Santa Cruz County View
Dining Profile Restaurant

Star Bene

Dining at Star Bene features a blend of the rich flavor and culinary traditions of Souther Italy. Styled after popular Italy eateries, Star Bene offers diners a choice of three small dining settings, each having a level of privacy and an atmosphere for easy conversation that is not often found in America. the restaurant's cuisine is distinctive the Italy's Naples-Sorrento district where Executive Chef Giavanni Di Maio was raised and honed his culinary skills. From a chef's point of view, Giavanni finds the Santa Cruz area an ideal pairing for his cuisine specialty. Both areas have abundant resources for fresh local ingredients and they each of have a clientele with discriminating tastes who demand authenticity in regional cuisines. At Star Bene, pasta is made fresh daily and cooked to order. Its rich and flavorful sauces are created from fresh herbs, spices and produce, and many of the cuisine's distinctive hams and cheeses are imported directly from Italy's finest producers.

Greg Innocenti, owner of Star Bene, is from the area and spent much of his youth at his parent's East Bay restaurant deli. Although his professional life led him to other interests, with the acquisition of Star Bene two years ago, he has re-connected with the restaurant business. "Giavanni is the master of the cuisine and my focus is on the service and the enjoyment of our guests." Star Bene serves dinner nightly and lunch Monday-Friday. It features wines from area vintners and other California labels, as well as Italy. Parking is available at the restaurant and in the lot directly across the street.