Tuscan Bistro - Traverse City

We did come back, and the food was tasty, but EXCRUCIATINGLY slow. It took 1 hr and 16 minutes for our main course to arrive. And 50 min for a bottle of wine, after ordering. Only half our table had their drink orders taken. The server was very nice, but kept answering questions with a statement that didn't make any sense. Though they have a GF menu, we were also requesting non-dairy food, when she kept suggesting items which clearly included dairy/butter/cheese/whipped cream. Very frustrating toward the end. This was quite (excruciatingly disappointing, service-wise, though they were friendly all around. I'd consider returning IF I didn't have this server; IF I weren't dying to eat right away; IF I weren't on a schedule (several of us had long drives later this evening, so this was an issue ; IF I didn't have to request the pasta to be not overcooked. (It would also probably be a good idea to teach everyone how to pronounce the food items properly, too... I had also requested an outdoor table, and upon arriving, was told an indoor table was ready for us. Though this was resolved somewhat quickly, all these things add up to not feeling like a reliable place to bring guests, unfortunately.

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.