A surprisingly delicious and charming offering within the Golden Nugget, Grotto Ristorante is a warm, inviting place to enjoy an authentic Northern Italian meal. Festive, hand-painted murals line the walls of the brightly lit Grotto, which possesses a cheerful ambience with warm colors, a rustic tiled floor, and wooden tables and chairs. A romantic date or a family meal will flourish within the vibrant atmosphere of this classy but casual downtown eatery.

Tantalizing appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, and seafood and meat entrees are among the selections at Grotto Ristorante, which specializes in fresh, homemade Italian classics. For a signature appetizer that will get your meal off to the perfect start, try the Lobster Bisque, a creamy concoction enhanced with a hint of sherry. The salads are also fresh and ripe for sharing, including the Rotisserie Chicken Salad, tossed with mixed greens, caramelized pecans, goat cheese, grapes, and strawberries in creamy parmesan dressing. And gourmet pizzas provide the perfect lunch, with delicious classics and intriguing flavor combinations like the Capricciosa, with prosciutto, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, San Marzano tomatoes, and fontina cheese.

For the main course, the made-from-scratch pasta dishes are divine and use only the freshest ingredients. Try the Linguine Pescatore or the Cannelloni, a light, airy pasta stuffed with chicken and spinach, topped with béchamel and marinara sauce. The chicken, veal, and seafood dishes are equally delightful, especially the Veal San Pietro – a scaloppini of veal topped with artichokes, mushrooms, and frascati wine sauce, served with Italian-style spinach and roasted potatoes.

In addition to an extensive wine list featuring a host of Italian wines, Grotto Ristorante also has a colorful antipasti bar. A dessert cart also carries an array of tempting treats such as Strawberry Cassatta (Italian wedding cake) and Mezzanotte (chocolate layer cake). And be sure to try dining on the Grotto’s sun-bathed indoor patio, which overlooks the shimmering waters of the Golden Nugget pool. For a lovely meal with friends, family, or a significant other, Grotto Ristorante is a tasty and inviting restaurant that will satisfy all.