Violino Ristorante Italiano

Someone from this business manages this listing.

#2 of 233 Restaurants in Winchester$$$$, Italian, Vegetarian friendly

+1 540-667-8006+ Add website

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Hours

Tue

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wed

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thu

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fri

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Sat

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.5

633 reviews

#2 of 233 Restaurants in Winchester

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Italian, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

“Had a salad, lobster bisque, and glass of wine for lunch.”

“Took thirty minutes to get calamari and bruschetta.”

“My wife and our friend had broiled salmon and scallops.”

“... greens, fresh tomato, hazelnut goat cheese and thin sliced salmon more.”

Location and contact

181 N Loudoun St, Winchester, VA 22601-4717

+1 540-667-8006

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Does this restaurant serve Romana food?

Yes

Unsure

Details

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About

We are a small fine dining restaurant specializing in traditional and authentic Italian cuisine. All of our items are made from scratch on premises from the bread to the gelato. The interior decor is old world and eclectic with a strong opera and classical music influence. Our service is professional and attentive . We look forward to providing you with an Italian culinary experience outside of Italy. Buon Appetito

PRICE RANGE

$15.00 – $35.00

CUISINES

Italian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music

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4.5

633 reviews

Excellent

448

Very good

109

Average

Poor

Terrible

TBN

Brandywine28 contributions

Dinner Out

Jun 2020 • couples

We decided to enjoy a French dinner out during a weekend getaway in Winchester. We are very glad we did! We called ahead to reserve a table and had no problem doing so. Waitresses wore masks, were friendly, and had a table for 2 ready at 6:00 on a Saturday night. We shared French Onion Soup, escargot, a chicken and mushroom dish and a seafood and crepe dish. Everything was delicious and served hot and in a timely manner. We would definitely return. (Note: This restaurant is located within walking distance of the pedestrian mall in Old Town Winchester. Parking is free on weekends.)

Written June 13, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mabel M

1 contribution

Amazing authentic Italian!

Nov 2020 • couples

My husband and I had an amazing experience dining at Violino. I had the carbonara pasta, and my husband had the seasonal rissoto, but before having these we were surprised with a very tasty squash buttery soup on the house. We ended up ordering a pint of that! And at the end, the chef sang happy aniversary to us, awesome! :) Highly recommend it!!!

Written November 24, 2020

John K

40 contributions

All but the gelato

May 2022 • none

My first time at Violino's was a recent business dinner with a group of eight. We were greeted and seated promptly and courteously. Our orders for drinks were taken and quickly fulfilled. We were given an elaborate explanation of the specials, several of which we ordered, along with an array of appetizers. The food (I had one of the excellent veal dishes) and wine (a selection of Italian reds), along with the attentive service, were appreciated by all of us in my group. My problem came with the dessert. Our waiter offered several, but especially touted the gelato made in house by his father (!). As an occasional traveler to Italy and a big fan of gelato, how could I choose otherwise? Unfortunately, the several flavors of gelato in my dish all tasted the same to me, and more critically, they had none of the light creaminess of Italian gelato. My three gelato balls tasted frozen and freezer burned, and they were icy, more like sorbet than gelato. That's the only reason my five-star review ended up as a 4.

Written May 26, 2022

Riccardo Stocco

That really breaks my heart to hear the comment on the Gelato. I take great pride in making it. It is possible that the freezer was mistakenly set too cold, (this has happened before). I hope that you will give us a second try, especially the Gelato

Written July 17, 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

crocuslover

Frederick845 contributions

Pros and cons

Jun 2021 • none

A friend had recommended Violino and we were driving through Winchester so we had our chance to try it out! They have a darling outdoor seating area with a beautiful pink hydrangea at the entrance. We were not able to enjoy the outdoor area though due to rain. The inside is very "old Italian" meaning dated and there was violin music playing constantly. We ordered bruschetta and it was way too salty for me. I've had loads of bruschetta both here and in Italy and I've never had to pass it up because of saltiness. My entree was a special - shrimp and asparagus risotto with scallops. It was beyond delicious!! My husband had a penne and chicken dish that he enjoyed. My passion is gelato so we ordered a cherry gelato and a strawberry gelato. The presentation was fabulous - with whipped creme and a cookie in a beautiful glass dish. The gelato was just a bit "grainy" and not as creamy and dreamy as gelato in Italy. This was not a restaurant I would race to get back to but I'd stop in for more risotto if I was in the area.

Written June 26, 2021

ssegarden

Virginia51 contributions

Best meal in a long time!

Jan 2020 • family

We went this restaurant on a whim recently because we were looking for a new place that caters to gluten free patrons. When we walked in, we felt seriously underdressed, because everyone else was dressed up to some degree and there was a violinist! We looked like complete slobs and were worried that the staff wouldn't take too kindly to us. Ha. We were so wrong. We had the best meal, wonderful service, and great atmosphere to enjoy! How have we missed this great restaurant before? Geo was our server. He did such a great job. The first thing he asked was if there were any food allergies at our table. My son is a celiac, so he gets screwed a lot when we eat out, but not at Violino. Geo kept my son's gluten free status in mind during our entire dinner.... through dessert. It was a great experience. The food here is absolutely delicious. I can't even remember everything we had, but it included homemade pasta and wild mushroom sauce, profiteroles that were heaven on a plate, a caesar salad, gluten free pasta with cream sauce, several special appetizers, salmon and scallops, e.t.c. We even received a round of yummy mushroom soup as a little bonus. That was such an unexpected delight. Everything is presented so beautifully. It was a real treat for all of us.

Written January 13, 2020

BornTraveling

117 contributions

So glad we tried Violino

Sep 2021 • couples

We were looking for a good restaurant with outdoor seating to celebrate a birthday. Violino seemed to be the only place that fit that description and our tastes. We tried it, and we are eager to go back next time we are in Winchester. We only tried the specials—zucchini blossoms stuffed three ways, festival of ravioli (also three varieties with a poached pear), and a skewer of salmon, swordfish, and shrimp. Wow! The chef really enjoys cooking creative and mouthwatering dishes. Every dish was top notch. I know that some complain about the service. We like to linger over a celebration dinner, so the pace was fine for us, until we tried to get our check. Alas, many restaurants are going to have the same problem right now because of being understaffed. All the wait staff at Violino were great.

Written September 18, 2021

Debbie B

1 contribution

Great dinner

Jul 2022 • none

Everything about this restaurant was amazing. Hostess and wait staff were very accommodating - the hostess even provided local winery ( including phone and address) suggestions. The food - lamb chops and veal entrees and zucchini blossoms stuffed with crab were delicious. Other guests were even treated to a Happy Birthday serenade in Italian. Just wish I lived closer than Pittsburgh.

Written July 20, 2022

Hokie69

Manakin Sabot83 contributions

Enjoyable evening but could be a bit more customer friendly.

Jul 2023 • friends

Visited this restaurant based on the many 5 star reviews. The food was very good but a little overpriced, and the waitress, while friendly was unhelpful. When asked if a dish contained garlic, she said "I have no idea." When asked where the house sauvignon blanc was from she said "I have no idea." We asked her to ask the chef about which entree to choose with the least garlic, and what was ordered as a result had more garlic than we like. I was also not pleased by the answer to my question about substituting an item in a dish. The answer "The chef won't substitute." was off-putting, especially when I was told it would be an extra charge to add another vegetable to replace the one I did not want. I don't want to sound too critical because we had a pleasant evening & the ambiance was nice, but a little more customer friendliness would have gone a long way. By the way, the breadsticks were amazing.

Written July 2, 2023

Riccardo Stocco

Ciao! Thank you for your review. I understand that it may seem that the food is priced too high. We try to keep cost down as much as possible but with the ongoing inflation, supply fluctuations and the minimum wage going up $5 per hour more and rising, we had to raise prices to keep competitive. It's just the cost of doing business :( At the next server meeting I will definitely re-address being friendly with our responses even when we are busy. I am sorry that your experience was an unpleasant one and hope that you will give us another try so we may have a chance to redeem ourselves.

Written July 7, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Fred T

8 contributions

A Must Visit!

May 2022 • couples

What a wonderful evening! The menu was exciting - it offered a wide variety of tempting options. The staff was very welcoming...table visits by the owner family really made you feel welcomed. We had a wonderful supper meal with drinks and dessert. Couple this with exceptional table service, and you have a dining experience you cannot miss!

Written May 30, 2022

TVK2006

Boston7 contributions

Nice restaurant on nice walking street

Jul 2020 • none

It was a really nice surprise in Winchester. Located on nice walking street. We were dining outside. Food was delicious, I had hard time to choose the food from the menu because everything on menu sounds so good. Service was excellent.

Written July 15, 2020

riccardos120

Thank You for the review!!!! We look forward to seeing you again Grazie mille e buon appetito!

Written July 16, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Greg D

1 contribution

47th Anniversary dinner bust.

Jun 2023 • couples

Went there for 47th Anniversary dinner. 7:30 pm seating, and the place was quite busy. We ordered our food, and waited an HOUR for it. They served us some bread (thin breadsticks, and tasted stale). Two small pieces of bruschetta bread, and brought some bland olive oil with it. Not very appetizing. Their water, which they topped off every 5 minutes, was tepid tap water. No ice at all. Out entrees finally arrived, after prompting 2 servers, and although my wife enjoyed her entree, mine had little taste, and was served with One (count 'em -1) roasted new potato, cut in half. BTW, the place had largely cleared out by the time we were served. There was also some kind of fruit on the plate, and although I like fruit, I don't particularly care for it mixed with the sauce of my entree. I ate half of it, and took up my wife on her offer to take the rest home and spice it up a bit for lunch the next day. We had 3 or 4 ladies serve us, so I was not clear on who our server was. They wear no name tags, so I guess we are supposed to call them "Hey, you". I phoned the restaurant when we got home, and the manager stated that the entree I ordered took extra long to prepare. I told her I would have appreciated that information at order time, rather than keep it a big secret, and sit there for an hour, waiting for who knows how long. We have eaten here for many years, mostly for special occasions, but will most likely not return here.

Written June 28, 2023

Riccardo Stocco

Hello and thank you for your review! I'm sorry you had such an unpleasant experience and that you had to wait so long for your food. I recall your table and your impatience for your food. You ordered a stuffed chicken dish and since I don't want to get any of my customers sick I insist on cooking chicken fully. We try to cook everything timely, sometimes it doesn't work out that way, our apologies. I suggest that next time you communicate with your server that you hope to eat within a certain time frame and they will be able to better guide you with your entree choices so that you receive your entrees quickly. We hope that you will come back for one of your special occasions and that you will leave with a better impression of the restaurant. Grazie!

Written July 7, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

c s

Richmond83 contributions

An enjoyable evening

Jul 2020 • none

Visiting Winchester we stopped here out second night. Had dinner on the patio along the mall, very nice, perfect weather. My spouse had the Fettuccine with wild mushrooms while I enjoyed the Lasagna Genovese. Both were very good! We started with the Melanzane (eggplant) for me and lobster bisque for him, both delicious. All in all a very nice place to visit. My only suggestion would be they need to update the website. The photo of the patio does not really do the current patio configuration justice, its much nicer!!

Written July 18, 2020

Norman J

1 contribution

NOT Made to ORDER, PRE-FIX here. If ok with their way, NOT your way, paying for food you don't like this is the place.

Jul 2024 • couples

Worst ever. Was seated by the who I believed was an owner. I had asked about variations as to what I would ordered. Was told that everything was made to order and let the server know what I would want. So I placed an order for a veal dish asked for it it without mushrooms, was told that the sauce was PRE-MADE no variation. So then change my order to homemade pasta al dente with sausage & peppers, was told I could not have the home made pasta cooked that way. Was told that the Chef does not vary dishes. Oh the Italian bread that was brought to the table was closer to some kind of stale corn style bread. So why would I stay for dinner when told ALL meals were made to order. So I paid for our drinks and left. I have traveled over 100,000 miles a year for 30 years lived out of hotels, ate in restaurants all over the USA and other countries, only walking out about 5 times this is the 6th and will never go back or recommend them to anyone.

Written July 13, 2024

Riccardo Stocco

Wow! I'm sorry you feel that way. For being such a seasoned traveler and self proclaimed expert in dining out I am surprised that you haven't realized that Chefs put their heart and soul in all the dishes they prepare and for a customer, whom is coming to try their food, to insist on changing the entrees to have it their way, is one of the highest insults. If I am not mistaken Burger King's slogan is "Have it your way" so maybe that is what you are used to and are just ignorant of anything else. On that same note a well seasoned consumer would definitely know that homemade pasta cannot be cooked "al dente" which means "to the tooth","hard". Homemade pasta is naturally soft to begin with and can't be made hard...now dried pasta from a box can and should be made "al dente" and we would have been more than happy to accommodate that request. I will speak to the server and remind her to offer that option for people that would like their homemade pasta "al dente" Your server was correct in stating that I do not like to vary dishes. I have created them and don't like them butchered. This comment may be cocky but it's true. The menu is pretty extensive for that reason...to give costumers more options to find something they like. I will on the other hand accommodate allergies to the best of my abilities. And for all who read this response, we do make everything from scratch and to order but some sauces can't be changed or altered. NormanJ722 I hope this response helps to to become a better fine dining customer. Thank you for taking the time to write the review and giving me the chance to respond. Buon Appetito wherever you dine next time

Written July 17, 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MaryAnn D

Randleman50 contributions

Great Italian food in Old Town Winchester

May 2023 • couples

Excellent food and service. Everything is freshly made and tasty. Food presentation is excellent! While the menu has a great selection, the specials of the day will give you more options to choose from. The waitstaff was attentive and friendly. This restaurant is attentive to the special dietary needs of their patrons, ensuring that food allergies are addressed as part of the initial encounter. WELL DONE!

Written May 25, 2023

EBapps

New York City74 contributions

A visit to Italy in Winchester

Jun 2024 • couples

This was, hands down, the best meal on our bicycling-walking vacation. We don't really enjoy restaurant dining. Both of us enjoy cooking, so it often isn't worth the expense. This was pricey - and absolutely worth it. From the bottle of prosecco we drank throughout the meal, the first and second courses that we shared (Capriccio Violino and Insalata Romana, a Caesar salad), the intermezzo of an asparagus soup with rice, our main courses of Linguine alle Vongole and fresh pasta Carbonara, and finally, since we sadly had no room left for dessert, we finished with the espresso which was excellent. Our servers were all highly competent and friendly. Our meal was accompanied by a violinist and the couple next to us was serenaded as it was their anniversary. I have NO criticisms. It was one of the few meals where neither of us thought we could have done a better job. We are trying to figure out how we can return next year. At our ages (approaching 80 and over the borderline) we don't travel as much as we used to. Being at Violino was like visiting Italy without having to get on a plane or a boat.

Written June 1, 2024