Grotta Di Fuoco
“We started with roasted bone marrow, veal meatballs, and grilled calamari.”
“We ordered the eggplant fries, I got the clam ravioli and my bf got a fettuccine special.”
“In the summer they put little tables outside so it's fun to sit and people watch in the West End.”
Grotta Di Fuoco
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
7 reviews
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Close to the beach, so summer convenient. Lovely ambiance and atmosphere with recessed candles in brick wall. Very nice and attentive staff from hostess to waitress to bus boy to bartender.
Grilled calamari was delicious even better with the grilled lemon squeezed on top. Could have been hotter though.
Margherita pizza was good. Crust was rolled not hand thrown so it loses texture.
1/2 chicken was good and came with grilled artichokes that had an unidentifiable seasoning. But tasty nonetheless.
Glass of chianti pricey at 9 with a rough finish. Tried the Cabernet next. Had a smooth start and a rough finish for 10.
House made tiramisu was just ok (I make it at home so I am partial) the cookie and gelato with it were very good.
Honestly 3 1/2 stars but would definitely come back as absolutely nothing was wrong just not perfect.
First and foremost, the ambiance and decor of the restaurant is very cozy and almost rustic…intimate. However, it's a little bit small so you are either sitting by the door or by the kitchen at most tables.
Appetizers: We tried 3 (one each) – the bone marrow was very good, but needed a little bit of salt. The tuna crudo was good and had a really nice citrus finish…the pairing of vegetables with it was done very well. I didn't have the veal meatballs but I think that was the favorite at the table.
Entrees: The four cheese pizza with sausage was pretty good (my friend had it). My other friend had the pasta with seafood (clams, shrimp,white wine broth) and said it lacked flavor and was just ok – but after eating it said that he enjoyed it more than he thought. I had the sea bream….I was AMAZED. It was done to perfection and delicious – I highly recommend this dish! Even the lima beans were done really well to compliment the fish. I would give this restaurant a five just for the entree.
Dessert: The steamed brownie was good – served on a lemon ice. The panna cotta wasn't really creamy or what i'm used to, but i like the balsamic vinegar on it.
Bottom line: The chef is VERY creative with his menu and pairs flavors that the diner wouldn't normally think of. This alone is impressive and is a reason to go back.
Also the service was impeccable – our waiter was Lorenzo. He's great, brought out the food at the right time, gave fantastic wine selections suited to what we were looking for and checked in on us the right amount of times.
Pricing isn't that bad.
I say go, you will not be disappointed. (The bar area is really comfortable as well).
Grotta has been around for a bit now, but still seems to be a hidden gem in the LB. From the street look for a nice lil metal pig and you've found the place. When you head downstairs, you can tell it's not your average LB eatery. Attention was paid to the details here and the 'cave' theme, with brick and wine barrels on the walls, really works. The menu… is delightful. It's not too big, but has something for everyone. Faves are the ricotta gnocchi, any scarpariello, most of the salads, the S'mored dessert (gooood), and the legit cocktail (and wine) list. There are so many more winners… but I'm having a senior moment. Bottom line, if you're looking for something better than the typical LB American cuisine, come here. You won't be disappointed.
Protip: Pay attention to the specials and don't come with a zero who doesn't eat anything
Oh my goooodnesss this meal was delicious.
My friends live in Long Beach and really wanted to hit up Lost and Found (it's their favorite). Apparently, everyone else seems to feel the same way and on a saturday night a rez there is impossible. Although I'm bummed that we didn't get to try, I'm really stoked that we ended up at Grotta Di Fuoco instead.
I walked in, inhaled the smell of fresh and delicious Italian food and instantly knew that I was in for a treat. I was eyeing basically everything on the menu, so luckily we ended up deciding to share a few things. To start, we put in an order of pizza and meatballs. The pizza was topped with goat cheese, fresh parm, pesto and some fresh veggies. It was literally perfect. The meatballs were also great and I thought that the addition of nuts added a nice crunch.
For my main I ordered gnocchi with sausage which also came smothered in pesto and cheese. My friend and I split an order, and I loved how they served it to us in two beautifully presented dishes. Other dishes at the table were veal and spaghetti and clams. I snuck a few bites of the veal which was perfectly tender and served over creamy polenta. I didn't try the spaghetti and clams, but heard that it was just okay.
We barely had room for dessert, but when some sort of magical peanut butter chocolate cake made it's way to the table I just had to try. Absolutely incredible.
Next time I head back to LB, it'll be hard not to want to come back here. This definitely goes down in the books as one of my new favorite spots.
it was quiet during the evening we were there. the decor is very pleasant. the staff were friendly and attentive.
good quality food in an unexpected area.
the ingredients were fresh and tasted great. the wines also were very good.
we had the seafood spaghetti, the margarita pizza, beet salad and 2 desserts. Enjoyed all.
I love the food here. My friend and I split a pizza and a pasta dish. The sauce was tasty on both the pizza and pasta. They had a nice wine selection. The place had a nice ambience. The servers were very helpful.
"Roasted bone marrow in Long Beach? Now I've seen everything!" — some lady.
Manhattan style dining and creativity is rare in these parts. Chef Andrew seems to be killing it so far, and his restaurant is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
I know the chef's name because about 13 different people recommended I try this place based on his reputation, so needless to say he's a popular guy.
We started with roasted bone marrow, veal meatballs, and grilled calamari. Bone marrow was a great portion for only $8 and delicious. Same could be said for the calamari at $9. And the meatballs were awesome.
Next we had homemade ricotta gnocchi with broccoli rabe pesto and crumbled sauzeeeeg. That's not a typo, that's how I say sausage, keep up. Anyway, it was lick the plate amazing.
We then, being the fat bastards that we are, had the tre porcellini brick oven pizza. My only complaint is that I like when the prosciutto and guanciale get a little crispier, could've used another minute in the oven. Regardless, it was great.
Homemade Italian cheesecake for dessert, with fresh whipped cream and berries…yes please.
Mike, our server, was top notch, super attentive.
Wine list was solid.
Can't wait to come back to try some entrees.