Buona Tavola

After our small wedding in Cayucos in December, 2024, Buona Tavola was the perfect place to celebrate with an unforgettable dinner. Their patio comfortably accommodated our group of 22, and from start to finish, the staff took incredible care of us. From our very first phone call to inquire about booking, to the final pour of wine at the end of the evening, everything was seamless. The manager allowed us to arrive earlier in the afternoon to set up our tables and decorations, which made the evening feel even more special and personal. We were a bit nervous about a December evening getting chilly, but the heated patio was absolutely perfect. The food was outstanding, the service was impeccable, and our family and friends were truly well cared for. The twinkling lights added a magical touc

My family ate lunch here just after Christmas. We were impressed by the great food and attentive service. I highly recommend it! Make reservations.

It came highly recommended by our hotel concierge on Monterey, and they were absolutely right. We came on a Monday night during the holiday season and managed to snag the last available table right at opening (5:30pm), which already felt like a good sign. From the front, the dining room looks fairly small, but don’t be fooled—there’s a huge covered garden patio in the back, complete with heat lamps throughout. It was cozy, lively, and perfect for a relaxed dinner. Service was excellent: attentive, professional, and well-paced. Our server checked in when needed but otherwise let us enjoy the meal without hovering. For four people, we ordered the capellini, pesto tagliolini, the seafood spaghettini (special), and the insalata di Parma, along with a glass of Chardonnay and a glass of Riesl

I’m genuinely heartbroken to be writing this review. For 23 years, we have gone out of our way to dine here whenever we’re in town, because the food has always been exceptional. Unfortunately, our New Year’s Eve dinner was a complete disappointment — the worst dining experience we’ve ever had here. Because we were a larger group, we were required to order from a preset menu. While we weren’t thrilled about that, we trusted the restaurant’s long-standing reputation, our personal experience here, and expected something special. Sadly, that trust was misplaced. The salads were fine but basic and quite small. The risotto was overwhelmed by smoky salmon, slightly undercooked, and paired with scallops that were rubbery and fishy. The main courses were even more disappointing. My veal was tough

Charming restaurant in a great location. The wait staff was prompt and courteous, but not particularly helpful in making recommendations. For the price of the dishes, would expect better quality. The primi course (pasta) dishes were great, but there were several missteps with the other food. The burrata insalata was extremely over salted. The veal was tough and the mushrooms were cut thick and chewy. The mussels had several shells with no meat and some were over cooked.