Grotta Di Fuoco

2 stars to reflect the food. Very disappointing.
The staff was courteous and attentive, very pleasant. The ambiance and décor is also very nice (it is quite loud – so steer clear if that bothers you). However the food was completely lackluster and disappointing, especially given all the rave reviews I found prior to going.
The appetizer order had too much garnish, everyone was literally pulling stems out of their mouths! Talk about unappetizing. As for the food it was simply okay. It was served hot which was nice. However servings are not large and the food is very salty (which I happen to not mind but our guests complained). The ravioli was crispy and undercooked – the meat filling lacked any kind of seasoning.
We left hungry.
Again nice staff and service, but as far as the food, extremely disappointing. Will not return.

Holy cow! This place was fantastic. The ambiance is really great… exposed brick and awesome lighting. It does get super loud in there, but it’s a fun atmosphere. The food was phenomenal… we got the veal meatballs to start (wow) and then ordered the special fish (halibut), the NY Strip, the gnocchi and one of the salads (burrata, roasted tomatoes, and cippolini onions). Everything was great. The staff was very busy but very nice and attentive. Would absolutely eat here again!

Oh my goooodnesss this meal was delicious.
My friends live in Long Beach and really wanted to hit up Lost and Found (it’s their favorite). Apparently, everyone else seems to feel the same way and on a saturday night a rez there is impossible. Although I’m bummed that we didn’t get to try, I’m really stoked that we ended up at Grotta Di Fuoco instead.
I walked in, inhaled the smell of fresh and delicious Italian food and instantly knew that I was in for a treat. I was eyeing basically everything on the menu, so luckily we ended up deciding to share a few things. To start, we put in an order of pizza and meatballs. The pizza was topped with goat cheese, fresh parm, pesto and some fresh veggies. It was literally perfect. The meatballs were also great and I thought that the addition of nuts added a nice crunch.
For my main I ordered gnocchi with sausage which also came smothered in pesto and cheese. My friend and I split an order, and I loved how they served it to us in two beautifully presented dishes. Other dishes at the table were veal and spaghetti and clams. I snuck a few bites of the veal which was perfectly tender and served over creamy polenta. I didn’t try the spaghetti and clams, but heard that it was just okay.
We barely had room for dessert, but when some sort of magical peanut butter chocolate cake made it’s way to the table I just had to try. Absolutely incredible.
Next time I head back to LB, it’ll be hard not to want to come back here. This definitely goes down in the books as one of my new favorite spots.

Great dinner spot after a nice day at Long Beach. I am not from the area, but came in after reading great reviews — and I was not disappointed. My boyfriend and I had the cannelloni with eggplant pasta, beets salad and of their signature pizzas. Everything was very fresh and savory. My favorite was definitely the pasta — it had a nice crunch which is a nice touch for me. The service was prompt, and the waitress we had was pretty knowledgeable about the menu. Overall, I highly recommend — definitely call ahead of time if you’re coming on a weekend day.

Food was great. Everything was presented beautifully on unique dishes with striking layouts that make you pause to check out the dish before digging in. The bone marrow appetizer was my favorite. It was packed with so much flavor I wanted to pickup the bones and go to town after the marrow was finished. The Beet and fennel salad was very nicely done on a piece of slate. Drinks were also quite nice; we got the tomato and jalapeño tequila cocktail which had a surprising kick balanced with a salty sugary mix on the rim of the glass.
The feel of the place is small and intimate. With the friendly staff, you really feel right at home. Overall great meal from start to finish.

Excellent. Spaghetti and Clams were good. But a little underwhelming. I would go for something a little more Exciting next time like the wild boar Bolognese.
Either way– home made pasta, delicious sauces and flavors.
Veal meatballs were grade A. Sauce was so good. Gnocchi was on point as well. Old school Italian food with a modern day twist. We had one of the pizzas which was also out of this world. Chocolate Mouse dessert was insane as well.
If you want meat with parmigiana cheese and sauce then this isn’t the spot to go. Make sure you’re with someone who knows real Italian food, the menu has a ton of things that I wasn’t sure was.

Time to update my review. May 7, we introduced our cousins to GDF. They had the veal cheek ravioli and cocoa fettuccine folded in wild boar bolognese. My wife had the poached cod. I had the 14oz ny strip med-​rare. My steak was the true test of the culinary skills of the kitchen. No sauce to mask the meat. It was done EXACTLY med-​rare and the slight seasoning enhanced the beef.
Tonight I brought my in-​laws who I might add have a very discriminating palate. They had the special of the night Atlantic Char — tender tender tender. I had the whole roasted bream!!! My wife had the seafood stew. We had the pleasure of meeting Andrew, the Chef, who I dubbed the «Magician of the Kitchen». The 5 stars I initially gave GDF remains tried and true. C’mon down, let James and his crew share their hospitality and let Andrew wow your palate!

Great food! All made to order and fresh. Very nice décor. Defiantly my favorite restaurant in long beach so far.

Favorite restaurant in LB — food is always amazing, service and ambiance is ⁵⁄₅.
We always come back and are never disappointed.
Recently had the clam linguine (I forget the precise name) — best I’ve ever had. Pizzas are also always a great choice.

I was greatly impressed by the attractive aroma once you walk in. The dining room looked great. Staff was pleasant.
The food was very good and service once we were seated was amazing. This is a place I would keep on my list and visit again.
Reason for once less star, We did not have reservations so was given a time to return by. When we returned there were some tables clearing up. Staff seemed a little confused on how seating should be done. It’s 10pm. We were a party of 3 several 2 party tables were open, none yet together. Maybe seat us at the open 6 seat table. It is late after all. No we wait till an adjoining table is ready. Another 15min. Then in stead of cleaning off the two adjoining tables, they clean and set the singles. lol. Finally one host realized what was going on and got things set up correctly.

Absolutely a West End treasure! I’ve recently changed my diet and they had so many healthy choices that were delicious and home made.
Grilled Calamari-​Fantastic
Formaggio Pizza-​Cooked to Perfection
Burrata-​Literally melted in my mouth
Baked Cannelloni-​Stuffed with veggies & the sauce was perfect
Apple Crack-​enough said
Olive Oil Cake-​had me at Marscapone
Whenever friends and family come visit me in LB, we’re going to Grotto

Excellent restaurant. Went with a gift card and enjoyed everything. Ordered 5 entrees for 4 because we are Italians with BIG appetites. Had 2 orders of the Cocoa Fettucine Bolognese (didn’t really understand the need for the“cocoa” as the sauce was so tasty), Lamb Shank (nice size and tasty), Monkfish (perfectly cooked) and Ricotta Gnocchi with big chunks of mushrooms (a small portion but nice presentation in the boat like dish). Nicely toasted Italian bread on the table and good service. One complaint about the grilled (charred) Octopus. Why the big price ($ 15) for a tiny portion of not even a whole tentacle. We all want to know, Where the hell are the other 7? Otherwise I will return as everything was delicious.
Note to hardworking busboy. Do not try to pour water from wrong side of beam. You spilled so much water on the table and my phone that I had to open the case and dry it out when I got home. I don’t ever leave it on table but was expecting a call from a car shipper bringing me my car at that time.

I love the food here. My friend and I split a pizza and a pasta dish. The sauce was tasty on both the pizza and pasta. They had a nice wine selection. The place had a nice ambience. The servers were very helpful.

It was excellent! The food was delicious. The service was great. It was a little loud and when the kitchen door opened, the bright light from the kitchen broke the spell of the charm. However the food more then makes up for any small things like volume or the occasional bright lite from a clean kitchen. I will definitely be eating there again.

Everything here is excellent. The staff the décor and the food is outstanding. Highly recommended

Food was amazing and different! A great addition to long beach. Service was exceptional and food was perfect to the last bite!
I would give the food 5 but the place only 4 over all because it’s way too loud inside and you have to scream at your dinner date. With the concrete floor and brick walls, The acoustics create an atmosphere extremely undesirable. Next time take out!

Grotta has been around for a bit now, but still seems to be a hidden gem in the LB. From the street look for a nice lil metal pig and you’ve found the place. When you head downstairs, you can tell it’s not your average LB eatery. Attention was paid to the details here and the ‘cave’ theme, with brick and wine barrels on the walls, really works. The menu… is delightful. It’s not too big, but has something for everyone. Faves are the ricotta gnocchi, any scarpariello, most of the salads, the S’mored dessert (gooood), and the legit cocktail (and wine) list. There are so many more winners… but I’m having a senior moment. Bottom line, if you’re looking for something better than the typical LB American cuisine, come here. You won’t be disappointed.
Protip: Pay attention to the specials and don’t come with a zero who doesn’t eat anything

I can’t even begin to say how great this place was. My wife and I came here on a recommendation for our anniversary dinner from a friend who comes from LB and he was totally right.
Food was AMAZING! Service was OUTSTANDING! Our waitress was very attentive and available, she made great recommendations and they were totally spot on.
The eggplant fries were sooooooo good, and the chicken/​meat was incredibly delicious. We ordered a bottle of chianti and it was only $ 25! Great flavor to pair with our meal!
We had the pistachio ice cream with raspberry sorbet, it was insanely good, can’t say enough about it.
Did I mention that they played classic rock the whole time? Most of the music was Zeppelin, Floyd, CCR etc.
It was a bit more on the pricey side, but we were treating ourselves. It was a great choice, you should give it a shot, you won’t regret it!

Top notch, fine Italian cuisine comes to Long Beach!
The Mrs. and I came here last night and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Almost reflexively, I always have this underlying apprehension about new «Italian» restaurants on Long Island. The «here we go again» type of mentality, just like when HSBC and the other faceless banking institutions smear their corporate logo feces all over our sacred diners, and other various eating haunts. Banks and Italian restaurants, that’s essentially 80% of all Long Island businesses right now. It doesn’t help that Grotta Di Fuoco is directly across the street from Minnesotas, one of the last LB bastions for steroid-​riddled meatheads and bros to bro out at a place that practically prides itself on historically bad service, sticky floors and music that makes you want to Van Gogh yourself. But I digress. I managed to overcome my apprehension almost immediately when I sat down inside a charming little place.
I’ve read reviews that say this place is cramped. It may be a bit tight in spots, but I never felt like I was on top of the person next to me, even though our elbows did manage to make friends now and again. Perhaps it was my delicious bourbon, honey and black tea concoction that wet my palette and soothed my soul, but I couldn’t have been more comfortable. Rather than the standard, nondescript orchestral musings from some obscure string quartet, we were treated to Rolling Stones, the Doors and other dependable selections (but also Fleetwood Mac, who I hate for personal reasons, but such is neither here nor there). It was audible but not distracting at all. Great choice.
To the food. I started with the charred octopus, with sauteed white beans and beet greens (my favorite!). This was spectacular. Feeling a little brazen after finishing my surprisingly effective cocktail, my wife had to stop me from ordering a second one before our entrees came out. The octopus was cooked perfectly, the beans were soft on the outside but crunchy on the inside, and the beet greens added that hint of natural sweetness that really brought out the tastiness of the octopus. A truly perfect bite when sampled together. The Mrs. had the eggplant fries. They were crispy and delicious. I recommend a squirt of lemon with these (her idea, all the way), it really brings out the flavor nicely.
For entrees, I had the pan roasted swordfish with eggplant caponata, olives, roasted fennel and grilled polenta. It was a HUGE piece of fish but it was as moist and tasty as any swordfish I’ve had. Again, it was great sampling each individual aspect of this dish, but putting the fish, caponata, fennel and olive together in one bite was money in the bank. Nothing got lost, the flavors weren’t muddled, just a terrific and well-​composed balanced dish. The Mrs. had shrimp and mussels over homemade pasta. It was very good, nothing great, easily the least impressive dish we had of the 4 but it was definitely quality.
For dessert we had the smore which was charred marshmallow over homemade brownie and gelato. Very nice ending to the meal. Again, just well executed — not too sweet, not a humongous portion, just right.
It’s great to see LB stepping up its food game and while I haven’t yet had the luxury of going to Lost & Found, Grotta Di Fuoco is at the top of the class right now. Some people have the gall to chide it for being expensive. Listen up, if you want $ 15 chicken parm, head to West End Pizza. It’s a perfectly adequate meal that won’t bust your velcro wallet. Leave the fine dining to those of us with real jobs and discerning palettes. For 2 appetizers, a drink, 2 entrees and a dessert, the bill was about $ 100. Sounds good to me for a thoroughly satisfying meal in a great setting.

Close to the beach, so summer convenient. Lovely ambiance and atmosphere with recessed candles in brick wall. Very nice and attentive staff from hostess to waitress to bus boy to bartender.
Grilled calamari was delicious even better with the grilled lemon squeezed on top. Could have been hotter though.
Margherita pizza was good. Crust was rolled not hand thrown so it loses texture.
½ chicken was good and came with grilled artichokes that had an unidentifiable seasoning. But tasty nonetheless.
Glass of chianti pricey at 9 with a rough finish. Tried the Cabernet next. Had a smooth start and a rough finish for 10.
House made tiramisu was just ok (I make it at home so I am partial) the cookie and gelato with it were very good.
Honestly 3 ½ stars but would definitely come back as absolutely nothing was wrong just not perfect.