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Our Latest Reviews
Focaccia di Recco
I still remember reading the Denver Westword's sneak peak of Cattivella and salivating over the focaccia di recco. Finally, my wife and I made it there for happy hour. We savored that dish and the story that came with it of the townspeople rushing for the hills with only what they could carry - flour, salt, oil, cured meat, cheese. It's such a simple-seeming dish with standout flavors. I appreciate how Elise Wiggins honors time-labored traditions so I can feel transported to a stone restaurant on a winding Italian street. Every time we go, focaccia di recco ends up at our table.
Lamb Ragu
Our go to restaurant for great food and hospitality. Here we celebrate birthdays, attend cocktail classes and invite friends and family.
Risotto of the night
The risotto with beef filet and red pepper nage made me ask for extra bread so I could soak up the leftover sauce after I devoured the plate. I would request it for my last meal on earth.
Speck
My favorite pizza. the crust is done perfect chewy and crispy with the smokeyness of the mozz coming through and the egg yolk makes a great "dip" for the crust
Charbroiled Oyster
These oysters are so wonderful flavored - no brine or harsh flavor - it's smokey, buttery and cheesey while still tasting the texture of the oyster. It takes everything I have to not order 20 of them for myself at happy hour (when they're a great price!)
Cozze
This is one of my favorite Cattivella dishes - I order it every time. The flavor is spectacular... very rich and delicious and the stuffed pasta is perfectly cooked.
Buffalo Burrata
Food was excellent, as usual. Total perfection. The kicker was the amazing service. It was completely packed tonight- we didn't have reservations - and the hostess squeezed us in. Given how busy it was, I expected slower service. Not at all! Best service in Denver.
Charbroiled Oyster
The oysters were seriously out of this world! I wish we had ordered a dozen rather than a half dozen. They were plump, juicy, and flavorful. I highly recommend giving them a try!
Buffalo Burrata
This place is delicious! It's a lively restaurant with wonderful food and drinks. I love to come here for happy hour with friends and split a bunch of items (that way we get to try more!), but it's perfect for a date night as well. They have a great variety that can please any palate! If you have a chance to sit at the bar, it's fun to watch the chefs in action and learn more about what goes into the menu. Highly recommend this place!
Prosciutto
Best prosciutto I've ever had, hands down! Most definitely will be back!
Salumi Calabrese
Outstanding pizza. The crust is perfect, the pizza oven gives it a nice char and the toppings on this pie are everything you want.
Cozze
This meatball based item was excellent. You will not believe how good that meatball tastes, and it blends well with the other ingredients in the dish. Reasonably priced as well!
Calamari Fritti
Best calamari i've had in Denver and best price to boot!
Lamb Ragu, pappardelle pasta, truffle sheep cheese
Every time I Went to church and they talked about God rain down Manna from Heaven, Angels food made me wonder what Manna was and what would it taste like then I had Cattivella's Lame Ragu and it was like the Heavens opened up and God let me taste what Angels eat "Manna" my mouth is watering just by saying the words Lamb Ragu. If you ever wondered what "Manna" angels food Was go to Cattivella's and get lamb Ragu then you have effectively tasted Angel's food "Manna" from heaven my fiends.
Rotisserie Prime Ribeye
Who knew prime rib could go on a pizza! This is scrumptious-but seasonal, so hurry or you'll miss it this summer.
Charbroiled Oyster
The best!
Rabbit gnocchi
This may be pronounced wrong, but the flavor is ALL RIGHT. Rich, but not too rich. I get it whenever I can. Divine!
Butternut Squash Salad
This salad was amazing. I had it as my entree and added scallops to it. Perfect fall meal. My mother and law got it as well and also loved it. Planning on going back again next week with my sister to get it again. Great flavors, good portion size, excellent price. 10 out of 10.
Formaggi
Incredible flavor, my wife and I consider Cativella as a restaurant to return to. Elise was incredibly kind. We sat and watched them make the food, the chefs were awesome, answering our questions. Definitely a return visit for us.
Mushroom Ravioli
The mushroom ravioli was excellent. Super flavorful and delicious. Will be getting this again. Glad they brought it back!
Tagliatelle
This is so creamy yet has a good spicy kick to it. it's simply yet delicious with the egg yolk adding a unique flavor and the hard cheese compliments it so well. It's like carbonara with a kick.
Buffalo Burrata
I love Cativella so much, I dream about their food. At this point I'm such a regular I have had almost every dish on the menu. Burrata is a fresh baked flatbread with wonderful sweet yet acidic tomato slices with bright fresh basil. I could eat this as a meal! The Burrata is my favorite but the speck pizza, focaccia, charbroiled oysters, tagliatelle, lamb ragu, cozze ....
Focaccia di Recco
My husband and I attended the Sunday, October 21st "5280 Dines" event at Stanley Marketplace's "The Hangar" (sponsored by 5280 Magazine). Among the 20 food purveyors at that event, 16 of them were included in 5280 Magazine's "25 Best Restaurant" list of 2019. Our culinary expectations were quite high, however all of the offerings plummeted down to the very bottom of the taste bud totem pole once we sampled what Cattivella was cookin'. Unlike the majority of the other restaurants in attendance (so many of which jumped on the 'dining trend' bandwagon with their pinky-lifting nibbles that were ultimately wayyyyy over-seasoned...or just mehhh), Cattivella chose to offer a comparably far more humble yet soooo very sublime 100 layer lasagna. Classics are CLASSICS for a good reason. In Cattivella's case, they served up a melt-in-your-mouth meaty-cheesy morsel that instantly overshadowed all other savory nibbles offered at the 2019 "5280 Dines" event. Somehow, their pasta layers were so wafer-thin that we convinced ourselves that we weren't actually wrecking our Keto diets by gobbling their 100 layer lasagna with reckless abandon. Whatever black magic they summoned, we would both happily eat that decadent dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner...carbs be damned!!! Worth noting, they offered a pheNOMenal homemade Tartufo for dessert. Again, it was probably THE second best thing we hoovered up while attending "5280 Dines". We will ABSOLUTELY visit Cattivella for a "proper" full dinner spread and happily dump the contents of our wallet out on the table!! This place is TOTALLY worth it!!!!
Lamb Ragu
I could tell the pasta was made in house, it was just the right texture. The lamb was so flavorful and cooked to perfection! Hands down a must-try item on the menu.
Tiramisu
I'm lucky, I live in Stapleton so Cattivella is my "local joint." I would go there weekly if my wallet would let me, but this is my treat. When guests are in town or I am in serious need of a mood elevation one can only get from truly over the top outrageously fantastic food... HERE. THIS. Best place I have eaten since moving to Denver a little over two years ago... without exception. And NOTHING has even come close. I've tried many things because I've brought a lot of people here and we share. To pick favorites would be like asking a mother to pick her favorite child. You love all of them for different reasons. The lamb ragu is hearty and warms your soul. As a lover of lamb it allows you the richness and depth of flavor of the meat coating the comforting goodness of pasta, I tell everyone I know... if you love lamb, this will be a delight on you tongue that will dance down to your tummy with joy. The mushroom crepes... so simple, so heavenly. They are light with a beautiful sauce. I don't know why I always share them when the reality is I want to lick the plate. And, I'm a risotto fiend. I can't tell you how many times I've gone in thinking "today, I'm going to order the chicken" (which looks really really really amazing! I've sat at the counter and watched it go out a number of times...) and then I hear the daily risotto. Oh well, the chicken will have to wait for another day because risotto... and I've never, ever, been disappointed! Ever! But this review is about the Tiramisu, believe it or not. Elise has some lovely desserts. And, we usually order two. Let me state, unequivocally, I am a big fan of Tiramisu. And, a "foodie." Having eaten in some fancy places, and tiny dives... when it's on the menu, I order it. Flavor, texture, mouth feel and to a lessor extent presentation are all important when it comes to this dish. Cattivella's Tiramisu is perfect. From the first bite, to the last (and you will finish the entire serving) it's light and airy, each layer standing on it's own singing in harmony with the others. Balanced. The sponge supporting the whip in a mouth feel that makes you appreciate all that is Tiramisu. Absolute perfection to finish off a lovely dinner. In writing this, I realize it's been 3 or 4 weeks... I think I need to go back soon. <3
Herby Rotisserie Chicken with salsa verde
From the Red Wine to the dishes, we were pleased. We wanted a romantic evening and we were not disappointed. Loved everything from the decor to the background music. Lovely!
Mushroom
This is one of the best Pasta dishes I've ever had and I've eaten in the finest restaurants around the world. The homemade pasta was perfect and Ragu had layers of flavor !
Cozze
Disappointing dish, oversized meatballs swimming in gooey broth with a couple of pieces of pasta buried beneath it all.
Barrel Aged Negroni
A meal that starts with the barrel-aged negroni is always exceptional. It may also have something to do with the food being so good.
Lamb Ragu, pappardelle pasta, truffle sheep cheese
Although the food was good, the service was sketch. We came in told the hostess we had an 8 o'clock reservation and she looked hurried and said I'll be right with you and hurried away. We stood in the doorway for over ten minutes when I walked someone else they took us to a table that had been sitting empty since we arrived. I then had to get up and move my chair so another patron could get by. I then had to tap a server to get her attention for another table that wanted to pay. One one came back and checked on our salad or dinner course. I worked in hospitality in fine dining for 20 years and the kind of service we and other patrons received simply wouldn't have been acceptable.
Lamb Ragu
Cattivella is such a nice addition to the Stapleton area. My wife and I come here every couple of months, usually for special occasions, and love it! We've tried quite a few of their dishes and they've all been fantastic. However, our favorite dish is the lamb ragu. If you haven't been before, I recommend sitting at the Chef's counter. All of the chefs are friendly and it's a lot of fun to watch them cook.
Flat Bread
Spectacular appetizer or a meal for one.
Cozze
Superb dish - warms you body and soul. Pasta here is handmade and cannot be matched.
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August:
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July:
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June:
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May:
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April:
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