So happy I found this little gem. Best authentic Italian food. I ordered online for pick up. Apparently they were having issues with their phones so they didn’t receive my order. Chef came out the back and explained situation. I was seated while they made my food as I waited with complimentary wine and bread.Sweetest ladies, excellent service and food!
This place was amazing. My 17 year old daughter wanted to come here for her birthday meal. We are vacationing down here for the week and wanted to try something new! This place was amazing service was great and the food was even better. I would highly recommend it if you want good Italian food
Good food.... extremely helpful and friendly staff. The owner came out and visited with us for a while....very nice.
Ive been driving by this place for years and finally came in to eat this evening by happenstance. I ordered broccoli rabe with rigatoni in a garlic and oil sauce and it was phenomenal! I knew from the very first bite that I had stumbled upon a great restaurant that knows what theyre doing. This place truly is a hidden gem. I loved how Francesco (the owner) personally came to greet me. I also had the pleasure of speaking with the chef but didnt catch her name. Although not explicitly stated, theres definitely quite a few vegan options and will definitely be returning with my family!
Italian is not my first choice, but whenever I want Italian foods I would come here. This 23 years old restaurant is highly recommended. Real mom&pop place. The owner, Francesco, has such a warm heart. He made us feel like eating at our grandparents house. He and his wife kept feeding us wonderful and tasty foods. The price is reasonable.
First visit. Terrific food! Fair price
As a vegan it can be difficult to find nice upscake places to eat. They were very nice and happy to accommodate my needs. The food was delicious!
Nice restaurant and great location. Francesco is a great older gentleman and his wife is preparing the best pasta. Reasonable prices and huge parking. Highly recommend this place.
Perfecto!! Seriously, if youre in the area go here for Italian food. Small, intimate, superb food!
Food was absolutely delicious! They have been here for 29 years for a reason! So authentic and sweet staff and owner!! Will be back again when we are in town!
The food here is wonderful. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
Great food! I had the yellow tailed snapper and zucchini as a side. Was a new experience and first time at the restaurant and has left a good impression on me. Will definitely look forward to returning.
I love this small Italian restaurant. The waitress was friendly and professional and the food tasted great. Be sure and stop by here!
First time trying the food with that being said the cashier was very friendly and the food was great!
WOW! What a hidden treasure. Ive passed this place so many times and never knew it was there, but I am so glad we were introduced to this restaurant.The food is so incredibly fresh and delicious from beginning to end. The olive oil for the bread was such a good quality, the soup was hearty and rich. We ordered salt n boca, oso buco, and seafood risotto with another seafood dish. The seafood was extremely fresh and shrimp so tender and cooked to perfection. And best salt n boca Ive ever had and I had to fight off my fiance from eating from my plate.The restaurant is simple but nice. The owners were very nice and the wife is still in the kitchen cooking, shes very talented. Highly recommend going to this amazing gem!
Great food and atmosphere! Highly recommend.
Unfortunately our experience was really disappointing. No one greets you, just sit here. Waited an hour for app, caprese salad which was excellent. Another hour for entree, both came out and not what we ordered. The owner was very nice and tried to rectify the poor service and situation but not worth 2.5+ hours of time for pasta!
Atlantic Italian food for affordable prices.
The Best authentic Italian food.THE CHEF IS Italian...Valerie pasta are unforgettable!
Delightful little Italian restaurant. We ate outside and enjoyed the ocean breeze. They seem to prefer you make a reservation, when eating inside. It is just off of the main road, so there is a little bit of road noise. We had veal and chicken parmigiana for less than $50.
Was personally greeted by the owner and treated like family. Huge portions and very flavorful authentic Italian food.
I HAVE BEEN EATING HERE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT,PREPARED FRESHLY AND SERVED WITH THE UTMOST ENTHUSIASM BY THE STAFF. VALARIE AND FRANCESCO TREAT EVERYONE LIKE FAMILY. FOR A CASUAL DINNER I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I AM IN ITALY.
EAT HERE! EAT HERE! EAT HERE! The BEST chicken marsala EVER!!!! My hubby had the seafood farfalle. There is an actual Italian grandma in the kitchen. Need I say moreI?
Such great food. Cozy atmosphere. Greeted warmly by the restaurant patriarch. Felt like family. Wonderful staff. Loved this place. Would come back. Highly recommend!!! You wont be disappointed..
Three of my friends and I came across the Italian Cafe restaurant on vacation from Ohio. We decided to take a gamble and try the place out. To our surprise the food was absolutely delicious. All four of our meals was awesome. We will definitely come back. Try it out you will not be disappointed. We were even able to meet the owner who was warm and inviting.
Great little place!
Amazing delicious authentic Italian food for fair prices. Great service where they bring out the food to your car right now. I can highly recommend this place!!
Great local Italian restaurant! It was the first time for all of us in the group (party of four). On our way in we were greeted by the owner who was extremely friendly and made us feel very welcome. The wine, food and atmosphere were all excellent! We all thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and will definitely be back!
Food was cold! Took 1-1/2 hours to serve us and served other tables when we arrived first. Also, the food was not very good!
Excellent food and service (ordered papadrelle, shrimp and mushrooms). I will return soon. I want make sure they survive these COVID days.
Fabulous! Even my 99 year old Italian friend loved it and it takes a lot for her to say delicioso!!
Best lasagne & eggplant
Great old world Italian food. Authentic and delicious. Prices are very reasonable and its a cozy place to enjoy a wonderful dining experience. Plenty of great pastas as well as fish and meats. Try the muscles and clams appetizer. Youll love it. Excellent Italian bread and Italian olives and cheese. All is good from appetizer to dessert. Come hungry.
So good I shed a single tear 😢Dont spend your money anywhere else. Eat here, always!
Delicious food
This is the best restaurant in town! Amazing food and service.Love there Italian wines!
This is the best Italian restaurant in South Florida. The food is so fresh and delicious. The owner Francesco is the best, he makes you feel like family!!! We love this restaurant so much!!!
Very good home cooked chef meals 😋
We are Italian and dont typically go to Italian restaurants. On occasion, we have friends visiting and work schedules dont allow for me to cook a meal at home, we take our friends to Cafe Italia (they are often Italian also) because the food is freshly prepared, the seasonings are all fresh, the fish, especially, is perfectly prepared and is quite delicious. The portions are plentiful, the atmosphere very relaxed. The service is very pleasant and the prices very reasonable. I highly recommend to anyone looking for excellence in every way.
The place has some sort of an odor to it that it did not go after their renovation years ago. The food is very good, a d the wine list good enough and reasonably priced. Order the basics, do not go overboard. The owner is a very nice old man that always greets you. Sometimes you get olives and cheese while you wait. Good romantic place to go, better than the italian place next door
Good food. Not very friendly staff.
Wonderful places.. We love the owner and his wife and the food is top quality and the prices you wont fine anywhere else.. And so delicious 😋
Unfortunately I didn’t have the same experience as the first time I ordered from this restaurant. The first time their simple Spaghetti Marina dish was delicious. Today, it was like a blob of tomato paste was used for their sauce and tart too. I’m sorry I gave a $5 tip for a simple $10 dish and side salad - which dressing completely spilled over into my bag. Oh well, I guess it’s better eating in or the regular cook was out.
They serve big portions and for convenient prices. helpful employees. Never disappointing.
Its the real deal. Old school. Owner on premises all the time to greet you and welcome you to his restaurant. Menu varies with whats fresh and available.Its small, not fancy and the menu is limited, but what you get is good food, well prepared in the cozy atmosphere of a real Italian trattoria, the kind that you might find in Italy.The only thing I found that was strange was that they dont offer a Caesar salad.
Great Italian food restaurant waiter was great and food was delicious
Fantastic traditional food, and the service is excellent
Food is very good.
Cafe Italia is a wonderful restaurant. The food, wine, service is always wonderful. The prices are more than reasonable. I highly recommend this neighborhood jewel - a little piece of Italy right in Oakland Park.
Great little family owned Italian spot. Wonderful fish dish. Huge portions. Lovely service. Owner came over to say hello. Dont pass up this little unassuming place. Wonderful!
Real traditional Italian pasta. Friendly service!
Good food, reasonable prices the owner Francesco is very sweet, makes you feel like family. Definitely would come back. Good is authentic, made to order. Not many of those left around.
Not what I anticipated. Disappointed.
The BEST Italian food in Florida. 100% authentic Italian food. The owner Francesco and his wife Valerie are great very personable and his wife cooks very good. Family owned business would not go anywhere else!! Penne alla vodka and bread are to die for!!!
Always and exceptional meal in this restaurant. The fish and tuna dishes are excellent.I have been coming here for the past 3 years and Francesco and his staff have alwaysbeen great and a pleasure to visit. You will never go home hungry!
Closest to being in Italy! Begins with olives, cheese and rustic bread not found anywhere in FtLaud. Owner is delightful and chef is magnifico! So authentic. More than reasonable prices. Great house wine just like in Italy.
Without a doubt the best Italian food in Fort Lauderdale at the best price. The owner, Francesco, is an Italian native, the restaurant has been his pride for over 20 years. Food is incredibly fresh, made to order on the spot, and has some of the freshest Italian ingredients around.Bread is amazing and authentic. The olive oil, olives and asiago cheese are top notch. The pasta is flawlessly cooked and is aboslute magic every single time.Pasta sauce is fresh, rich and full of flavor. White tablecloths, great service, delicious wine and you could even bring your own bottle.The food is so fresh youll be blown away. And best of all, the prices are ridiculous. Side dishes of pasta for $2, $3 side salads and the most reasonably priced food youll feel like you got a steal.Ive been over 30 times and the food is flawless. Ditch the mainstream restaurants and come here for the most authentic Italian meal in town and youll save money doing it. A+++++ highly recommended. You will not regret it. Sundays are slow and the best time to experience the best. Enjoy!
The food was so over salted that I just couldnt believe it!I never complained, then we ordered coffee three times before we could actually get cream and they got annoyed with us!I had saltimbocca which if I did not know that I had ordered thatI never would have known that what I was eating!!The only thing that was good there was their bread, cheese that was served on the and olives; the worst part was that I have everybody go there and for what we paid, it was a disaster.... Extremely disappointed, Ill never understand it, we read great reviews on on it 👎
You can’t find places like this. Old school restaurant where you listen Frank Sinatra, eat authentic delicious Italian food whit great service. My favorite!
Veal saltimbocca was outstanding. Excellent food and service. Intimate and romantic spot. And the bread.....!!!
Absolutely delicious Italian food. Francesco is the man!! Valerie can sling some of the best food you can imagine! 😍Their bread is to die for!!!!
Very good as always the reason I could not give it 5 stars the service was very slow. There was a big birthday party of about 25 so that could have been why. This is great old school Italian restaurant must try
Great home cooked meal, a full glass of wine, a double long, sambuca and a little history from the sweet old-timers, and surprisingly only $$ for 2.
It has been many years since I had great home style Italian food. Excellent food and environment. The owner Francesco ( the 2nd! Because the 1st is the Pope in Rome, according to him) personally welcomed us and gave us a short history of his 25 years with the restaurant after coming from the Abruzzo region in Italy. Nice home feeling.
Interesting. Many tables but only one server. Food ok. Nothing spectacular. Most diners seemed to be regulars.
The Owner Francesco and his wife are so warm and welcoming!!! Authentic Italian meals which even my picky Husband from Torino loves and which make him feel likes hes back home in Italy. Fresh and flavorful plates, accompanied by warm and friendly service, all in a relaxing and elegant establishment make for a beautiful Italian cuisine date night!
The best home cooked Italian meals in Fort Lauderdale. Highly recommend! Been coming here for years.
Owner is extremely nice and welcoming. He reminds me of my Italian grandfather. Some of the best Chicken Marsala I have had in South Florida. Great staff and atmosphere!
Well I tried to place an order and I was told they dont have time, theyre too busy, and that the kitchen is a mess. Ive never had that experience before. I guess Ill just never try this place then. Dont waste your time, pick somewhere else.
What a great place! We had the Yellow Tail Snapper, great flavor and very fresh. Also tried the Osobucco It melted in my friends mouth. The pasta served with the main course was great as well; angel hair with olive oil and garlic. Yum. Our Service was great and Francesco made us feel very much at home. I will be back often.J Lopez
Best Italian in town
Italian family hospitality, quality food, and authentic Italian dishes. This little place is not easy to spot from the road but dont let that stop you from an outstanding Italian meal. Its owners are Italian and this is their little piece of Italy for over 23 years.
Very good foodCucina tAbruzzese
Just opened. I had the BEST eggplant parm I ever had anywhere. Absolutely delicious!
Enjoyed Italian fare Just about everywhere....to include Bostons North End. Quality and price cannot be beat. Service was great.
Extremely fresh ... extremely AUTHENTIC. Last time I tasted food this good was in Florence . Never had you tried bread, pasta, and fish the way they have prepared for their customers . Picking up more tonight ! Dont be concerned, this owner clearly has been around food and highly experienced since before most of us were born! More people need to try ; by far the most delicious authentic food you have ever experienced in your entire life ! SO GOOOOOODDDDD !
The food was delicious and good service the waiter was so nice Fabrizio.
I’ve gone to Cafe Italia for many years. I was very disappointed. One waitress for a crowded restaurant. They usually include olives and Italian cheese chunks as an appetizer, “not for tonight”, I was told.Going to look for a more adequately staffed Italian Restaurant!
Great food. Service very relaxed . We have hern dining here for 10 years plus so we know what to expectFood consistantly GREAT.
Super good, food came out HOT which is amazing, staff was nice
Fanatastic. Not busy on this Monday night but the food was phenomenal. Just like Italy. Another table was speaking Italian to the manager which seemed like a good endorsement as well.
Food was fantastic. Would definitelyrecommend.
Great little old Italian restaurant. The owner and staff are amazing. Veg options.
Great food. Family atmosphere.
What a great place. Great food and pleasant atmosphere. Great prices too
Good locally owned place. Amazing bread
Best Italian food in America! Must try it, no exaggeration!
Excellent food and service.The best italian food in ft lauderdale and surrounding areas.
Intimate family run Italian cafe with classic Italian dishes and friendly service.
Great food!
Excellent, excellent food and customer service. Definitely coming back again.
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- Ideal Food Basket2750 Davie Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, United States
