Vicino

After perusing the Devour Indy options a friend and I met here for lunch. Parking on Mass Ave was fine and we were both able to find a spot within a block of the restaurant.I had made a reservation but for lunch it wasn't too busy so you could probably just walk in!It is a beautifully decorated and airy spot yet with a feel of Europe. We loved the various color palettes and table options. We sat at a smaller rounded booth that felt rather luxurious.The waitress was amazing and helped us think through options, but we both decided on the Devour menu. So many great choices and such a value able option!My first course was arancini followed by gnocchi and a pear pastry. The flavors were bright and perfectly balanced and every time we got a dish we stopped talking to exclaim over the food. It was actually a mind blowing meal!My favorite was the gnocchi as it had some richness to it yet also not heavy. It was soft and pillowy with a delicate pesto sauce that coated but wasn't greasy. Just writing this is making me hungry!We loved this restaurant and I've already told several others to try it. The Devour menu was amazing and a great way to try a new spot and a tasting menu.Definitely go as soon as possible!

Positive: I really enjoyed the drinks here, they have a great location on mass ave, the staff is really friendly, the ambiance is really nice with the plants hanging from the ceiling, dim lighting, etc. Improvement: I would say the food needs some improvement. I got the oysters and why do they have so much salt. Firstly, since the light was dim I thought it was bread crumbs so I got a big spoonful and put it in my mouth. That was disgusting, no dish needs that amount of salt. The waiter was so friendly and recommended the chicken Marsala, like 6 of us got it and we all thought it was just okay. Other people thought there plates were just okay too. I would love to see this place succeed, but I think the dishes need improvement especially with so many competing restaurants around.

The seasonal mocktail was quite tasty. My server described it as warm spices, and on this warm October evening I wasn't sure if that was the thing to get but I enjoyed it. I'd described it as apple cider meets pumpkin spice, with visual elements of Christmas. The arancini was just ok. I've had ones with very satisfying, thick crunchy crisp exteriors. These were more of an oven baked crispness.The chicken marsala was unfortunately a bit underwhelming. The sauce wasn't as marsala forward as I'd like, not sure if it needs more marsala or maybe a little lemon juice to brighten it up. The olive tapenade also darkened the flavor considerably so it just wasn't the profile I was hoping for. The chicken could also use a little more seasoning. Large portion though, I did not need to also get the arancini!

Food is inconsistent as is the service. From my latest meal the pizza crust tastes like cardboard and the calamari is a little soggy. Dessert redeems the meal but I suggest avoiding this joint.

Vicino offers a fantastic blend of atmosphere, creativity, and flavor that keeps me coming back. (Fun fact: the "c" in Vicino is pronounced like "ch," which I didn't know at first!) The space itself is charming, with huge windows overlooking Mass Ave, giving the interior a bright, open feel. The patio, situated on the corner, has lush greenery that adds a bit of privacy, perfect for a relaxing outdoor experience. Bonus: It's dog-friendly, which makes it even better.Both times I sat at the bar, and each visit was outstanding. Julian, the bartender on my first visit, is truly a master of his craft. With 90% of the cocktails on the menu curated by him, I trusted his ability to mix something unique based on my spirit of choice--and he did not disappoint. He seems to love experimenting, and his passion shows in every sip. On my second visit, Devin was behind the bar and proved just as talented, accommodating my desire to switch things up again with different spirits.I also had the pleasure of trying the food on my first visit, and it was absolutely delicious, pairing perfectly with the drinks. Overall, Vicino delivers a stellar experience across the board, with the only small downside being the lack of a trash can by the bathroom door for those who prefer to use a paper towel to exit. But that's a minor detail in what is otherwise a great spot.

We were walking down Mass Ave trying to figure out where to eat. We saw Vicino had a nice outdoor seating area and it was a beautiful day so we stopped in. It took about 5 minutes to get us a table outside. While we waited, I looked around and there was plenty of inside seats. Once seated our server took our order. The service was ok, she not very friendly but nevertheless got us everything we needed. We had mixed reviews of our food. The Wood Oven Chicken was well portioned, I was told it tasted great. The Pesto Chicken was underwhelming, the gnocchi takes over the dish and there wasn't enough pesto. The Seared Scallops tasted great along with the polenta however I felt it could have been better portioned considering the price point. The Pizza (not sure which one was ordered and forgot to take a picture) was small, thin, and I thought it was also pricey for what you got. The drinks were pretty and all tasted great. Overall my experience was ok and nothing really stood out.

We got a reservation for a dinner for our group of five, and had a lovely meal at Vicino! I really liked the bright, luxe-feeling decor and upbeat atmosphere. They have a very good wine and cocktail menu, and even a wonderful mocktail. We started with a couple orders of the Bread & Herb Oil, and I definitely recommend this to my fellow focaccia-lovers out there. The mixed olives on the side of the plate were a great snack too, and I happily ate more than my fair share of them. For entrees, we got the Tagliatelle Bolognese, the Chicken Marsala, the Pesto Chicken, the Shrimp Pasta, and the Osso Buco. I got the Shrimp Pasta, and it was excellent; I'm a sucker for a lemony white wine sauce and it had wonderful flavor. The shrimp themselves were delicious, well-seasoned and well-cooked. I would have liked a bit more of the sauce, since the noodles were a touch on the dry side, but it was a very minor thing. I also got to try the Osso Buco, which was incredibly tender and tasted great. The lone blemish on the meal was the chocolate cake I got for dessert. Other folks enjoyed the Tiramisu and Lemon Bars, so I think my cake was an outlier, but the cake was very hard -- I could barely get a fork through it -- and tasted odd, as though something in it had spoiled. Like I said, my friends' desserts were all good, so mine does appear to have been the exception rather than the norm, but it was a bummer to end on that note. Bottom line: Five stars for ambience, entree, and mocktail -- but a deduction for a super disappointing dessert.

So I had a craving for calamari and saw this place close to my office. I ordered online, so not much interaction with the staff other than picking up my food. The online system toast said my food would take 30 minutes but I know calamari doesn't take that long to prepare so I went sooner and my gut was right so I do wish I would have received a notification once the food was actually ready but the food was fresh and tender, the 2 sauces paired well with the seafood, I will return for dinner soon to enjoy the full experience they offer, I'm intrigued!

If you have time to have lunch downtown this week I highly recommend the Devour Indy menu at Vicino Indy. Located on Mass Ave at corner of Alabama. $25 pp gets you 3 courses of exceptional quality. I had the caprese, burger and limoncello bar. My hubby had zuppa toscano, cacio e pepe, and the doughnuts. Large portions, fresh pasta, creamy sauce, this meal was a dream! Also Rico was an amazing server!Note: Will be happy to go back outside of Devour as many items on the menu looked delicious!

This is a trendy restaurant and definitely falls into trend over quality. The serving sizes are teeny tiny, the flavors are super bland and the prices are very high, but they are really pretty inside! Our server was great and made sure we had everything we needed, including something for our daughter's bday, but for the money we paid, we should have just gone directly to Italy!