D'Vino

This small little Italian restaurant seems like a perfect spot for family dinners and date nights, and let me tell you, it was an incredible family dinner. D'Vino on King Street in downtown Madison.

The Lowdown

• City: Madison, WI
• Address: 116 King Street, Madison, WI 53703
• Phone: (608) 285-9021
• Website: dvinomadison.com
• Wine and cicchetti bar vibes, great for lingering

What I ordered

Appetizers were calamari and fried eggplant strips, basically eggplant French fries, both with marinara. All six of us went pasta. Ravioli, pasta carbonara, penne alla vodka, the works. Pastas ranged about $20 to $30. Steak on the menu was around $60 to $65. I wanted Nana's lasagna so bad, but they did not have any more. So upset. I went with pasta carbonara instead.

My thoughts on the food

Both appetizers were incredible and paired perfectly with the marinara. I am a massive fan of calamari and not a huge fan of eggplant, and I actually liked the eggplant appetizer a little more. Seasoned perfectly, very soft in the middle, slight crunch on the outside. Great appetizer.

Pasta carbonara had egg in it and a lot of black pepper. Heavy on the pepper, but that added a ton of flavor. Noodles cooked perfectly. I wish I took a bite of everybody's dish, but if you look at the table we all joined the clean plate club. Needless to say every single one of us enjoyed our dishes. The pasta was incredible.

They also bring out Madison sourdough bread if you ask for it, but you do have to ask. Great bread. They did not bring butter with it, just in case you are a butter snob like we are.

The vibe

It took us about two to two and a half hours. One of those places where you are not in a rush. You enjoy your time, your meal, your drinks. You are not there to just eat and get out. Perfect date night or family dinner energy downtown.

The verdict

All in all D'Vino was incredible. Delicious. If you have not been, you absolutely have to check it out.