Rustico Restaurant & Wine Bar
401 Love Point Rd, Stevensville, MD, 21666
Rustico Restaurant & Wine Bar Menu
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Appetizers and Sides
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Entrees
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Pasta
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Classico Antipasti
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Rustico Restaurant & Wine Bar
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Appetizers and Sides
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Entrees
-
Pasta
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Classico Antipasti
-
Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Stevensville for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Stevensville for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
401 Love Point Rd
Stevensville, MD, 21666 - Phone (410) 643-9444
- Website https://www.rusticoonline.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :3:00 pm - 11:00pm
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 : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
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.
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Jennifer G.
This quaint restaurant is the gem of Kent Island. Not only is the food outstanding but the service as well. My husband and I were there on Friday and ordered the Wild Boar Ragu with Saffron Fettuccine and the Seafood Crepes. Upon ordering, we weren't sure what wine to try so our server, Jenny, suggested a wonderful bottle of red. She was quite knowledgeable with what to recommend after inquiring about our tastes. Needless to say, we will be back again and again. It was very relaxing and a wonderful way to spend our Friday evening.
(5)Yara F.
In town for a wedding, came here with some extended family members on a Friday night for dinner. Big group so we were probably a lot to handle but our waitress was extremely friendly and attentive! We started with calamari and caprese salad, both were good, but the calamari was half the size of what you would get at a normal restaurant and it was extremely salty. For dinner some of us got pasta dishes, my mother got the salmon, and my father got the rockfish. I enjoyed my gnocchi, although the pieces were a bit too large and some of them weren't cooked all the way through. My mom loved her salmon and my dad loves his rockfish, but the pasta-like things that came on the side of both dishes were not properly cooked, they were clumped together almost as though they had been heated by a microwave. It also took a really long time for our entrees to come out, I'd say about 50 minutes after we ordered, so we were there much longer than we wanted.
(3)Danise F.
My party of seven had a great dining experience at Rustico! The service was fast and attentive; our waitress was very helpful with the menu and wine list. The wait for the food was not too long and all of our plates came out piping hot. We shared a few appetizers and each got our own entrees. There were no leftovers! We ate all the delicious food... but don't worry, the portions were very generous (we just had big appetites after a day on the beach haha). I recommend getting the seafood items (though the pastas are also very good)!
(4)Katherine S.
We gave it a second trial, order something completely different. In general, the seasoning is too salty. It is true for the crab bisque and for the rockfish too. My crepe is an OK, but not impressive. Bread is still good, fortunately. So far the new chef and the new food is only not bad, but not perfect. Especially with its new higher price, I don't think the new food meets the expectation and standard of the price they are asking for.
(3)Andrew L.
........... great service.great food. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Seafood and pasta paired perfectly.
(4)Jay P.
My family & I traveled up to MD for a relaxing weekend on the bay and didn't venture far to find excellent crafted dishes. There were five of us and every entrée was flawless. The seafood was spot on in top quality local fair paired with excellent service from Amanda. A must visit for anyone searching for an unforgettable dinning experience.
(5)Margaret C.
Nice atmosphere with bar seating, dining room seating, and outdoor seating as well. Traffic can be a little noisy outside but not bad enough to spoil the evening. Wine selection is great and their Flatbread is very good as well. Service is okay but they have different specials depending on where you are sitting and it gets very confusing for not only the patrons bit staff as well. Got 3 different answers about specials the last time I was there.
(3)Brittany B.
I'm still dreaming about my pasta from last night. We have enjoyed dinner at Rustico two weeks in a row. We have tried two of the specials and two menu listed pastas and they were all heavenly. Wednesday is half priced bottles of wine which doesn't hurt either. The flat breads are great as well. Try the Siciliana flat bread and the orrichette Mediterranean pasta.
(5)Mike P.
New menu this past spring. More creative menu, but prices went way up. Especially on wine and drinks. Used to go regularly, but now only on special occasions.
(3)Charles B.
Disappointed in this visit.
(2)Scott B.
My favorite pizza hands down is what is known as "Pizza Rustica" in Rome, Italy. The crust is thin, the sauce is light, and the garnishments and taste are simply incredible. When we travel to Rome, this is always a MUST, and trying to find it anywhere else is simply "mission impossible". As we visited Rustico yesterday from Annapolis to have lunch with friend, I was so pleasantly surprised to see other guests enjoying what can only be characterized as the closest you are getting to that scrumptious taste of Pizza Rustica from Rome. We ordered two for the table (3 of us) and couldn't have been more pleased.
(5)Rachel C.
I Absolutely Love this restaurant, the food is amazing no matter what you order. Has great Atmosphere perfect for a date, or going out with the girls!
(5)Alan R.
Tried again. Not disappointed - I expected the poor food at this point. The staff was nice though. Very poor Italian, I would recommend going to anywhere else if you're on Kent Island.
(1)Michael G.
We loved our dinner! They had some of the best fresh bread I've ever had at a restaurant, and the oil and Parmesan cheese on top is a great idea. My favorite dish was the crab bisque, you will love the flavor and heartiness. The salads were sort of small, but tasty. The seafood crepes were amazing too. Nice atmosphere, good service.
(5)Robin W.
Living on the Lower Shore as I do, I don't often have occasion to dine at Mid-Shore establishments. I selected this place from a list a friend searched for online while we were in town as his child participated in an athletic tournament shortly after Christmas. The place looks rustic, all right, with earth-toned furnishings and wall colors and wines racked on the walls. We were seated promptly and attended to by a cheery waitress whose name, sadly, I don't remember. I selected the mozzarella caprese for an appetizer (pic attached). The tower of ingredients fell apart immediately as I tried to cut into it and the layers slid around, but the taste was still good--delicate, fresh-tasting mozzarella and appropriately sweet-piquant balsamic glaze. This appetizer will be better when Eastern Shore tomatoes are in season in all their summer glory. For my entreé, I chose a salad I don't see on the online menu any more (the menu is changing this week), composed of greens, goat cheese, strawberries and pine nuts; I asked for a piece of salmon on top. The salmon was lightly dusted with Old Bay, and was a touch dry; the goat cheese of the salad, however, was among the best I've ever had, delicate and creamy, not floury as some goat cheeses tend to be. Were I the chef, I might have stuck to dried cranberries and walnuts, since strawberries weren't in season when we were there. However, the strawberries and pine nuts I did get were just fine. Friend ordered a pasta which I also no longer see on the menu, but might be similar to the Cavatelli Pugliese, a tomato-sauced pasta with chunks of sausage and herbs. It might have been a nightly special he ordered. The serving was generous and rich--Friend is a big guy, but he couldn't finish it all. (I suspect filling up on the Amber Sun ale from 16 Mile Brewery didn't help!) I brought home the cheesecake of the day, a white chocolate amaretto from neighbor bakery Peace of Cake. It is a standard Italian-type cheesecake, meaning it has a slightly more grainy texture than New York-style because of the ricotta cheese used. The amaretto flavor dominated; the white chocolate flavor was barely detectable. I did eat half when I got home and half the next morning for breakfast. The ambiance that night was friendly and convivial; conversations did not need to be shouted, which I appreciate and which was a bonus considering there is little to absorb sound in the main dining room. The check for two, including tax and tip, came to about $76. I would like to come back when the weather warms up a bit and try one of their pizzas. All in all, a good dependable place to eat Italian on this side of the Chesapeake. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars for the food, but since half-stars aren't available, I'm rounding up because of the nice server. I see some other reviewers here had bad experiences with servers, but we can't say that about ours; she was friendly, helpful, and prompt. PS to Rustico's menu writers: I found several typos on the menu, including "mozzerella," "Ceasar," "Puglesi," "studel," and "Mediteranean." Some of these words are spelled correctly elsewhere on the menu, and I know you can spell, because you got "prosciutto" and "mascarpone" correct (the next restaurant that spells it "proscuitto" or "marscapone" gets zero stars from me). A little more attention to detail is much appreciated.
(4)John M.
It's amazing what new ownership and a new chef can do for a restaurant. For quite some time I had heard about how good Rustico was and when we finally got an opportunity to go there, it was underwhelming. That was then and this is now. They are under new ownership with a new chef and a new menu (thank God). Even more impressive, the chef knows how to cook. We had dinner there tonight and it was excellent - I was very happy to see dishes like confit of rabbit and wild boar ragu on the menu. Carpaccio in Stevensville? Yes and it was awesome. The menu is well thought out with a wide range of Italian selections to please just about anyone. It is gratifying to see both the owner and the chef stray from more mundane Italian fare into a menu that is more daring and contemporary. The wine selection is excellent (and yes, they now have chillers for white wines!) The entree portions are enormous and are competitively priced - with this quality, service, and selection they could very easily end up putting some of their competition out of business. We like the new Rustico very much and intend to make this a regular stop.
(4)Rocky R.
Very good meal and excellent service. This is casual fine dining at it's best. I would have to say with their new menu and chef this is the best restaurant on Kent Island. They also have a wine selection second to none on the Eastern Shore. I got the Agnello (mint crusted New Zealand lamb on plumb tomatoes and asparagus, with mashed potatoes). It was cooked to perfection with a generous portion of lamb. Much bigger than most fine dining sizes. My wife got the Ragu al Chinghiale (wild boar ragu with safron fettuccine). It was delicious, also with a generous portion. For dessert we shared a Truffle Cake. It was just good, but the sauce was outstanding. Our server, Jenny, was very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. I would highly recommended making reservations, especially on the weekends. We saw several people turned away that had not. You can easily make reservations online. They are no longer serving lunch and are now solely focusing on their dinner service with their new, very skilled chef. We ate early and our food came out quickly. However, I have heard that on busy weekend evenings there is sometimes a considerable wait time for food to arrive. With that said, I will say the food is fresh and cooked to order. This is no reheated, frozen food, chain restaurant. The prices are not cheap either, but you do get what you pay for. My only negative is parking. There is limited parking out front about a block down the road. The parking lot in the rear is very dark, filled with holes, and was very muddy on our visit. The owner needs to have the lot paved and lights need to be installed before someone gets hurt. I can't wait to visit again soon.
(5)Carey C.
Stopped for happy hour and was very happy with the bartender, Bill. Despite being the only one managing the bar, he was very attentive and on top of serving everyone! He kept the food coming and wine glass full. The flatbread pizzas are very good! Nice thin crust, delicious creamy cheese, and nice toppings. I had the Mediterranean and loved it.
(4)Rachel M.
The food and atmosphere are to die for! The best mimosas I have ever had! Even the bathrooms are incredibly beautiful! If I'm ever on this side of bridge again, I will have to come here again.
(5)Ian D.
This is a good Italian restaurant on kent island. They have great food and a very friendly atmosphere. It is busy on the weekends so make sure to make a reservation if you are going during prime time. Great drink selection and a nice little bar. I just wish they had more seating.
(4)The I.
It is rare that I give a restaurant five stars, but our Thurs. evening dinner was perfect. My wife and I started with cocktails, which were well made. All the food we ordered was delicious: appetizers (baked brie for my wife and crab bisque for me) followed by our entries (tortellacci salvia for my wife and pork medallions for me). In addition, the crisp, sliced bread served with the meal was awesome. The waitress (Rachael) was excellent and knowledgeable. Although not inexpensive ($117 including tip), this restaurant was well worth it. Now we have to figure out a way to get back to Kent Island so we can dine here again!
(5)J. P.
A friend took me so that I could try the calamari. We went into the bar area and we were packed in like sardines. I'm guessing the other side of the restaurant is a bit fancier than the happy hour crowd. Anyhow, my friend was right and the calamari is worth the trip over the bridge. I'd had dental surgery a few days prior so my chewing technique was a bit off but my taste buds worked just fine. We also had a few drinks each and ended up spending 50 dollars. I would have sworn we were only there for about 45 minutes but then again I was quite buzzed when we left. I didn't feel that our drinks were watered down in fact they were quite strong. All in all I thought it was a lovely place in a lovely neighborhood. I'm likely to return. Whatever you do try the calamari.
(3)Ken M.
Went there for Mother's Day brunch. A charming, nice restaurant in Kent island. I had spaghetti with seafood -- clam, shrimp, scallop, and mussels -- with white wine sauce. The dish was absolutely delicious. The clam was especially flavorful and I loved it. Having rich sauce, crisp Bellini made the meal perfect for me. Everyone at the table enjoyed the meal. Despite how busy it was, the staff were quite helpful. I like this place. Recommended for everyone.
(4)Michael A.
We went for an anniversary dinner recently. The food and menu are both excellent, atmosphere is nice, clean, homey. Service and hospitality was just lukewarm, needs a little work.
(3)Marshal H.
Pretty awesome little place. Probably my favorite place for a real dinner on the Island. The baked brie is amazing and you'll want to horde it all to yourself and not share it. The only thing I haven't enjoyed there is their Piccata. Piccata is usually my favorite dish at any Italian restaurant, but the sauce was weirdly gelatinous and the flavor tasted like an overwhelming synthetic lemon. Almost like a candle. The service is always excellent and the mood is very nice.
(4)Ashley D.
Disappointing! We were in the area for an evening to visit a friend and looking for a decent place to grab dinner. Rustico had good reviews on yelp so my fiancé and I decided to give it a try. First, the ambiance was really nice and the waitstaff were friendly. However, the food was awful. We ordered an appetizer to start which was good. For dinner, my fiancé ordered a scallop dish and I ordered a salmon dish. The presentation was nice for both plates, but as soon as we took a bite, we were disappointed. His scallops were over cooked and very chewy (we like to call those spare tires). My salmon was served with a white wine and butter sauce, which might as well have been just a stick of butter on the plate. The sauce had absolutely no flavor and my salmon was also over cooked and full of bones. In the end, we paid $100 (including alcohol) and walked out displeased. Great ambiance and nice presentation don't make up for poorly prepared food. We won't be returning.
(1)Ray W.
This place is absolutely fantastic. Probably one of the best Italian I've been to and I eat out very often. Price and service are both great, highly recommend.
(5)John G.
I'm a local and love Rustico, best Italian around. The $35 Prix fix meal is a wonderful deal, 4 courses, you can't beat it. Big fabulous apps, nice wine list! Try the seafood fra diavola, and you have to try the Apple turnover, that is fantastic! You'll be happy. Visit downtown Stevensville and check out this historic restaurant.
(4)Stef F.
I am not from the area and I chose this restaurant based on reviews of the food. Food lived up to the reviews and was delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Despite reviews, I received excellent and attentive service. Well worth it. I recommend this restaurant.
(4)Kathea S.
Our first visit was great. We got the cheese platter which was very yummy. I had the tortelloni and my husband the fish special (which was mahi mahi). He raved about it. And that's high praise from a man who doesn't like anything more italian than pizza. They even took us in at 6 when our reservation was at 7pm. Traffic over the bridge was very light for the friday before memorial day. The only improvements would be clearer indications on where to park and add sorbet/gelato to the dessert menu.
(4)Charles A.
Just wonderful. My wife and I live in nearby Washington, DC, and have supped the world, including one end of Italy to the other, and we were spending a long weekend away from it all on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Checked the web (YELP) and found Rustico. Don't miss it folks. No details, just don't miss it!.
(5)Randie H.
I usually find Italian food pretty boring and tend to avoid it, but my parents and I were walking around Stevensville today as tourists and this seemed to be the only eatery. We sat in the bar area and lucky us, on Sundays the flat breads and appetizers are all half off if you sit at the bar tables. We enjoyed a crab flatbread, calamari fritta, a caprese panini and the sausage and peppers sandwich, all of which were incredibly delicious! There is something special about the batter on the calamari- it was the best I have ever had, and the marinara and garlic dip it comes with really pack a lot of flavor. I live about an hour away and would still consider making the drive for a special date night.
(5)Jeff R.
One of the great local restaurants for great food! Try the 4-course meal, which comes with a full size appetizer, dinner salad, any pasta dish, and a full dessert. The app and dessert are perfect to share! The wine selection is good, although very overpriced. $14 bottle in liquor store is $40. Beat deal is half price wine nights. Pasta dishes and regular entrees are always delicious! If you do a bottle of wine figure on $60/person!!
(5)Steve P.
Pretty good. Nice antipasto plate, a ton of high quality food, very reasonably priced. Very good wine selection too. The server warned us about the tiramisu, and she was right. It was custard style and very disappointing. Great service and very helpful with wine selections.
(3)Elissa H.
You have to try the Annapolis! I cannot have crab meat and they ever so wonderfully remove it for me without hesitation. It's delicious with a glass of one of their premier white wines. The outside seating area is perfect for a Happy Hour in the summer or even cooler evening hours. They always have great acoustic music to enjoy. I also was surprised for my 30th birthday with dinner in a private room. It was quaint and cozy and the waitstaff is always available.
(5)Stan E.
Charming ambiance, very attentive service, and tasty food; but I was disappointed at how small my lunchtime serving of spaghetti was.
(3)Jennifer Q.
We love Rustico! Wonderful happy hour deals especially. The antipasti platter is excellent, nice wine list, and we've always had good service. No beer on tap, though a good but small bottle selection. I would recommend it for happy hour or lunch, and it's great on a nice day as they have outdoor seating.
(4)Brent D.
Excellent experience. Will return!
(5)Mary J.
I've had some hit-or-miss occasions with Rustico. Some nights are pretty great--full of delicious italian flavors with some unexpected twists. Other nights, it takes fifteen minutes to get a menu and I quietly slip out of the restaurant before ordering anything. I love their calamari and they have a great happy hour + 1/2 off wine nights, so that brings me back on occasion. A little bit more continuity and I'd be a much bigger fan!
(3)M K.
I really wanted to like Rustico. Charming space, good reviews from friends. Unfortunately the service was simply awful. No matter how good the food is, and the food was good, horrible service is a deal breaker. Our group of four was seated at 7:00pm. We had a bit of a wait before our server arrived, but not to bad. She then proceeded to try and tell us the specials but could not do it w/o her notes. So she left, promising to return and also take our drink order. After a 15 minute wait we flagged the hostess and at least got a drink order in. Another 5-10 minutes go by and our original server arrives with the drinks, never figures out the specials. We order our entrees and some salads. Few minutes go by and the salads arrive, but not what we ordered. We get that straightened out and then we wait, and wait and wait. A complaint to the manager falls on deaf ears. At one point we're told our entrees are being plated, then we're told no that was for a different group. 8:30 the entrees arrive. The server also decided throwing the kitchen staff under the bus was an appropriate course of action.
(1)Christina B.
We were dragged here for dinner twice... sorry but there won't be a third. For being the 'fancy italian restaurant' on the island I was just not impressed. The second visit I had the puttanesca.. a personal favorite, but their version just had no pizzazz. It was rather bland really.. Hubby had a different pasta/red sauce type dish that tasted oddly similar to mine... same can? Positives: Service was great on both occasions, restaurant was very clean, nice scattering of guests. Hopefully this means that other people are enjoying their meals.. maybe I'll take the time one day to find out what everyone else orders... which I doubt is the puttanesca.
(2)Eric S.
Having recently relocated to Kent Island, I was amazed to find Rustico just up the road from my house. I was never really keen on Italian food, but the first time I went, it was moving day, so I had to settle for Rustico's convenient location. Imagine my surprise at finding an upscale, high-quality eatery in tiny Stevensville! The bruschetta was delicious as was the Caesar Salad (which comes with or without anchovies). For my entrée, I ordered the penne vodka, which completely bowled me over. It was so delicious that I returned the following weekend with friends from DC to show them that Kent Island is actually quite a great place for delicious food in a charming setting. On the return visit, all four of us ordered different entrées and each of us sampled a bit of each. We ordered penne vodka, spaghetti puttanesca, spaghetti carbonara, and ravioli con astice. No one at the table was disappointed. It was that good. The restaurant that evening was packed, but it was cozy, and everyone seemed to be in good spirits. The restaurant is charming and their wait staff is professional, well trained, and helpful in answering questions. I will definitely return.
(5)Zeek D.
I honestly have to say this is the best restaurant on Kent Island for a nice well made I want to come back again feel. It's cozy and well decorated a great place for a date. The Sunday happy hour in the bar is the best I have seen, 1/2 price bar menu and drink discounts from open to close. I wish I was having a meal there as I type this !
(5)Jose M.
As like the last review, not sure where the one star came from. It probably one of those customers that only write reviews when they want to complain. I live 2 minutes from rustico and can't stay away. Prices are great, staff is awesome. When they get busy, it can get crazy but I love that place! Keep it up rustico
(5)John L.
My Wife and I eat here on the way to the beach this past fall. I agree with the other reviewers that the food was great. The service, though was absolutely offensive. Not Bad. I mean we were really offended. The hostess was not at her station, and after waiting a while we found her sitting at a table with some guests. She sat us and then we waited twenty minutes, before I went back to the hostess, at the table with the guests again, and asked if we had a server. She took our drink order and talked to one of the servers who had been ignoring us. They appeared to have a little heated exchange and I thought we would then get some service, but I was wrong. He continued to ignore us until I flagged him down at which time he brought us some bread, nearly an hour in to our dinner. He never took our order, but the hostess finally came over and took it. A reasonable time later the food came out, and as I said, it was really good. However our drinks were never refilled, no one asked if the meals were satisfactory, or offered us any service. We heard other guests being offered specials and cheese and the like, that you see at Italian restaurants. We had to ask for the check and waited quite a while for the waiter to bring back our change, which was two dollars. So after two hours. and the waiter only visiting our table to drop the plates and bring the check, I felt I was perfectly justified to leave just the two dollars for the tip. It was definitely $1.90 too much. So we got up and left, passing the hostess still sitting with the guests in the dining room, and I thought that was that. Good food, but we're never going back. That's when I was totally dumbfounded to hear the waiter yelling out the back of the restaurant, "YOU INGNORANT A...Hole" We were about a hundred feet away, so at first I didn't know what to make of it. But we were the only people back there, and it was our supposed waiter, so I believe it was directed at us. I can only speculate that he was annoyed that the hostess seated us and didn't tell him the we were his table and he copped an attitude. But he shouldn't have taken it out on us. My advice is to avoid this place and hit The Narrows, Annie's or Harris's. It really upsets me to even think about our experience at Rustico
(1)Kathe F.
We discovered this gem by accident on Mother's Day because we mistakenly thought it was located closer to downtown Annapolis. The additional distance only amounted to minutes and we couldn't have been more pleased with our error. For dinner service, on what is considered a big holiday in the restaurant industry, the restaurant was surprisingly not crowded and it appeared as though we didn't need reservations at all. In retrospect, this must have more to do with the restaurant being located off the beaten path, then having been a reflection of anyone's overall experience. The host was excellent in helping us to find a good table where we could easily sit with our 10-month old. We had easy access to the door, should he become fussy, and had a safe corner to sit his car seat where he wouldn't be jostled by passersby. Seating perfection achieved in what I would call a warm, inviting and friendly dining space, we looked over the menus. Dad settled on the four course (Appetizer, House Salad, Any Pasta, Dish, Dessert) which sells for a meager $35 and is notably part of their regular menu. Having less of an appetite then my male counterpart, I stuck with a main course only, knowing that, especially today, he would share. (I was right.) The bread basket arrived first with oil for dipping. The oil was infused rather than adding pesto just before serving as some places do and I thought it was delicious. My other half would have like more "floating bits". As an appetizer we had the Calamari Fritti with pesto aioli & marinara. The calamari was cooked perfectly, not chewy or tough as you find in some restaurants and both sauces were delicious. I particularly liked the pesto aioli. The portion was surprisingly large considering it was part of his four course dinner special and was easily enough for 2-3 people. The salad was fresh but being a house salad was nothing to write home about. For dinner we shared our two entrees. He ordered Fettuccine Di Cremona at the suggestion of the waitress. Fettucine pasta sautéed with large shrimp (tails on), scallops, lump crabmeat and peas in a creamy alfredo sauce. We now know why it's so popular. I ordered Spaghetti Carbonara with Italian sausage added, also quite good, but both of us like the Fettuccine best. As for portion size, neither of us was able to finish and it wasn't for lack of trying, but we both realized there was dessert to be had! Unfortunately this is where our meal took a turn away from stellar. Having been so busy during the day they were out of their usual array and had only one dessert option. We were told it was custard made with a marsala wine and the waitress indicated it was rich. Our final opinion was that they must have also been out of custard because what we received was nothing short of a glass filled with dessert topping. Cool whip in a glass with just the tiniest hint of added flavoring. It was neither rich nor close to what we had in mind and having looked back on the menu realize they normally serve it with strawberries but they must have also been out of those. That's unfortunate because strawberries might have saved it. Our only other complaint goes out to the Wine drinkers in the crowd. Our waitress was clueless in making a wine suggestion. We asked that she recommend a dry red bottle, around $40. We're new parents with a baby on a budget after all! The menu listed several possibilities, but the waitress was unable to help us pinpoint one until she spoke with the bartender. In the end the bartender lead us on a wonderful path, but we were a little stunned that the waitress needed to confer with someone else. Isn't this also a Wine Bar? Perhaps we're being a little too nitpicky, but these are the things we note when dining out. All in all our experience was very good. Delicious food, wonderful, quiet atmosphere, friendly, courteous staff, and ample parking just behind the building. We will happily be returning to fair Stevensville soon and hope to take advantage of their outdoor seating before the weather turns too warm.
(4)Lisa V.
My husband and I go to the Chesapeake Bay every year, and we've been to Rustico during the last three visits. We've always been greeted in a friendly manner, and the service has been excellent. I like the fact that the tables are a reasonable distance apart. In fact, there are a couple of semi-enclosed rooms for larger groups. The food is beyond compare - and extremely reasonable. I've enjoyed the four-course dinner, which is extremely generous in that you can have any appetizer, even a seafood one, plus a salad, pasta and dessert, for $35. You can't get much better than that!
(5)Gretchen A.
Absolutely HORRIBLE service...and to top it off the owner couldn't have cared less. Waited over an hour for 3 pasta dishes. The owner completely ignored our table. We sat in the bar and the server was the bartender. She tried to "help" us by pleading with the kitchen...or so she said. The owner knew that we waited forever, never approached the table, never offered a drink or dessert in exchange for our ridiculous wait...the proceeded to EAT HER DINNER AT THE BAR... 5 feet away from us. I own restaurants myself and have never seen this sort of inexcusable behavior. Don't waste your money! I would give 0 stars if Yelp would let me.
(1)Tanya W.
Went to this great little place last saturday with a friend of mine. We sat in the bar because they had 1/2 price appetizers (yes on a saturday!) and drink specials. We ordered Mozzerella & Eggplant Napolean , Tapenade, Frittura Di Pomodori Verdi and Gamberi Napoletana off the appetizer menu and enjoyed that for our dinner. For dessert we ordered the fresh baked to order Strudel de Mele and the Zabaglione. All of the food was fantastic! *IF* i had to find a negative with this place is that they dont like turning up the heat! The bar area was freezing!
(4)Kathie P.
What a nice little gem just on the other side of the Bay Bridge in Stevensville, MD. I have heard so many great things about this restaurant, that I felt like I needed to give it a try. A friend of mine and I stopped in for a glass of wine. After seeing the menu, we decided to try some of their appetizers. We sat in the bar area, and all appetizers are half off from 4 - 7 --- even on a Saturday! Also, there was a $1.00 off on all drinks. The bartender was great!!! He was very helpful with our food suggestions. I had the Mozzarella & Eggplant Napolean which consisted of slice of tomato, marinated grilled eggplant, mozzarella, topped with balsamic vinaigrette. This dish was awesome. My friend ordered the crab and cheese flatbread pizza. I had a slice, and it was quite tasty. This is obviously a local favorite, because when we arrived at 4, there were just a handful of folks there. When we left, it was packed. I would definitely recommend Rustico if you are on the other side of the bridge and are looking for something different and really tasty!!!
(4)L E.
Calamari was the best we have had outside the Mediterranean. They provide 2 nice dipping sauces but you don't even need them-- the breading is light and nicely seasoned with just a bit of herbs-- lemon is all you need!). We'd love to come back to sample more of the wines, but the one we tried was very nice and reasonably priced (much better than what you'd get in DC for the price and the server gave a great recommendation). The flatbread was also excellent (the crust is very light and crispy sort of like an Alsatian flammkuchen- yum!). The staff was welcoming and warm, with suggestions (if you want them) but not pushy at all. We live in DC but are definitely planning to come back next time we are in the area. Can't wait to try their pastas and other dishes, which looked delectable.
(5)Lilly B.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY in a predominantly Italian neighborhood and grew up eating "Real" homemade Italian food so i hold all restaurants to a very high standard. Hands down this place has some of the best authentic Italian food I've ever eaten! Better than most of the pricey restaurants back home in Brooklyn or even in Manhattan. This place is definitely worth every minute, calorie and penny! I plan on eating here whenever I come down Maryland.
(5)Jennifer C.
4 stars for a great happy hour and for a 1/2 price bottle of wine night. Stay away from the shrimp (poor quality) and ask for the pizzas to be cooked a little longer than usual. It's always affordable and if you can sit outside in the summer, you'll love it.
(4)Tim T.
A surprisingly good restaurant that offers high-quality Italian cuisine with a selection of unexpected additions ... like the Baked Brie with strawberries in a balsamic reduction. The pasta is homemade and melt-in-your-mouth and the Tiramisu the 2nd best I have ever tasted. We have dined here several times in the restaurant - they also have a bar with a bar menu, a range of draft ales ad beers and a huge wine list. In summer you can sit outside on a paved area at the front of the restaurant. A great little restaurant!
(4)Colleen S.
My boyfriend and I stopped at Rustico for a drink on Friday night. We had already eaten dinner so we just sat in the bar area at a table near the window. The staff was very helpful in finding us the perfect bottle of wine to suit our tastes. My boyfriend ended up ordering the bruchetta and it was delicious. Rustico is a classy little wine place on the other side of the Bay Bridge that we will definitely visit again the next time we are in the area.
(4)Jen P.
This place for starters is adorable, I am always a sucker for a nice ambience. Lunch was great, and I will be making sure to frequent this place on my way to the beach for now on!
(5)Tom S.
A gem in an unlikely place. The prices are very reasonable. I decided to take my dog over to the dog beach and then wandered into historic Stevensville...a quaint, tiny town with antiques and this southern Italian restaurant that makes its own buffalo mozzarella! Haven't had this since I left Naples, Italy. I had the Frittura di Pomodori Verdi (breaded green tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella), the special risotto with salmon & saffron, and a glass of wine. My dog joined me on the patio -- a pleasant note for dog lovers. The service was attentive and the waitress was very knowlegeable. On the flip side, the marinara in the tomato/mozzarella dish was on the bland side and the risotto was a bit over-cooked and the saffron didn't seem to give a lot of flavor. Overall,m I enjoyed the restaurant and the food. The decor is rich and wine is definitely a central theme. I could imagine sharing a pleasant dinner with friends and a bottle of wine..just like being in Italy. BTW, the owners of Rustico are also owners of Luna Blu in Annapolis, which I hope to try soon. Caio!
(4)Liana P.
Just went to this restaurant during a little day trip to stevensville. The restaurant itself had a charming feel to it and the decor was tasteful. There was plenty of outdoor seating and indoor seating. We went for an early lunch, so for a majority of the meal we were the only people in the restaurant. My sister and I decided to start with bruschetta, which was topped with basil olive oil and fresh tamatoes. The bread was perfect, crunchy on the outside soft on the inside. I would go back just for the bruschetta! We ended up sharing the spinach salad w/strawberries, goat cheese and pine nuts. We also shared the fried green tamatoe sandwhich which is served on ciabatta bread, (once again perfectly crispy on the ouside and soft on the inside) w/pomodoro sauces, fgreens and some type of aoli. We didn't have enough room for dessert but I will definitely be hitting this place for dinner, especially on the way to the beach!!
(5)