Tuscan Bistro - Traverse City

Wow! My wife and I were extremely impressed after eating at Tuscan Bistro. We have lived in Traverse City for three years, and just now found this hidden gem. The food was absolutely delicious, we thoroughly enjoyed every bite and the patio was the perfect spot to sit and eat on a beautiful summer day. A little bit about the meals: For an appetizer we got the Rollitini De Melanzana which was an eggplant stuffed with riccotta and mozzarella cheeses with a delicious homemade tomato basil sauce covering it. Very saucy! Very delicious, and could definitely be a meal. Friday 's were also their raw bar so we ordered four oysters and four jumbo shrimp which were both delicious and extremely affordable. They change the price of oysters/shrimp based on market prices and how large the product is. For main meals, we both got half orders of each meal trust me, with an appetizer, it is plenty of food! For myself, I had the Orichiette with Italian Sauasge this was absolutely delicious, but I can see how some taste buds might not appreciate the broccoli rabe which gives the meal a very crisp, green, taste. The sauce was more of a clear broth. Overall I would give this dish an 8.5/10. My wife then had the Cavatelli with Mushroom Ragu, which if you are looking for a creamy, garlicky, pasta dish this should be your go to and in this dish, even the noodles are made in house. I would rate this dish an 8.5/10 also. Check out these meals with an appetizer and a glass of wine and you will not be disappointed! We were also blown away by the value for the food in which we ate. Thanks Tuscan Bistro, we will definitely be back!

There aren't many authentic italian options in TC and that's what my daughter wanted one night. She found Tuscan Bistro on Yelp, and it was a great find! The scent of garlic is everywhere when you walk in. They have an amazing homemade pesto that they serve with their bread. Delish. You can buy it to go. $7.00 for 16 oz, but caution it only comes in a styrofoam bowl, so you'll have to have a bottle ready at home. There were four of us for dinner and we each tried something different. My tagliatelle bolognese was amazing, but the best dish at the table (by far was the cavatelli with mushroom ragu. OMG I so wish I would have ordered it. Next time! FYI It's not inexpensive, and salad does not come with dinner. If you're planning to order a glass of wine, however, they looked to be generous pours ;

The service, ambiance and food was way better than we expected. We ate and drank at the bar were the young lady bar tender did an awesome job of explaining the menu, made from scratch pasta items and more. I should have taken a picture of our meals as the presentation was very elegant. A nice warm environment on a cold and rainy night were you can even talk to the ones you are with.

Didn't expect this place to be in an office building, haha. Still, they did a fabulous job decorating to make it not seem like it's in an office building. It has a really nice romantic feel to it. The food was all good, but nothing special. I have no complaints, but I don't plan to return when there are so many other places to try in the area. The price is more reasonable than Italian restaurants downtown, yet is still on the pricy side. The beef carpaccio was really good, but the real hit for me was the truffle mashed potatoes. I would honestly consider ordering carryout from here just to get those potatoes again. I actually originally rated this place three stars, but just went back and changed it to four as I typed about these potatoes. Truly delicious.

I like a 'da sauce. This is not a baked pasta, heavy sauce pseudo Italian restaurant. There are plenty of those and a few chains that fit that niche nicely. No this is actually what your grandmother would have cooked if she was Italian. The Bolognese is AMAZING. Huge selection of housemade items including the Mozzarella Cheese, Tagatelli and Cavatelli Pastas. My favorite is the Italian Sausage Pepperonata over Cheesy Polenta. The Penne Pomadora and the homemade Gelatos are my lighter go to. Affordable wine list that doesn 't make me feel like I 'm being beaten over the head with overpriced bottles. Again if cheap is what your looking for this is not the place, however a great dining expierence with wonderful food and wine...well that is why I keep coming back.