Cantina Toscana

My wife and I first experienced thier $10.00 lunch....not expecting much for $10, we were supprised not only at the portions, but at the flavor of the food.

Dinner the next week was just as nice. Wine is not expensive, but the owner has selected a good variety...Wine at $39 per bottle is just as good as some of the wines we buy at $60+. Dinner experience was outstanding, not only the service, but once again the food.

Get there soon before you have to wait in line. I think this place will be busy.

I believe the person who gave the restaurant a 2 star really has no idea what he is talking about. We are European and, in the 4 years we have been in the US (Italian being the primary food we eat), there has been no proper Italian food other than here.
The portions are regular sized. If you want portions for over-eating obese individuals, as is so often the case here - go elsewhere. If you want quantity over quality - go elsewhere.
The chefs are Italian and properly trained. The beer (not your usual Peroni) is light and great tasting. The staff are knowledgeable and attentive, very friendly and outgoing. The slivers of Italian bread with tomato paste that they bring out as complimentary tasters are exactly as they should be. The wine selection, though small, was very good. Go here if you want real food and a great atmosphere. If you are looking for generic, packaged, chain-food - this isn't the place for you.

The chef, Francesco is magnificent. The servers, Jayme and Adam are awesome. The atmosphere is inviting. The food is superb. The ambiance is soothing. My spouse and I now have not only a favorite new restaurant but one we can rave about to our countless friends who come to visit weekly. A job well done by the owners and staff. It is clearly a major asset to the Sarasota lunch and dinner scene.Carole and Floyd Caldwell

My wife and I dined at this restaurant recently. We were not impressed. Here is our experience. 1) Beer was not cold 2) lasagna - good flavor small portion 3)pasta with carbonara sauce - Very bland, no flavor, Pasta stuck together not cooked. 4) Dirty dishes sat on table for quite a while(10 minutes) before waiter cleared them 5) Waiter charged the wrong amount on my credit card (just 10 cents, but shows carelessness). My wife is Italian, so we have eaten a lot of pasta in many years. This restaurant has to start worryiing about about the details if it is going to surpass the other Italian dining spots. The secret to sauce is flavor. Toscana has to kick it up a notch.

I am Italian and was in Sarasota for business . My lawyer told me to try this new place ... I was excited . Everything was just perfect ... like if I had a dinner in my hometown in Tuscany . Congratulations to the staff of Cantina Toscana . Lorenzo

I just had the most lovely dining experience since years! I just came back from my trip to Tuscany and had high hopes for this restaurant... Well, let's say, that all my expectations were met and more!!! Me and my husband shared carpaccio as an appetizer and it was prepared just like in Florence, Italy! Simple, yet tasty, on the bed of fresh arugula salad. We continued with day's special, Vitello al Marsala (veal in Marsala wine sauce) and server's recommendation: tagliatelle with pesto. Food was outstanding... I almost licked my plate! Loved the whole pine nuts on the pesto sauce! We finished our meal with espresso and cappuccino and again, it was just perfect! They use real italian Lavazza coffee there, and it tasted just like in Italy!

Let me just add, that service was very friendly and competent, and decor beautifully designed!

Well... I know where to bring my sweetheart for next Valentine's Day for dinner!!!

Everything was just perfect . Food is great, service was amazing . I loved it . I have been travelling to Italy often and this experience was just like being in Italy . Thank you Francesco