Corso

Not a bad spot overall for Italian fare, my family and I finally made our way here after driving by the place for years. Upon stepping in, the interior is dimly lit and cozy… albeit very much on the cramped side.
To begin, we shared the rather small assortment of house-​cured salumi that included some great mortadella and pork head cheese. From the pastas, my brother’s cappelletti was solid and unique with its orange and ricotta filling. The tagliatelle’s beef & pork sugo wasn’t bad, though the flavors didn’t pop and the pasta itself not nearly al dente enough. In fact, the biggest issue was the meager portion size for the price relative, of course, to pasta dishes at many other Italian establishments.
For proteins, the butter-​roasted chicken breast (pollo al burro alla sostanza) turned out oddly dry despite the deliciously crisp skin. Thankfully, the grilled whole branzino saved the meal with its mad delicate texture and just enough seasoning to let the fish shine.
At the end, definitely opt for the amarena cherry sundae using chocolate gelato as that was fantastic down to the very last spoonful. Rich chocolate goodness augmented beautifully by the chocolate and caramel sauces and deepened by the similarly rich fruit sweetness of the cherries.
Wines are primarily Old World Italian and available in half glasses in addition to the full pours and carafes, a welcome option to sample different ones. Our server did an excellent job and was approachable, timely and helpful throughout the meal. Overall, the saving graces just weren’t enough to consider a return trip anytime soon.

Corso is oh so good. I didn’t know about Corso prior to restaurant week, perhaps because it’s on a quieter side of Shattuck and it’s not a huge place. But as I was scrolling through the list of spots for restaurant week I saw its name, saw that it had great reviews, and decided to give it a shot. From the moment I walked in I immediately felt warm and fuzzy (some restaurants just have that magical ability). The ambiance was so cozy, and the service was really nice right off the bat.
My boyfriend and I ordered the cauliflower appetizer, tagliatelle al sugo and the risotto with shrimp. Everything was very good — but not amazing for me. I’ve admittedly had better italian food but it was delicious and fresh and I was very satisfied. The clear winner for me though was the panna cotta — oh my god. The absolute best panna cotta I’ve ever had. I didn’t expect the panna cotta to be the clear winner for me… If panna cotta was always this good I’d be ordering it all the time. It was so silky, and the sweet raisins as a topping were divine. A perfect dessert!
I highly recommend Corso as a date spot with someone new or somewhere to treat yourself and your boo. It’s intimate, the service is really friendly, and the food is great.

As a Berkeley local, I’m no stranger to good food. Corso not only meets that standard but exceeds it. Their meals are seasonal, fresh, and exceptional. Whenever my relatives come to visit this is always my go to. The classic chicken breast is one of the best I’ve ever had, and I always order it with a side of polenta. Also notable are their pastas, and inventive starters (cauliflower and artichoke when they are in season).
⁵⁄₅!

For the four or five food coma’d, barely conscious hours remaining after dinner at Corso, I found myself remembering the tagliatelle and having random outbursts of «OMG it was SO gooood –crying face emoji-​» every 15 minutes. I woke up the next morning, looked at pictures of the tagliatelle, almost cried, and then tweeted about it. Given how pathetic that sounds, I wish I could say I was exaggerating, but I’m really not.
Dinner was great from start to finish! We took our server’s recommendation and got the guanciale pork cheek dish. The pork cheek was so tender and the flavor was amazing. We also enjoyed a couple cocktails from their menu that both complemented dinner really well. But again, the standout for me was definitely my main dish, the tagliatelle. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the sauce with the parmigiano was everything. Ugh. So so good. I’ve always been a hardcore pasta lover and this dish just really did it for me, OK?! –heavy breathing slowly subsiding–
Tagliatelle aside, Corso was perfect for a nice weekend dinner. Seating was just a bit cramped, at least where I was, but (obviously) forgivable. They also had a bar area that seemed nice!
Would love to come here again and try more of the menu (jk, coming back fo dat tagliatelle hehe)!

So good! Any of there pasta was great. The pollo al burro was a big highlight. Bread sopped up sauces perfectly and pretty sure it was acme. Spinach side great. Olive medley so good. Very friendly people. Their commitment to sustainability was impressive and shined in their to go boxes — compostable and very light weight stuff. One slight ding — skip the funghi appetizer. The sauce overpowered any mushroom flavor.

Great atmosphere, friendly service. We had the scallops, polenta, spinach, cauliflower and then the steak. Everything was well prepared. The steak was smaller than we expected, especially for its price ($ 52). We assumed it should be shared at that price, and it was listed as 24oz, but it was definitely small enough for one (healthy appetite) could eat. My parents had the whole branzino, which they said was good. Would definitely come back, but not for a cheap meal!

I really enjoyed my dinner at Corso. I was curious to try them since I am already a fan of Rivoli, their sister restaurant. I like the more casual setting and simple menu. They can make most dishes gluten-​free and use local & natural ingredients. We ordered a grilled sea bass and the fish of the day served with vegetables. The portions are rather small, so I recommend to also order a starter and/​or add side dishes. I usually boycott desserts unless they are made with a natural sweetener like fruit, date, honey or maple. Prices are fair, the wine list was great, as so was service. I will go back.

Not a place for vegetarians to go !! Firstly the complimentary bread what they had given was so hard and too hard to even pull the pieces apart, we ordered then veggies ravioli and veggie pasta. Ravioli was decent but quantity not worth the price of 17 $, my hubby ordered pasta — it just tasted like they had boiled pasta and added some onions tomatoes over it. We just took these two and went to some other restaurant after this and ate again. Not worth the 50 $ bill we paid … Not for vegetarians again !!

We recently went to Corso for my wife’s birthday dinner during a weeknight. Every thing we had was presented and timed well. And the food tasted great, from the risotto and the duck special to the rabbit terrine and tuna antipasti. The sundae was also incredible. Service was on it and remembered the birthday candle that I had requested on Open Table. My one gripe is that the dishes are on the small side and my risotto dish in particular was puny. I finished it off in about 5 – 6 bites. Otherwise, and particularly if you’re not worried about the food for the dollar ratio, then Corso offers a lovely night out.

We have been here twice now, and both times were exceptional. Corso is my go-​to special dinner spot.
The meal was paced out so that courses weren’t rushed or too slow, and the food was perfect. Tonight we had a whole branzino, and even thought I’d never filleted a whole fish, the waitress (also named Tonya) was so accommodating and helpful without making me feel inexperienced. Also, the chocolate budino is unbelievably rich and delicious. Definitely something to order if you like chocolate deserts.

I am very glad a friend recommended this spot when I asked for somewhere to go for a nice dinner in Berkeley after a meeting. The hostess welcomed us like regulars to start the evening off well. Our server was very friendly, helpful and efficient, and provided good advice on the wine list since I’m not as familiar with the extensive Italian list. I had a sparkling Italian rosé to start, which went so well with the our opening dish. We started off sharing the most excellent cured Ahi tuna carpaccio, accented sparingly with slivers of a novel fruit for me, a mandarinquat, and a touch of mint and pickled peppers. Lovely. We ordered all of the sides (polenta, potatoes, spinach and Brussel sprouts) and a couple of the chicken breasts roasted in butter to share, along with one pasta dish with a pork ragú. I think I could eat the polenta every meal, daily, for a very long time quite happily. So much flavor and incredibly light texture, perfectly grilled. The sprouts and spinach were also super flavorful. Potatoes were fine, just very simply cooked. The chicken breast was served a la carte in a sweet little copper dish, bathed in clarified butter with crispy skin. I loved the simplicity of these dishes, very well presented. The pasta (casareccia, like a petite penne) was lightly dressed in the ragú and was hearty but not heavy.
I really enjoyed how the chef lets the ingredients speak for themselves. So simple yet so difficult to do well. I’m looking for a reason to find myself nearby again so I can try some other items… and more polenta!

This place definitely seems overrated to me.
Food: ³⁄₅
The food was decent but not as good as I was expecting given the ratings on Unilocal.It was definitely to greasy, and particularly the antipastis. I wasn’t impressed at all with my plate of pasta either. Only the desert was good enough.
Service: ³⁄₅
Just ok, nothing exceptional. Waiting time slightly too long between the antipastis and the main dishes.
Setting: ³⁄₅
Not my taste. Vibe is a bit boring and noisy.
Value: ³⁄₅
Too expensive for what’s in the plate (quality).

Corso was packed on a rainy, Wednesday night. We had reservations and waited at the bar until our table cleared of the lingering conversationalists. Host and Hostess were very professional and kept checking on us at the bar. Dish of marinated olives provided to us while we drank at the bar. The Bartender mixes some great drinks and also kept checking on us. Top notch service before dinner is a good sign.
Eventually seated near the front of the house. Bread and water brought immediately. Clientele is a little older crowd, not Cal kids but more like parent’s age who can afford to eat out. We started with the Salumi platter consisting of a variety of cured meats and sausages along with fried pork skin. The meats were excellent and perfect starter for our table of four. Commendations to the Corso Chef in charge of curing as like properly prepared sashimi, it is an art that demonstrates the skills of the Chef.
For entrees, we had the fish (perfectly done), two pasta dishes, and the pork belly with salad. We liked all of the dishes although the portions are a bit smaller than other trattorias. High quality dishes in a cozy little restaurant. Parking can be a challenge.

One of the best True Italian meals ever. The Best Bistecca alla Fiorentina. The sides (polenta, spinach, Brussel sprouts) also amazing. The staff up and down the line were friendly, knowledgeable and patient. It’s always crowded. Must have reservations AND be willing to wait a biy

This is a long overdue review. Corso is one of the nicest places to eat. The food is delicious and much effort goes into making it best. The wine and spirits are good
The ambience of the restaurant is cozy. The wait staff are extremely knowledgeable about the menu and the extensive wine collection.
I would go there again and again. But be sure to make reservations. It’s pretty full on weekdays also.
We went there again yesterday. A group of four people. We all agreed that it was one of the rare evenings where the food and drinks from appetizers to dessert and coffee were all wonderfully delicious!
The wait staff was outstanding with their knowledge, wit and efficiency. It was an evening to remember and we have already planned to go there again soon.
Amazing!

Friendly and unbelievably efficient staff, exquisite food, and overall an absolutely phenomenal dining experience.
First, the food: I ordered the gnocchi and spinaci with a raspberry soda and panna cotta for dessert. The spinaci was wonderfully simple yet full of flavor. The gnocchi was soft and pillowy, and the texture was balanced perfectly with the chopped pine nuts. I was a little dubious about the golden raisins, but they added a sweetness that I was surprised to find that I loved. The panna cotta was absolutely heavenly and the best dish with which to finish the meal.
Second, the staff: so incredibly nice and friendly, always available if I was ever in need of anything. Three people served me last night and each held engaging conversation and I felt like my experience was very personal. One asked me if I enjoyed the book I brought – of which I didn’t even finish two pages because the service was so fast.
The only thing that didn’t work in the restaurant’s favor was the fact that the tables are spaced extremely close together; it’s difficult to find a private, intimate spot. Otherwise though, cheers to a fantastic meal!

Gerberi (shrimp appetizer), wish they gave more arugula with it — ⁴⁄₅
Duck pâté appetizer — 3.8÷5
Polenta — 5/​5, ahhh amazing
Opah pasta — 3.2÷5, too salty
Carbonara — 5/​5, mixed it with the opah, made it much better salt wise
Penne — ³⁄₅
Bread — not warm :(
Butter — also cold :(

We liked Corso on a recent visit to Berkeley to attend a play at the Rep. The menu offered many appealing choices, and the cooking was superb. Wines by glass, 500ml carafe and bottles.
VIBE: Busy urban trattoria. Cozy, lots of wood. Could have had just a bit more light for me. A bit noisy, but tolerable.
SERVICE: Servers were cordial and just attentive enough.
LIKED: Fish: delicious branzino and a very nice swordfish special — both fresh and carefully cooked. Affogato Corretto was delicious. Cappucino was exemplary.
I’d definitely return if I were in the area — Corso does a lot of things right.

While I was very happy strolling around downtown area, I got a little hunger going on. As far as I know, I haven’t run across an Italian restaurant that I liked as much as this one in Berkeley.
Trattoria Corso does a fantastic, sausage penne pasta with fresh greens and tasty tomato sauce. I also enjoyed the bucatini pasta along with fried oyster appetizer and the light panna cotta dessert.
Aside from the food, the service was spot on wondrous for feeding my grumpy frumpy pouty face. Thank you!
I hope you really do give this delicious Italian place a try. Cheers!

This review may be of little use to you if you and I haven’t met before because it’s been a little while and I don’t remember what I had for supper. I do remember the wildlife through which we had to make our way on the corner of Income Inequality Street and Disenfranchisement Boulevard but as the threading of that needle was far from pleasant I shall not recount it here other than to say that the Trattoria became a welcome oasis from all things world and for this we were very, very happy.
No reservations had been made, but to our good fortune it was the hour of babies and Sweet ‘n Low stealing so there was a spot right at the window and smiles and a gracious welcome. The space was entirely filled within the hour. The din wasn’t even a din and in our corner we could speak in conversational tones as we shared an appetizer, mains and a dessert. I looked at the menu just now to see if I could remember but it might be different and even if it wasn’t I probably wouldn’t be able to recognize because that’s how my brain works. I’m just kind of not really a detail guy. I have no idea what we ate. But big picture? I can get and retain the big picture.
Here it is for you:
Date night or by your lone wolf bad self after a pressing day and in need of a safe place, a retreat. Food made by people who clearly take their craft seriously. Genuine, efficient, front of the house.
I would consider wagering my bottom dollar that this is a place you will enjoy. So go.

Ouch.
Dropping a star for a few reasons.
— They 86’d the pizzas. This is a shame because they were great. They seem to feel that they’re overlapping the Cheese Board. First of all, Cheese Board makes round flatbreads with piles of stuff that doesn’t go together and lemon rind. Corso made Italian pizzas.
— Not cozy anymore. Feels cavernous and cold. Not sure why.
— Main course was a bird’s nest of pasta, and a small one at that.
— No more lunch
— No more Bombaletti
— Ba-​ba-​ba, ba-​ba-​baraaaaan. 50’s bop for music at a trattoria? Goofball. Where are my chili-​cheese fries and chocolate malted!
A lot of little nitpicking, but it adds up.