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Candela Cucina, New Bedford, MA

Candela Cucina

4.7 (300)
$31 to $50
Contemporary Italian
72 N Water St, New Bedford, MA 02740-6264

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 27 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Great for creative cocktails
Candela Cucina is an upscale Italian restaurant from Servedwell Hospitality in the historic Candleworks building. Candela Cucina is not just another Italian American restaurant, Candela is an authentic Italian restaurant. Candela’s menu ranges from classic Italian dishes to innovative contemporary creations, all crafted with the finest ingredients.

This new concept from Servedwell Hospitality is in partnership with Peter Biondi. Pete has opened other Servedwell concepts and has worked at several NYC Michelin-starred restaurants. The menu is crafted and overseen by Chef Josh Riazi. Josh has been overseeing all Servedwell’s culinary development and operations since 2018. Josh has worked in several highly acclaimed restaurants; most notably, Josh was Executive Chef at Al Forno in Providence, RI. Josh is assisted by Chef Joe Melo, a Servedwell alum, who will oversee daily culinary operations at Candela.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Italian, Italian, Regional Italian (Sardinia)
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jose Melo
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    New Bedford
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Sunday Brunch Buffet

    Multiple dates available
    Candela is now offering a brunch buffet every Sunday from 10:30am until 2pm. Weekly offerings include an array of sweet and savory dishes, as well as a bloody mary bar and mimosa tower. Please see our website for detailed offerings. Adults $30 and children 12 and under $12; coffee, tea, and soft drinks included.

What 300 people are saying

Candela Cucina reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Boston Metro South

    Innovative

  • Boston Metro South

    Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Candela Cucina offers a delightful dining experience with "excellent food" and "friendly, attentive service." The atmosphere is warm and charming, making it "a perfect place to gather with family and friends." Standout dishes include the "vodka sauce," "whipped ricotta," and "rigatoni with Bolognese sauce." A truly memorable Italian dining spot!
300 Reviews
  1. Margaret VIP

    Greater Boston11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were there for an anniversary, and the experience could not have been nicer. We were seated at a quiet end booth and thoroughly enjoyed the food, the service and the atmosphere. Thanks!

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  2. Rita

    Greater Boston12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service by our server Cason. Timing was perfect and his attention to my allergy needs were met effortlessly.

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  3. Gregory VIP

    Greater Boston14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Once again, this restaurant with its great ambiance, and food to match is a great asset in this city. Our server, Jordan was very attentive and the meals we ordered, were cooked to perfection. Highly recommend.

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  4. Michele

    Greater Boston1 review

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love the ambiance in this restaurant. The service is excellent and the food is delicious. However I’ve had the osso buco a couple times and it is on the dry side. I like my osso buco to be Juicy. The whipped ricotta is a treat, not to be missed! And the pistachio ice cream is scrumptious with pistachios mixed in!

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  5. Beth VIP

    Greater Boston15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent evening - delicious dinner, wonderful waiter (Ray) all ending with the most decadent pistachio ice cream with chocolate drizzle and heath bar - I will be making two more reservatons to come again

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  6. Adam

    Greater Boston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went to Candela for the first time. It was also the first Brunch service. Our server Juliette was incredible. The food was delicious as were the drinks. Being in the restaurant industry we rarely have time to enjoy ourselves. Thank you Will, Pete , Chef Joe and Juliette for the incredible hospitality!!!
    Candela CucinaResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you Adam! We're so glad you joined us for our first weekly Sunday brunch and look forward to seeing you again soon.

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  7. Sherie VIP

    Greater Boston35 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    4 of us got the buffet, we all agreed, everything was great except the chicken parm, it was very dry. But everything else was FAB!!

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  8. Andrew VIP

    Greater Boston53 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A very busy Memorial Day weekend night, so we could only get reservations at 8:15 PM. That's OK as we know that the food and the service are always good -- and they were. Not our first time eating at Candela Cucina. The people at the table next to us had not been there before and kept marveling at the quality and quantity of the food. Overall as good as always - be prepared to take some boxes home with you - we order a single appetizer to share, a single salad to share and a main apiece and take home some of each. Love this restaurant.
    Candela CucinaResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you Andrew, we are so glad to hear you have enjoyed your visits with us and hope we always make you this happy!

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  9. Vivian VIP

    Greater Boston27 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I do realize this is an Italian restaurant but it’s in New Bedford, which is known for fresh off the boat seafood. More seafood options would be a great upgrade to the menu. Food was very good and presented beautifully. Staff are wonderful, attentive, and professional. Elegant touches everywhere, including glassware and dinnerware. The entry is equipped with comfy chairs and cocktail tables, an upscale touch for those waiting to be seated. A return visit is in the works.
    Candela CucinaResponded 2 days ago
    Thank you for your review and recommendations, Vivian. We look forward to bringing in more seafood specials to delight our guests and we hope to see you again real soon.

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  10. Douglas VIP

    New York City142 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Please have the water cold before pouring at table side. The first sip was like bath water. Food was very good . We shall be back 👍
    Candela CucinaResponded 2 days ago
    Douglas, thank you for your insight- we agree, water should be cold! We appreciate the help and look forward to serving you again.

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FAQs

Candela Cucina offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (774) 510-7901.

Candela Cucina is rated 4.7 stars by 300 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Greater Boston
  4. Boston Metro South
  5. New Bedford

Make a reservation


Booked 27 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Candela Cucina

72 N Water St, New Bedford, MA 02740-6264

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    New Bedford
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary Italian, Italian, Regional Italian (Sardinia)
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jose Melo
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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