Star Bene

I love the gnocchi here!!! Order every time I come! Last night after a really bad day I decided if I did something nice for someone else maybe i would be in less of a bad mood. So I drove over picked up my grandma & took her to watch the waves & to dinner. She never gets to go out & I am on a fixed income. She is not my Italian grandma & had never had gnocchi but is very adventurous for her age when it comes to food. Tried sushi the first time last year I was so proud of her! She loved the gnocchi so much I gave her all the leftovers to take home. The Gorgonzola sauce is the bomb!!! Needless to say we had the best meal the bread is obviously homemade and melts in your mouth! But I went home feeling like I million bucks because they treated my grandma so good having turned my day around.

Came in for an early seating just a little after 5pm and was greeted by a friendly face. With freshly baked bread we ordered an antipasti of CARPACCIO DI MANZO, very tasty and not at all salty. My wife had the PATAGONIA PORK LOIN which she thoroughly enjoyed especially the sauce. I had the GAMBERETTI ALLA ARRABIATTA which was fresh and tastefully delightful. A thing to note here, is that the sides which were broccoli and potatoes seemed plain compared to the main item, and for the price it would have truly been a culinary experience if it was prepared differently. See menu for description

Food was hideous. Worst Italian food ever. Sick to my stomach, I regret every bite. You’d think with such a cute location, the food would be decent… NOPE!

Worth the drive from Scotts valley! What a find, owners and son a total delight, felt like I was in Italy or Argentina! Food very similar to Italian. Loved the carpaccio and ALL the appetizers! Reasonable corkage fee. I wish them well and will definitely go again. It’s not super elegant but worthy of five stars for service, food, congeniality.

We have enjoyed visiting Star Bene for the last few years for great dinners and some happy hours.
Last Saturday, we got married at Star Bene and had a wonderful family and friends celebration with 44 happy souls. Sergio and Julietta were wonderful hosts and we had the restaurant before they opened for the regular patrons. The atrium worked great for the ceremony. Everyone loved the empanadas, the caprese salad, and the pastas. The atmosphere was both casual and inviting, so everyone stayed and talked. We brought in a harpist and the sound embraced the space.
Lesa and I will share wonderful memories for Star Bene forever.
It is a great family restaurant with solid and interesting cuisine. It really makes you feel like you are family.

I was lured to this place due to a groupon. The waitress was very nice, she was the best thing about my experience. It was a total rip off for the quality and quantity of food you receive. The veal was paper thin, like a slice of roast beef for a sandwich and chewy. The gnocchi with pesto was good but not was not worth the $ 16 price tag. The décor is not cute as some others Unilocalers state, it looks more like someone had gathered everything that did not sell at a bad garage sale. Run away as fast as you can unless you are fond of the mediocre.

I wish there was a rating with no stars. Worst dining experience I can recall in quite awhile. Everything from service to the food was mediocre. Slow service to start. We waited awfully too long to finally receive water that I requested. When the food came out my meatballs were cold and the sauce was bland. There were a few more dissatisfying aspects about this restaurant that will keep me from returning. I really had high hopes for Star Bene.

Wine had cork dust floating in it. Caprese salad had cold flavorless tomatoes. Seafood risotto was warmed up rice in broth with overcooked seafood. My fault, I should have research the reviews a little more in depth. I think the better reviews are from people who really don’t know what good Italian food is supposed to taste like…

A nice little Italian restaurant close to the harbor. The food is very tasty and authentic Italian. Try sitting at the bar for a complete local experience… Chao grazie.

I tried Star Bene out for the first time this year. The results were middling.
I checked Unilocal before going, but the reviews here are all over the place. Many of the complaints seem to be related to Groupon. Since I wasn’t using Groupon, I decided to give it a chance. While we weren’t wowed, we weren’t horrified, either.
Our server was aloof, but at least he was attentive. We never felt like we were left waiting, and our drinks were refilled without having to flag him down. However, when my girlfriend ordered the Risotto di Paella, he neglected to tell her that they were out of both chicken and sausage. Had she known, she would have ordered something else. As it was, the dish was all seafood, and she’s not a big seafood fan.
Being out of stock was a recurring problem, as the only type of empanada available out of the three on the menu was the vegetarian variety. Fortunately, it was delicious. The Star Bene imprint on the pastry is a nice touch.
The other dishes from our party of three (Vietto al Funghi Marsala and Pollo alla Melanzana) were quite tasty. However, the side vegetables consisted solely of dried-​out broccoli.
The ambiance was pleasant enough. I liked the homey feel of it. We sat inside and had a nice view. A little more attention to detail could be paid, though. A seal had broken on one of the decorative vegetable jars. I didn’t notice a smell, but it makes one a bit queasy to look at. And the window we were sitting by had a bullet hole (?) in it. Doubtless this is not their fault, but I would think they’d want to fix that ASAP.
Finally, their parking lot is tiny. It worked out OK for us as we were there early and there only a few other patrons. But if the restaurant was full, you’d need to find parking somewhere nearby, and that’s a pain.
I don’t meant to make it sound like our experience was all negative. Overall, we had a good time and liked what we ate. We definitely didn’t experience the horror stories from previous reviews. But likewise we weren’t floored by the experience either. It wasn’t good enough to keep me from shopping around and trying a different restaurant next time.

Sergio was welcoming and genuine. I actually should go back to this restaurant just to visit him BUT don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s ability to specialize in two different cuisines because the ambiance, décor, menu, presentation, service, and overall taste of the dishes I ordered was spectacular.
I NEVER order pasta when I go out because I can make it at home. Granted, it took me 4 hours to make ravioli so I swore to myself that I would never make it again so that is what led me to buy a Groupon deal. I paid $ 8 something for $ 20. I made reservations on Open Table to rack up points and because I didn’t know if the restaurant would be busy or not the evening before Thanksgiving.
We were greeted by Sergio right away. As soon as I sat down, I realized that it was a good decision to get out of my gym attire (yoga pants and sneakers) because this place is intimate but in a casual way… love that there is a parking lot! BTW– there is a kid’s menu but because I was using my Groupon, I needed to order an entrée instead. It was the perfect leftover for lunch the next day though!
— their bread and olive oil dip was delicious
— their chicken empanada was delicious
— their beef empanada was delicious
— their farfalle della nona sara was filling, and comforting (pesto sauce on point!)
— their fettuccine stefania was creamy and the smoked prosciutto was flavorful
If you are in Santa Cruz and need a comfort/​nice/​delicious place to go– THIS place is it.
Too bad dinner was cut short because of work though. I worked until midnight that night.

I am Gigi and my husband Mike and I finally tried Star Bene’s dinners. We are locals here. I had read an uncomplimentary past review in ²⁰¹³⁄₂₀₁₄ — so I never tried it. I can’t believe what an experience of Italian and Argentinian cuisine combined together that my palette had so wonderously experienced tonight. What a delicious appetizer of Chicken Empanada’s and then it rolled into Carbonara for me (dry version) and Veal Marsala for Mike… OMG — I am now completely going to be a regular. I give Julietta, Geronimo and Antonella 20 stars for their customer service, warm receptivity and the best damn Cannoli I have EVER had that rivaled Stella’s in San Francisco. It was perfection personified!
Being Sicilian’s in our household, this culinary experience was something I have not experienced in a very long time because I cook so much. Shame on whoever left that negative remark that deterred me from trying Star Bene until now. I will from this point forward take my own opinion into consideration instead of some half assed remark from someone who posted on Unilocal who may have had a bad day and wanted to be mean spirited to a random person.
Gigi and Mike are now dedicated customers who will be bringing friends & family from now on. Your Sicilian approved in our books! Thank you for an oustanding meal Star Bene!!!
Ciao

Star Bene is one of those places I know I would be a regular at if I lived in the area. We first dined at Star Bene last year while on vacation with friends. This year, we all wanted to go again and it was just as good as I remember it being!
Last summer I had the chicken masala and it was great… This last visit, I ordered the Fettucine Stefania (Homemade fettuccine with mushrooms, green peas and smoked prosciutto in a thick cream sauce) and added chicken– excellent! Full of flavor, so delicious! For dessert my husband and I shared the spumoni ice cream… also good :)
Love the indoor patio… there are heaters if it gets chilly.
Love how the place is very dog friendly… We brought our Brussels Griffon this year. One of the owners waited on us and she’s very friendly– she told me she has 3 pugs :)

We had a memorable time on an impromptu birthday gathering with friends after our Chardonnay sailing celebration, We sat in the back room which had great privacy and atmosphere. Our waiter had excellent suggestions about fresh specials and wine choices. We will return. I highly recommend this venue for a memorable evening.

Disappointing dinner tonight. Fettuccine bland, salmon very good, veal sucks. Sorry to be rude. Wish the waiter was more attentive, we always had to flag him down.
But the stars were for the food.
So, so.

This place was really good the last 5 times I tried it tonight not so much the veal marsala with wild mushrooms was more like a hungry man Salisbury steak dinner tough chewy nothing wild about the mushrooms. There was one mushroom from Safeway but no wild ones. Maybe they found a cook at Taco Bell to replace the chef for tonight don’t know what happened but I will not be back.

This is the best place we’ve been to in Santa Cruz! If you want home made type of food, nice and quiet and very cozy place — this is it. Great big portions if youre hungry. And it is very kids friendly. Wonderful and very friendly place. You will feel like you left America for a meal in Argentina or Italy. Definitely will be back.

Nestled off the beaten path here in sunny, wonderful Santa Cruz, hides this absolutely lovely Italian restaurant. I was brought here by my fiancé who used to come here 15 years ago, and she swore up-​and-​down to the heavens that it was the best Italian food she has ever had. Of course I was skeptical, but I always am, so I was willing to give it a try.
*Ambience*- While the restaurant itself is not large, I felt instantly at home as soon as I entered. The Decour is warm and inviting, and they have a very interesting outdoor patio that looks like an extravagant lush jungle environment. Very very intimate. This place looks as though it has been here for decades… not because it looks dilapidated, but because of the amount of love that has gone into its appearance.
*Food*- Gnocchi. House made, from scratch. Everything is made to order. My mouth is watering just *typing* about their Gorganzola Gnocci. Superb. I also highly recommend the Carbonara (not Gnocci). Its lighter and more flavorful than you would expect. I, for one, was expecting a heart attack on a plate… It certainly didn’t feel like one, but it tasted just the same. Portions are definitely accommodating.
*Service*- If you happen to find yourself in the area on a weekend, it would be wise to call ahead to see what their wait time is. Apparently, they are packed to the rafters. I, on the other hand, had the luxury of visiting on the weekday night and was served by the owner himself. When the service is so good that you forget that you’re at a restaurant then that speaks for itself. Nothing else needs to be said. Excellent.
So, yes, for my first review I do give a five star rating. But this is not due to lack of experience my friends! I rarely give five, because it takes a lot of effort to impress me. This lovely little restaurant did just that. Give it a try!

Came here after purchasing a Groupon voucher… best decision! Small restaurant, so if you are party is 4 plus, would recommend calling ahead!
Hubby had the chiurasco argentino and gnocchi with pesto sauce adding shrimp for me… we both started with a salad, star Bene salad for me and a green salad for hubby. Fabulous food!!! Found out from the chef (our server was unsure of my query) that ravioli, fettuccine and gnocchi are made in house! Wanted to try the chicken empanadas, but they were out.
Salad were yummy with a nice mix of greens including arugula, I had a prociutto wrapped mozzarella with pesto sauce… mmmm.
Our main? Hubby’s steak was cooked and seasoned perfectly medium rare and my gnocchi, perfectly cooked and pesto was definitely not short on flavour!
Looking forward to going back to try the seafood risotto!!!
The closest parking lot is just on the other side of the street at Bella Notte, but there is also another parking lot just across the street!
Thoroughly enjoyed our Italian/​Argentine dinner!

Purchased a Groupon a while back and was amazed when I finally came for dinner!
The staff is so friendly and everything we ordered was incredible. We got a beef and chicken empanada and I got the shrimp diavala and my boyfriend ordered the fettuccine Alfredo. One of the best Alfredo I’ve ever tasted. We will defineltey be coming back.