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Santino's Little Italy
Santino's Little Italy: Speakeasy vibes, handmade pastas, and Neapolitan pizzas with warm hospitality.
4.8
Italian
$$
Santino's Little Italy: Speakeasy vibes, handmade pastas, and Neapolitan pizzas with warm hospitality.
Santino's Little Italy in Milwaukee offers a moody, speakeasy-inspired Italian dining scene. Guests praise attentive, knowledgeable staff and owners who engage with patrons. The menu features Neapolitan pizzas and handmade pastas, including gluten-free options made with Italian 00 flour and dishes like carbonara. Desserts such as tiramisu and gelato complement a welcoming, lively atmosphere.
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Handcrafted pizzas with bubbly, charred edges using imported 00 flour, available in specialty and build-your-own options.
Freshly made pastas like lasagna (Sundays only), carbonara, and penne, served with authentic sauces and ingredients.
Starters including Caesar salads, fried eggplant, arancini, and calamari to kick off your meal.
Curated drinks such as Santino Sangria with gin, Paper Plane Martinis, and a variety of Italian wines and spirits.
Sweet endings like tiramisu, flourless cake, and chocolate hazelnut gelato, perfect for sharing.
Pizzas and pastas made with gluten-free ingredients, catering to dietary needs without compromising flavor.
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Overall rating
Daniel Silver
The carbonara pasta was very creamy. It could have used more salt and pepper, but putting Parmesan on top helped a lot. The tiramisu was very good! It was creamy with a nicely soaked coffee bottom, which I like.
Scott W
First time here. Came with another couple. It was a Thursday night, and we had 6:30 reservations. The place is a small, friendly looking standalone building on the corner. When you arrive, there is a bar with a seating area. There is also another seating area with a separate bar, which is where we sat. What I noticed first is that there are TVs set up throughout the restaurant playing Moonstruck, the 1987 movie with Cher and Nicolas Cage. It runs continuously, and I think without sound. I didn’t have a direct line of sight, but I did notice it a few times throughout the evening. It’s a quirky thing, and I like it. The inside is dimly lit, but bright enough to read menus and make out all the essentials. The lighting on the bars is a rich red, and it really sets off those areas. The walls are adorned with photos of iconic Italian female movie stars like Sophia Loren. I liked the classic vibe. The place was very loud. We were seated right away and settled in with waters, drinks, and menus. Our server did a nice job walking us through the menu details. It’s mostly specialty pizzas, with a few appetizers, salads, and a couple of entrees. For drinks, there were a couple of Santino Sangrias, which were unique in that they included gin, a nice touch. There was also a Paper Plane Martini, which was very good too. I mentioned before that it was loud, and it was especially loud with a large group behind us. It got much better when they cleared out. I noticed that they have sound absorbing materials on some of the walls, which probably helps, just not enough. For dinner, we started off with a couple of Caesar salads. They were a good portion and easily shared by two. The dressing was fresh and the right amount. It was a great start to the meal. I would have liked to try the calamari, but nobody else was interested, maybe next time. There were three pizzas at the table, Margherita, Paisan, and a make your own with cheese, sausage, mushroom, and onion. I decided to be different and tried the Gigante Meatball Plate. The pizzas are Neapolitan, with bubbly, charred edges. All of them had excellent presentation and flavor. Neapolitans are not known for their sturdy centers, so you have to hold on tight to keep everything from sliding off. As expected, the meatball was very large. It’s served with penne pasta, which was okay, though I would have preferred spaghetti. The sauce and cheese had good flavor. A solid entree, though not amazing. We were celebrating a birthday, so we saved room for a few shared desserts. We tried the flourless cake, tiramisu, and the chocolate hazelnut gelato. They were all good choices, satisfying, but again, not amazing. Lots to like about this place. Nice atmosphere (although loud), great service (thanks Tommy), and an excellent selection of pizzas. Would come back again, and this time order one of the specialty pizzas (Da Vinci?).
Angelo Ramos (NightbladeAl)
This place is a gem, moody and Italian decor. Try the fried eggplant, the pizza is phenomenal; don't forget dessert. I'll come back better dressed~
Greg
What an amazing restaurant. I’ve wanted to eat there for years and finally had the opportunity. Santinos is decorated beautifully like a cross between a cozy restaurant and a speakeasy. One of the owners (Greg) greeted us and was extremely friendly and easy to talk to. The food was delicious and not pretentious. Our server went above and beyond to serve our group. A few of us had the homemade lasagna. Pasta from scratch. I guess they only serve this on Sundays (I think) so get there early. The Arancini were amazing. We will most certainly be back. An absolutely wonderful experience. Finish your dinner with a delicious desert or a nice Limoncello. Thank you for the hospitality
Wade Avinger
If you are looking for an incredible dinner experience this is your place. The food is so good from the starters to dessert they make sure all details are taken care of. The service is amazing. The staff is very knowledgeable and does a great job of working with you to find the perfect dish for your enjoyment. The owners are very active and are fantastic. They are concerned with your dining experience and they engage with their patrons and get to know their customers. The pizza is so good and they use Italian imported 00 flour that those with gluten sensitivity can enjoy with no issues. The gluten free pasta is very good and I’m a huge fan of the carbonara. If you haven’t tried this amazing speakeasy with great music and old movies playing in the background to enhance your dining experience you have to get here - make sure you get a reservation before you come.
