Epicurean Enchantment

Indulging in the sensory wonders of Italian wine haven, Stella’s Cucina

By Cree Lawrence  »  Photos by Ryan Kobane

Walking through the sweeping metallic door marked with an “S” transports you to a world of reverie. Stella’s Cucina, founded this year, cultivates a warm ambiance, with Art Deco meets modern design. The oblong bar sits center stage in the dining area, acting as a focal point to bustling waiters carrying authentic Italian dishes. But it draws more than the eye—patrons cluster there, indulging in conversation, community and cuisine. 

Attention to detail is just one specialty of Stella’s Cucina. It starts with its custom napkin holders, modern silverware setting and royal blue table placemats and extends to its wine list, cultivated with Italian flavors in mind.

Filippo Piccini, Stella’s Cucina’s executive chef who works alongside the restaurant’s sommeliers, explains, “Our wine list is 90–95 percent Italian wines,” which are customized to each dish. “[If] you’re having a heavier, fatty meat dish or steak, I would recommend a heavier red. If you’re enjoying a seafood dish, a vegetarian dish or a chicken dish, I would recommend a lighter, brighter white wine. But, of course, there are exceptions to each wine.”

The wine list encompasses every region of Italy—and its bountiful aromas weave playfully with the clinks of silverware, the hum of quiet conversation and, on Thursday through Sunday nights, the jubilant riffs of live music. After dinner service, libations and dance overpour in the dining room-turned-lounge. 

Stella Spanu, the woman behind Stella’s Cucina, spent her early years between New York and Rome, which polished her love for the finer things in life. “When I talk to people about Stella’s full sensory experience, of course, it’s about what you’re listening to, how you’re feeling, where you’re sitting, the food that you’re eating, but it’s also about the drinks you’re enjoying and how that complements everything else around you,” Spanu says.

“One of the best things about going to a restaurant in Italy is that you feel like you’re in somebody’s home, you’re a part of somebody’s family and it’s comfortable. I wanted to bring that element into the restaurant. Of course, it is a modernized take. The ambiance and the environment that we create is something that people feel comfortable going to, but they can also still feel sexy and sophisticated and enter a more upscale environment without feeling like it’s stuffy or they must dress up to a certain level,” she continues.

Spanu honors her Italian roots by sourcing many of her ingredients directly from Italy as well as local farms like Boulder’s Masa Farms. “I think that is really what Italian cuisine is—using the ingredients that are found locally and naturally sourced.” And, of course, you can’t forget the wine—a staple of Italian cuisine and Stella Cucina’s sensory delight.  

So, grab your favorite conversation partner and meander on down to Stella’s Cucina, located at 1123 Walnut St. just off Pearl Street Mall—where an artful symphony of flavors, sights and sounds harmonize to uncork an unrivaled flow of delicious elegance.