MUST EAT: Quality Italian In Denver Restaurant Review

From hand-made pasta to delectable grilled meats, Quality Italian in Denver has it all. See what I ate at this amazing restaurant in the Cherry Creek neighborhood.

Last Updated: Jan. 19, 2024

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Quality Italian In Denver: Ordinary Name, Extraordinary Meal

I know, the name sucks, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. I’ve dodged eating here for years because I thought the generic name meant a tourist quality meal.

I admit my misconceptions led me astray. Not only was the food phenomenal, but the drinks, service, and overall ambiance had me planning my next visit before even leaving the restaurant.

For this restaurant review, I will go over my meal first, then important details to remember like how to book reservations, dress code, and location.

The Food At Quality Italian In Denver

The menu always causes a problem with places like Quality Italian in Denver. Everything looks marvelous and I’m always stuck between choices trying to narrow down the best options.

For my meal, I wanted to try a little bit of everything. We bounced from appetizers, to house made pasta, to grilled meats, dessert, and even a few cocktails. Yes, this was a ton of food, but my wife and I worked hard eating every delicious bite so your meal at Quality Italian will be unforgettable.

Truffle Honey Ricotta

By far, one of my favorite ways to start a meal. The server brings everything to the table and dresses the house made ricotta table side with black truffle infused honey. Ribbons of honey cascaded over the ricotta and I almost passed out from pure excitement.

Creamy, rich, decadent, and sweet, the theatrics didn’t disappoint. The truffle added a slight umami to the thick honey and the ricotta tasted fresh and light.

Combined with the sesame crusted bread, the trio formed a unique profile that stirred my taste buds into a greedy eating frenzy. I pumped the breaks so I didn’t gulp down the whole thing in a few bites and gave my wife a chance to eat at least a few bites.

Crispy Calamari Casino

Fried Calamari is a classic appetizer for Italian restaurants and I loved the version at Quality Italian. The lightly breaded squid gave a perfect crunch and I was happy about the pepperoncini adding a slight acidity.

The bacon caught me off guard adding a savory highlight that played well with the the mystery sauce drizzled on top.

Dry Aged Porterhouse Agnolotti

Then came the pasta. All of their pastas are made by hand daily in house and cooked to perfection.

Think of the agnolotti as the close relative of the ravioli with the only difference coming from variations of the pasta dough itself. Just know that agnolotti is delicious and leave it at that.

Freshly boiled and drizzled with thick balsamic vinegar table side, the agnolotti tasted robust with the dry aged porterhouse filling tasting like a delicate meatball wrapped in pasta.

Oh, and the balsamic brought a slight sweetness and tang that helped mellow down the intensity of the agnolotti filling.

Black Truffle Cacio E Pepe

I’ve eaten Cacio e Pepe in Bogota, Rome, and now Denver, and trust me, the Black Truffle Cacio e Pepe is a must try dish that pays the classic dish true respect.

The usual Cacio E Pepe in Rome is made from only a few ingredients: spaghetti, pecorino cheese, pepper, and pasta water. A simple dish that’s beautiful in both taste and texture.

The freshly shaved black truffles added their beautiful aroma and umami in a way that kept the dish light without overpowering the whole experience.

I loved the use of pappardelle instead of the traditional spaghetti because the thin, sheet like pasta held the pecorino cheese and and black truffle well. This created a wonderful mouthfeel with a delicate yet impactful flavor.

Grilled Niman Ranch Pork Chop

A solid measure of great restaurants comes from their pork preparations. Most restaurants fall short by delivering an average tasting cut of meat that diminishes the whole menu.

Not at Quality Italian in Denver. The Grilled Niman Ranch Pork Chop is a highlight and one that I would happily eat again!

The grilled pork came dressed with cooked figs resembling a jam with a grilled endive on the side with hazelnuts and a gravy boat filled with a gorgonzola cheese sauce.

A delicious symphony of complexity here. The fig jam added sweetness, and the endive retained a delicate crunch while adding hints of bitterness to the bites.

The gorgonzola cheese sauce was a GREAT addition to the pork playing nicely with the figs and providing a unique profile I’ve yet to taste anywhere else.

Hangar Steak Alla Griglia

Italians are known for more than just pasta, but their legendary beef cuts and preparations remain some of my favorites in Europe.

The Hangar Steak Alla Griglia (grilled hangar steak) came simply prepared sprinkled with coarse sea salt and garnished with confit garlic, rosemary, and thyme.

I enjoyed the wonderful crust of the hangar steak with a beautiful char that satisfied my soul on another level. There is something about a beautifully grilled steak that makes me incredibly happy.

The steak tasted extremely beefy, like dry aged without the funk, and I appreciated the simplicity and straight forward presentation.

Brussels Sprouts Calabrese

The servers at Quality Italian in Denver really know their stuff. When we asked about which side to try, she immediately told us about the Brussels Sprout Calabrese.

The Brussels sprouts had the perfect crunch and the outer leaves practically shattered when taking bites. I enjoyed the the spicy agrodolce sauce which added a little sweet heat into the mix.

With all this creamy and delicious food, I needed to get my greens in some way, right?

Tiramisu Luci

I highly recommend the Tiramisu Luci, a tower of espresso soaked almond sponge cake and mascarpone cream made to satisfy even the most ravenous sweet tooth.

A classic Italian dessert done the Quality Italian way. Sprinkled on top were chocolate ribbons and pearls that gave each bite the right amount of crunch.

Ferrero Rocher Gelato

For me, this was the show stopper and surprise hit. Named after those little marbles of delicious hazelnut perfection, the Ferrero Rocher Gelato tasted just like the real deal candy but transformed into an epic dessert.

From the hazelnut gelato to the chocolate to the chopped nuts on top, everything made sense and tasted amazing. I want to find whoever thought of this dessert and give them a high five and a ten second hug for making it so wonderful.

The Ferrero Rocher candies are delicious but lack in quantity. They are done with one bite and I am left all alone wanting more. Here, I got to savor this dessert for a solid ten minutes in a state of sugary bliss.

Is Quality Italian Worth It?

Yes. Quality Italian in Denver is absolutely worth it. Although I’d consider Quality Italian a more high end restaurant, the attention to detail and the taste of the food make the higher cost worth the money.

In my opinion, I think this restaurant is perfect for dates, anniversaries, and birthday celebrations. I wish I could eat here every day but my wallet and waist would hate me.

Reservations for Quality Italian In Denver

Right now, reservations are readily available on OpenTable, but I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute to book. The restaurant is obscenely popular and fills up quickly.

If there are no reservations available, feel free to call and check the wait or just stop by. If everything is booked up, there are plenty of great restaurants in the Cherry Creek neighborhood you can check out.

Dress Code For Quality Italian

Currently, there is no dress code for Quality Italian in Denver. That being said, the restaurant is located in the swanky Cherry Creek neighborhood, so I don’t recommend walking in with flip flops, cut off jorts, and a sleeveless shirt.

From what I could tell, I saw everything from casual wear to button down shirts and everyone seemed just fine with it.

From what I know about restaurants in Denver, no one has a specific dress code where you need to wear a jacket or a dress. I think going in semi casual works fine but don’t look like a mess.

Parking Near Quality Italian

Currently, there is street parking, valet, and parking garages sprinkled throughout Cherry Creek. I never have a hard time finding parking, but if you are dining at peak hours, then a parking garage or valet may be the only viable option.

Quality Italian Contact Information

Address: 241 Columbine St, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: (303) 532-8888
Website: qualityitaliandenver.com
Reservations: OpenTable