Cantinetta in Downtown Bellevue.
The Tuscan room that turned Old Bellevue’s Main Street into a dining street — hand-rolled pasta, a wine list built for it, and tables that still go a week out.
Cantinetta is the restaurant most responsible for the way Old Bellevue eats now. It opened on the south side of Main Street in the summer of 2010, when the block had Bis on Main and not much else, and it has been the neighborhood’s default special-occasion Italian ever since: a compact, candlelit room, a wine bar along one wall, a pair of small wine rooms for private dinners, and a patio the size of a parking space that fills the moment the sun comes out.
The Wallingford original built its reputation on Tuscan cooking and pasta rolled by hand every afternoon, and the Bellevue room runs the same way — DBN put its zeppole on a best-desserts list two months after opening, and a year later the owners added Mercato Stellina down the street with pasta made in Cantinetta’s kitchen. Sixteen years on it is still dinner only, still closed Mondays, and still a table you book rather than wander into.
It is not the loudest Italian option downtown — Carmine’s across the park does big-room family style, and the Collection has its chains — but for the pasta itself, and for a room where you can hear your table, this is the one we send people to first. See how it stacks up in our guide to the best Italian restaurants in downtown Bellevue.
What to Order at Cantinetta
Every pasta is made in-house by hand; the menu is short and changes with the season, so these are the anchors, not the whole list.
Tagliatelle Carbonara
Hand-rolled ribbons with guanciale, sweet corn, pecorino, and a farm egg folded in at the table’s edge. If you order one pasta, this is the one the room orders.
Pappardelle alla Bolognese
Wide, rough-edged pappardelle under a slow-cooked ragu. The plate that made the Wallingford original famous and the reason locals still book a week out.
Burrata
Basil pesto, roasted pine nuts, tomato jam, and grilled fettunta to drag through it. Order it with the first glass while you decide on pasta.
Mafalde
Ruffled mafalde in a Maine-lobster arrabbiata with Calabrian chili and heirloom tomato — the splurge pasta, and the one to share.
Risotto
Dungeness crab, lemon-mascarpone, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, stirred to order. Slow, rich, and worth the wait it takes to arrive.
Cantinetta Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is Cantinetta’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
Cantinetta Rumored to Be Taking Over a Main Street Space
The first word: Wallingford’s Cantinetta was eyeing Old Bellevue, and settled on the former kitchen-remodel storefront two doors down from Gilbert’s.
Cantinetta in Bellevue Is Almost Here
Grand opening set for August 27, 2010, joining Bis on Main and Monsoon East on what DBN was already calling Main Street’s foodie row.
Top 3 Desserts in Downtown Bellevue
Two months in, Cantinetta’s zeppole with Nutella mascarpone made DBN’s first dessert list — the room had already earned a following.
New Italian Market and Sandwich Shop Comes to Main Street
Co-owners Trevor Greenwood and Wade Moller opened Mercato Stellina a few doors west, with the pasta made in Cantinetta’s kitchen.
The Best Outdoor Patios in Downtown Bellevue
Sixteen seasons on, the compact Main Street patio made DBN’s spring list as the pick for a smaller, quieter setting.
Browse all Cantinetta coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting There & When to Go
Old Bellevue is a walk-and-park neighborhood: give yourself a few extra minutes and enjoy the block.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: Metered street parking along Main Street and the numbered side streets, plus public garages within a couple of blocks. There is no dedicated Cantinetta lot or validation, so arrive a little early on weekends.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then a roughly 15-minute walk south and west to Old Bellevue’s Main Street — see our light rail guide
- On foot: From Bellevue Square it is a 10-minute walk south down Bellevue Way to Main Street; Downtown Park sits between the two, so cut through it.
Best Times to Go
Friday and Saturday nights book up about a week ahead and the room stays full until close. Tuesday through Thursday is when locals eat here — easier tables, the same kitchen. Patio season is short and the tables are few, so ask for one when you book. Restaurant Week, spring and fall, is the best-value way in.
Make It a Night
You are on Old Bellevue’s best block, so make an evening of it: a pre-dinner walk through Downtown Park one block north, a Main Street happy hour at one of the neighborhood bars first, or Carmine’s on the far side of the park for the next big Italian night.
Good to Know
As of August 2026: dinner only, closed Mondays. A 20% service charge is added for parties of 6 or more, corkage runs per 750ml bottle with a two-bottle maximum, and there is a cake fee for outside desserts. Private dinners run from the small wine rooms up to a full buyout — inquire through the official site. Cantinetta is a Seattle Restaurant Week regular each spring and fall.
Cantinetta FAQ
Does Cantinetta Bellevue take reservations?
Yes. Cantinetta Bellevue books through OpenTable, linked from the official site, and weekend tables tend to go about a week out. As of August 2026 a 20% service charge is added for parties of 6 or more, corkage is charged per bottle with a two-bottle limit, and there is a fee for outside cakes.
Where do you park for Cantinetta on Main Street?
Old Bellevue is street parking first: metered spaces along Main Street and the side streets, plus the public garages within a couple of blocks. There is no dedicated Cantinetta lot, so budget a few extra minutes on weekend evenings or arrive early enough to circle once.
What should you order at Cantinetta?
The Tagliatelle Carbonara and the Pappardelle alla Bolognese are the two signature pastas. Start with the Burrata, share the lobster Mafalde or the Dungeness crab Risotto, and ask about the seasonal specials, which change with the produce.
Is Cantinetta Bellevue the same as the one in Wallingford?
Same family, second location. The original Cantinetta opened on Wallingford Avenue in Seattle; the Bellevue room followed on August 27, 2010, and the group has since grown to include Bar Cantinetta on Capitol Hill and sister restaurants in Kirkland. Menus are similar but not identical, and all the pasta is made in-house by hand.
Is Cantinetta open for lunch?
No. As of August 2026 Cantinetta Bellevue serves dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. Check the official site for the current schedule before you go.