Tuscan Grille is Celebrity Cruises’ twist on a traditional Italian steakhouse, with a menu built around housemade pastas, premium cuts of meat, and bold, familiar flavors.
During a recent 14-night South America cruise on Celebrity Equinox, we splurged on a specialty dining meal at Tuscan Grille. We had tried the same restaurant the year prior on Celebrity Solstice and absolutely loved it. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we returned for a second meal during that cruise!
Tuscan Grille may not be the Celebrity’s most innovative restaurant, but it’s a reliable choice if you’re looking for a classic Italian meal with familiar flavors.
Although Celebrity Solstice has since removed Tuscan Grille during her recent (and major) refurbishment, you can still find the venue across Celebrity’s Solstice and Millennium class ships.
Our Patagonia-focused itinerary had quite a few sea days, so we were always looking for ways to elevate our onboard experience. If you’re cruising to South America on Celebrity Equinox, I highly recommend trying one of the specialty dining restaurants to jazz up your nightly routine.
Overall, we had a really nice experience at Tuscan Grille. We did spend about four hours at the restaurant, which was longer than we expected. The service was very attentive, but the kitchen seemed a little slow. We missed the evening production show because we were there so late!
Even still, I would return for another meal at Tuscan Grille. If you like steak and Italian food (which we love both), I think it’s worth the additional cost on a longer itinerary. Dinner is offered every night in Tuscan Grille, while lunch is only offered once per sailing, so plan accordingly.
Here’s my honest review of Celebrity Cruises’ Tuscan Grille, including everything we ordered.
What to expect at Celebrity Cruises’ Tuscan Grille
Celebrity Cruises designed Tuscan Grille to feel like a modern Italian steakhouse, with rustic elements and a more refined, contemporary style.
The design features rich wood finishes and a more open layout at the ship’s aft. It’s upscale but doesn’t feel stuffy with a welcoming, warm ambiance.
Wine displays and barrel accents add to the overall design, giving the space a subtle nod to a traditional enoteca. Depending on where you’re seated, you’ll either have views of the ocean or be tucked into the more enclosed dining area, which feels a bit more intimate.
We were lucky to have views of the ship’s wake during our dinner, which was fabulous! You can’t beat the views from Tuscan Grille on a Solstice class vessel, and it’s certainly one of the highlights of dining there.
Typically, dinner at Tuscan Grille costs $55 per person, plus a 20% service charge. However, you can often get a discounted price if you wait until you’re onboard to book a reservation. For instance, we were able to book our reservation for $50 each with no service charge with the main dining room host.
Celebrity Cruises’ Tuscan Grille Menu
Here’s a look at Celebrity Cruises’ Tuscan Grille menu from our recent sailing on Celebrity Equinox, featuring a mix of Italian classics, housemade pastas, and steakhouse favorites. This menu is standard across Celebrity’s fleet.
Dopo Cena
- Limoncello: $10
- Frangelico: $10
- Amaretto: $11
- Grappa Bottega Morbida: $11
- Grappa, Alexander Grappolo: $14
Vini Dolce
- Blandy’s, 15 Year, Madeira, Portugal: $19
- Taylor Fladgate, 10 Year Tawny, Porto, Douro Valley, Portugal: $19
- Fonseca, Bin 27, Ruby, Porto, Douro Valley, Portugal: $12
- Banfi, Rosa Regale, Brachetto d’Acqui, Italy: $19
- Inniskillin, Vidal, Ice Wine, Canada: $45
- Suduiraut, Lions de Suduiraut, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France: $17
- Castel del Poggio, Moscato, Italy: $12
Starters
- Berkshire Pork Belly: Black pepper, sweet cider glaze
- Crab Cake: Cracked pink peppercorn aioli, salsa di pomodoro
- Kalamata Bruschetta: Grilled ciabatta, olive tapenade, pepperoncini peppers, herb cheese
- House Meatballs: San Marzano marinara
- Crispy Calamari: Lemon caper dipping sauce
- Beef Carpaccio: Sun-dried tomato and kalamata olive tapenade
For the Table
- Antipasti Board: Fontina, gorgonzola, pecorino, prosciutto, soppressata, finocchiona, house olives, fig jam (Serves 2–4 people)
Salads
- Classic Caesar: Romaine, pecorino cheese, focaccia crouton, Caesar dressing
- Heirloom Beets: Grilled artichoke, cannellini, caper berry, farro, red wine vinaigrette
- Goat Cheese & Arugula: Toasted pine nuts, balsamic vinaigrette
- Creamy Burrata: Marinated tomato, pistachio pesto, shallots, toasted torn bread
Soups
- Minestrone: Italian vegetable and pasta soup
- Cannellini Fagioli: White bean, tomato, sausage
Flatbread Pizzas
- Pizzetta Bianco: White pizza, fontina, pecorino, roasted garlic
- Pizzetta Caprese: Classic tomato, mozzarella, basil
Homemade Pastas
- Three Meat Lasagna: Beef, bolognese, San Marzano tomato sauce
- Strozzapreti Carbonara: Pancetta, parmesan
- Chicken Parmesan: Tomato, melted mozzarella, pecorino pasta
- Spaghetti & Meatballs: San Marzano tomato sauce, basil, parmesan
- Ricotta Gnocchi: Artichoke hearts, truffle, oven-dried tomato
- Short Rib Pappardelle Ragu: Braised short rib, tomato, fresh herbs, mushroom, truffle
- Lobster Rigatoni Alfredo: Lobster, tomato, basil, parmigiano reggiano
From the Sea
- Grilled Branzino: Lemon, thyme, rosemary, spinach, olive oil
- Rosemary Snapper: Wilted spinach, crushed potatoes, mustard rosemary sauce
- Tuna Romanesco: Kalamata olives, capers, tomato
Butcher Cuts
- Beef Ribeye (10 oz)
- Grilled Skirt Steak (12 oz)
- Broiled Filet Mignon (8 oz)
- Veal Marsala (8 oz)
- Lemon Garlic Brick Chicken (16 oz)
Sides
- Broccoli Aglio e Olio
- Polenta Fries
- Eggplant Parm
- Sautéed Spinach
- Garlic Mashed Potato
- Cacio e Pepe (Pecorino spaghetti, cracked pepper)
Sauces
- House Steak Sauce
- Beef Jus
- Gorgonzola
- Rosemary Peppercorn
Something Special
- USDA Prime Aged NY Strip (12 oz): $15
- USDA Prime Dry Aged Porterhouse (22 oz): $18
Desserts
- Tiramisu: Cocoa, espresso liqueur, lady finger cookies
- Spumoni Donuts: Pistachio donuts, amarena cherries, vanilla gelato
- Limoncello Cheese Cake: Candied lemon, baked mascarpone, graham crust
- Pistachio Marble Crème Brûlée: Pistachio creme and chocolate ganache center
- Fig Gelato: White chocolate and crushed hazelnuts
- Zabaglione Strawberry Shortcake: Fresh strawberries, sponge cake, marsala zabaglione
Caffè
- Single Espresso: $4.25
- Double Espresso: $5.25
- Cappuccino: $5.50
- Caffé Latte: $5.50
Everything we ordered at Tuscan Grille
Here’s a full breakdown of everything we ordered at Celebrity’s Tuscan Grille, along with our honest thoughts on each dish.
Bread service
Tuscan Grille started strong with a bread basket that included Italian sourdough and a Parmesan roll. Both were soft and flavorful, served with olive oil, freshly cut rosemary prepared tableside, and a drizzle of balsamic.
Meatballs
The meatballs were good, with two generously sized portions and a flavorful sauce. A bit more cheese would have taken the dish further, but overall it was a good start.
Goat cheese salad
This was one of our favorite appetizers. The crispy goat cheese paired really well with the arugula, and the dressing brought everything together without overpowering it.
Minestrone
The minestrone was hearty and well-balanced, filled with vegetables and pasta. It worked especially well given the cooler weather on this itinerary.
Pork belly
The pork belly was delicious. I asked for it to be prepared crispy, and it was perfectly cooked! It was still somewhat fatty, but overall enjoyable.
Crab cake
The crab cake was well done and paired nicely with the sauce and tomato. My mom is someone who orders crab cakes often, and she thought this one was delicious.
Calamari
The calamari was another favorite appetizer for mom. It was cooked properly, but the sauce was the highlight. It added a lot of flavor and made the dish memorable.
Carbonara
This was the standout of the meal. We were fighting over the last few bites because it was THAT good. The pasta was creamy, rich, and very well executed. It was easily the best dish we ordered!
Ricotta gnocchi
The gnocchi was good, though it didn’t end up being favorite. The portion was very small, but it was light and had a subtle truffle flavor. I would not recommend ordering this for any sort of meal. The small size is nice for a starter, though.
Lobster rigatoni alfredo
This was another yummy pasta dish. My mom said it was creamy, with good flavor, and the pasta itself was cooked well.
Filet mignon
My dad’s filet initially came out at the wrong temperature, but the staff corrected it after about 30 minutes. Once it was cooked medium well, it was much better and enjoyable overall. He loved the steak with the gorgonzola cream sauce.
Beef ribeye
The beef ribeye was one of the highlights for me. The meat was well-seasoned, cooked perfectly, and paired well with the gorgonzola sauce. Honestly, the sauce is a must-try!
Sides
The garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and well prepared, although we were already quite full by this point.
The cacio e pepe was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. Compared to the carbonara, it felt pretty simple and plain.
Limoncello cheesecake
This was the best dessert of the night. The cheesecake was light, creamy, and had just the right mix of tart and sweet. Everyone at the table loved it!
Spumoni donuts
These were good, but not quite as memorable as we remembered from a previous cruise. They weren’t served hot this time, which made a noticeable difference. They still had great flavor, but we wish they had been served hot again.
Tiramisu
The tiramisu was excellent and very well executed. My sister said this was one of the highlights of her experience! It was easily one of the best desserts on the menu.
Strawberry shortcake
This was light and well done, with a nice texture throughout. However, the cheesecake was still the favorite.
Is Tuscan Grille worth it?
Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed all of my experiences at Celebrity Cruises’ Tuscan Grille. After dining there three times, I think it’s one of my favorite specialty dining restaurants on any cruise ship! As someone who loves Italian food, this one hits the mark for me.
The carbonara was one of the best dishes of the meal, and the ribeye was another highlight. Mine was cooked perfectly, and the gorgonzola sauce is to die for! Not every dish was memorable at Tuscan Grille, but the overall experience was really positive and worth the splurge.
Our server was very kind and attentive, although we did have a long meal. As I mentioned, we were there for four hours! Part of the reason for this was because my dad’s steak needed to be recooked. He requested medium well and it was still pretty pink in the middle. This ended up taking about 30 extra minutes in the end.
