Vesuvio - Carmel-by-the-Sea

We celebrated my husband's birthday with dinner at this restaurant. The food and drinks were delicious, and the service was amazing. The restaurant was busy and the tables were close together, so I would give it 4 stars for atmosphere. The food also deserves 4 stars. The seasonal special fried Artichoke was tasty, but it was swimming in too much olive oil. The Garlic bread, which was made from a 100 year old recipe, tasted burnt and like sawdust. These two items were a disappointment. However, the Risotto Arancini, red pepper soup, and Pear Gorgonzola salad were very good and fresh. The Eggplant Parmigiana with Alfredo pasta was excellent, but the portion size was surprisingly small. The desserts, including a generous brownie birthday treat and tasty pistachio cannoli, were awesome. Overall, we had a pleasant experience and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

The food was delicious, with a great variety to choose from. All six of us at the table enjoyed our meals. The roasted garlic bulb appetizer we shared was fantastic. The service was top-notch. The portions were generous, and we regretted not sharing plates. My spaghetti and meatballs had a slightly spicy kick, which I enjoyed, but others might find surprising.

Ventured into Vesuvio in downtown Carmel during happy hour. It was an exceptionally beautiful evening so we chose to sit on the rooftop deck. The upstairs is spacious and includes fire pits. We shared garlic bread, saffron risotto arancini, fried artichoke crocchette, and truffled gnocchi. Everything was delicious and service was kind and responsive. Lovely evening!

Had dinner here a couple of weeks back after driving over from Mariposa Grove. It was a Saturday night and we did a walk-in. Pretty crowded but only waited 20 minutes for a seating. Nice atmosphere, good vibes good service and the seafood risotto, white truffle pie pizza and the garlic bread were excellent.

We didn't actually eat there, so this is for the rooftop bar only. Very cool spot, great bartenders, multiple fire pits. A few cozy spots. Good happy hour.