Celebrity Tuscan Grill Restaurant Review
We recently cruised on the Celebrity Summit and had an amazing time, and had the pleasure of dining at one of the specialty restaurants, the Celebrity Tuscan Grille. This is a review of our personal experience and I’ve included photos as well as menus (at the end) for your information. If you would like to read more about our experience on the Celebrity Summit, I’ll include links to the reviews below.
If you are a new cruiser, or if you’ve cruised with other cruise lines and not yet with Celebrity Cruises, let me tell you a bit the Tuscan Grille. The Tuscan Grille is one of Celebrity Cruises’ Specialty Restaurants, which means that it is not included in your cruise fare, and you can reserve to dine here at an additional charge. It is an Italian Steakhouse with an upscale, yet warm and inviting feel.
You may wonder, when the food and dining is so very good on Celebrity, is it worth going to Tuscan Grille? I questioned this myself and I can give you a resounding 100% YES!!! While the meals in the dining room were very good, the Celebrity Tuscan Grille was a culinary experience to remember and I highly recommend it. Here is a glimpse into our meal and evening on the Celebrity Summit.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Our Dining Experience
As we glanced through our menus, we enjoyed this little antipasto platter served on a rustic wood cutting board, thanks to our boys ordering while we (the adults) were a few steps behind. I thought this was a great way to start our dinner though so I’m passing on the tip.
There’s a little story about this, and if you have been on the Summit I am thinking you can imagine it. Before heading to the Tuscan Grille, my husband, myself and our friend all stopped for a quick martini at Crush Martini Bar and had told our teen sons that we would meet them in just a few minutes. We then brought our superb martinis (Oh, how I miss them!) to the table where our boys were waiting with this lovely Antipasto Board. It went perfectly with our pre-dinner drinks and conversation as we took a few minutes looking over the menu.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Atmosphere and Decor
We were seated in a comfortable and spacious booth. As you can see, the decor is upscale, but not stuffy. You can expect a a classy but relaxed atmosphere where you will have a delicious meal, which can be served family style. Some areas of the restaurant were quite intimate with seating for 2 or 4.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Service
Our servers were very attentive. One of the things I most appreciate when I go to any restaurant, is when a waiter takes the time to explain how dishes are prepared and why they are his top recommendations. I love being guided through a meal, especially when I’m on vacation!
From the time we walked in, we were greeted warmly as if we were old friends, yet treated as if we were special guests. Isn’t that the magic combination?
A fabulous dinner with friends at the Celebrity Tuscan Grille
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: The Starters
Our waiter recommended that we choose a few appetizers for the table to share, as we were each having trouble deciding. You can certainly order one for yourself, however I loved being able to try a few different things. I’m one of those people who could live on appetizers and wine ;-).
What were our favorites? The calamari was delicious, perfectly cooked and tender. The crab cakes were so flavorful and we definitely enjoyed as well. However our surprise hit, and one I think you MUST try are the “house meatballs”. You can expect a generous portion of 2 melt-in-your-mouth tender meatballs with a homemade Italian tomato sauce. I am normally not the biggest meat-eater, and I loved this dish.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Salads and Soups
The choice of soups and salads were quite nice, and even though we wanted to save room for our main meal, we just had to try.
I opted for the Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad which was so good. The goat cheese was prepared in small lightly breaded balls served alongside the arugula and topped with pine nuts and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. My husband decided on the Ceaser salad, which was topped with pecorino cheese. He said it was very good. Finally, Micheal (our son Ethan’s friend) ordered the Creamy Burrato, which was a nice combination of marinated tomatoes and pesto, served with bread to dip.
Delicious goat cheese salad – totally worth it!
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Main dishes – Meats and Home-made Pastas
As you can see, our meal up until now had really been outstanding. Normally, I don’t choose pasta when I am at a restaurant. However we were told by several other passengers who had been to the Tuscan Grille, that the pasta is just that good! Our waiter was wonderful and suggested that we each order a meat or fish dish, and that he would bring us his recommended pasta dishes in half portions for us to share and try.
4 of us ordered the 9 ounce broiled filet mignon, and it was tender and flavorful. Our friend ordered the grilled Branzino (fish) and thought it was very good. For the sides, we tried the mashed potatoes and the eggplant parm. I happen to love eggplant parmesan and this was probably the best I have ever had! So if you enjoy this, try it as a side and share.
The stand-out dishes were the home-made pastas. His recommendations were spot on! We had the Strozzapreti Carbonara, which is a pasta served in a parmesan cream sauce with pancetta and peas. We also tried the Shortrib Pappardelle Ragu, which I am so glad he recommended, as this normally would not have stood out for me on the menu. He promised us that it was a winner, and it was one of our very favorites! Finally, the Lobster Rigatoni Alfredo was yummy as it sounds.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Desserts and Coffee
Truly, I am not even sure how we possibly ate dessert, but we did. I would say, don’t eat here early in the cruise, as you’ll be going twice. Yes, it’s that good!! However, in all seriousness, do make your reservations early or even pre-cruise, if possible, as you really don’t want to miss it.
The desserts we tried were the Tiramisu (which did not disappoint), the Limoncello cheesecake, the Pistachio Marble Creme Brulee, the Zabaglione Strawberry Shortcake and my absolute favorite, the Spumoni donuts with Vanilla Gelato.
My son raved about the desserts and even said that he thought Celebrity should have a dessert only specialty restaurant, as he would 100% pay for this any night of the cruise. His favorite was the strawberry shortcake, which the picture just doesn’t do the taste justice. It is actually fantastic and pretty decadent, so do try this if you are a shortcake lover.
A note about the coffee – if you have the Classic Beverage Package your specialty coffees are included, whether in Cafe Al Bacio, the main dining room, or in Specialty restaurants. I love a Cafe Americana and my husband enjoys a Cappuccino. The coffees were perfect to accompany our desserts.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Special Touches
You may know how I just love the Celebrity Special Touches. Well, our amazing server brought out a home-made limoncello for us to try and took the time to explain the process in which is was made. It was delicious and his attention to detail was so appreciated.
Celebrity Tuscan Grille: Menus
I hope that you enjoyed my Celebrity Tuscan Grille Review and found it helpful. I included the menus below for your information.
Have you been to the Celebrity Tuscan Grille? Do you usually go to the specialty restaurants? I would love to hear your thoughts below in the comments (after the menus).
Thanks for taking the time to read this review!! If you’ve enjoyed this, you may also like 12 Special Touches That Will Make You LOVE Celebrity Cruises and Celebrity Cruises: 7 Reasons You Will LOVE Cafe Al Bacio.
Don’t keep this info to yourself š – if you like this post please share it on Facebook or Pinterest so others can see it too. Thanks!!
Happy Cruising,
Ilana xoxo
Thanks Ilana. We love the Tuscan Grill. I am not a meat eater so I either get the branzino or the eggplant. Usually itās the eggplant.
Thank you for your review, it was really complete.
Author
Hi Carol,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I am so glad that you like the review. It is great to hear about the non-meat options. As you know, I just loved the eggplant!!
Ilana
I am on Celebrity Eclipse now and love their Tuscan Restaurant onboard and have reserved it multiple times within my dining package. Great service, attentive staff, and well prepared food and beverage service
Author
Hi Francis,
You are on the cruise now? Wow!! Lucky you. Smart thinking to go several times. So glad you are enjoying!! Have a fantastic rest of your cruise.
Ilana
Wow it looks amazing! I can’t wait to get on this ship next year!
Author
Hi Gary,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. So nice to have a cruise to look forward to! I’m sure you’ll love it – it is definitely worth going. Happy cruising!!
Ilana
Thanks for the detailed review! We are cruising on the Summit soon and want to try the Tuscan Grille. This may be a question that can be answered elsewhere, but thought I’d ask you. Is there a set price for this restaurant? We’ve never tried one of Celebrity’s specialty restaurants and aren’t sure of the pricing. TIA
Kathy
Author
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoyed the review :-)!
The cost of Tuscan Grille is 45$ p/p, however do check current information in case they have been revised. It’s a pretty special experience with awesome food, so I think its worth it!! Please come back and let me know how you enjoyed your cruise and time at the Tuscan Grille.
Have a great time!
Ilana
Great review. We are sailing in the Reflection in November. Looking forward to dinner already!
Author
Hi Diane,
I’m very jealous of you now lol! I hope you have a wonderful cruise and dinner at the Tuscan Grille!!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment š
Ilana
Thanks for taking the time to do this detailed review and for including some beautiful photographs.
We are sailing to Scandinavia & Russia on the Reflection in June and I am just looking at our dining options. I think I should book a specialty dining package ASAP!
Author
Hi Lesley,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Oh I miss that restaurant – it was genuinely such a good experience.
Yes, definitely book the specialty dining – you won’t regret it!
Your upcoming cruise sounds like a dream itinerary. Enjoy!
Ilana
Hello Illana
I was wondering if this restaurant was good. Your review has convinced me! We will be cruising on the Summit at the end of May for our 34th wedding anniversary and was looking to book a restaurant. I wasn’t sure if it would be special enough compared to Qsine, You have made my decision easier. Thank you for this review as well as the other reviews I’ve been reading.
Merci!
Johanne
Author
Hi Johanne,
Firstly, congrats on your 34th anniversary. So glad you enjoyed the review and yes it was so fabulous that I can’t wait to cruise and enjoy it all over again! Although we haven’t yet tried Qsine so perhaps that will be something to try soon.
Wishing you a wonderful anniversary cruise!
Ilana
Does anyone know the name of a chardonnay served at the Tuscan grille that is from Sicily. I was there years ago and it’s still the best chardonnay I’ve ever had but I have no idea what it was. All I remember is that it was near $18 per glass. They told me that the bottle cost around $75. It was very buttery. It was perfect. Can anyone get their hands on that wine list?
Author
Hmmm, what a great question. This is a great one for Celebrity Cruises or perhaps another reader may just have that information.
If I head back soon, I’ll take a photo and upload the wine list, so check back on occasion.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment (now I’m so curious).
Ilana
Thank you so much for the really informative review and pictures of the Tuscan Grille (and also CafĆ© Al Bacio – which is now on my must go to list). We will be on the Silhouette going to the Norwegian Fjords in August this year and we have booked the Tuscan Grille at a good discounted price for the first night of the cruise, seeing the pictures and reading the review I’m now not sure what I will order, they all looked delicious, it’s certainly given me food (no pun intended) for thought,
Author
Hi John,
So glad you enjoyed the review (and Cafe Al Bacio – which by the way, has even better pastries and desserts now than when I wrote this!). I would absolutely have spme calamari and the antipasti board. We ust got back from another Celebrity cruise a few days ago and tried fig gelato this time. Amazing!
Enjoy and please let me know what you most enjoyed. If you’re on Facebook or IG, feel free to connect with me there anytime.
Enjoy your cruise!
Ilana
We are going on our first Celebrity cruise this August to the Western Mediterranean…so excited! We are Suite class passengers, is the Tuscan Grille included for suite class passengers or do we have to buy a dining package?
Thanks,Kathy
Author
Hi Kathy,
I believe that eating in Luminae is included, and that Tuscan Grille would be additional. However, I haven’t cruised in a suite, so this isn’t information I know first hand.
There are a couple of facebook groups for Celebrity cruisers, including “Celebrity Cruise Line Staterooms and More” where people are super helpful and may know the answer to your question.
Have a great cruise!
Ilana
Thanks for the heads-up! Read your review right after we booked on Summit! SPOT-ON! We are sitting at Tuscan Grille as I write to you! The meatballs were fabulous! We didnāt even order the antipasti or the crab cakes but our waiter brought anyway!
Thanks again!
Author
Dave, that’s so cool! I don’t think anyone’s ever left me a comment while they were eating their dinner! I love it – you made my day! So glad you’ve been enjoying.
Have a fabulous cruise!
Ilana
Thanks for the review! We have reservations there for our 25th Anniversary. Iām looking even more forward to it after reading this.
Author
Happy Anniversary Tami! So glad you enjoyed this – I’m sure you’re going to have an amazing cruise (and great anniversary dinner).
xo Ilana
Is there a dress code? Can a dress shirt and jeans work?
Author
Hey Chris,
I’m thinking that’s perfectly fine for Celebrity. They actually don’t have formal nights anymore, and have Chic Night instead, however I don’t recall if jeans are a suggested attire. On regular evening dress nice jeans and a dress shirt are definitely appropriate.
Enjoy,
Ilana
Did someone pay you to write your review.? My experience was not good overall. Not worth the money and the food is the same as in the free restaurants. I feel inexperienced foodies would find this place good but not by my standards.
Author
Hi Matt,
I’m sorry to read that you had a bad experience. Of course, we all have different tastes, but maybe you hit a bad night.
We found the main diningroom excellent, and still loved Tuscan Grille and went again since this was written. Granted, my palette may not be as refined as yours ;-).
Finally, I was not paid to write a review and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Ilana
We especially like the ability to order 1/2 portions of the pasta dishes. Great way to try several. We have 413 until our first cruise on the Summit. Luckily we have 5 Celebrity cruises before that so keeping your review to help me with my choices in the Tuscan Grille! Thank you!
Author
Hi Barbara,
Wow, 5 Celebrity Cruises booked!?! Amazing!! I agree the half portions are fabulous. We did this with a couple of sides too, as you know there’s just so much food!
Thanks for leaving a comment and wishing you happy cruises ahead!
Ilana
We are sailing on the Summit September 22nd to New England and Canada. We have reservations at the Tuscan Grille and I must say I am really looking forward to it after reading your review.
One question, that seems like an awful lot of food for $45, was that all included?
Author
Hi Kathy,
I really should update to ad that we tried the fig gelato a few weeks ago and it was so delicious (sorry I probably made it harder to decide). You can order what you want from the menu for 45$. It was a lot of food… you can do half portions of pasta and sides.
Enjoy your cruise!
Ilana
We are in AquaClass. Is the specialty dining still worth skipping Blu for the evening meal?
Author
That’s a great question. I haven’t been in Aqua class, but I’ve heard the atmosphere and food is wonderful. However it’s generally healthier fare and you can order from the diningroom menu, which is excellent. I loved Tuscan Grill in particular, so always think it’s worth it, but it depends on what you prefer. You can always decide once onboard.
Have a great cruise!
Ilana
Hi Ilana,
That was a great review, I’ve just booked for May next year and after reading your review, I’m glad I did.
Do you know if you can use your Classic drinks package in Tuscan?
Thanks Ilana
Author
Hi Seamus,
So glad you enjoyed the review! I’m sure you’ll enjoy the restaurant on your cruise. We were able to use our beverage package at the restaurant and everywhere on the ship.
Have a great cruise!
Ilana
Thank you for the awesome review, Ilana! Celebrity has a special discounted rate for the Tuscan Grille on my Transatlantic and B2B cruises next April/May 2022 – only $25/person! Excited to try this specialty restaurant next year on the Celebrity Reflection (my favorite ship). Loved Murano and have several reservations booked for that specialty restaurant too! Thank you for the advice and recommendations. Aloha, Sarah P.S. Love your YouTube channel!
Author
Wow, what an amazing cruise and great discounted rate! Well worth it!! Enjoy your cruise and thanks so much for watching my videos š
looking for best specialty restaurant on the celebrity infinity
Author
Some good options – it does depend what you like best.
Enjoy!
Ilana
Hi! Thank you for your detailed review. I do have a question. We booked our first Celebrity Cruise and want to know TECHNICALLY could you order the whole menu? We are going with friends so kind of want to do a taste of everything. Is there a cap on what you can order for the p/p price?
Author
Hmmm good question. I am not really sure – it would definitely be a lot of food, since you have many main dishes as well.
Great review thank you. I admire how you’ve handled self-important commenters too. I am a mere mortal an unrefined palate but I’m really looking forward to trying all these dishes š
Author
Lol, I hope you enjoy!!