Va Bene

Had a lovely dinner on a Friday night with a view of the lake from the solarium. We had made reservations, and ended up with a window seat. There's also a main indoor dining room and an outdoor patio during warmer months.

I got the iced tea and chicken alfredo, which is usually my go-to for pasta. It was delicious and filling, especially after the bread they gave us to start the meal.

Service was efficient and friendly. I'd definitely come back and visit in the summertime!

Va Bene is a must if you’re looking for a place to eat in Duluth. Not only do they have amazing views of Lake Superior, but the service and the food are unbeatable. Kieran has to be one of the best servers/bartenders in the area! 10/10, will be back.

Wonderful staff, nice atmosphere. The food was wonderful. The freshness of the bruschetta was something you really could tatste. The honey goat cheese with pear crostini was such a good combination, I could have eaten that by itself. I ate the bistecca which was just the right amount of food. My friends will go here every time they are in Duluth and I 100% understand why. We made a reservation which made it much easier. Also the birthday cake gelato was wonderful, the red velvet (I'm guessing) pieces in it was a nice touch!

We drove like 3 hours just to have this amazing pasta at Va Bene. Beautiful view but exquisite food. Creamy, warm, cheesy. Also, the affogato at the end of our lunch is a must. The honey goat cheese with pear was delicious. Always happy to be back.

I loved this place very much. Small and cozy. Little cramped when it's busy but still amazing. Me and my wife sat in the area over looking the lake. It was very beautiful. The food was great but the biggest thing was our server Amanda. She was one of if not the best all around server we've ever had! You felt like you were visiting a friend at work while speaking with her. The entire service industry seems like they kind of forgot about being nice and personable but not Amanda. They definitely should recognize her extra effort to make everyone feel welcome. In a world of lackluster Customer service be more like Amanda. If you and your significant other want a nice little lunch or dinner stop by and you'll love it. 10 out of 10 will be back.

If I could rate this place an 8 star, I would! Awesome birthday lunch ever!!! Husband Let our waiter decide a dish for him..and it was a great choice and Gluten-free! ♥♥

First off, this place can be hard to get a reservation. But... there is a reason for it. The food is delicious, fresh and well prepared. We went on my bday and the service was excellent. Highly recommend!

The food was absolutely amazing. The serving size was a little small. But the taste made up for it. I would definitely recommend this place!

Delightful food, very well done and executed. Great local and artisan choices all over the menu from the drinks to the desserts. Pastas, risottos, meats and salads were all great. Specifically and maybe not a usual thing to rave about here, was the nicoise salad with salmon. One of the best I've ever had!
And that gelato...yum!

Definitely my favorite place to eat in Duluth! The appetizers and pasta are absolutely amazing, and the lake view is stunning. I love all their pasta but I’m partial to their shells because they hold a ton of sauce. The service is friendly but it is busy so make a reservation.

Whenever I visit Duluth, this is the restaurant that I always make an intentional effort going to. The food here is great. What makes this place even better is the fact that diners have the ability to sit right next to the window to have a view of the lake! On a day with good weather, especially when the sun is out, sitting by the window or even outside is just perfect! In terms of food, some of my strongest recommendations are the pesto frutti de mare, the gnocchi, the caprese, the honey goat cheese with pear crostini, the pomodoro e palpette di carne, the pasta alla zucca violina, and the bruschetta. Among all of them, the honey goat cheese with pear crostini is a very pleasant surprise because I have not had anything similar in other Italian restaurants, so when I ordered them, they left a huge impression in my brain. The pistachio gelato is a an excellent dessert, too. This is not to discredit any of the other dishes I have gotten, though! Almost everything has been great. The only dishes that I think can use some improvement are the salmon fresca and the Italian sausage soup (the salmon was slightly fishy and did not mesh with the rest of the ingredients in terms of flavor, and the Italian sausage soup was not seasoned enough in general). In conclusion, I recommend everyone visiting the Duluth area to give this establishment a visit as I consider it a staple restaurant in the city!

Best pasta ever! We absolutely loved the rosemary focaccia served before the main course. The drinks were well balanced and complimented our dishes well. We had a great seat by the window in the enclosed solarium and watched the train and ships go by. The service was excellent. Wish we would have saved room for Gelato as it looked enticing on the way in and out of the restaurant. Highly recommend reservations if you know you'll be in the area.

Great food and service. Steak came out perfectly. The appetizer was very unique and had great texture and flavor.

While the parking is definitely lacking the food and atmosphere DEFINITELY make up for it! The Italian sodas were to die for, and the food itself is amazing. I went in expecting freshly made pasta but was pleased with my order. Oh the snickers cheesecake is definitely a must get!

I walked in solo on a Friday evening and was seated immediately. I wish so much I could recall the name of my incredibly kind wait staff. I ordered the pesto gnocchi, loved that they had interesting N/A beverage options, a salad with goat cheese, and I love that they give you a nice piece of bread. I will 90000% be back.

The food.. the service.. THE VIEW..
I can't say enough good stuff about this cute playing the shore.
Trust me.. you need a reservation and trust me.. book it for the patio outside. There isn't anything between you and that beautiful blue water.
The food is so delicious. The staff is so knowledgeable and has no problem explaining what everything is, if you're a sheltered foodie like myself.
It is a bit pricey, but trust me... you're worth it!

Excellent meal! They have three separate eating areas in summer: inside dining room, enclosed patio, and a covered downstairs open air patio overlooking the water. We sat in the third space mentioned and it was wonderful!

The pesto frutti di mare was, hands down, the best meal. It isn’t a typical pesto, it’s more of a pink sauce and it’s soooo good. Accompanied with great scallops and shrimp. Perfection.

The pasta primavera was also high quality; we changed to angel hair pasta and added meatballs. 👍🏼 finally, the Sicilian pesto with chicken added was also delightful, just not as much as the frutti di mare. 🤩

Drove up from Minneapolis to dine here & was not disappointed! Amazingly attentive service, beautiful lake view. The food is so authentic and bursting with flavor. Everything I tried was mouth watering and satisfying. Highly recommend! One of the best restaurant experiences I’ve had in the state. My 3 year old even enjoyed his whole meal and he’s a picky eater. Chefs kiss!

Be sure to make a reservation as they fill up fast! Beautiful spot to enjoy delicious meals! We were sitting in the grotto around 11:45am, so it was very sunny but had spectacular views. Also, depending on when you go, the north shore train passes by the restaurant! Would 100% recommend coming here!

We were seated outside (made a reservation) with a breathtaking view of Lake Superior. The wait staff was very prompt and our drinks and food were absolutely amazing. It was all very fresh, extremely flavorful, and we savored every bite. We will definitely be back!