Trattoria on Pearl features modern Italian cuisine in its warm and cozy restaurant located on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. It also has a 40 seat patio for people watching during warm days and evenings. Chef Daniel Cofrades, who trained in the best kitchens in France and previously worked with Kevin Taylor and at Adega, meticulously prepares each dish. Favorites include homemade gnocchi, ravioli, cracker-crisp pizzas, linguine vongole (clams), cioppino, pollo arrosto (roast chicken), and veal scaloppine. Owner Guillermo Casarrubias has put the wine expertise he gained at the Brown Palace in Denver, the Left Bank in Vail, and the Pump Room in Chicago to good use. He has increased the wine list from 50 to 300 bottles of wine from around the world, including French, Italian, California, Colorado, Spanish, Chilean, Australian and Argentinian varieties. Guillermo has also developed specific pairings of after dinner drinks and desserts — the perfect conclusion for the ideal meal.
"Had 7:30 reserv on grad night. Arrived on time & was not a table for us yet but they seemed pretty confused as a 6-top was open. They took cell number & said they'd call, but didn't. Came back 15 minutes later & were seated. Bread & salads served fairly promptly, but an hour passed & we still didn't have entrees. Asked about it & they were apologetic & said there were problems in the kitchen. Then served only 2 of the entrees & no info when the others were coming. The 2 who were served had to eat & were finished before the rest came. They were very apologetic about it & tried to make it up with free desserts, removing 2 entrees & giving our grad a bottle of champagne. Wouldn't hold this against them - but the food was just average."
Dined on 5/10/2013
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"They had our table ready and we were a little early. The food was outstanding, we had a group of five and everyone was happy with their meal. Service was wonderful and the chef came out to greet us afterwards. They were all very gracious and we will definitely go back! Would recommend this restaurant to all my friends."
Dined on 5/09/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list, hot spot, great for lunch, special occasion
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"Went here on quiet Sunday night. Service was pretty bad, we had to ask twice for everything inc drinks & bread. Patio needs some work. Food was surprisingly good, otherwise we would have left. Don't think we'll be back anytime soon."
Dined on 04/28/2013
2007
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"Trattoria was a very good restaurant but I'm not sure how experienced the staff is. My wife and I went there and we were seated at the bar section although there were a lot of remaining tables in the dining area, but my wife chose to stay so she could watch the entertainment on Pearl St. If there was a special, we didn't know what it was nor was it offered or described. There is a daily fish plate that was never mentioned. The food was very good, but it was extremely saucy with side dishes that had little to offer to make use of the sauces. I may be generous in stating "very good overall" but it certainly was above average. I would go back to give it another try."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2008
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"We used a Living Social deal for lunch and were very pleased with the experience. Wish it would have been a warmer day and we could have sat outside! The appetizer menu is great and the salad choices were amazing. All in all it was a great experience. For a Sunday afternoon it was rather dead inside so I hope that is not a sign they are not doing well."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2011
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, romantic, great for lunch
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"I had the pork scallopini and I was pretty disappointed.The plate consisted in two VERY wide pieces of pork (pretty dry too), and literally 2 small pieces of brocoli with a very tiny potato cut in half as a side... This place is very expensive for what it is. We were a big party, tried 2 of the other plates, and wasn't very impressed either.
The place is OK. But they should either make the food better, or lower their prices. There are lots of great places in Boulder were you can eat way better food for way less."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups
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"Trattoria on Pearl is a great restaurant for small to medium groups. The food is incredible, with cioppino as our favorite. It has a generous selection of seafood in a spicy tomato broth, served with a side of spaghetti alla olio. The have a very good wine list which includes tasting flights for the adventurous, three wines of a region in smaller portions for comparisons. The location is right on the Pearl Street mall, with an outdoor dining area for people watching. The noise level is moderate in the main room and low in the front room, allowing for good conversation during dinner."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, great for lunch
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"This is a pleasant little spot with outdoor seating ON the 16th Street walking mall that offers tasty Italian dishes with minimum fuss and attentive service. We have had several fine dinners there before shows at The Boulder Theater, which is about a block away. Good find."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2007
Special Features: great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"I've eaten here on 4 or 5 occasions and have enjoyed it. Whenever we take friends down to Pearl Street there is a good chance we will stop here for lunch. On this occasion, my wife and I had dinner here and it was fine. There are better Italian restaurants in Boulder; however, if you like to people watch, this place can't be beat. Right in the heart of the Pearl Street action, Trattoria on Pearl offers reasonably good food, good and reasonably-priced wines and attentive wait staff. The fare is basic Italian, which we eat at least two or three times a week. I wouldn't consider this restaurant to be a "foodie" place, but there are plenty of these to choose from in Boulder. We will continue to visit here from time to time in the future."
Dined on 03/16/2013
2011
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, scenic view
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"Horrible service. Hostess MIA for a while. Once seated, our waitress took a good four minutes to acknowledge us (as the rest of the waitstaff looked at each other, puzzled).
We asked about their gluten free options, specifically about the bread that comes with dinner (we knew gluten-free pasta was an option). Our waitress responded with "yeah the website is misleading… what we do is bake the gluten-free pasta until it's crispy and serve it with marinara sauce." How's that for appealing!?
We took a look at the lobster the table next to us had ordered, and decided to head to West Flanders. Not sure how they stay in business on Pearl street, other than the fact that it caters to a much older crowd of non-foodies."
Dined on 03/08/2013
2007
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"The first course (salads) were beautiful, but difficult to eat as there were large slices of cheese and apple on them. That being said, however, the salads were the best dish of the night. For the main course, I ordered the osso bucco and my friend ordered the gnocchi. The lamb was rather flavorless and the risotto it was served sticky and crunchy. The flavor on the risotto was good, though. The gnocchi were very heavy & gummy and the sauce was thick & flavorless. For dessert, I ordered the chocolate mousse. It was hard to dig into, definitely not silky like mousse should be. My friend got the profiteroles, which were supposedly topped with gelato, but it was vanilla ice cream. And the profiteroles themselves were dry and bland."
Dined on 03/05/2013
2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, romantic
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"Friendly, attentive staff. Food is always delicious, and love their homemade bread. Very nice pasta dishes, butternut squash bisque is tasty, and pizzas hit the spot. Wines are good and reasonably priced. All of this keeps us coming back for more!"
Dined on 03/01/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"After reviewing the Denver Restaurant Week menu selections, we were really excited to come here. The food was beyond poor and ridiculously overpriced. The entree was terrible; I think you would actually have to work hard to make marinara sauce that bad. This is one of the worst restaurant experiences that I've ever had. As my wife described it, "Fancy Nursing Home Food"."
Dined on 03/03/2013
2005
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"Not impressed. Service was very slow. My sea food risotto came with a dead clam. They didnt exchange my plate. They said they would, but never happened."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2013
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"We dined as part of 5280 Restaurant Week. The appetizers were excellent (asparagus and shrimp fondue, and butternut squash bisque en croute) and portions large, as were our desserts (pumpkin creme brulee and chocolate mousse). One of the entrees was a little disappointing--the Bistecca. The description said it was served with pesto marinated tomatoes and marinara sauce. The plate was a giant breaded steak with barely any tomatoes (what was on the plate I considered a garnish) and a side of just-ok marinara sauce. There was no other side (starch or vegetable) with the entree, while the Osso Bucco was served on a bed of risotto (which was very good) and accompanied by fresh broccoli."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2008
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"When you say the best thing about a dinner outing is watching the people on the Pearl Street Mall, what does that say about the outing? The food was good until you consider the price then it falls to just OK. It was also one of the noisiest places I've been to lately. Actually, the bar area looked quieter and had a better ambiance than the dining area. In a competitive environment like the Denver area, and considering that 5280 Restaurant Week is the opportunity for the chef to shine, I expected better. Overall, I do not think we will be going back as there is better available closer to me."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, hot spot
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"We had never been here before so we decided to try them out for their Denver Dining Week special. Everything was excellent including the recommended wine pairings. The gnocchi was delicious. We will be back!"
Dined on 02/28/2013
2010
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"We came for 5280 Restaurant week and everyone loved the food. Loved the table by the window and the apple salad was great. We will be coming back to try other dishes. Everyone loved the Osso Bucco but the Lobster was a little chewy. All and all a great experience and worth coming back."
Dined on 02/28/2013
2009
Special Features: notable wine list, special occasion
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"With a great Pearl Street Mall location, the authentic Italian food and homemade bread were outstanding. Wonderful Mahi special was prepared just right, and the baked cheese spread appetizer will have us going back. Out waiter was attentive and friendly, and called over the wine expert from the bar to assist with the vast selections from Italy."
Dined on 02/13/2013
2008
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic
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"Since I had not been to Trattoria, I decided to purchase a TravelZoo voucher for drinks and appetizers. My friend and I were not disappointed. My selection was olives and dates plus a bowl of the butternut squash soup; my friend dined on the Insalata di Cesare. We paired our appetizers with a bottle of Prosecco which was just perfect. Mike, our server, was very attentive, polite and informative. We'll be back."
Dined on 02/07/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, special occasion
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"We tried the trattoria for lunch. It was a very slow lunch so that may be way service was a bit off. Lunch food was good but not memorable. It is always a pet peeve of mine but we should not have to be with in earshot of all the restaurant and staff conversations. That is not an appealing part of the atmosphere."
Dined on 01/07/2013
2004
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"Food was not that good. The bread was delicious, but the lasagna was hard and tasteless. The chicken was good, but the soup was a bad vegetable soup, not minestrone like i ordered. Service was fair."
Dined on 01/11/2013
2008
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