WATER. And my brother ordered some linguini thing which was totally inedible. There were a lot of people there and everyone looked happy, which made me seriously wonder if any of those people have ever eaten anything delicious before. I don't get it. The food was vile. Sad face.
(2)Brooklynn M.
Oh my goodness, I went here last-night with my bf and had the best pizza and salad I've ever had. The pizza had mushrooms, Italian sausage, red sauce and cheese and blew every other pizza out of the water. It was the boscia or something like that. Service was pretty good, and i loved the deco of the place. 1 boscia pizza (8 slices) and 1 small salad came out to $20, very reasonable for the taste!
(5)Kimi I.
Love this spot, and especially their Pizza's! For $7.00 you can get the most delicious Margarita pizza out of their cast iron stove. Everything here is fresh, and simple like real Northern Italian style food. Delizioso!
(5)Sarah T.
Great service and great food too! We have gone a couple times for dinner, once for lunch, and once for take out. Every time our pizza pasta dessert wine etc. has been fantastic and the service has been very good. Definitely recommended.
(5)Jon S.
Pizza was tasty - a good combination of flavors. The crust and the ingredients could have been better. The look was good, but privacy is low. People interacted between tables. (I suppose some would say 'and' not 'but'.)
(4)Sophia R.
I really like this place so far. It's good Italian food and reasonably priced. It's also a little different from a lot of the Italian places in the area in that it's way more casual - which I actually enjoy a lot. I'd love for them to charge a little less for their corking fee ($15), so us financially strapped mid 20s youngsters could bring a bottle of inexpensive wine to have with dinner. But I suppose if they did that then I'd be going there every night! great things to try: Pizza Parma - light but filling with prosciutto and arugula Lasagna w/ meat - very heavy but sooo worth it Gnocchi - heavy cream sauce, rich and tasty - if you are going solo on this beast may I suggest a salad to go with. Good place to bring a date or a group! Great food at a great price and without the pressure of a dinner jacket.
(4)Rich B.
Great lunch special. Salad and a pizza. And the pizzas here are tip top. If you want a great lunch at a great price, this is the spot.
(5)J R.
A superb lunch. We split a "small" (but hearty) Grigliatina salad, containing silky cheese and the creamiest roasted eggplant imaginable, the dressing applied with a light, deft touch. Following that, we opted for the Gorgonzola pizza (I'd forgotten how good simple, thinly sliced red onions could be on a pizza) and Pasta e Fagioli Soup (including 16 kinds of beans, veggie broth, cheese...) Amazing food! We took home half the pizza and some of the soup. Weekday lunch is the time to go if you want to avoid the crowds!
(5)Wayne L.
Very much a thumbs up for this relatively new restaurant in Seabright. We had two pizzas, a pasta, and shared a salad for a very satisfying meal at Tramonti. Pizzas are the thin crust variety and fired in a brick oven. Saw on yelp it is gas fired as compared with the wood fired version across the street at Engfer's, but it cooks the pizza just fine. Crust was good, but varied due to the ingredients. We had the Bufalina, which is essentially a margherita pizza with fresh mozarella and cherry tomatoes. Basil is added after cooking. Basil was disconnected from the rest of the pie as a result. Crust on this one puffed up a good bit and was more bread like. We also had the Meo, salami, sausage, red onions, cheese, sauce. This was the best of the two. Crust did not puff much on this one due to the ingredients. We also had the Bianca, which is basically a flatbread. We got it because it was cheap and wanted to make sure we didn't leave hungry as we have done at some wood fired pizza places where the pizzas are on the small side. We could have done without it as the pizzas are decent size here. The Bianca was overcooked and on the dry side as a result. Seeing as it has virtually no toppings, I am sure it cooks really fast and can get away from the pizza chef. My son had the gnocchi with the cheese sauce. These were excellent with an outstanding texture and flavor. We started out the meal with a large salad we shared amongst four adults. It was easily enough for all 4 of us and was very tasty. Water service was odd in that no ice was involved or offered and the water was not that cold either. Wait staff was attentive on water, clearing of items, etc. However, anything extra you might desire was a do it yourself affair. Salt and pepper, oil and vinegar? You could see it on the counter and go get it, but it's not on the tables and wasn't offered. So some of the food was 5 star, some was a bit below, and the service was good but not great.
(4)Elizabeth H.
i wanted to eat all of their pizzas, even though I didn't necessarily love the one we ordered, which had anchovies and olives and oregano-- too much going on and didn't blend well. However, the crust was perfect, and I totally wanted to order a margherita pizza but didn't have room. Next time... Also, I recommend their salad-- we had a large salad with yummy greens (kale and arugula I believe) and two kinds of cheese in it. So the reason this is not getting 5 stars: 1. I was not a fan of the atmosphere-- the tables are super close to each other (like most places in Santa Cruz) and it can get very noisy. If you are a private person, or don't like listening to your neighbor's conversation, this is not going to be your cup of tea when it's busy. When I'm in S.C. again, I'll stop by and get my pizza fix to go. 2. I wish there was outdoor seating, especially since they don't have air conditioning, and on warm days it's pretty unpleasant inside. 3. Service was so-so: not very friendly, brought us lukewarm water at first. 4. The extra charge for dessert is confusing. Just add on the extra charge to the prices. Oh and final note-- we tried to call ahead and make a reservation (which on Yelp it says you can do), but when I left a voice mail with phone number I never got a call back.
(4)Ronen B.
In a town awash in too many (and usually mediocre) Italian restaurants, Tramonti stands out above the rest. Delicious pizzas that are not your standard fare, several tasty non-pizza alternatives, and the best salads. Friendly staff, casual but cute interior, and a great location by Seabright beach. Perfect for an outing with family and friends. Try it for yourself.
(5)Lydia Z.
I've been here twice, only have ordered salad and dessert. The first time I went I ordered a salad (with kale, arugula and nuts, can't remember the name). This salad is sooooo good. Plus I had a glass of their Italo Cescon Pinot Noir which was really good. I'm trying to find where I can buy a bottle. My friend ordered a pasta with sausage sauce, which he wasn't crazy about. He thought the sauce lacked flavor, plus the way it was described on the menu he thought it was going to have chunks of sausage. So he was disappointed. I went back a second time to have that same salad, dessert with coffee. The salad was yummy again! The tiramisu was not to my liking. It was not at all what I expected. It was a lot of cream with the ladyfingers inside. I like my tiramisu cake like, and this one was so creamy that they have to serve it in a wide glass. Both the salad and dessert were well presented, which is of course appealing to the eyes. Overall though, I like this place a lot. It is close to where I live. It has lots of pluses, including the price. I have read so many good reviews about the pizza, I'll have to try one next time I go.
(4)Brandon G.
We stumbled upon this place when we were driving to another Italian. We though we would give it a try. It's the best in the area. The Margarita pizza is great and only $8-. Normally we get that as an appetizer, but the portions are very big. We've traveled to Italy and it's the most authentic you'll get in this area. The service is great, but the tables and chairs are funky. If you don't care about ambiance, it's a great place for any occasion. The outside seating is okay, but you don't get the same service as inside. I bring a lot of people there and they all love it. If you go on a Tuesday, they have great specials all day and night.
(5)Glo R.
Service was attentive and she wasn't shy to recommend a glass of wine, which I love. Although I only had a salad, it was yummy. Decor is modern and clean. For a new place, so far, so good! :)
(4)Davey B.
Excellent food. Incredibly fast service. And the waiter had a thick Italian accent.... Always a good sign. Will come back soon.
(5)Cali S.
My daughter and I love this restaurant. The staff is sweet, the outside dining is relaxing and refreshing, and the food is delicious. My daughter is gluten free and loves the pizza. I enjoy a glass of wine and one of the amazing salads. I get my Italian food fix but still feel light and healthy. 5 Stars for Tramonti!
(5)Holly H.
In addition to Caruso's in Capitola, this is my some of the best Italian food in the area. The pizza sauce is fresh like they just took ripe tomatoes our of the garden. This is not American pizza.. This is real authentic Italian pizza - thin crust - fresh ingredients. Their salads are delicious and generous sized - perfect for sharing. The chef is from Italy and this food thing is in his blood - he had a restaurant in Italy and before that his father also had a restaurant in Italia too! Save room for their creamy desert with Carmel on top- best I have EVER eaten! We keep coming back again and again and again - great food - great prices
(5)Danel R.
Everything started well until our calzone came out black and owner of business came out and very rudely told us we were wrong and refused to remake. Needless to say we ate our salad and left disappointed.
(1)Ashley L.
Recently I've noticed a trend in town of new Italian restaurants and pizza joints. I'm excited, I love pizza! So when a new place cropped up right next door, I had to check it out. I was seeing mixed reviews about how the pizza wasn't "pizza" - whatever that means. We found seating to be a little weird. There was no hostess up front, they're all at the back counter where you can (I assume) order to go. We flagged someone down and they told us to sit anywhere. It wasn't super busy since it was right before the Christmas holiday. We found a table and were promptly brought water (tap water in a bottle) and silverware. Note about the bottle of water: it's my opinion that its a restaurants sheer lazyness to do this. Ideally there should be cups of water and waiters to refill them. I came to be served, not do it myself or I would have stayed home. Ok end of rant. Back to the review... We ordered the gnocci and the 3 cheese pizza as well as something called a bicicleta (1/2 beer 1/2 sprite). Gnocci was pretty good, I've had better. Good consistency, but something was missing in the sauce, not flavorful enough. Pizza was what I expected from traditional italian pizza. Light crust, light sauce, light cheese and other toppings. Crust was really delicious though, which is what I always expect from traditional Italian pizza. The ambiance in this place is OK, there wasn't a single picture of a bicycle anywhere, and that seems pretty iconic Italian if you ask me. There were 2 large wood tables in the middle of the room that seemed really out of place and too big. The rest of the tables seemed like they were an after thought to whoever designed the place. It's noisy, echos, loud, and if it's busy don't expect to have a very attentive server!
(3)Jang David K.
Pizza, come on. I grew up in NYC and still can appreciate descent pizzas in the bay (few...not too many). But this one is not it. It has no flavor. Calzone: oh my. Just doughy, lacking sauce and flavor. I gave two stars because I want to be fair. Maybe other dishes are better...but I probably won't be back to give it a shot though....
(2)J D.
When I saw a new Italian place opening up across from a pizza place and next to la posta, I thought "oh no" - but now I'm super glad they did, they blow the pizza at both of those spots away! (Engfer, I'm sorry, but your weird hours and strange service might be putting you in trouble here) Best pizza in Santa Cruz, hands down, if you're someone that knows what pizza should taste like. They definitely do, they have a wood fired pizza oven and the guy's from Italy. It's got a nice salty crust. Very much looking forward to more.... Service could use a little shimming up here and there, and I noticed they could wipe down the chairs better (fingerprints all over the backs, etc), hence the 4 stars. Also, they are open on MONDAYS!!!! Even Lunch! (A much-needed rarity in this town.) Support them and I expect them to only get better.
(4)Hayley M.
Amazing pizza and salads. I recommend the Sante Croce salad-it's super delicious! The owner and staff are very friendly and personable. I love eating here- they also have great late night specials and a fun atmosphere.
(5)Greg B.
Had reservations a the restaurant next door we were early and they couldn't seat us. We decided to try Tramonti for a glass of wine and look at OPF (Other People's Food) to see if it was a destination. The smell when you walk in indicates a restaurant with a refined touch. We looked around and decided to have our appetizer there. It was their second day open and they seemed to be keeping up. Guests looked satisfied. Food looked great. Couple of glasses of Barbera and a pie with prosciutto and arugula! In less than ten minutes we were transported to the Roma. Great pizza. Just the right mix of sauce, cheese and toppings. The crust was very good. Really delicious overall. Service was attentive but not rushed. We were very comfortable. Excellent experience. Truly lovely owner. Chefs with chops. This is a good stop. We will become regulars. Give it a go if you dine at any of the other local Italian places.
(5)Michael S.
Our family of 4 had a perfect lunch. Three expertly crafted thin crust pizzas, two perfect salads, great service. Our best meal out in ages.
(4)Erin S.
Restaurant is clean and spacious. I had the gnocchi, which was pretty good, but not the best I've ever had. My boyfriend had the calzone with ham, egg and mushrooms. The dough for the calzone was delicious, but it seemed like it needed a little more sauce. The with the balsamic reduction, almonds and goat cheese was great! Based on the dough from the calzone, I wish I had tried the pizza. The service was fast and friendly!
(3)Jennifer T.
Love Love Love. I live close to here and can't get enough. Best Lasagna and great pizzas.
(5)Nancy G.
Stopped here for a quick bite after spending an hour in traffic on Highway 17. Have anticipated the opening of this place. We were greeted at the door by the owner and were seated immediately. The decor here is gorgeous - concrete floors, white tables and terra-cotta leather banquettes line the wall, and 2 beautiful wood family style tables anchor the center of the well lit dining room. Service was excellent and our food arrived in 10 minutes. Had a delicious kale salad with a simple dressing of good olive oil and lemon juice, curled carrots and shaved Parma, followed by a yummy orchiette pasta with pesto, potatoes and green beans. My daughter had the pizza, which we expected would be excellent given the owners are from Italy - and it was. They have a decent wine-by- the glass list including both Italian and California wines. Next time we will save room for desert. Welcome to the neighborhood Tramonti. We will be back soon.
(5)Kayla J.
Fell in love with this place today! Stopped by right before heading to the beach! We were seated quickly and it was not too packed for a Saturday afternoon. The atmosphere is perfect for a sit down lunch or dinner. Everything felt very home-y and modern. The salad and pizza turned out to be some of the best I have ever tasted it! Definitely try Momma's pizza-full of veggies and the perfect amount of cheese on satisfying crust. ALSO, Tramonti's has the BEST flatbread I have ever tried! It comes with the salad! The only thing I would recommend is to have a bigger sign in front of the location because it was slightly difficult to find when driving by. Thanks for a great Saturday lunch experience, Tramonti's! :)
(5)Holly L.
Good God, if food was always this good, I'd be about ten pant sizes larger. Santa Cruz has about five gazillion Italian places, all pretty food, but this evening, I experienced one of the very finest of them all - without butchering my partner's wallet. The pasta is homemade - in fact, that may have been the freshest Gnocchi I've ever had since being in Europe. Take my word for it - the Gnocchi in cheese sauce is incredible! Flavourful, soft, melt in your mouth perfection. My boyfriend's dish was equally good, clearly fresh tomato sauce with homemade egg noodles. Both of us were incredibly pleased. I paired my dish with one of their many wonderful imported wines (and they let me try it first before ordering), and was surprised at the end with a TRADITIONAL Tiramisu (in the States we tend to have this weird cake style Tiramisu cut like a slice of cake). This was clearly assembled in house, and knocked our socks off! Do it. It's worth it. SO worth it. The service was also quick and friendly. It was fairly busy when we went, but our orders were promptly taken, and food came out quick! Here, you experience European style service - waitresses look you right in the eye and make sure everything is to your liking. They seem to sincerely accept compliments to service and dishes, and take pride in your excitement over their food. We went here because we recently moved to the neighborhood so it was convenient - will be coming back because it was AMAZING. Five stars is an easy one on this one. :)
(5)Lloyd D.
Ate here on a Sunday evening. Ordered a Pizza and salad to share. The ricotta on the salad was great, but that's where the good news ends. The salad was underdressed. The pizza was not what we were hoping for. The crust was flakey and dry almost cracker-like instead of chewy and springy. The pizza was also a bit salty for my taste. Although the food was so-so, the environment and experience here is what really needs some work. Without boring you with the details here's what needs to happen here fast: Better training of the servers. We watched our server groom her hair and put it in a pony tail in the dinning room. This should be done in the back out of site of customers. Loose the child. The owners bring their 4 year old to the restaurant to "hang out" in the dinning room. While we were there the child screamed, cried, yelled and ran around like the bored little being she was. It's not her fault. A restaurant is a work environment, not a day care center. It's bad enough when a loud child is a customer. It's inexcusable when its the ownership. Lower the wattage on the lighting. It's too bright and the lights are low and close to the tables. 50% of the current wattage should do it. Soften the surfaces. Every surface here is hard (concrete, wood, glass, plastic, metal, tile) and it makes for an atmosphere that is too acoustically lively. After our meal I couldn't wait to get out in the parking lot to give my ears a rest.
(2)Gail P.
Having lived in Italia for nearly 2 years I have searched the local community looking for that same fantastic, authentic, Italiano taste unchanged to please the american pallet. A friend let me know about Tramonti and after my first bite I was sold. Had to go back within the week. I love how clean the food is, not overpowered by too much cheese and too much sauce. Just the way I enjoyed in Italia. I highly recommend this place to all my friends, some even choosing to drive from San Jose just to dine on fabulous food in great style and comfort. I suspect all my overseas visitors from now on will be enjoying Tramonti for dinner during their visits.
(5)Ed S.
Really great food with an attention to detail! I was recommended this place so I went there...what a great find. This appears to be a family operated business, so everyone that was there really seemed to care. I had the Mediterranea Salad and Tramonti Calzone....OUTSTANDING! The salad was very fresh and nicely prepared. The Calzone was unlike anything I have tried before. It looked like a cone with a thin crust and soft egg under it...YUM! The fresh brewed Ice Tea was excellent. Prices are reasonable, portions are large (share), and restaurant was very clean (especially the restroom) with nice pictures and photos on the walls. When you are in Santa Cruz you definitely want to stop buy.
(5)Carol C.
Tonight we tried the Tuesday Night special, for $15 we were served a very large bowl of Minestrone which had such delicious broth and just the right amount of veggies, and a lovely glass of wine. My sister had the pasta, Farfalle cotto, creamy with a tangy lemon sauce, and I had Mamma Rosa pizza full of wonderful roasted vegetables. What a deal, wine, soup, pizza or pasta! Everything was perfectly delicious! Grazie Tramonti for a fun evening. Our family highly recommends Tramonti.
(5)Walter J.
This is the real deal! Heard about this new Italian joint and just figured we would try it. The staff is incredibly friendly. The prices are super fair and the food is authentic Italian. The salads all were huge and lots of really fresh ingredients. The pasta tasted home made. I'll be back. Update been back a few times. I really like the place. I think the pastas are really delicious. I think they are going to be a real gem on the east side. Update Since my original review I have been back several times. It has always been a really great meal. I can highly recommend this place!
(5)Jeanne S.
We stumbled across this place while visiting SC and boy were we happy we did! The food was absolutely delicious! We ordered a pizza and lasagna and they were both heaven! Seriously haven't had better! Our waiter was also great. We were there at an odd time, so it wasn't busy at all, so we got our food quickly so I can't comment on what it would be like when it is busy, but for us, service was perfect. We will definitely be back whenever we are in SC.
(5)maureen r.
Real Italian food, reasonably priced, great service, family environment. Pizza maker & chef are the owners, and definitely give the place a distinguished, personal touch. Highly recommend!
(5)Silvana P.
My friend and I tried the pizzeria recently and were so excited to discover that there is is this little slice of Italy here in Santa Cruz. We are both native Italians and wow! the pizza I ordered with prosciutto brought me right back to what it is at home (Italy). The tomato sauce is particularly good and excellent also with their gnocchi entree. I also like how layed back but elegant the atmosphere is but also so super child friendly. We were there with our little kids and they immediate befriended the owners' own little daughter. Pizza buonissima!
(5)Bri K.
We found this place after another Italian place we wanted to go to had a 75 minute wait. Glad we did! The salads are all unique and full of flavor. The margarita pizza is so GOOD! Not greasy like most pizzas and cooked to perfection. The ambiance is great too. They have an awesome table made from a cut of a big tree. The lighting is right, chairs are comfy. It's not fancy but definitely an upper scale pizza place!! We liked it so much we came back the next night too!!
(5)Stephen P.
Best Italian food in Santa Cruz hands down. I have yet to have one bad dish here, and it's the closest thing that I can find to my late Italian grandma's cooking. The only problem that I've encountered is that the service can be a little slow and you do have to ask for bread before the meal. I can deal with these small issues considering how cheap they price their dishes.
(4)Bunny T.
Had to update my review! They got all the kinks worked out & it is as I had hoped...so amazing, so delicious, so inviting & fun it is a MUST for anyone traveling through or living in the neighborhood. The prices are crazy reasonable & compared to the $30 pizzas across the street @ Engfer's...Tramonti's pizza blows them out of the water. Not to mention Tramonti's is waaaaaay cheaper for better quality/flavor. I love it, my friends love it, visitors cannot believe it & overall, they rock, Totally rock. Check them out on Facebook, they have specials all the time & they always include wine!! The service is way better & the food is still awesome & reasonably priced. What else can be said? GO NOW!
(5)Prashant K.
I visited this place for lunch. The Service was great and the food was authentic. The Lasagna had a huge portion. The Pizza was very delicious. Prices were extremely reasonable.
(4)Ellen M.
Great lasagna, very reasonably priced neighborhood restaurant. It would be nice if they dimmed the lighting a bit.
(4)Paul B.
This is a place in my own neighborhood, so I have been wanting to try it. I made sure to not read any reviews so I would judge for myself. My brother and I went there today for lunch, and it was not busy at all. We arrived about 1:20, so a bit of a late lunch. We were greeted by a friendly waiter and were brought menus by the infant daughter of the owners. Cute..., The one thing that struck me a little and I read it in some of the other reviews when I got home was that the place is a little cold. There is not a lot of decor really, but I really liked the photo's on the walls, it's just that the cement floors make it feel cold to me. The olive wood used in the bar is beautiful and tasteful. A couple tables also were of some cool wood, and could sit 10 people in the center of the room. I can see how this place would be really noisy if there were a lot of people there. I saw lots of good reviews about the pizza. I will have to try that next time, but the ones I saw being served looked very good. I had a pasta dish with Italian sausage and a tomato sauce. My brother had the eggplant parmigiana. Both our meals were good. I had a beer that my waiter suggested. It was an Italian beer I had not heard of before and it was on tap and very good, served in a nice chilled glass. Overall, this is a good addition to our neighborhood, and it's authentic Italian fare. I vow to return to try the pizza as it looked really good too.
(3)Maria L.
I had dinner with the kids after a long day on the boardwalk. This place did not disappoint. The pizza was thin crust with light amount of tomato sauce. The salads were delicious. Our favorite dish was the Calzone Tramonti. The kid's menu was impressive. My daughter raved about her pasta. The noodles were fresh and the marinara sauce was delicious. A great place to come with the kids. We arrived at 530 pm for dinner and were done in less than an hour. Service was quick and attentive.
(5)Jenny N.
I love the atmosphere and how they give you water in a cute bottle. But the food was so salty. I spent $30 on food that I couldn't even eat. The breadstick was just a piece of dough and the pizza was so flat and salty. I'm sorry but it was just the food.
(3)Justine W.
I have to wonder when I read poor reviews for Tramonti if they are talking about the same place as me. Or perhaps it's just that they have no real appreciation for good, authentic Italian food! If you want Olive Garden type Italian food, then no, Tramonti is not the place for you. The pizza is traditional, the crust is sweet and salty and perfectly crisp with aged meats and cheese on it (if you're a pizza snob and don't like this pizza, maybe head over to Round Table and see if that better suits your morphed taste buds). I've had several of their pasta dishes, the pesto, spaghetti al pomodoro, lasagna and spaghetti with prawns. My only complaint about any of these is that they seem to have changed the lasagna recently from something so mouth watering and delicious into something drowning in white cream sauce. My suggestion, go back to the way you had it about a month ago! The fact that they run out of certain kinds of pasta doesn't upset me, just tells me they are making their pasta fresh everyday! Don't even get me started on the salads! The Nizza is by far my favorite, even though its pretty simple. Decent wine and beer selection and yummy desserts as well! We have never had any complaints about treatment by the staff. Wait staff has always been attentive and friendly and polite. The food usually is quick to come out and plates are cleared quickly at the end of the meal. If you want authentic Italian food without the frills of Olive Garden and cheesy Sinatra music playing in the background, this is a fun local place! Highly recommend it for the true foodies!
(5)Richard F.
Best pizza in all of santa cruz hands down! Service is excellent. Family style dining :)
(5)Sarah R.
Yum! This place has definetly got Lilians BEAT! Service is quick, prices are affordable, and the food is devine! I went here for a birthday party, we were all served promptly and I recieved my large glass of Chardonnay as soon as the words came out of my mouth. I ordered the Lemon pasta dish, I can't remember exactly what it was called, the pasta was similar to Fettucine. Very tasty, but the majority of our party ordered the Gnocchi La Brava, and boy was it Brava! Perfectly cheesy with out being to heavy. I have gone to many restaurants to find the perfect creamy cheese sauce and have been dissapointed time and again because its been to greasy or too creamy. They have found the perfect balance. My boyfriend made his own pizza and that was tasty as well. Dough is thin and crispy. Cheese was perfectly cooked and melted on top. Try it for yourself! Yum yum yummy yum!
(5)Ari R.
For Santa Cruz.. this is BY FAR the BEST spaghetti I have ever had!!!! We found this place when we were searching for something new to try, saw it while driving and cant believe we haven't eaten here before!! I got the spaghetti with tomatoes, olive oil and Parmesan, seriously that's all that is in it, it is so simple its amazing. It's a heaping hot plate of goodness. BF got lasagna, slightly small portion for him and he would have liked more cheese, but still looooved the flavor. Spend 25$ with tax and tip, what a great value!!! We cant wait to go back and try some of the delicious looking pizza and salads we saw coming out, but I know what ill be getting again!!! Seriously worth a try!
(5)Mark G.
Being Italian myself, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to Italian food. And snobby, too: realizing that Italian restaurant either tend to "Americanize" recipes or that they simply fail in reproducing the traditional flavor of Italian food, I stopped going to Italian restaurants altogether. But my skepticism was blown away the first time I had pizza there, after being strongly encouraged by a friend to try it. I had the "Tricolore" with tomato sauce (which became my favorite right there and right then) and I was sold. If you're going for a pizza that should be the first pick. Now I'm somewhat of a regular there, so it's only fair that I finally write a review about them :) The only reason why Tramonti is not really Italian is portions! When I was a kid, my mother used to say "that's a restaurant-sized plate" to comment on the stingy size of a portion. Luckily Tramonti left that habit back in Italy: I really like their "Pasta alla Puttanesca with prawns", for instance, and it's size is definitely generous. Oh, and if you want to really taste the Tiramisu' like Italians "mean" it, you should have it at Tramonti, hands down. The only thing I would change would be the addition of an IPA to the selection of beers; but then again, no matter how good they are, IPAs are very different from your typical Italian beer, so it's only fair that Tramonti does not carry them :)
(5)Lindsey R.
Best pizza in Santa Cruz, hands down. Service tonight was excellent and happy. Food came out fast and hot. Worth another trip. Dinner for four included 2 large salads, 2 pizzas and 2 pasta, plus 2 glasses of wine, 1 beer and 1 soda for $88. For the price, best bet in town. It also helped that the owner of acclaimed bakery Gayle's in Capitola came walking out raving as we sat at our table. :)
(5)Suzi R.
Good size portions. Food was good service was friendly. I would've left a bigger tip had they not brought out my kids food last
(3)Sue S.
We waited a good 20 minutes just to be seated. They actually crossed our name of the list by mistake. When they finally sat us, it took another 15 just to take our order. The salad was good and the portions were big, but WAY too much salt. I had the egg noodles with beef and sausage meat sauce but seriously lacking in meat. My girlfriend had the spaghetti and prawns in a tomato wine sauce. Both just tasted like a looooot of salt!! May give it another shot some day and try out the pizza. Definitely won't go in when it's busy.
(1)j h.
I've been to Tramonti a couple times and had their wood fired pizza, the uniquely shaped calzone, a couple pasta dishes and a salad. They're clearly put together with care and the pasta itself has great texture... however, both my wife and I find all the food (except the salad) overwhelmingly salty! Note, this is a common comment among the reviews below. I still eat it but I have to drink the entire bottle of water with it... I'm not sure if this is the authentic style of some region in Italy or if the chef just loves salt. The service can also be really hit or miss - we've had great experiences and some less great where it seemed like we were invisible. Worth noting, they're VERY kid friendly. Overall, I like the vibe, the menu and the staff but I think they could turn down the salt and turn up the other flavors.
(3)James P.
We found Tramonti on Yelp and based on its reviews and style, we decided to give it a try...with a party of 30+ after our soccer tournament. Ronnie was our waiter and we couldn't have asked for a better one. He was attentive and paid close attention to all of our orders. He even let a parent know in advance that one of the children may have put in a sneak-order of Sprite. We would definitely come to Tramonti again. The food was great (not one dissatisfied diner in the group) and everyone left feeling satisfied in the belly and in the wallet.
(5)Richard B.
Tramonti is a great little family style Italian resturaunt. The moment you walk in you are greeted by one of the owners or a friendly staff member. This place is so typical of a busy little restaurant in any Italian city....real pizza and pasta...freshly made daily with quality ingredients, served with a genuine smile and maybe even a little humor! The pizza here is the best anywhere...but also try the antipasto plate, the pasta, or the fagioli (bean soup) made with 16 different types of beans...the made-in -house desserts are heavenly. I suggest you visit Tramonti with friends and family so you can share the experience. This is a little slice of Italy right here in Santa Cruz!
(5)Mrs. D.
Nice discovery in Santa Cruz after a day at the boardwalk. Homemade pasta, gnocchi and sauces, desserts especially the panna cotta were amazing! Service was slow and unattentive though :( is return for the chef and hope the management listens to the customer complaints on their poor service. A shame with such great food!
(3)DJ J.
A group of five of us hit this restaurant for the first time this past weekend. We were recommended by other friends to eat here. I can't believe this place has been open for one year already and we didn't even know it existed. Anyway, we were hoping to do an inexpensive place ($10 or less) but after reviewing the menu noticed most dinner plates were $12 on average. This was a bit more than what we wanted to pay, but it was totally worth it. The food was amazingly good. I ordered a pizza with an egg on it (forgot the name). It was super yum! I don't know what everyone else ordered but they seemed to love it too. It was quality food and the service was good. We ordered 5 pizzas, 1 salad, 1 soda, 1 beer, 1 glass of wine. ~$80 total. A fair price for an excellent meal. At the time of this writing, the website seems to be down, so locating an online menu might be challenging. No big deal though. I'd recommend this restaurant to others.
(5)Chris P.
You cannot beat this place on price or quality. The food is very rich and authentic Italian. My wife and I each had an adult beverage, shared a salad, had our own entrees and shared a desert. We got out of there under $60 including a 20% tip. I will say that the one issue I have is that they bring the food as it's ready. My pizza came 10 minutes or so before my wife's entree. The next time we're in, we intend to share an entree because of that and because the servings are so generous. Somebody please tell me you tried their lighter of the two tap beers! I swear it tastes like peanut butter and jelly!
(4)Toni B.
First time and won't be the last. I had the Noci pizza and it was incredible. I usually can eat at most, 2 pieces of pizza. This was so incredibly fresh, light and delicious that I polished off 4 pieces. The Cannoli also was fresh and so wonderful. Sorry that it has taken me this long to venture away from the usual places to find this gem right in my own back yard. Welcome Tramonti and please stay for a long time! Will be having another bottle of the Montepulciano very soon!
(5)Piper M.
We went there last night without a reservation. Put our name on a list and waited for approximately 30 or more minutes. We should've been the next table up but a couple people came in the back door and I am sure they moved them in front of us. When I went to check on our name and they said two people were in front of us when there was no one out there waiting previously. A little disappointing with that kind of service. Also we went there two weeks prior we ordered other than pizza. The tomato sauce was disappointing and was used on all the entrées the same basically. The thin crust pizza is good and worth ordering but the other entrées fall short of good Italian food.
(3)Jason M.
It's about time we have a really authentic Italian Pizza and Pasta joint in Santa Cruz. Love this little place. Very basic menu, but great Pizza and Pasta and Super Fun atmosphere.
(5)melanie m.
Finally got to try this place and was happy we did. We went for lunch on a Saturday and it wasn't too busy, which was great since I had to rush off to work after. We shared the Santa Croce (?) salad with mixed greens, toasted hazelnuts, parmesan and feta cheese. Very delicious. I forget the names of the pizzas, but they were also wonderful with thin, crispy crusts and a perfect amount of tasty toppings. Mine had mushrooms, mozzarella, prosciutto and a fried egg in the middle. My partner's had very nice salami and red onions. We were both very pleased with the quality of the food, ambiance, service and prices. Will definately be back.
(5)Jezus S.
On a quick getaway in Santa Cruz, we looked on Yelp for the best local Italian food. This place lived up to its great reviews. We were greeted by the Chef and our server when we walked in, and felt at home immediately. Our server Helen recommended a salad and the gnocchi which were both delicious. It was exactly what we were hoping for and will definitely be back (Maybe even tomorrow) Five stars!
(5)Jen W.
Love it! We live in the neighborhood and at first I was skeptical (Another Italian place on that block??) but it totally brings something different to the area. I love the atmosphere, open and simple and approachable. Great service every time, and the food is awesome. I LOVE the Santa Croce salad- it's actually big enough and filling enough for a meal! I'm gluten free so that's usually what I get, but my husband swears by the lasagna...I have taken a few bites of it and it is amazing. Definitely try this little gem out!
(5)Bryce F.
The service and food were amazing; obviously veteran chefs and wait staff. Our only issue was the noise level, but we will return because the pizza and pasta dishes were so fresh and delightful that it was worth overcoming the noise.
(4)Char D.
This is a great Italian restaurant. Every experience has been a good one. The wine and beer selection are decent. The appetizers, pizza, pasta, and salads a very tasty. They even have a gluten free past (super bonus for me). The desserts are very, very yummy as well. The atmosphere is friendly and seems to be family oriented. The menu is simplistic, but very tasty none the less. The service has been very good too. If you're looking for a quiet, intimate, dinner - this is not the place for you. If you don't mind the noise level, and want good food for a semi-decent price, this is your place! I think the prices are fair for the type of meal you're served. It's just not cheap. And, the food certainly doesn't taste cheap! If you're looking for a new Italian place - you should definitely try our Tramonti.
(4)Cat B.
Amazing authentic Italian food at a very reasonable price. Did I mention the food is amazing? Favorite dishes include the pizzas and the lasagna. The only issue I have is that on busy nights, the staff sometimes seems overwhelmed and service is a little compromised.
(4)David S.
The food is great, but they were running a little slow. That said, the slow pace allowed us to enjoy our meal in stride. I'll definitely be back to taste the other flat bread pizzas on their menu!
(5)K F.
We just love this Place, the food is exceptional, the staff are polite and efficient and the pricing is very reasonable. In addition, the owner is very accommodating. We had arrived for a late dinner and stayed past the posted closing time. While we were finishing dinner, another couple came in and realized the restaurant was closed but the owner insisted they stayed and taken care of even after hours.
(5)david m.
Mama mia, that's some good Italian food. We have been here a few times and enjoyed everything. One thing, the owner or someone has their kid hang out there and cry so no romance.
(4)Justin W.
This is my new "go to" restaurant with the family. We love the pasta, especially lasagne, the salads and the tiramisu for dessert. Great place to take the kids since the food is good, reasonably priced, and they are welcoming to children. We usually show up right when they open to get there before dates and make sure we get a table.
(5)Frank J.
This place is awesome !!! The food is fantastic and the atmosphere is just wonderful. ... Highly recommended !!!
(5)Christine T.
Seabright has two things already great- both live next door to this establishment, Pasta and Pizza (x street) So instead of bringing something delicious and new to the neighborhood we get mediocre pasta and pizza here. Maybe I missed something that others found worthy of praise.
(2)Meredith P.
I was in the mood to walk somewhere close to home, so I decided to give this place a try. The first thing I noticed was the mural-size photograph hanging on the back wall. Oh my goodness, I thought, that blouse/apron/gold necklace combo looks EXACTLY like something my (Italian) Nana would wear! Love it! This place has got to be ok, right? Having gone to the taqueria that was here before it, I was pretty impressed with the remodel. This place illustrates how you can have still have a cozy Italian family decor without having to be outdated or cheesy. My boyfriend and I were both in the mood for white wine and went for the pinot grigio. I thought it was pretty good but honestly I was just thankful it wasn't Bargetto, the local go-to for house pinot grigio. We ordered a "small" salad that was a very generous portion. I cannot remember the name but it had tuna, boiled eggs, potatoes, and a mustard dressing. It was delicious. The only thing I'd change is I'd hold the potatoes and substitute more tuna or egg, but that's just my personal taste. We went for a pizza that featured olives and anchovies. I do not care for olives at all (so sadly this will impact my ability to rant and rave), but I love a good anchovy pizza and my boyfriend didn't want to substitute anything else for the olives. I like to try everything as it was intended at least once before modifying it, so we went for it. The quality of the pizza dough was good. I'm tired of pizza in this town that has good toppings but the crust isn't good, so I really appreciated this. This crust happens to be thin for those who enjoy that style. The sauce was a bit bland (could go heavier on the herbs), but it was very light so maybe I didn't get a good taste of it and it was not salty, which was perfect for our anchovies. The anchovies were great on this pizza and I even liked it with the olives. For dessert we had the tiramisu and the special, fresh pineapple with a warm sugar sauce. The tiramisu was out of this world. I've had a lot of tiramisu and this ranks very very high on the list, up there with homemade, even Nana-made. Nana-made! I could give no higher compliment. Our server was very friendly as was all of the staff. They definitely seem to be aiming at having a family-friendly place, which is both awesome and frustrating. I like the idea of the kid's play set they have, but it's right next to the Nana picture and I watched a little girl put her greasy little hands all over it.
(4)Kalai L.
Great pizza and fresh ingredients. Got some stragoni pasta too, very good. One star less cause waiters were kind of distracted and the place wasn't even full. Great and fresh food.
(4)Jake D.
We just visited here and ordered the pizza and lasagna they were both excellent. The service was also really good. This has been the best Italian food I have ever eaten I cannot wait to come here again. The atmosphere was very clean and fresh. The salads were all very fresh and yummy.
(5)Pillowsblanket S.
The staff are wonderful and attentive. There is water on the table for self service, which I appreciate. The environment had a relaxed feeling and we stayed for a long time just talking. We never felt rushed. The pizza was perfectly good. However, there was a lot of crust and I did not think the pizza options were imaginative; the flavor combinations were predictable. Here is the thing, that isn't necessarily "bad," I was just hoping for more.
(3)leslie D.
We'd been waiting to try Tramoni after watching the renovations for the past few months. (Live around the corner). We couldn't have been more pleased with the food, service and price. The decor is light and lovely, the waitstaff friendly and laid back and the owner's are very attentive. This will be a regular place for us!
(5)P K.
Oh...My new favorite...thin crust pizza to die for ...calzone with fresh egg...great folks, amazing food and packed on Sat so call ahead...this could be a classic for us!...can't wait to share with our friends...thanks!!
(5)Kimberly S.
I just visited this place over the weekend and was very pleasantly surprised. This place just opened in the past year and i had heard many rumors of the pizza being dynamite, so i had to go and try it out for myself. The atmosphere is fun and lively a lot. We ordered three pizzas and all of them were good, but not the best pizza i ever had. The wait staff is friendly and welcoming, the only downfall is it doesn't have a full bar, just beer and wine. I will be coming back though because it is a great place to bring friends and groups.
(4)T F.
Pizza and pasta are wonderful. I only grade on good because I work I the business and know how hard it is to please people. Excellent food
(5)Jens J.
Lunch special with mama rosa pizza was delicious. Tiramisu was a very interesting variation - awesome.
(5)W W.
I was very excited to see a truly Italian selection of pizzas and it was a tough pick, as they all sounded good. I found the pizza to be fantastic.. the crust was delicious and very close to the Italian pizza I know, as were the sauce, cheese, and toppings. The people I spoke with were pleasant to deal with and I would happily try this place again!
(4)John S.
Best pizza in Santa Cruz, although that's saying basically nothing. Almost everyone working there is speaking Italian, so that's a good sign. We had a salad with everything under the sun in it and it was awesome. Pizza is 100% authentic Italian style except that they slice it for you since Americans' heads would explode if they didn't. Sauce and cheese were both incredibly delicious. The only miss was the gnocchi which just wasn't anything special.
(4)chef P.
Ok...we went here because a family friend pointed us in the right direction. Awesome food. The restaurant is extremely clean. Atmosphere was amazing. Food... We ordered the margarita pizza for an appetizer. Then the mediteranea salad and the lasagna. The pizza was burn your mouth hot temperature wise. Perfectly seasoned. The salad was too over dressed for our liking. The lasagna was hands down the best lasagna I have ever had in my life. Sorry Lisa. 2 people. 2 beers, 1 glass of wine, pizza, insalada, lasagna for 48.75. Great meal. Great service. I'm going there again soon. Go there. My went to Italy for 6 months and she said that the pizza was almost just as good. Get your ass there and go get some good italian food.
(5)Tom K.
I'm not much of a review writer so I'm just going to say "ditto" (5 stars). All the pizzas here are awesome! Great food great service.
(5)Jayzee V.
Last night (1/18/14) was my second visit to this restaurant ... The first time we went there, I would have given it 10 stars if possible.. because their margherita pizza was OTH good ..we moved here from the east coast.. and believe me when I say that good pizzas are hard to come by ... Imho a plain Jane margherita pizza is should be the basic skill test for a restaurant to pass ... However many places tend to substitute the mozzarella cheese with something other shredded variety of cheese ... i tend to hate that.. well.. Visit # 1 was PERFECT .. The cheese .. crust .. and The pizza itself was delectable ... Fast forward to visit #2 a month later... I am 39 weeks pregnant .. and i really wanted to get down here to eat their mind blowing pizza before my baby comes .. we drove all the way down from San jose just for dinner (it's a good 50 minute drive - and not so comfortable for a person in my condition, believe me!) Well .. i ordered the same Margherita pizza and was extremely disappointed because something was different... it was definitely NOT worth the hour drive .. and i didn't realize why till just now (at 3:30 am the following day)...Instead of using globs of mozzarella cheese the you expect to find on the pizza margherita . they had used the shredded variety ... disappointing .. disappointing .. disappointing .. i don't think I will visit this place again .. since they don't seem to be consistent .. how can they change this most basic recipe and screw it up is beyond me... I wish I'd recalled my last visit and had them change my pizza while I was there ... Unfortunately, i didn't .. and now I'm pretty darn mad... I hope the owners read this because I was touting this place to be the best pizza I'd eaten on the west coast ...well.. i will not be doing that any longer ... and will definitely not be wasting my precious time to eat sub par food .. My suggestion to anyone who does visit, is to ask your server if you are going to get a pizza with true blue mozzarella or not... demand the actual cheese.. you won't regret it..it is one of the most important components of the pizza after all (their sauce is excellent - light and tasty!).. don't be disappointed like i was :( Pros: -on a good day/if you're lucky .. you can sample some fabulous food ... just remember to demand actual cheese ..:-/ -the service is excellent -I cannot fault them that .. quick, friendly and efficient Cons: INCONSISTENT!!!
(2)Nate C.
Had my doubts... new pizza spot in town, not so sure. I must say I was really impressed tonight. The atmosphere was very nice with attention to detail at every table. The menu is simple and delicious. Had a wonderful calzone with my Pops, and a blonde ale to wash it down. The end of the meal came and an absolutely wonderful cappuccino and Americano were served to send us off right. The waiter who served us was great... very passionate, enthusiastic man straight from Italy, (of coarse has lived in Santa Cruz for over a decade) ready to share the delightful experience that is Tramonti. Great food, drink, service, atmosphere and BANG for your buck! Definitely going back soon. Give it a try!
(4)Kay D.
The food is great here with a nice casual atmosphere. The service, not so great. We were interrupted twice during our dinner conversation by the wait staff to ask if a certain cars in the lot belong to us because they wanted to tow unwanted cars. Odd! The service of wine and check service was slow with involving having to flag down the wait staff twice.
(3)Nadine S.
Mediocre all around and a downright surly staff. If you want actually good Italian food, try La Posta next door.
(2)satyendra d.
Excellent pizza, light crust and sauce
(5)J. O.
Tramonti had a little bit of everything that I looked for in a restaurant. The waitstaff was professional and attentive, the service was prompt, and the food was very flavorful. My wife and I went here on a whim tonight. We both had spaghetti - hers was the prawns, mine was the tomato sauce. We got there early, and were seated within five minutes. While a number of people tried serving us/accommodating us, we received a waitress that may have been Italian (as in born and raised). While she had a little trouble understanding us (either we were too quiet or there was a bit of a language barrier) she was very patient with us and we were with her. She answered our questions as best she could and took our order. That's important. I don't know why it's unusual for restaurants, but it is. We received our orders quickly, and the food was presented well and had just the right flavor and texture. The tomato sauce was sweet and was mixed throughout the pasta. There were red cherry tomatoes, oil, and herbs (perhaps finely chopped basil?) mixed throughout. I've never been to Italy, but I cook Italian food and I've been to a lot of Italian restaurants, and this meal screamed authenticity. Another thing that I liked was that it wasn't like one waitress was focusing on it. It seemed like multiple members of the waitstaff were checking up on everyone, including while we were waiting in line before being seated. I sensed that people were just happy to do their job and eager to serve. While I enjoyed the food and I'd probably go again, there were a few minor things regarding atmosphere and portion size. The spaghetti was very good, but I had to go home and eat another meal within an hour - not what I expect when I pay more than $20 for a dinner for two. I understand that having light meals is more of a traditional Italian thing, but I think it'd be a good idea to have a bit more food. In addition, it kind of irked me that they didn't have bread or salad that came with the meal. Finally, the place is loud, and it really wasn't built well for more subdued acoustics. I felt bad, but I couldn't hear my wife across the table - and I'm too young to be losing my hearing! It may also be the crowd that it attracts. It was a good restaurant and worth the shot, and very likely worth visiting again, but that doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement. The sense I get from being there and seeing how it is run is that the ownership will probably make sure that it happens.
(4)Taylor K.
Authentic Italian food and wine, even beer! The best pizza (non-american style) in Santa Cruz and maybe even this side of Grimaldi's in Brooklyn, NY. Had the Sisiliani with anchovies. Was great. They have some long communal style tables and comfortable 4 person tables along the sides. The place is very noisy -- think concrete bunker but the decor is hip. Heard the lines can be long but we got there before 6 on a Thursday and didn't have to wait for a table.
(4)Laura N.
Finally made it over here. Agree that the salad was amazing (I had the Santa Croce), as was the gnocchi. Very kid friendly place. We got there early-ish, which I think was good, because the service is a tad slow. Also, my gnocchi, although amazingly tender, did need a liitle more salt in the sauce. I'll be back soon to try the pizza - it looked and smelled great.
(4)Molly M.
Awesome! Great service. Great food. La Posta, across the parking lot, is twice the price and not as good. Huge portions and super fresh. Eat here.
(5)SantaCruzRestaurantReview A.
Welcome, welcome, welcome. I am a Seabright local for years and this place is a welcome addition to our neighborhood. Yes we already had two Pizza spots across the street from each other, Engfers and La Posta, but nether ever really did it for me. This place does it for me. The pizza are light, delicious and come out fast (unless there is a crowd). Maybe a wee bit salty if you eat two in a row like I do. Their prices are affordable and the staff seem pretty cool, but maybe a bit flustered. Could be the language barrier, since the owners speak mainly Italian. And they are Italian so you don't wanna F-up. FOTB? I have seen the owners and staff frequenting the other Seabright establishments which is cool. Mix it up folks. The other items? Gnocci was creamy yum yums, calzones off the hook, salads excellent and but the only pasta I tried (the basic marinara and spaghetti) was a bit boring in the mouth. Go there, tell me what you think, more than likely I'll be there. The first month they opened I was there every second day!!! sometimes 2 days in a row. Now I've died down to a more comfortable once or twice a week. Take a date, lot of trendy pretty people, you'll seem trendy and cutting edge. Do it.
(5)Maika C.
We found Tramonti through Yelp and were impressed by the reviews. We were not disappointed. We stopped on our way home from Monterrey on a Friday evening. It just so happens it was also graduation night and a few very large parties were leaving as we arrived at the restaurant. It was clear that the kitchen was running very smoothly and there were several other tables being served as well as the graduation parties. My first impression was that the restaurant smelled delicious and it was clean and stylish. The food tasted delicious too. Our waiter was friendly and efficient. He also made a few substitutions to the kids meals without any difficulty at all. My daughter wanted shrimp added to her gnocchi and my son wanted meat sauce on his spaghetti. There was a very reasonable charge for these substitutions. We also had the lasagne and calzone. Everything was fresh and authentic. They made our family feel very welcome and we will definitely be back.
(5)Erika Z.
Our server was great, dessert was delicious! But as more people arrived, boy did it get hot! I don't recommend going with a group (there were 6 of us and it was hard to hear the two people on the end).
(3)Sharon A.
Tramonti is the real thing, from the great food and the cooks that create it to the classy modern Italian look of the restaurant. We recently had a family party there, all 12 of us gathered around one of the big center tables. Seems everyone ordered something different and were happy to share so I got to try a variety of pizza, some gnocchi, and lasagne and they were all delicioso. I chose the gorgonzola, pear, and walnut pizza, nocci I think it is called. It was my favorite. Even though I couldn't finish the pizza I managed to find room for the panna cotta, fantastic. . I have tried to make it at home and asked about their recipe. They use Italian gelatin, available from SF. And of course, it's not just about the gelatin, the dessert chef has an amazing background in Italian desserts. I especially like that fact that the food at Tramonti's is freshly made from scratch right there in the kitchen - you can see the cooks working and hear their conversations in Italian. The host of this party did not pass out when he got the bill for all of us which included wine. He was pleasantly surprised at the affordable prices and very pleased that we chose this place. We all had a great evening and will be back very soon, we have a birthday party coming up.
(5)Alice C.
Wow, what a find. THE BEST ITALIAN FOOD outside of Italy that I've ever had. Lets start with the food, fresh organic, mostly local ingredients, authentic recipes and beautiful presentation. The chef uses Italian tomatoes and flour tipo '00' these things do make a difference. My favourite was the Tagliolini di Limone made with homemade pasta and a fresh lemon/cream sauce. The Tiramisu was incredible, it's not hard to believe that it has won prizes in Las Vegas. The service was good, warm friendly and efficient, Tramonti is definitely kid and family friendly. The decor is welcoming, it is in a large clean open space, with many large windows. Restaurant is open to the kitchen. It has a beautiful floor and gorgeous furniture. Welcome to Santa Cruz, Tramonti, we'll definitely be going often!
(5)W. M.
Lunch was as and good as it gets! The salad was a very generous portion & delicious. The pizza was authentic perfection! The panna cotta was velvety, silky impecacble. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Kathy B.
My family and I stumbled on Tramonti while vacationing at the beach and loved it so much that we came back a second night. This is authentic Italian, from the silkiness of the gnocchi (which our waiter helpfully explained how to pronounce correctly) to the crema on the espresso. The food was divine and the service was very friendly (although slow at times). I'll definitely come back next time we're in the area.
(4)Andrew T.
This is one of my favorites. The pizzas and salads are as good as it gets.
(5)Georgia G.
Hubby & I tried for the first time Tuesday and were treated like long lost family it was the best. Everyone was on top of their service and friendly with sincere smiles. The food was out of this world crazy delicious and fresh. The Eggplant Parmagiana was tender and succulent in every bite. The pizza Salami & cheese was the tastiest crust and cheese I have ever had - molto delicioso. The salad that came with the special for Tuesday was rockin the fresh taste, even the glass of wine was delicious! I plan to make more outings to Tramonti for their excellent top notch quality in food & service.
(5)Gina V.
3 of the 4 stars are for the food - super yummy! Large salad was ordinary, but fresh and tasty. Lasagne, gnocchi with cheese sauce, egg noodles with meaty red sauce, tiramisu...all of it was really really good...like write home to Italy good! And 1 of the 4 stars is for the prices - very reasonable! Salad, entrees, beer and wine, and dessert for 2 under $60...that's a steal here! And the empty star is for the ambiance and service. The place is well-done on the remodel, but just kind of all concrete and plastic, not a lot of character. And the acoustics are every bit as bad as everyone says...very loud and hard to carry on a conversation. The service was friendly and helpful enough...but... We got the end of our meal, about 1.5 hours on a Sunday, and the restaurant had become busy with people waiting and gathering. I was dining with a good friend that I don't see much and wanted to hang out, but servers and others kept walking by with "looks" (not mean or rude, they just wanted our table!). So we left and got a beer at the brewery next door...and they were clearing our table before we had even left the building. Overall, very good, definitely headed back!
(4)Jess P.
Went for lunch, place was pretty empty. Service was good, salad great, pizza decent although overly salty. I'll keep going to Engfer's.
(3)D A.
I took 20 members of our "soccer family" to Tramonti"s when we were in town for a tournament. The waiter was great and friendly. Everyone was happy with their food and the price was reasonable. We had a nice time. Thanks Tramonti!
(4)Cathy B.
Love this place. Excellent food and service. We had a reservation for a party of 20 and were seated on time.Our waiter gave us very helpful dinner and wine suggestions. Everyone raved about their meal.
(5)John C.
Just went for the first time last night. Good energy. Great place to come with family and friends. Salads are yummy. Nice beer and wine selection. Great value.
(4)Bob S.
first there was lilians on soquel an now tramonti on Seabright. a must stop, the real deal straight from Italy is now in Santa Cruz
(4)Lisa F.
Went to Tramonti last night with a party of 4. We had great service and a delicious dinner. Our bill, around $80.00, including 3 pizzas (the Bufalina was DELISH), the gnocchi (yum), a bottle the best Chardonnay I've had in a long time, and iced tea. We were stuffed and very happy. We will be back.
(4)B B.
without a doubt the single freshest pizza with the freshest ingredients I have had in a very long time. This is almost certainly the best pizza I have had on the west coast. You absolutely must have their buffalo mozzarella pizza. The rarity of buffalo mozzarella especially on this side of the Atlantic is definitely worth getting. also their salads are good too. service was descent but the décor does not make me feel all that comfortable. But then again the quirkiness of it kind of fits with this quirky town so I'm actually good with it. definitely check this place out if you happened to find yourself in this part of the world.
(5)Nick H.
****Lucky and Fresh!**** 4.5 Stars! After a day of surfing, swimming, and building sand castles, we were starved. Most of the nearby places were closed and Yelp listed this as being open. The proximity and being open were the only reasons we came. We got lucky! ~What we ordered: 4.5 Stars! Fresh spaghetti with butter and parmessan cheese and Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and tomatoes. Super fresh and good. The noodles were delicious and the sauce was super fresh made with all fresh ingredients and not processed components. The tomato sauce was easily five stars. The little one, who dislikes fresh tomatoes, loved this sauce also. The prices were set at the lunch rate and were rediculously reasonable. ~Service-Average While it was prompt, the food was dropped off and no real follow-up. However, the quality and taste more than compensated for the lack of service. ~Parking-Easy They have a huge private lot! 4.5 Stars! We loved our food. Service does need some work.
(4)Nick H.
Oh Santa Cruz, in a town full of starving students and complacent retirees, it's just so hard to find a restaurant that offers impeccable service. My experience wasn't "bad" per say but I get the impression that most of the employees never worked for a chain restaurant where they would have been properly trained. Granted, as a former waiter I am very sensitive to a waiter's performance but he certainly did nothing to try and impress us: no small talk, flattery or engage my 4-year-old daughter in conversation about what she did that day. I ordered the lasagna and while of good quality, was very unevenly re-heated (yeah I know you never get lasagna directly from the oven), reminiscent of when you try to microwave soup and the heat isn't distributed properly. I had a couple glasses of Pinot Grigio with the meal, once again of good quality, but was a tad overpriced; should have been $2 cheaper per glass. Tramonti is decent place... for Santa Cruz. But I can't help thinking that it wouldn't last very long if it wasn't in a tourist trap beach community.
(3)Amy L.
Tramonti is home to The Best Plate Of Pasta I've Ever Eaten!!!!! People, let me be clear: I'm from the Tri-State Area. I've eaten more Italian food in my life than everything else combined! I've savored delectable plates of pasta from here to Italy and back...And Tramonti's Tagliolini al Sugo Langarolo is hands-down The Best!!!! And it wasn't just a one time thing, either...I've had this dish multiple times, and each time, it was just as divine...and its only flaw is that I don't live in Santa Cruz and can't get a plate of this divine pasta every time I crave it...which is, lamentably, quite often!! Sure, there are other fabulous dishes on their menu, too...The Gnocchi Gorgonzola is nothing to sneeze at (if you're allergic to walnuts, let them know, as this dish usually comes dusted with them!)...and their Gorgonzola Pizza, slathered in slivered red onions and tomatoes is everything you hoped for and more...But that Tagliolini??? This is the kind of dish that keeps you up at night, your mouth watering, your brain racing, wondering how long it would take you to drive there, and would they be open yet by the time you get there!!!! She's a cruel mistress, meaty, parmigiano-y noodles, rolled up into a hefty stack of deliciousness, perfection on a plate!!! And at $14, she's also a cheap-yet-satisfying date ;) I'll be back, my dear. Time and space can only keep us apart so long....
(5)Chris W.
From the mouths of babes, "too good!" I've been missing New York pizza on the west coast and this pizza joint did not disappoint. The three of us ordered the lunch special, each of us ordering a different pizza for lunch. The margarita, the pepperoni and a roasted vegetable pie. All three were way tasty and worth the trip. Two of us had salads with simple oil and vinegar dressing. Way good - the simple things in life often are. Service was fast and polite. My only complaint is my stomach couldn't handle the pasta of the day! Go here now!
(5)Gianluca V.
??? Did they change management ??? I went there on a Sunday early afternoon, and this is why they lost 2 stars: 1) SERVICE: I got in, the waitress told me to seat anywhere I wanted, the restaurant was almost empty, only 2 tables, so, I was pretty happy! Then, I sat down and waited, and waited, and waited, while the waitress was going around tables cleaning up: no attempt to provide a menu or anything. Then, after being told by what I assume is the new manager to attend my table, she came and ask me if I was waiting for the check?????? YOU TOLD ME TO SIT ANYWHERE I WANTED, YOU DUMMY!!!! Well, after a while, I finally got the menu and ordered a Siciliana. After a little, she comes back saying that they are out of olives: DAMN! don't you guys check inventory, or did you just have 20 guests gulping down all your olives???? 2) QUALITY OF FOOD: the doe should have easily enjoyed 1-2 more minutes in the oven, or the oven was not hot enough. the Pizza came in as white pizza, with a dash of cold tomato sauce on top: I will check, but I don't recall Pizza Siciliana ever being like that. Anchovies were overly salty. So, overall, a disappointment. If I did not have such great expectation from previous experience there, It would have been ok, but sorry, Tramonti, you blew it!
(2)J.Alyse F.
So for food, I give them about a 4. I really enjoyed the salad I ordered. There were pear slices, candied walnuts, blue cheese, a balsamic vinaigrette. It was very good! Could have used some more ingredients. The small salad is not that much smaller than the large. The large just has a bigger bowl. The regular spaghetti was very good. A regular size portion. Now my reason for going lower on the rating is solely due to COMFORT. I would give them a 1. It was SO HOT in there. They said they don't have AC. They have two ceiling fans by the door. The rest of the Resturant felt like we were inside the pizza oven. It was about 73 outside, we would have been better off outside. Service was pretty good. They don't serve water with ice, so you have to ask.
(3)J. G.
So went there last Friday and had the Gorgonzola gnocchi and husband had eggplant parm The bread was abnormal, tasteless, the beer was great and the food...in a word...in 3 words...far from Italian The gnocchi sauce was paste like and grainy, the walnuts on top were raw, it was a mess The eggplant parm was odd. Not bad and not good I am sad that this is what $50 gets you and not keeping the owners restaurant in soquel on my must try list of this is what o can expect Sad sad sad I am sad about my experience and that I can no longer go to tramonti
(2)shanay D.
The food was okay. Decent ambience, clean restaurant, and friendly servers. But the food was nothing special. We got the Margherita pizza and the egg noodles with pork & beef red sauce (don't remember the name, hard to pronounce). I don't know how this restaurant has four stars right now. Maybe other dishes there are better.
(2)Desiree L.
What a neighborhood gem! Italian food of the quality and simplicity you'd find in a Tuscan village. Casual and boisterous enough to bring the kids with a great value priced kids menu. But cool enough vibe for date night. Service is attentive and food comes quickly. We'll definitely be back!
(4)Susan C.
We had less than 24 hours in Santa Cruz and we were looking for a pizza place within walking distance to the boardwalk. I saw this restaurant on Yelp and went based on reviews. We were so happy that we took the walk over. The pizza was delicious (Margherita). The crust was perfect, the sauce was just right (no tomato chunks--bonus!), the salad was fresh and plentiful, and the beer was very good. Even our picky daughters are every bite. The service was attentive, friendly, and quick. All in all this is a quality place. The next time we're in Santa Cruz we will definitely eat here again!
(5)Charles H.
I love this place!!!! The servers are happy. The location is clean, and the food is fantastic. My family and I consider this place one of the best values in town. If you haven't been their yet treat yourself. If you enjoy Italian this place is a great pick. Cheers
(5)Marilyn W.
Our waiter was so amazing and friendly, I wish I could remember his name. Unfortunately, the lunch was mediocre.
(3)Prianka K.
I think this place is best for pizza as I was pretty disappointed in my pasta. I ordered the Gorgonzola gnocchi- which sounded amazing on the menu. Although, when I received it, the it the gnocchi was swimming in a watery sauce. It was basically like eating plain gnocchi because the sauce didn't stick to it! It would have been okay, but gnocchi itself lacked a seasoning as. The saving grave was the bread which was great. I think I ate more bread than anything else. I would come back here to try the pizza since it seemed like that's what most people ordered. Hopefully it will live up the the amazing reviews!
(3)Mitchell S.
So excited to find this place after mourning the loss of Main Street Garden. It's run by the previous owner, and the food is just as good. I had the lunch special with the Margherita pizza and side salad. The pizza was perfect, and the whole meal was $10! The ambiance is a lot more casual, and they could use air conditioning for a hot summer afternoon. Service was great though, and I'll be making this a new go-to spot.
(5)Magdalena K.
Awesome food, my family loved it here and wanted to eat their pizza two days in a row! Local Pilsner beer was great! I will definitely come back when visiting Santa Cruz again!
(5)Martha T.
I ran in on Sunday with just 25 minutes to have lunch ... wanting a healthy, delish salad. They told me no problem and were wonderfully attentive. The salad was perfect .. fresh crisp greens, veggies, and cooling ricotta! Oh, and I asked that they add some meat .. they suggested tuna, which was beyond delicious. It was a great lunch in their tasteful interior ... fun groups eating on the patio enjoying the day, all very much a part of the vibrant vibe in the end-of-Seabright.
(5)Jake C.
Currently sitting in the restaurant and this is by far the best italian food I have had in a VERY long time. With Italian heritage I learned to love pasta and bread and many different flavor blasts and enjoy the good slowly and delicately. This place had mastered everything. Run by a true italian immigrant it seems I could not be happier. The home made bread, the pasta, the service, the comfort. I would not be lying to say this is my favorite restaurant I have been to. I will make the 2 and a half hour trip again JUST to visit this restaurant. I hope you all try it. Truly, a gem. Thank you.
(5)Wantu W.
We were headed home from the Boardwalk looking for good Italian. The bread was so fresh that we kept asking for more! We ordered pizza, lasagna, spaghetti on tomato sauce and the tagalini wither sauce. Everyone loved their dish. Will definitely be back.
(4)Bob D.
Excellent pizza. Very fresh ingredients and I loved the crust. We are here on a family trip and I'm glad we picked this place for our pizza. We got our pizza to go, but while picking it up, I noticed lots of families, so it appears the place is kid friendly. A bit loud for dining, but if I'm ever in Santa Cruz again, this will be where we go for pizza.
(5)Mia C.
The best thing about this restaurant is their excellent service. All the wait staff were friendly. And it was crowded. We luckily had a reservation for our anniversary dinner. We chose this place since fine dining restaurants are not an option for us with a toddler. We really liked the Rigatoni with Smoked Salmon. The pasta was perfectly coated with pieces of salmon and creamy sauce. Even the kiddo enjoyed it. The other dish we got was Pesto pasta with green beans and potatoes. It was ok, nothing special. They were out of their regular house wine, so we got 2 glasses of Chianti(red) which was excellent. Overall it was a great place for our special dinner. During our dinner, we noticed multiple families waiting to be seated. So reservation is highly recommended, especially if you don't want to sit at the communal table.
(4)Sangye L.
Fantastic pizza, Gorgonzola gnocchi heavenly, salads fresh and delightful, but service by the old world Italian host makes the place warm and homey! Lunch and dinner can be different experiences-lunch is a good deal. Check it out.
(4)Angel A.
We had a reservation, but still had to wait. We went on a Sat night, so the restaurant was super busy and packed, and the service was extremely slow. The other workers in the restaurant were not the friendliest since I imagine they were overwhelmed with the business, although our specific waitress was not unfriendly. The kale arugula salad was pleasant, but otherwise, the food was just average in my opinion. My pasta with meat sauce was bland and nothing to write home about, same goes for the veggie pizza. The restaurant is small (as well as the parking lot spaces), so unless you have a lot of time or a smaller group, I would recommend passing. They do have crayons and a page ripped out from a coloring book to occupy the kids, but we had to ask for it and it was not provided up front. They did have nice high chairs, and a changing table in the bathroom, but it is only one stall/room and we always had to wait. Just average and nothing special, food was a bit overpriced and I probably would not come back.
(3)William M.
Super good food and incredibly attentive service (without being annoying). Great for families. My kids can't get enough gnocchi from here! And the lasagna is fabulous. Polenta and meatballs is great too - but you have to be in the mood for a lot of polenta! Would have been better with a smidge more gravy.
(5)Julie B.
I love everything about Tramonti. The atmosphere is light (you can have a meal experience or be in and out for a quick dinner), the service is outstanding and the food is always delicious. Perfect place to take toddlers because they have a play area for them and it definitely improves the parents dining experience. They have the best gluten free crust I have EVER tasted - it is very buttery and light. The meatball dish with Polenta is so very unique and tasty. They are always adding things to the menu which is a nice change... the Tramonti Calzone always stands out - the perfect amount of crust - very well balanced with the egg, prosciutto, mushrooms and cheese. This is one of my regular places to go and it never disappoints! Everything from the salads to the Pizza and pasta and on to dessert is always very great!
(5)Devon M.
What Happened? We loved finding this spot in Santa Cruz about six months ago and were so pleased with it that we would drive from the Peninsula just for dinner. They had an eggplant dish that was out of this world, unique and super-delicious. It was always tough to choose our order, because everything was good. The vegetarian antipasto tray was divine. Even a plate of noodles and sauce was far from ordinary; it was flavorful and comforting. Then two weeks ago we took the drive up for dinner. It had been a while, because our budgets had been a little tight. With a tiny bit extra, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner out. I suppose there has been a change in management, as there wasn't a familiar face to be seen. The place was quiet, which was a change from the boisterous (almost too boisterous) atmosphere which had presided previously. We noticed some alterations on the menu, and the food was drastically different. It wasn't horrible, but in comparison to the Tramonti that we had come to expect, we were terribly disappointed. We understood quickly why it was so empty and quiet, and we paid for the little bit of food we ate and left. On our last visit we ordered: Minestrone Soup (full of veggies, cooked well, but oily and utterly flavorless) Eggplant Parmesan (expected the old dish, so it's hard to be fair with this assessment, but it was overloaded with finely grated Parmesan cheese that tasted like Kraft)
(2)Mohini T.
Authentic Italian food .. Super delicious.. Freshly made.. Servers were friendly as well.. Vegetairian options were plenty.. Noci pizza was the best.. Spinach ravioli was delicious too.. Certainly worth a visit..
(5)Gina C.
Enjoyed lunch with my son-very fresh salad with italian ricotta cheese-yum!! Celebrated my 50th birthday there with a large group of 32 people. Fantastic salads, pizza's and pastas. Authentic food, great service, lively atmosphere. I will be back!
(5)Lydia A.
I called a few minutes before driving to the restaurant and tried to make a reservation for three. When we arrived, we were able to be seated at a very small table in the back, but they had no record of a reservation. I ordered the pesto pasta that is supposed to come with potatoes and green beans. I received a plate of pesto pasta with two small green beens and no potatoes. The soda machine was broken so they had canned soda. They were charging $3 a can, but they did give us one extra can for free because our service took so long. Our waitress was awesome. The problem was with the kitchen staff. They forgot my friend's desert. We waited 15 minutes and they hadn't put it in yet. They comped it. The bus boy did not wear deodorant and he left his musky smell every time he walked by us. He also told us he would get our server then went back to work without contacting her.
(2)Cesar B.
The area here is active in a tight shop community. The service was prompt, courteous & personal. Mateo was our waiter, who was teaching us the Italian dialect on ordering our food. The pizza was delicious. Flavorful crust & sauce, & not heavy. The espresso was like my Dad likes to say "it was strong enough to wake a dead horse", it was good.
(4)Nathalie O.
Not the same food experience as before. Pasta dishes and meatballs were bland, salads and pizza however were good.
(3)Jan T.
Great food! Great service! It was Valentines Day and the place was packed but they took us in 5 minutes. The host asked if we wanted wine or beer while we waited. The Mediterranean salad was perfect. We enjoyed the pepperoni pizza and the cheese ravioli in cream sauce. Everything tasted fresh - the mozzarella, the tomatoes, the cheeses. It all made for a special meal.
(5)Kalina P.
Very refreshing and inviting Italian restaurant. Really affordable prices, delicious authentic Italian, not heavy with cheeses and sauces, really brings out the natural flavors of Italy. Nizza salad is a winner, capriciossa pizza is a gem, lunch special is different each day $10 and Tuesday's has $15 wine, appetizer, entree combo. Service is casual and quick. Like having an Italian chef at home who knows just what you'll like. Server Renata is very friendly and sweet. Come at lunchtime time to avoid a longer wait in the evening!
(5)Peggy H.
Excellent service. The gnocchi with pesto sauce is delicious. The pizza margarita is also awesome and came out of the kitchen super quickly. Great place to stop after a long day on the Boardwalk. My kids insist on giving this place a 5 star rating!
(5)Deb T.
Our first trip to Tramonti we were there on a mid-Saturday afternoon. The bread is very good, baked freshly. We both had the minestrone, which was definitely homemade, but I like a bit heartier soup with less broth (just a personal preference.). My husband had the gnocchi and I chose lasagna. He had the better pasta. He also chose the profiterol, which was a better dessert than my tiramisu. Every tiramisu recipe/technique seems to be different. This wasn't tops for me, but again, it's just personal preference. I was also surprised that it was served in a cup, a first for me. The staff seems efficient and does a good job, but I felt they were a little detached. I'm sure it's difficult to find that balance between being professional and friendly without acting too familiar with patrons. In fairness, we didn't try the pizza and I saw a lot of people ordering pizza and also saw to go orders of pizza heading out the door. We should go back and give the pizzas a try, since that may be their best work. Everything was clean, everyone seemed to work well as a group. There was nothing really wrong, but we didn't get a warm, fuzzy feeling either. We'll try them again on some other day at some other time, since there do seem to be a lot of people who really love this restaurant. For now, I'll say 3 stars.
(3)Brandon R.
The food looked pretty good.. Wouldn't know because I never got seated. I totally understand that a place gets busy on a Saturday night but the host should set some expectations and also have a decent system for seating walkins vs late/early reservations. I saw several people have to leave there tables and approach the kitchen to request drinks and/or pay their bill because they weren't tended to at their table. Even with that I was assured that soon we'd be seated and gave up only after waiting 45 minutes.
(1)Kushagra S.
Probably the worst host at any restaurants I've dined at. Didn't set the right time expectations to get a table, was rude, and couldn't care less about overall dining experience. Food must really be awesome based in other yelp reviews which made me go to the restaurant in the first place. Didn't end up dining so review is only for the host.
(1)Angela A.
This is an update to a previous review. I had dinner there last evening and the pizza was meh. The other times I have eaten there have been amazing and it was for lunch. Best pizza ever! Last night the food was so off! The sauce on the pizza had no flavor. Not even the normal fresh tomato taste that I love! My pizza was soggy and the dough was just ok. My husband said the same about his and we had two different orders.The bread they gave us seemed burnt and stale, but it is free bread so that didn't bother me. I will go back for sure, but only for lunch. I am not sure if they have a different chef then or not, but my dinner was not great.
(2)Dolan M.
I am a fan, good place, good service, good food. No times that I have been here and have not enjoyed it or enjoyed the food! Plenty of customer parking, though I don't drive. Friendly Staff, good service I mentioned yes.
(4)Smriti A.
Went with a group of friends and was waiting to be seated. The host seated the couple in front of us and went directly to the group standing behind us, clearly he chose to ignore all 4 us and when we approached him he was RUDE. Worst host ever!! Based on other reviews, food might be good but the host clearly makes you feel UNWELCOME. Glad we went across the street to Engfer Pizza Works - great service, great food and they make you feel welcomed.
(1)Elle L.
Love the food here. Lately just order pizza to go. My favorite these days is the Breakfast Pizza. Ham, 2 eggs, cheeses...So yummy!!
(5)Aurora B.
Phenomenal crust and pizza sauce! The owner and staff are very friendly and I always get great service. Thank you Tramonti!
(5)Alicia K.
Everything good is Here!!. Great atmosphere. Fresh ingredients. Authentic Italian cuisine. Great service. Gets busy but worth it all. Always leave here happy!
(5)Att A.
A total fan. The service was awesome. The food fantastic with generous portions. We ordered: Gnocchi with cream sauce: The gnocchi was totally awesome. Even the SO became a convert. SO usually avoids gnocchi dishes. The house pizza (vegetarian) - lunch special pizza + salad. The salad was large enough to share between the 3 of us. Spaghetti - generous doses of olive oil and garlic. The tomato base tasted like it was made from scratch with good quality olive oil. The olive oil they used must be really high quality. I went for olive oil tasting once where the guide explained when the olive oil is pure, people who partake it will feel a tickle in their throat. I certainly felt that when we ate. They are also very accommodating to strollers and kiddies. Definitely will return.
(4)Vedran V.
Stationed in the area of Santa Cruz with two other Italian places within seconds walk, Tramonti distinguishes itself from other two by authenticity above all. Italian owned and operated, they offer casual North Italian Trattoria experience right here on the Pacific Coast. The dining room when you walk in looks fresh and modern. Usually there is a short wait but they also take reservations. We arrived a bit early for our 'appointment' but were seated promptly. Our server Matteo was over shortly to take the drink orders and we decided to go with wine as they have only Peroni on tap and no craft brews. This is clearly the area where Tramonti can and should improve. What compensates for this is the food quality which is really good and the prices very reasonable. Thin crust Pizza Margherita coming out of the wood fired oven for $7 is a deal that can't be beat. As a European transplant to California I always wondered why the pizza prices are so high here. In Italy pizza is the ultimate, inexpensive comfort food and Tramonti gets it. We also tried delicious gnocchi and the Meditteranea salad, also great. The pizza was maybe a bit under baked, but I like my crust slightly burned so I can't hold it against them. Tramonti is really a lot like North Italy, good service and simple but well executed menu. We will surely be back upon next Santa Cruz visit.
(4)Ray B.
High quality ingredients. Perfect portions. Fun, energetic atmosphere. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Perfect for families, couples or groups of friends wanting authentic Italian. Kudos to the owner for sticking to his Italian roots by serving fresh ingredients prepared to please the palate and within a reasonable price range. Will be back.
(5)Hilary G.
This review is about service only. I spoke to someone at Tramonti and set up a dinner for my daughter's soccer team and their families for 6 weeks out. They told me that my group of 40-60 would be welcome and that it was in the book. She then told me to call the manager the week prior to the event to discuss details. I called back the next day to double check we were really on the books and we were. I called to speak to the manager 3 weeks prior to the event and the manager was evasive and said he'd email me some options for the dinner the following day. Four days later the manager tells me that they can't accommodate us in the restaurant but they are happy to cater the dinner for us. I explained that we didn't have a place to have it, which is why we booked it at the restaurant, but he didn't seem to care. Very disappointing.
(1)Koa L.
This beautiful, unique Italian restaurant is the perfect go to place if you are craving a true Italian meal. The Margarita pizza was incredible, as well as the Arugula and Gorgonzola salad that appeared on the 'Specials' menu. The atmosphere was superb and the waitor/waitresses we're extremely friendly and talked with a true Italian accent. My family and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to enjoy an Italian lunch/dinner.
(4)Ivan C.
Decent pasta. Came in because of a lunch special a friend heard about and wanted to try. Not bad. I'd consider trying this place out for a full dinner one day, but it would have to beat out my go-to places for Italian (Cafe Mare and Lillian's Kitchen). We'll see.
(3)Yugan S.
Wow. Amazing food and Service. Authentic fresh delicious pizza and salad. Real taste of Italy, where The owners came from . We bumped into it on a trip from south bay. Coming back for the food next time.
(5)Bella L.
I'm Italian and I say this place is meraviglioso!!!! Wonderful menu lots of great choices from pizzas to authentic Italian dishes from Italy! The salads were excellent and very large portions the pizza and pasta was fantastic and the service was great, they also had tons of gluten free dishes along with gluten free pizza. My new favorite Italian bistro we can't wait to go back, That's AMORE!!
(5)Carolyn G.
So glad we finally tried this place! Great Italian food at very reasonable prices! Bruschetta - 3 ways, excellent! Gnocchi - So good! Creamy, tender, delicious. Seabright Pizza - Everything about this pizza was fabulous. $5 house wine: Cabernet - Not bad at all! In fact, quite good. We've found our new local Italian restaurant!
(4)Vince d.
We had tried this place a few months back and although the service wasn't stellar the food wasn't bad so I figured I'd give it another go. What a mistake! My 5 year old daughter and I arrived and stood by the "please wait to be seated sign". No one greeted us so we waited, and waited and waited. There isn't really any place to sit or stand for that matter so it's kind of awkward. Occasionally someone would make eye contact as they walked by. After 5 minutes someone came, I said explained we were a party of two, might be joined by a third but we'd like to go ahead and eat. He said that they'd need to set up our table, pointing to it and walked away. After someone started to set it up, the manger passed by asked if we'd been helped, to which I said yes as I thought it would be finished some time soon. We kept thinking "Ok, setting up a table can't take that long, we'll be shown to our table shortly". Again, we waited and waited no one ever came back. At this point my 5 year old was getting antsy so we sat ourselves at our half set table. Eventually bread came but no water. At this point it's getting late, we're hungry and need to eat soon. We perused the menu, were ready to order and you guessed it, waited and waited and waited. No idea who our waitress was and I'm flapping my arms trying to get anyone's attention - no luck. By this point I'm insulted and angry. We've been in the restaurant for close to half an hour and they can't go out of there way to pay us even the slightest acknowledgment, how RUDE AND UNWELCOMING. Could they do any less? Finally after waiting some more I realize that even if they did come, there was going to be no way I could enjoy this dinner after being treated this way and I was angry that now it's 7:30 and my kid is starving. These bozos aren't getting my business I re-parked my car (out of their parking lot) and went next door to LA POSTA. Glad I did, as soon as we entered we were greater with a big smile and a "Welcome! We'll be right with you." and they were. We were immediately seated, the service was great - and an unexpected surprise was that on weekdays they often have specials and live music! It was great food and affordable. If your in the Seabright area, I recommend you try them - LA Posta ! Right next door to the place that really doesn't want you anyway!
(1)Brittany J.
Simple, clean and fresh Italian place in Santa Cruz. There's a really cool single(?) long wooden table down the middle of the room. Food here is very fresh and mostly made in-house! Service is friendly and fast as well. I got the parma pizza and it was one fresh and delicious thin-crusted pizza. I was really excited to find a pizza that had both prosciutto AND arugula. The pizza came in one size only, but was just enough for me to feel full without having that terrible overgreased food coma feeling. I've heard desserts here are the bomb so I'd love to come back and try it when I'm in Santa Cruz next!
(4)Jingle A.
Quite disappointed. We ordered Tagliolini pasta with meat sauce which was bland and same goes for the pizza. Service was friendly though. But I will not go back.
(2)Heidi V.
We were pleasantly surprised to find this reasonably priced, family-friendly gem in Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is now a better place to visit because of this place owned by a kind man from Venice. Our dinner started with the excellent, home-made bread with olive oil/balsamic dipping sauce served with beautiful iced bottles of water. The toasted hazelnut arugula salad with lemon shavings and Parmesan cheese was divine. I've rarely tasted pesto on the pasta and pizza as good as the pesto we had here. To top it all off we had the most fantastic affogato dessert made with the finest Italian espresso. We can't wait to come back to Santa Cruz to eat here again!
(5)Carlos S.
Had very satisfying pizzas here. Crust is thin and simply baked. Sauce is fresh and flavorful. Had margherita, Parma and meo. They were great! Meo had lcrumbly sausage, the Parma had prosciutto. Also had the contadino I vernal salad. That was just the right balance of salty Gorgonzola, and a sweet light dressing. I highly recommend this place.
(4)Sabeeh F.
We randomly ended up here, saw the rush inside and decided to take a chance. What a great find! Outstanding service, authentic delicious food...Pizza is awesome, prawn pasta was great! Prices are very reasonable,I highly recommend this place!!!
(5)Damla A.
Overrated!! Ordinary food with expected prices. Not sure what everyone finds "great" about this place. I think I make better spaghetti at home, and yes they have thin crust pizza but it is not as delicious as it shpuld be. Would I come here next time I am in the area? Most probably not!
(3)Matt C.
I came to the restaurant on a recommendation from a friend. We parked in the parking lot and were waiting for another person to come eat with us. In the meantime we checked out other stores on the street. Then this man comes out and starts asking me in barely understandable english if im eating at his restaurant and acting like i dont have eyes. He kept monitoring my car to wait until I moved it or went to the restaurant. He then flipped me off so i returned it and he began to throw some other signs that who knows what they Mean. Let me just say I will never recommend anyone to go there and will never go back. P.S. when i walked in it smelt horrible
(1)Rebecca C.
My mom, daughter and I stumbled on this place during a recent visit to Capitola. The 4 year old wanted spaghetti and Yelp made Tramonti look promising so in we went. It was early for dinner (about 4:15) and they were empty and we were excited to find out that the lunch deals went till 5pm. Fabulous pizza and salad for my mom and I, a delicious glass of house red for me, and kiddos spaghetti and drink for under $40, that is a deal in my book. The pizza was HUGE, fresh, and savory without being overly salty. The staff was friendly, but not pestery. They even had a small kids table with toys my daughter played at while we waited for our food, a total bonus after all the time she had spent sitting in the car that day. We will definitely keep them in mind the next time we head down that way!
(5)M W.
not sure how to review this place! Food(3/5): Not as good as I hoped for, very oily in general, I ordered prawn pasta is described in the menu in a way that make you expect pure goodness, but very disappointing, the olives flavor is not there the food wasn't salted, at the pasta itself wasn't good and I had four prawns and that is it! Pizza was okay as well, the dough was good but the cheese is very generic and nothing special although I liked the four basil leafs on top! what with four and this place Service(5/5): Good service which make me consider giving them another shot sometime in the near future
(3)Wendy P.
I don't claim to be an Italian cuisine expert, since I've never been Italy and I don't have Italian food that much, but I was deeply disappointed with the food at Tramonti. Let's get the good things out of the way. Service was attentive without being intrusive, wait staff was generally pleasant and courteous. Standard. Now to the food, we ordered the cheese/meat platter, gnocchi, and the corn polenta+meatball dish. -Cheese/meat platter The platter came slightly after our entree (which we said it's OK to bring the appetizer and entree at the same time), because according to the waiter they need time to cut up the cheese. Uh, OK sure. When the platter arrived, I was just so disappointed - 2 types of meat (salami and prosciutto) which looked like they came from Trader Joe's, taste-wise, nothing great. As for the cheese, this really tarnished my experience in this restaurant. Firstly, only ONE type of cheese (the name escaped me, but it was hard, kinda grainy and crumbly with a very mild taste) was served, cut up in random slices and some too thick to be enjoyed in a bite. And it was charged at $17. Seriously, for just ONE type of cheese, and 2 types of cheap-looking meat on a bed of shredded arugula, and 2 pieces of bruschetta (?!?! why is it on the platter??) that feels like an overcharge to me. -Gnocchi The dish was tasty, however, it's literally just pasta+sauce which made me bored to tears after a few bites because I was fishing around looking for other ingredients eg mushroom for some taste variation/mouthfeel. This dish is so one-dimensional I can't even. In my opinion, it's overpriced at ~$15. Sadly I don't taste the freshness in the gnocchi because it feels like it came from TJ's packet of "fresh" gnocchi. -Corn polenta + meatballs Probably the best dish of the night. -Drinks The Clara was nice and refreshing, because it was hot outside. The house wine was just OK, nothing special. Sigh, what a disappointment. I wouldn't recommend this to my friends visiting Santa Cruz.
(2)Russell L.
Awesome pizza place to get lunch. They have a lunch special noon to 5pm that gives a lot of food at a good price. I would get the lunch special with two sides to split. The pizza was big and the sides were very substantial. I've never gotten such a nice fruit bowl with a meal before!
(5)Mike L.
Went again on Tuesday for their special night..wohhhhhh....15$ is amazing price, we had a whole pizza, soup and glass of wine...definitely Tramonti is my favorite place in SC area and over....ps. Guisepe the owner is super attentive and friendly...thanks...very very good job...went again on Friday night...the place was packed with a long line,but the owner Beppi seat us in 15 minutes...we order melanzane parmigiana, whouuuu...better than in Italy...and their barbera Vespa is delicious..thanks again Beppi ...see you next week for try more of your amazing food...
(5)Dove N.
Best pizza in town, at least best that isn't my grandmas. The one with the egg on it is my favorite, next the Sicilian. Yep anchovies and eggs two of my favorite toppings... Might have lost you with my review but everything they make is great; salads are huge and fresh! Meat combo pizzas and pesto pizzas are the best I ever had too, this is my favorite date restaurant in Santa Cruz county. Wine pizza salad. All I need in and evening in Santa Cruz, the beach is down the street too with the harbor. Can't beat it!
(5)Miguel C.
PiZza is ok at best. Last couple times I've been the crust has been soggy, def not something I enjoy in thin crust pizza. Haven't been ever since and will prob not go back. Service is great though.
(3)Rebecca S.
My father and I came into this place when they opened and we love it! The food is delicious, the service is wonderful, comfortable feel, and all around a great atmosphere :)
(5)Evan B.
The best pizza in town. Nobody else comes even close. Oh, and then there's the rest of the menu which is equally fantastic. Those who have spent time in Italy will appreciate this restaurant. You will taste the quality of the ingredients as well as the care put into producing each dish. Those who want American pizza will be disappointed that the crust isn't thick enough and that the pizza doesn't have enough cheese or toppings. Try it and enjoy. We'll keep coming back!
(5)Thomas N.
Where do I begin? Call in a take out order and the employee who answered couldn't figure out how to handle this request. Pick up the food and the salad was incorrect and had dressing that tasted like it was mixed with something other than balsamic. They subbed strawberries for the pears we wanted which is fine if we didn't have that everyday. Jammed the pizzas into the boxes cause they didn't fit. Maybe order bigger boxes? All in all not worth the money. We over pay for everything in Santa Cruz it would be nice for someone to get pizza and italian right but no one has. I really miss NYC
(2)Melissa G.
I never write reviews, but I have to this time. I have worked in restaurants for over 10 years and because of that I have certain standards that I think are basic. I also know that people have off days and busy days require more patience than others. All that said I cannot bring myself to give more than one star to this place. We walked in and saw it was busy. We were given our choice of two four tops and when we pointed to our choice the person seating is just walked off.... We sat down and waited about 5 minutes for bread. It took another 5 for water and another 5 (I am being generous on the estimate) for our server to come. We were prepared and gave her our order straight away. We never saw her again. Our first course came out after about 10 minutes which is reasonable on a busy night. It was very nice. The burrata was fresh and the tomatoes were good. Then the wait began. After about an hour we realized that our ticket had been dropped or lost or delivered to another table. Eye contact was made with our server but she never came to the table to explain or apologize. 20 minutes after that our pizza was finally delivered by the man in charge. No explanation, no apology. The pizza was nice. Maybe it was because I was so hungry at that point. It was pretty burnt on the bottom. I don't mind if food takes a long time. I also don't mind if a ticket gets lost or it gets delivered to the wrong table. What I mind is a server hiding instead of communicating the problem. This is compounded by the lack of water and bread. Through the entire two and a half hour experience we did not receive a single water refill and we had to ask for more bread. (With two very hungry toddlers, bread is necessary when waiting so long for food. Hopefully this is not the way they generally operate, but needless to say, I am very disappointed with my experience.
(1)Rob K.
Walked in tonight about 845ish, asked if I wanted a table or to-go I said table and if I could see a menu ( place was busy so I thought it would be a bit of a wait) Server said let's clear off this table give me a minute. As they were cleaning it a couple who came in about 10 min after me was seated at the table that was for me. Then I was told sorry can you wait a few minutes. I said no and left. Never again.
(1)Magno L.
We where looking for somewhere to eat, as we where driving we seen Tramonti. We decided to stop because of the nice exterior. When we walked in WOW! Beautiful interior and nice host. Found out that the Italian food is all house made daily! Great Food and People. Next time we are in town, we are going again!!!!!
(5)Matthew W.
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, lived in Italy for over two years...Tramonti is the most authentic experience I have had in the 15 years I have been back...nothing is overdone. The care and quality of your lunch or dinner cannot be matched in the county...I cannot get past the Tagliolini Pesto with green beans and potatoes. .sounds easy to make but you cannot duplicate what is close to perfection. We are lucky to have this wonderful family of Giuseppe Vitali another here in our community...glad they are taking reservations but their take out is also very efficient! Enjoy! Also, try the Pasta Fagioli soup or any special offered...and the pizza!!!
(5)maryalecia b.
In a town with horrifyingly mediocre food and service, Tramonti is always a good spot. It can be very busy but we know better than to go at the busiest times. I always enjoy the pizzas with their thin crust and sparse toppings. (If you want overloaded pizza go to a fast food chain.) So far i've had the lasagna, pasta with marinara sauce, soup, and a few of the salads. About half of the pizzas. Happy with all my choices, including the portion size, temperature, price and spice level (including salt). The staff is generally helpful and nice. One thing I have to point out was the service last time we were there. My husband ordered from the prix fixe menu. All of his food came out to him and I was left to wait another ten minutes for my food. This is incredibly poor form as it leaves an odd dynamic at the table: to eat now while the food is at temperature, or wait for the other person to also be served? Not a deal breaker, we will certainly enjoy our next visit. But something to keep in mind. Keep up the good work, folks!
(5)Jacquelyn M.
This is the best Italian restaurant I've been to in a while! We came on a Saturday night with no reservations on the wharf to wharf run weekend...it was PACKED (always the first sign of a good resto). We waited at least an hour....we were 4 overly hungry women so to say we were getting impatient is an understatement. To make matters worse we had to see all the delicious looking food pass us. I just kept thinking "this better be worth it." Come to find, not only was it worth it...I would have waited longer for that food! The servings are big, so we all ordered something we thought looked good and shared. We got the roasted veggie salad, lasagne, prociutto and arugula pizza, some other pasta dish, and tirimasu for dessert. Oh.My .God.....serious orgasm going on in my mouth. I will definitely be coming back to this place the next time I'm in Santa Cruz and I HIGHLY recommend it! They do take reservations so make them so you don't have to wait, unless you want some waiting around foreplay which may make it taste even better ;-)
(5)Jen L.
Last night we decided last minute to go out for pizza with our two little boys. We called ahead to see if we could get a reservation in 30 minutes, although they said they could not do that they still took our name and when we arrived our table was waiting!!!! This was absolutely awesome for us as one of our boys has autism and waiting can be difficult, so A++ on the accommodation! The staff was great, friendly and attentive! Now the food, myself being Italian and from NY I have a tough time eating out Italian food, it's usually the sauce that most establishments get wrong, NOT HERE! The food was wonderful their sauce was outstanding!! We had a few different items including pizza which was perfect!!! I highly recommend! Great job Tramonti!!
(5)John G.
My son's favorite pizza place in Santa Cruz. They are traditional thin crust, Italian style with some great toppings, at very reasonable prices. Service and atmosphere are ok, but you can always get the meals to go if you want.
(5)Miguel E.
I was really hoping to try this place out but after standing around for 4 minutes without being greeted let alone acknowledged, I decided to walk across the street to La Posta.
(1)Mark F.
The first time I came here when they first opened I was a fan, second time it was pretty good but not great so I haven't been back for a while. I just ate there the other night and Im pretty much over this place. There are so many good pizza places so for me to give 4 or more stars you really have to have something special. It may have something to do with the fact the owner was not cooking these subsequent trips, it looks like he setup the business with his talent and then left the cooking to "cooks" that dont have the same passion. We started with the pizza blanca which I was craving, its basically a plain piece of dough with olive oil and sea salt, kindof like some bread to go with your salad (Ill get the the salad next). The first time I got this I was really impressed at how the dough was nice and light and the sea salt gave a nice kick. This time, bland, could not even taste the salt and it just looked like a piece of dough. The spinach salad with tuna and cooked egg was pretty good, with the cooked egg I was expecting the spinach to be cooked a bit as well but it was cold. The tuna was just some cold canned tuna mixed in there. Kindof a strange combo but not that bad, not that good either. Finally the pizza, this was the best part of the meal but still just OK, not the awesome pizza I remember having a few months ago. We got a half and half with the sausage on one half and the anchovies/olives on the other. They were both tasty but compared to some of the other pizzas Ive had lately, it was just another pie. At $12 it wasn't priced bad though. If Im in the area and thinking pizza Ill be going across the street to Engfer...
(3)Sean O.
Wow! What a great place! Very authentic great people and great deserts! Santa Cruz now has a piece of Italy!
(5)Barry D.
We arrived at about 6:30p, when the restaurant was less than half-full, and service was slow. As the restaurant filled, service got slower and slower. After our entree was served, and eaten, we waited nearly 45 minutes for it to be cleared. Minus one star for that. After each course was cleared and the next brought, we lost our silverware and had to go ourselves to the service area to get tools. Minus another star. This is our first visit, and it was a little surprising to only find pizza and pasta in a neighborhood crowded with pizza places. We ordered the Santa Cruce salad to share, the orrachetta broccoli, and the lasagna. My companion thought the salad was too heavy on the cheeses, and could have done without the feta. The broccoli pasta was bland and unremarkable. She ate about 25% of the dish. The lasagna had more than twice as many layers as is customary, very little sauce and no meat between the layers. All the meat, and not much was on top. Maybe this is a regional style I am unfamiliar with. I ate about two thirds of this. When the entrees were cleared (after that long wait) we were not asked why we left so much, or if we found it unpalatable. We finished with the cannoli which was freshly filled and perfect, if small, redeeming an otherwise disappointing visit.
(3)Dom A.
Been there several times always a good choice for pizza enjoy with Peroni. Owner is a nice guy great service.
(5)Booger D.
Best pizza in the bay area! Sometimes the dough is a tad salty, but the ingredients are always fresh. Soup used to be huge, not sure what happened but I got a tiny cup with my lunch special last time. Hope thats not a new cost cutting thing!
(5)Dylan B.
FOOD IS GREAT! Everything you get is so good and is a big portion. I would recommend going for lunch because the price is worth it. You get a huge green salad with all kinds of good stuff in it. Also with that special you can get pasta or pizza. I would get the pizza but that's my opinion. You can get the margarita or a vegetable one I love all of it. Desserts are good 2! Go here!
(5)Anna S.
I'm Italian and I'm so happy that finally I found a "true Italian restaurant"... The best pizza in the Bay Area....I swear! The service is super! All the team is friendly and smile all the time! Luca, the chef, is amazing...he is the one that prepare the panna cotta and the profiteroles...SUPER DELICIUS!!You have to try it!! The price is reasonable for the quality of the food...TRAMONTI NUMBER ONE!! The way to go... :))
(5)Tammy S.
Went on a double date here. We didn't have reservations but showed up at 6:30 on a Saturday and had no wait. Great service, lots of food and wine recommendations. We started with a bottle of wine and the pizza with an egg on it. It was excellent. Salads were amazing, my husband and I shared the small salad and it was the perfect size. Their gnocchi is amazing, also their meat sauce was great. Everything we ordered was great. We were there for about 3 hours and never felt like they were trying to get us out the door. I can't wait to go back and try new dishes!
(4)Crystal B.
Tramonti was a major dissapointment. My girlfriend and I were in the area visiting some friends and decided to go out to dinner. We yelped this place and were very eager after reading all these awesome yelp reviews. When we got there, we were told the wait time was about 10 minutes. We sat outside for 40 minutes and a couple that arrived after us got called before us, but thank goodness they were courteous enough to point out that we had arrived before them. I told the host that we were ready to order as soon as we sat down, and he told us he'd send a waiter over. Ten minutes later the waitress arrived, I ordered the Lasagna and my girlfriend ordered a pasta with their meat sauce. As we were waiting for our food, a waitress comes out and is yelling across that restaurant to another waiter that they are out of the meat sauce. I turn to look at her and tells us not to worry because we got the last of it. I was relieved, but my girlfriend pointed out that that meant she got the bottom of it. The feeling of relief was replaced by a slight disgust. Our food came out within 20 minutes, which was much faster then I expected. I looked around and realized that half of the people that had arrived before us didn't even have their food yet. The lasagna was less than I expected. It was just a hunk of pasta layers dryly stacked on each other and a thick layer of cream topped with tomato sauce and cheese. This lasagna was a paradox in that it was simultaneously dry and creamy, in the worst way possible. I tossed it around to make it look like I ate more than two bites and soon after asked for a to go box. My girlfriend did say her pasta wasn't bad, which is about the only good thing I can say about this place. Overall, the service (although the employees seemed really friendly) was terrible. And the food was just the same. I would have rated this one star but my girlfriend did not mind her meal.
(2)Joseph B.
Ask for Nancy, and you will encounter a most enjoyable Italian culinary adventure! Order the Tramonti, eggplant parmigiana or lasagna, any of these will guide you along the creamy shores. i highly recommend this cute cafe not far from the Pacific.
(4)see L.
Their Pizza Bufalina is as good as ones I had in Florence! Would have given 5 stars except for a couple of things: the table was wobbly, they clean the tables with some kind of spray disinfectant even when there are customers seated at the next table, a big no-no by my standard.
(4)Eddie S.
Just one thing to say..... Beef is NOT pork. Fix the menu before you get into real trouble.
(1)Ashe S.
Four of us ordered the complete range - pizza, salad, minestrone soup, spaghetti with pesto for my daughter and finished off with panacotta, tiramisu, and cappuccino. Everything was excellent, not greasy, and very tasty. I especially liked my argula salad with Gorgonzola, Walnuts, pears and balsamic. Pleasantly surprised to see modern European style decor than a kitschy American Italian joint. Highly recommended.
(5)Terie S.
We went for the pizza and the reviews helped set our expectations. My husband, the New York transplant is never completely satisfied with pizza in California, but he actually said he would go back. I liked the pizza sauce, and the selection of toppings. Not too salty -- many restaurants really use way too much and I won't go back to those. This one, I will definitely come back to. It's worth the trip to Santa Cruz for Italian style thin crust pizza with nice choices of toppings. Gluten free diners have options as well. In addition to pizza, we had a roasted vegetable salad with fresh ricotta cheese. The only dressing was a nice olive oil. It was delicious. The veggies were nicely roasted, to bring out the natural flavors. Their approach was similar for the pizzas: Let the ingredients "speak" for themselves, without loading them down with salt and spices, though fresh ground pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and flavored oils were available upon request. For those who like salads - do be sure that if you want to share one that you choose a small, unless that's what you're getting for your meal. Portions are very large, and it seemed most of the diners around us, including us, took home food that will probably serve an additional 2-3 meals. Service was a little slow, but very courteous.
(4)Diana K.
Delish!!!! My family and I walked in at 9.45 (They close at10pm) after being at the board walk all day. We were greated with such friendliness from all the wait staff and were never rushed. The food was very authentic, honestly it reminded me of a little cafe in Rome. We ordered spaghetti and meat balls, and their bean soup! The soup was hot the whole way through (which was super as I was so cold from being outside) The meatballs were to dream about! The final wosers was the decor! Spot on, it was an awsome dose of modern and comfort. A must check out!
(5)Jake H.
Service was great, food came out fast and the servers were all great. However, the food we got was horrible. Lasagna that was all sauce and cheese and barely any meat. The food was also luke warm/cold. Their pizza looked more appetizing and I think I would try that if your stuck going to this place. Definitely will not be back, I was looking for some meatier options and this place did not deliver.
(1)