Elegance Of A Family Tuscan Style Eatery
St. Petersburg, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Italian
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: November 2016
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Anthony Magnifico
Restaurant owners::
Domenic D'Angelo and Chef Anthony Mangiafico
Grazie in Italian means to give thanks or to be thankful. I can say that I am thankful that my wife and I came across Gratzzi Italian Grille, a family owned and operated neighborhood Italian restaurant, offering finer dining with a family atmosphere. Voted #1 best Italian Restaurant by St. Petersburg Foodies, The owners treat the restaurant like their home and greet every person as it was a personal home. This is our wonderful experience that needed to be shared.
Menu:
- Early dinner menu
- Antipasti
- Zuppe & Insalate
- Fresh Pasta
- Chef’s Selections
- Other Favorites
- Gratzzi Grille
- Personal Gourmet Pizza
- Desserts
My wife had been a few times for happy hour with her friends, one of those friends gave her a gift card. I had just returned home from overseas work, and once my wife told me about the restaurant, my mouth began to water. We had both seen it in the past, driving through downtown St. Petersburg, and thought that we needed to add them to our list. The restaurant is of a fine dining setting with white linen tablecloths and white napkins folded into the water glasses of each table.
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| Dining Room |
My wife had been a few times for happy hour with her friends, one of those friends gave her a gift card. I had just returned home from overseas work, and once my wife told me about the restaurant, my mouth began to water. We had both seen it in the past, driving through downtown St. Petersburg, and thought that we needed to add them to our list. The restaurant is of a fine dining setting with white linen tablecloths and white napkins folded into the water glasses of each table.
We arrived just after the opening for dinner and sat at the bar as we usually do most of the time when going out to eat. Normally we grab small bites and share, then after a few visits, a review can be written. For this occasion, as we had the gift card, we saved up the room to enjoy a dinner with a few drinks. My wife experimented with a tequila cocktail some time back and found that the flavor of grapefruit in it was much better than the ingredients to a normal margarita on the rocks with lime juice and triple sec. We began by sharing some appetizers starting with the Carciofini Alla Romana, which consisted of baby whole artichokes stuffed with herbed mascarpone cheese, encrusted with parmesan on a bed of wilted greens and peppers and a side dish with an asiago cream sauce for dipping. Two hearts came to the order, and they were fantastic, perfectly seasoned, and not something you see all the time at an average Italian Grille.
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| Carciofini Alla Romana |
My wife and I also shared the Insalata Caesar, with hearts of romaine, house made caesar dressing and shaved parmesan topped with some rustic croutons. Other starters include classic Italian and American fare such as ahi tuna tartare, calamari, escargot, and shrimp arrabbiata to name a few.
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| Insalata Caesar |
For entrees, my wife enjoyed a glass of Rosé and we both had selections from the Chef’s favorites. Their entree menu was broken down by the chef’s, other favorites, gourmet pizzas, the Gratzzi grille, and the fresh pasta sections. She had heard about the cavatelli bada bing from her friends. It was a hand-made ricotta cavatelli, flambéed inside a large Grana Padana parmesan wheel. This parmesan made from unpasteurized cows milk has a fat content around 41% and was created by the Cistercian monks of Chiaravalle in the 12th century, and it is still made throughout the Po River Valley in northeastern Italy to this day. Grana means grainy in Italian which gives the cheese an intensely sweet flavor. The remainder of the dish is cooked table-side with San Daniele prosciutto, tomatoes, basil, and Ketel One vodka. As seen in the video above, the server goes over each step in detail, and you can hear the reactions from other tables. I can see why this is a favorite and worth trying when you visit.
The remainder of the dish is cooked table-side with San Daniele prosciutto, tomatoes, basil, and ketal one vodka. As seen in the video above, the server goes over each step in detail, and you can hear the reactions from other tables. I can see why this is a favorite and worth trying when you visit.
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| Bada bing |
For my entree, my wife I spotted the roasted duck all ‘arancia, which is also on the chef’s selections section. It is a crispy half duck, with apple - craisin stuffing and sits on a Gran Marnier sauce, garnished with a sliced orange. On the side, the dish comes with potato and green beans. Other entree selections include veal and chicken dishes, ossobuco, scallops, lasagna, and many other dishes.
Dessert:
We did not have room for dessert on this visit, and from looking on their website, the dessert list is not available. A few inquiries have been made to request the list, but to date, the restaurant management has not responded to those requests.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Italian Articles & Restaurants:
Alioto’s Restaurant Historic restaurant serving Sicilian-infused seafood in San Francisco, California
BiCE Restaurant, Dubai Marina Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian in Dubai, UAE
BRIO Tuscan Grille Relaxed Tuscan-inspired Italian chain eatery, reviewed in Sarasota, Florida
FarmTable Kitchen Casual Cal-Italian cuisine and chef tables in St. Petersburg, Florida
Feola’s Italian Ristorante relaxed eatery for pizza and pasta in Treasure Island, Florida
Gino’s East Pizzeria Chain serving Chicago-style deep dish pizza & other Italian eats in Chicago, Illinois
Gino’s Restaurant & Bar Old-school & modern genial Italian eatery in Tampa, Florida
Greystone Restaurant Italian CIA school restaurant in Calistoga, California (Now Gatehouse Restaurant)
La Petite Maison Relaxed French-Italian Restaurant at the DFIC in Dubai, UAE
Locale Seasonal Northern Italian at the De Bortoli Winery in the Yarra Valley, Australia
Noble Crust Modern contemporary Italian and Southern dishes in St Petersburg, Florida
Pia’s Trattoria Tuscan-themed old-school Italian restaurant In Gulfport, Florida
Pizza Republica Trendy Italian trattoria and pizza restaurant in Centennial, Colorado
Ponte Vecchio Fine dining Italian classics in the Fallsview Hotel, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Prato Rustic Italian bistro with modern takes on classic dishes in Winter Park, Florida
Roberto’s Ristorante A walk into the Piemonte with a contemporary twist at the DIFC, Dubai, UAE
Sea-Guini Chic restaurant with seafood & Italian-inspired cuisine in Clearwater Beach, Florida
The Garlic old world style Italian with Mediterranean classics in New Smyrna Beach, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other St Petersburg restaurants and articles on Wine, Dine, and Play:
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Casual fusion of Thai and Japanese in tapas portions
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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Local diner chain with classic American Breakfast
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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Casual LGBT bar and burger joint
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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A Few Florida Favorites:
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Locally Sourced Café for Southern Grub
St. Augustine
|
Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf
Brandon, Florida USA
|
Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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9
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1
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Food quality
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10
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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8
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8
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0
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Customer service
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9
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8
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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9
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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47
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42
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5
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.893617021276596
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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4
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0851063829787234
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.978723404255319
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
98% Rating with a 4 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine style:
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Italian, Tuscan, Milanese
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Local, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegan, and Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Trendy, Romantic, Hotspot, Great bar, Good for special occasions, Intimate, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Street meter parking
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$35.00 USD
Gratzzi Italian Grille:
211 2nd Street South
St. Petersburg
Florida, 33701
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727 623 9037
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5:00)
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Lunch: Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Dinner: Mon-Sun
4:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Happy Hour: Daily
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Top 10 American fine-dining ornate chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Turkish culinary journey with an eclectic European twist
Plaza Versace Hotel, Dubai, UAE
|
Seasonal Irish with French gastronomic dining
Dublin, Ireland
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Other Pictures:
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| Italian salad |
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| Bada bing! |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
