Star Bene

Mentone is a gem in the heart of Aptos. A true delight for the senses. They capture the feeling of dining out on the Riviera. The style of cuisine is truly European so drop your American expectations at the door and submerge yourself in a wine and cocktail fueled evening of elegantly crafted fare.

Went there on the last, chilly night of January. Had seasonal black truffle pizza with a bottle of Seghesio Barolo that Zach recommended, both excellent on their own, and a great pairing. Had a reservation so the wait was minimal. Were seated in a comfy corner towards the kitchen. The only complaint is they keep the dining room chilly even in this winter weather. Wine, too, needed to be brought down to room temperature, so it was more enjoyable towards the end of our meal when it had a chance to breathe and warm up a bit.

I can’t put it any other way: Aptos is incredibly lucky to have Mentone. The dining scene in Aptos and Santa Cruz as a whole is very much limited, but Mentone is a rare gem in this town. Some people shy away because of the price, but you don't realize you're getting so much more than just a meal. Dining at Mentone is truly an experience that is filled with incredible food, expertly crafted cocktails, attentive service, and a vibrant atmosphere. Every dish is prepared with passion and intention, and it shows. Not a single thing feels generic or uninspired. The staff go above and beyond to make sure your visit is memorable, whether it’s helping you select the perfect wine to pair with your meal or curating the order of your courses for the best experience. It's obvious that the staff care about the restaurant and your experience. It’s honestly a taste of Michelin-level fine dining in a town where casual dining is the norm. Even looking around the restaurant is an adventure. The restaurant’s décor is filled with quirky, beautiful details, like the painting of the confused boy on the wall or the Rolling Stones tongue mosaic. It's the perfect setting for a birthday dinner, a casual catch-up with friends, or a romantic date. It honestly can fit the vibe of any event. Mentone is more than just a meal, it’s honestly an adventure and an indulgence that’s worth every penny. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, you should at least try it once!!

Came here for lunch at their Little Beach patio setup outside. Great service and vibes! One of the best Margherita pizzas I’ve had, definitely hope to come back again soon!

Good staffs, food and atmosphere! Pizza was great and the pasta, olive were awesome! Desserts were delicious! Adult sorbets I would say.

We had only a short period of time before having to rush off to an event and the staff were very accommodating, seating us at a tall table quickly and bringing us a simple, quick appetizer immediately. Our cocktails were beautiful and delicious, and we the appetizer simply knocked my socks off. In fact, I dream of having a big bowl of that stracciatella and crusty bread quite often since our visit. It was amazing. The space is welcoming and casual, all the details are great.

This is more than a pizza place. The ambience was warm and inviting with a European flair. Isabel was very helpful and they all took very good care of us.

Sardenaira Pizza - yummy ‘cause anchovies! Caesar Salad - great croutons, great salad. Polenta - super nice!

Kinch does it again! Not gonna lie; the hype is real! Made reservations for Mentone and of course, it was Friday, so we were not able to eat meat since it’s lent. All good, bc sometimes a simple pizza is all you need. We ordered a Caesar salad to start, and it was so delish. The veggies were fresh, the dressing was sooo good and if you like croutons, you are going to love theirs; they were super big and tasty. We ordered a margherita and an anchovy pizza to share. The pizzas were beyond yummy. The crust is just perfect, and the pizzas had just the right amount of sauce and toppings. I find sometimes pizzas can be ‘over’ topped, making the crust soggy. We each had a glass of bubbles although place has a full bar. The staff were all very nice and attentive. I would def go back again. I would e Note: parking is not the worst, but it can be a little challenging. Reservations on a Friday evening is prime time so although we had to circle around twice, we finally found parking.

+4

Mentone does the following really, really, really, really well: * CAESAR SALAD. It is hands-down the BEST caesar salad I've ever had. You won't want to share it even though it's meant for sharing. * EGGPLANT. Silky, umami bomb. It is just ridiculously tasty. * PESTO GENOVESE. Chef Kinch transports you to Genoa with this dish. * SOPPRESSATA. It's made with fairy dust. Literally. It's just comforting. * DESSERT. Get the Budino or Lemon curd. This place is just a gem.

Totally unexpectedly delicious. I looked at the menu and saw not a ton of dishes that I felt were innovative or interesting - more generic - but I was so so glad to be proven wholly wrong. The dishes on the menu, although simple, come out almost the platonic ideal of each type of food. Like the bean soup was just amazing - drizzle of high quality of olive oil and the brightness of citrus, the pizzas were super super tomatoey and the anchovies extra fat, the Caesar salad was perfectly dressed and the croutons perfectly crunchy. I had read about the bitterness of the radicchio being sometimes distracting but thankfully there was NO strong bitterness in the radicchio on the day we visited. The passionfruit lemonade was also super refreshing and juicy. I’m actually embarrassed by how much I ended up liking this restaurant - can’t wait to visit again someday.

This experience was amazing! We went at 5 with reservations and they have a dedicated parking lot. Jo really took care of us and the pacing was perfect! She seemed to know exactly when I wanted a second drink (the non alcoholic cocktail was delicious!) and gave excellent recommendations! The food was so delicious and I really enjoyed how hot the food was when it came out. The fresh shaved truffle was delightful and the lemon curd dessert to wrap up was perfect. Really great food and relaxed vibes!

We sat outside at the “beach” on a Saturday afternoon. DJ playing old school R&B was a great vibe. Pizza and an Aperol Spritz was just right on this Summer weekend. We will definitely be returning. Neighboring tables salads and other pizzas looked equally good. Dog friendly. Staff would bring water bowls to each table with dogs. Staff was friendly and attentive, even in the casual outdoor environment.

Their 31 days 31 nights nonalcoholic drink is great! Really enjoyed the Soppressata pizza and eggplant. The fruity gazpacho was refreshing. Duck terrine, especially the cherries were flavorful. Bolognese pasta wasn’t my favorite.

Cute restaurant with good service and food. Pasta is good but the pizza is arguably better. Drinks are excellent and unique. Overall a wonderful place to have dinner and drinks.

I love their Caesar, of course! Also, whenever I dip the margherita into their aromatic olive oil, I feel an unexplainabl3 sensation!

Met for a delicious lunch. We had drinks, salad, pasta & pizza. I even bought a gift card for my cousin. We lucked out & got one of their parking spots. The indoor dining room is a bit noisy.

Mentone packs flavor into every bite. On my recent visit, I ordered the stracciatella cheese with focaccia, puntarelle salad, pork pâté, and margherita pizza. The stracciatella: I've never enjoyed a soft cheese more. The balance of oil, salt, and pepper took the delicate flavor of the cheese to a new level. Puntarelle salad: I don't think I've ever had a more flavorful salad. Every bite packs a punch, without becoming overpowering. Pâté: great flavor combination; it's not easy to mix savory and sweet, but this dish pulls it off with the apple reduction. Margherita pizza: simple and delicious. The natural flavors really shine through. The inside of each slice becomes soggy quickly, but I'm not sure there's a way around that. If I had to sum up my experience at Mentone: intentionality. Nothing is random, every flavor has a purpose. I can't wait to return.

My son and daughter-in-law brought us here as it is their go-to place. They drummed it up so much that the expectation was pretty high. Mentone was truly an awesome experience. The eggplant appetizer was to die for. The pork belly and scallops were very, very good. The pizza - we had the spicy soppressata - was on par with the best ones I have ever had. The drinks were also very good. It was a little pricey but totally worth it.

Excellent service with small but delicious and fresh menu. Beef tartare was favorite but pizza was impressive as well. Tomato sauce was very with clear and clean flavor. Great and crispy remaining parts.

Fantastic, very filling meal here last night! Attentive service and fresh, carefully-prepared ingredients made for a great time. Especially recommend the citrus and fennel salad and the pizzas (if we had to choose).

Elliot Goldinger

Mentone packs flavor into every bite. On my recent visit, I ordered the stracciatella cheese with focaccia, puntarelle salad, pork pâté, and margherita pizza. The stracciatella: I've never enjoyed a soft cheese more. The balance of oil, salt, and pepper took the delicate flavor of the cheese to a new level. Puntarelle salad: I don't think I've ever had a more flavorful salad. Every bite packs a punch, without becoming overpowering. Pâté: great flavor combination; it's not easy to mix savory and sweet, but this dish pulls it off with the apple reduction. Margherita pizza: simple and delicious. The natural flavors really shine through. The inside of each slice becomes soggy quickly, but I'm not sure there's a way around that. If I had to sum up my experience at Mentone: intentionality. Nothing is random, every flavor has a purpose. I can't wait to return.

Manny Soltero

My son and daughter-in-law brought us here as it is their go-to place. They drummed it up so much that the expectation was pretty high. Mentone was truly an awesome experience. The eggplant appetizer was to die for. The pork belly and scallops were very, very good. The pizza - we had the spicy soppressata - was on par with the best ones I have ever had. The drinks were also very good. It was a little pricey but totally worth it.

Lily Wu

Totally unexpectedly delicious. I looked at the menu and saw not a ton of dishes that I felt were innovative or interesting - more generic - but I was so so glad to be proven wholly wrong. The dishes on the menu, although simple, come out almost the platonic ideal of each type of food. Like the bean soup was just amazing - drizzle of high quality of olive oil and the brightness of citrus, the pizzas were super super tomatoey and the anchovies extra fat, the Caesar salad was perfectly dressed and the croutons perfectly crunchy. I had read about the bitterness of the radicchio being sometimes distracting but thankfully there was NO strong bitterness in the radicchio on the day we visited. The passionfruit lemonade was also super refreshing and juicy. I’m actually embarrassed by how much I ended up liking this restaurant - can’t wait to visit again someday.

T

This experience was amazing! We went at 5 with reservations and they have a dedicated parking lot. Jo really took care of us and the pacing was perfect! She seemed to know exactly when I wanted a second drink (the non alcoholic cocktail was delicious!) and gave excellent recommendations! The food was so delicious and I really enjoyed how hot the food was when it came out. The fresh shaved truffle was delightful and the lemon curd dessert to wrap up was perfect. Really great food and relaxed vibes!

Tracey Phan

Cute restaurant with good service and food. Pasta is good but the pizza is arguably better. Drinks are excellent and unique. Overall a wonderful place to have dinner and drinks.

Young Hoon Sim

I love their Caesar, of course! Also, whenever I dip the margherita into their aromatic olive oil, I feel an unexplainabl3 sensation!

Joyce Stubee

Met for a delicious lunch. We had drinks, salad, pasta & pizza. I even bought a gift card for my cousin. We lucked out & got one of their parking spots. The indoor dining room is a bit noisy.

Monica Ifland

We sat outside at the “beach” on a Saturday afternoon. DJ playing old school R&B was a great vibe. Pizza and an Aperol Spritz was just right on this Summer weekend. We will definitely be returning. Neighboring tables salads and other pizzas looked equally good. Dog friendly. Staff would bring water bowls to each table with dogs. Staff was friendly and attentive, even in the casual outdoor environment.

D. Yaley

Their 31 days 31 nights nonalcoholic drink is great! Really enjoyed the Soppressata pizza and eggplant. The fruity gazpacho was refreshing. Duck terrine, especially the cherries were flavorful. Bolognese pasta wasn’t my favorite.

Porschephilia

Remains in my opinion one of the handful of truly excellent restaurants in town and on the very short list of somewhere I look forward to going to. Everything is excellent, from the starters to the salads (best Caesar in town IMHO, man those croutons) to the mains. The pizzas are - somewhat surprisingly - ‘only’ very good not great (Delfina, Oak and Rye, Bantam are in my ‘great’ category). Staff is great, service is prompt and friendly. And, now that the bar at Soif (when run by Matthew) is gone and Alderwood imploded, remains hands down the best bar program in town (runner-up - Bantam). Oh wait, that’s right, who has been running the bar program for a while now…

Martin Levy

Sardenaira Pizza - yummy ‘cause anchovies! Caesar Salad - great croutons, great salad. Polenta - super nice!

For 6 people we ordered 4 pizza (2x fungi, 1 margarita, 1 special of the day). The fungi in particular was amazing. So much flavor packed per inch. I’m usually not a bougie pizza place person but this place changed my mind.

This is one of the best dining experiences I've had in years. Honestly. Food: A+, service A+, atmosphere, wonderful. Here are some details: First off, I had the sole and it came with some potatoes. Sure, the sole was excellent, but the side of potatoes were the best potatoes I've had IN MY LIFE! I didn't actually think there was much room to improve on the way potatoes are served, but this proved me wrong. If they had "Potatoes" as a dessert menu item option, I would have ordered them again. I'm not a drinks person, but the people I was with gave them high marks. Arugula salad was large - (split one between two or three people would be advisable) - and wonderfully balanced with some unique touches. Mushroom pizza was so awesome. No "button" mushrooms here! Each of the three species of mushrooms, from experience, require different cooking times and methods. They somehow managed to get them all right on one pizza. Pretty amazing. For an unassuming place, I was floored. Great stuff. Staff attentive and had good recall about who had what, but not hovering. Personal and connected.

Overall a lovely experience! We had a reservation and the moment we had our party there, they were happy to seat us. The waitress was constantly checking in, which is nice for a big group, and was very kind in answering our many questions. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for a rainy evening. The food was enjoyable by all means, but it did not seem like anything I would be very excited to return for.

Shehryar Siddiqi

For 6 people we ordered 4 pizza (2x fungi, 1 margarita, 1 special of the day). The fungi in particular was amazing. So much flavor packed per inch. I’m usually not a bougie pizza place person but this place changed my mind.

Dr. Joe Thompson

Overall a lovely experience! We had a reservation and the moment we had our party there, they were happy to seat us. The waitress was constantly checking in, which is nice for a big group, and was very kind in answering our many questions. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for a rainy evening. The food was enjoyable by all means, but it did not seem like anything I would be very excited to return for.

Stanley Acton

This is one of the best dining experiences I've had in years. Honestly. Food: A+, service A+, atmosphere, wonderful. Here are some details: First off, I had the sole and it came with some potatoes. Sure, the sole was excellent, but the side of potatoes were the best potatoes I've had IN MY LIFE! I didn't actually think there was much room to improve on the way potatoes are served, but this proved me wrong. If they had "Potatoes" as a dessert menu item option, I would have ordered them again. I'm not a drinks person, but the people I was with gave them high marks. Arugula salad was large - (split one between two or three people would be advisable) - and wonderfully balanced with some unique touches. Mushroom pizza was so awesome. No "button" mushrooms here! Each of the three species of mushrooms, from experience, require different cooking times and methods. They somehow managed to get them all right on one pizza. Pretty amazing. For an unassuming place, I was floored. Great stuff. Staff attentive and had good recall about who had what, but not hovering. Personal and connected.

Heather Vina

Delicious! The crust on the pizzas was fantastic. Wonderful choices. Great wines. The service was friendly and prompt. The atmosphere was relaxing. We chose several items off of the menu and shared between the three of us. This place is definitely worth a visit.

Jack Reidy

We had our rehearsal dinner at Mentone and it was great! Wide variety of food, service was prompt but spaced things out well so we weren't abruptly deluged in food, service was also attentive but not smothering. Great house cocktails in terms of variety, creativity, and quality. And the food itself? Delicious. I generally don't like eggplant, but there was an eggplant appetizer that I could have eaten a pound of. Ingredients taste fresh and flavorful. Pizza has a great balance of flavors. Staff all look significantly cooler than me but are so friendly that it doesn't make me feel lame (half joking about the cooler than me part, completely serious about them being incredibly friendly). Thanks for helping make it a perfect weekend!

For my honest review of @mentoneca - It was an adventure of flavors and a fun (expensive) ride! I highly recommend going with just 1 other person and ordering a few items and sharing them all. Start with the Stracciatella- so simple but done sooo well!! 🤌 The ceasar is easy to share and perfectly seasoned with that warmth and umami flavor you get from a ceasar salad Get the seasonal pasta/carb dish, tonight it was gnocchi with Dungeness crab and butter and leaks- although you couldn’t see the crab 🦀 , it tasted so pure and heightened, like eating it straight out of the ocean, but more comforting. A flavor bomb! The homemade truffle pasta, that was just naughty and creamy, but also the first time I have had so many shaved truffles all over. I’m only used to truffle oil, so this was a nice surprise and in my opinion not as strong as the oil, so much more balanced. Still holding my opinion about the pizza. It’s good, but same with all the other woodfire pizza places in town… Great option for a cheaper night at Mentone with a girlfriend and a great cocktail. The desert was pistachio and lemon curd- the acid from the lemon curd really made it a nice ending since the other dishes were more rich in flavor. We tried 4 of their Negroni’s and all were great, but my favorite was just the classic 🍊 If this post does anything, I hope it encourages you to take yourself out to dinner! Treat yourself! 4 stars because it will cost you a about $200 to feel satisfied. It’s a bit pricey.

+1

• A note on grades, a rate outwards from three stars. * Tl;Dr : worth making a reservation if you're in the area. Great food is served with efficiency in a lively space at this Aptos enoteca. Of note from our party's order were the Caesar Salad (the anchovy game here is on point) and the delicata pizza. The gnocchi Genovese and lemon curd dessert was also well-received.

Good food is hard to find, and the food at MENTONE is….expensive. The food is better than average, for sure. It’s thoughtful. Cocktails are interesting. I’d eat here again.

Some hits and some misses! The hits were the pizzas and gnocchi and frozen cocktail. We also loved the decor and the service! The misses were the bread and the Caesar salad. Both were ruined by too much bitterness. We had the stracciatella and bread. The cheese had some olive oil on it, which was a little bitter but it worked well, the problem was that the focaccia it was served with was coated in fennel or caraway and the bitterness over powered the whole thing. And I love fennel and caraway, but it did not work in this dish. I imagine how delicious it would be if the focaccia was just topped with a flaky salt! Secondly, the Caesar dressing was great but again, a little bitter. Normally I would love that but the salad was way overdressed and full of bitter/soggy radicchio, which ruined the salad for me. There was also some frisse, one of the worst lettuces, in my opinion. My family usually fights over the salad and we didn’t finish it. I am surprised by the misses, I expected to love everything!

Camille

Some hits and some misses! The hits were the pizzas and gnocchi and frozen cocktail. We also loved the decor and the service! The misses were the bread and the Caesar salad. Both were ruined by too much bitterness. We had the stracciatella and bread. The cheese had some olive oil on it, which was a little bitter but it worked well, the problem was that the focaccia it was served with was coated in fennel or caraway and the bitterness over powered the whole thing. And I love fennel and caraway, but it did not work in this dish. I imagine how delicious it would be if the focaccia was just topped with a flaky salt! Secondly, the Caesar dressing was great but again, a little bitter. Normally I would love that but the salad was way overdressed and full of bitter/soggy radicchio, which ruined the salad for me. There was also some frisse, one of the worst lettuces, in my opinion. My family usually fights over the salad and we didn’t finish it. I am surprised by the misses, I expected to love everything!

Honestly I wanted to absolutely love Mentone but I was generally pretty disappointed. The TLDR is that the music was impossibly loud, the service pretty sloppy, and we received our entrees at drastically different times to the point where the others in my party had their food get cold waiting for mine to arrive. I will say they were very kind to let us sit down since we arrive about 20 minutes before our scheduled reservation time. We were here to celebrate a birthday with a very small group which I had spoken with the staff about. Sadly nothing occurred, I would have hoped for some small token or recognition of the special celebration but there was nothing even after I reminded them. Also, be aware that the parking is nearly impossible, a tiny lot and the street area was over crowded as well. I'll start with the good stuff. We began with the frozen spritz which was very good! The entree I had, the Tocco, was very delicious. Full of unctuous flavor, and perfectly cooked pasta. The pizza, Soppressata was also very tasty and generally enjoyable. The stuff that wasn't great: our waiters were overly eager about pouring water and kept dripping all of the table as they kept topping off our waters which weren't even half empty. The music was incredibly loud and a strange blend of rock music that was grating to listen to. The Caesar salad had overly bitter radicchio that skewed the balance of the dish pretty dramatically. The gnocchi Genovese was almost entirely flavorless even though the gnocchi itself was made almost perfectly. The pesto was extremely plain and didn't stand up to the gnocchi in the dish. The biggest issue was the wait between the delivery of the entrees. The pizza came out first and five minutes later the gnocchi. Then I had to wait near twenty minutes for my Tocco which was obscene. The waitress who dropped it off just murmured a quick, sorry for the wait and scuttled off. Overall there are definitely pros and cons. The pasta is immaculately made but major kinks in service and some unbalanced dishes.

Crab Gnocchi was amazingly delicious. Eggplant very good. Pizza undercooked, couldn't finish a slice. Service was slow. It was lunch time on Saturday. Music very loud. We had a reservation, but we waited and ended up being served by what looked like the host or manager. We were there almost 2.5 hours. Yhe hazelnut ice cream helped.

We sampled dishes from every category, looking for that wow moment; while not disappointing, it never made us feel like we were eating anything special. Food was well prepared but the prices don’t match the casual dining concept. Aptos is starved for dining options and I’m sure that contributed to the hype. If you don’t mind the prices it’ll probably be a good choice for dining but I expect more at this price point.

I went with my family (2 kids) to Mentone because of a recommendation from a family member. The atmosphere is cool, their pizza oven rocks! Pizza is the only food I'd recommend. The other dishes (and cocktails) fell short at the price point. Service was good.

We walked in and were seated at the high stool seating area fairly quickly. Bar stools were uncomfortable after a while which made it hard to fully enjoy our plate. The eggplant appetizer was delicious and while the pizza was fresh with a soft, chewy crust, the toppings tend to slide off the crust and are a bit soggy so you have to eat it quickly after picking it up. Nothing really stood out.

Walked in and sadly was ignored for the first couple of minutes by the staff that kept walking by, looking at me and simply looking away instead of greeting and saying someone will be right with me. Must have not been white enough for them because after being assisted after 3 minutes of standing there we sat down to wait for our reservation, someone else walked in and someone from the restaurant was quick to come up to greet them. When we finally sat down our waitress was attentive. Since it was our first time there, we tried a few different dishes. Started off with two appetizers, salami plate and and a salad, both were decent. My group shared a margherita pizza, we each got a pasta dish, clams, bolognese, and I got the gnocchi. The pizza was just ok, nothing special that would keep me coming back for. The clams pasta was good, bolognese ok, but the gnocchi...the gnocchi!! OMG was the best dish. Clouds of heaven!! The texture put you on cloud nine, I appreciated the size and the sauce, along with the peas and asparagus were a great touch! Also tried two drinks ..nothing special. Dining there was on the pricey side, usually don't mind it if the whole experience is pleasant. Would go back just for the gnocchi other than that I would not return, especially if I'm going to feel like I'm not welcomed when I walk in.

My family said they had tried it before and didn’t like it, but since it was Michelin recommended, I still wanted to give it a chance. I ordered two items: an eggplant appetizer, which was okay, and a pesto pasta, which was honestly not good. I’ve made better at home myself. It was also the most expensive pasta I’ve ever seen, such a tiny portion for $30. Absolutely ridiculous. I won’t be going back.

Anelita Torres

Walked in and sadly was ignored for the first couple of minutes by the staff that kept walking by, looking at me and simply looking away instead of greeting and saying someone will be right with me. Must have not been white enough for them because after being assisted after 3 minutes of standing there we sat down to wait for our reservation, someone else walked in and someone from the restaurant was quick to come up to greet them. When we finally sat down our waitress was attentive. Since it was our first time there, we tried a few different dishes. Started off with two appetizers, salami plate and and a salad, both were decent. My group shared a margherita pizza, we each got a pasta dish, clams, bolognese, and I got the gnocchi. The pizza was just ok, nothing special that would keep me coming back for. The clams pasta was good, bolognese ok, but the gnocchi...the gnocchi!! OMG was the best dish. Clouds of heaven!! The texture put you on cloud nine, I appreciated the size and the sauce, along with the peas and asparagus were a great touch! Also tried two drinks ..nothing special. Dining there was on the pricey side, usually don't mind it if the whole experience is pleasant. Would go back just for the gnocchi other than that I would not return, especially if I'm going to feel like I'm not welcomed when I walk in.

Grace Lee

We walked in and were seated at the high stool seating area fairly quickly. Bar stools were uncomfortable after a while which made it hard to fully enjoy our plate. The eggplant appetizer was delicious and while the pizza was fresh with a soft, chewy crust, the toppings tend to slide off the crust and are a bit soggy so you have to eat it quickly after picking it up. Nothing really stood out.

Pizza crust was burnt. Bolognais was not hot. Limited menu. Server response to customer concerns was curt and inadequate. Waitress put the responsibility back on the customer to order a replacement meal. Waitress Did not feel it was preparers or servers responsibility to ensure meal was done properly

The duck pate lacked flavor, and there were only four cherries in the sauce, which should have been double that amount. Additionally, we had to pay $1.50 for an extra piece of bread. The anchovy pasta was acceptable, but it was not worth the $33. Of the four people who shared an anchovy pizza none found it particularly good. My friend’s pork tenderloin was okay, but for the price, it should have come with some vegetables and potatoes. The Negroni cocktail was okay, but I have had much better for less money. I will not return.

Came here for my birthday dinner and was a bit disappointed with the food, drinks and overall experience. The pasta was very mediocre. The margarita pizza was also mediocre and overly saucy. The drinks were very unbalanced and difficult to drink. When asking the waitress about some of the drinks, she could not even give us a description of the flavor profile. The desert was the saving grace and was very well executed. I was very sad that my experience did not live up to the hype at all. Spent over $200 for a very disappointing meal.

Amy Dahlberg

Came here for my birthday dinner and was a bit disappointed with the food, drinks and overall experience. The pasta was very mediocre. The margarita pizza was also mediocre and overly saucy. The drinks were very unbalanced and difficult to drink. When asking the waitress about some of the drinks, she could not even give us a description of the flavor profile. The desert was the saving grace and was very well executed. I was very sad that my experience did not live up to the hype at all. Spent over $200 for a very disappointing meal.

This place is a JOKE. I spent over $100 for 8 ounces of pasta, 1/4 cup of meat sauce, a 12 inch pizza and two non-alcoholic drinks. Wow! Ok fine you wanna serve me tiny portions well the food better blow me away but it didn’t. It was mediocre! I was so excited when I found out David Kinch was going to open a restaurant in Santa Cruz. Finally, we’re going to have elevated food in this town and he’s really going to bring something special here. But no instead you get completely overpriced rip off portions taking advantage of people in Santa Cruz. I’m calling you out David Kinch!! Go to your restaurant order a bowl of Trenette “tocco,” with house bolognese and tell me if you think that’s worth $30 of someone’s hard earned money!? Do not be fooled by the hype of this place with the pretty exterior. It means nothing if you’re ripping people off and giving them extremely tiny portions with mediocre food. There are so many good Italian food restaurants in Santa Cruz do not go to Mentone this place sucks!

This place is glamorized as a fancy upscale restaurant with the high food prices and modern interior design however the food is nothing special (bland pasta, burnt pizza crust) and the portions are so small it's honestly offensive for what you pay for. I do not recommend this place to anyone and will not be returning here.