This Page is for all Reviews prior to 2010 for Caffé Italia.
Dinner is consistently awesome. The portions are fairly large. I recommend the Chicken Fettuccini which is served with red bell peppers and a spicy cream sauce. - LenaGranik
My personal favorite dish is the Kaboom (Angel hair pasta, red bell peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, and chicken in a yummy tomato cream sauce), but I'm a wimp for spice so I order it "Mild". -KayRide
- They named a dish after KenBloom (a.k.a. kabloom)? That's awesome; I didn't know he was so important in Davis. —BrentLaabs
- Actually, we call it the "Pasta Kaboom" because it's hella spicy, like, it's got a kick? Cute idea though. - KalenRidenour
I wholeheartedly second the opinion about the crayons. Many a mural have I left behind in my years here. - KenNeville
2005-02-25 02:45:27 I've been consistently underwhelmed by this place, having food that was either gross (a hamburger), bland (eggplant), or overly greasy (breakfast omelet). —CraigBrozinsky
when i ate here i was underwhelmed as well. i had a pasta dish once, that i would say was comparable to the Dining Commons, and a sandwich special for lunch that was at best ok. however, Davis does not really offer very many great italian restaurants. I am from the LA area (which has great italian food) and think the italian food here is so bad that anyone can make better food on their own, granted i have not tried pasta? yet. —MattHh
2005-06-17 03:50:35 I've always been really impressed with the food at Caffe Italia. My favorite dish probably has to be the Linguine with Clams (and I'm not even a "clam person") with the cream sauce (red good too). The linguine and pesto is simple but delicious, as is the roasted garlic starter. All the pastas I've had have been great (always wanted to try the Kaboom, damn wimpy non-spice friends). The only negative thing I can say about this place is that the portions are slightly small for their price (everything in Davis is), but then again I have a huge college guy appetite. The crayons are great for those of us who miss the old days. —AlvinTsao
2005-06-29 23:27:00 we went here after graduation and my parents loved it. —RohiniJasavala
2005-07-07 15:08:55 I ate at Cafe Italia for the first time recently and was totally unimpressed. —SummerSong
2005-07-14 19:15:59 Wow that's a really stiff no-show penalty. I know Caffe Italia gets busy, but not that busy. So you have to make a reservation by leaving your credit card number? —EdWins
2005-07-14 23:00:49 Yea, I just celebrated my birthday there. Two days ago when I called to make a reservation, they took my credit card number and told me about the reservation policies. It's the first restaurant ever that I've been to that made you pay if you don't show up or for more or less people! —JoAnnaRich
2005-07-14 23:39:37 As a former employee of this place, I can tell you that things used to be less strict with their reservations, among other things. I have heard that all of the rules are much more strict now. Fortunately for me, I work in a nicer place now. —PaulAmnuaypayoat
2005-08-10 18:58:29 One of my stand-by favorites in Davis, the service lately has been severely lacking. In contrast to other commenters, I've never had a bad dish here. French toast and omelettes are great, as is their lasagna and their chicken parm. They frequently have good specials as well. —MelissaPytlak
2005-09-04 23:04:30 The minestrone soup is excellent. Some of the best I've ever had in my life. And yes, the portions are huge. —EddieKim
2005-10-06 13:42:09 Way overrated in my opinion. Eaten there three times and was consistently underwhelmed. Casa De Sapore (formerly Pietro's) in Woodland is better (try the Cannelloni). —AlexPomeranz
2005-10-13 17:22:55 Good breakfasts. I've lived in Chico, and the parents' restaurant, The Italian Cottage, is better. A few years ago, both here and in Chico, some of the dishes changed for the worse. But I stand by the breakfasts, some of the pasta, and the Italian sandwiches. —MisterProfessor
2005-10-23 15:17:25 I've been eating here for 19 years and stand by the pasta, particularly the fettucine alfredo and the pasta kaboom! Alas, we had pizza there on Saturday and were astounded by its mediocrity — and the ladies' restroom was a serious health hazard. —WendeFeller
2005-10-23 23:33:43 Breakfast here was *OK*. Waffles with whipped cream and banana slices, and a couple of eggs. I enjoyed it, but it was nothing I couldn't make myself. —ReginaSikora
2005-10-24 00:37:52 My roommate claims they serve 4 dollar pitchers... can anyone afferm this? —AlexEley
2005-10-25 16:59:04 My wife and I ate here a while back and absolutely hated the food. It's a shame, though, because the service and atmosphere were great. —RoyWright
2005-12-14 09:58:33 One of the best restraunts in my opinion but it's one of those that you don't want to eat so much that you get sick and do't want to go again —LorenFinazzo
2006-02-05 18:57:04 Great place to work, I highly recommend trying the pasta kaboom and substituting for cavatappi noodles or Caffe melt with a chicken breast and pesto —JonAugst
2006-03-01 20:47:42 The spaghetti with pesto and spinach ravioli were just a tad bland and the portions were small for the price. However, the service and ambience were great, and any place that has crayons at the table gets a brownie point from me! —JennaChan
2006-03-13 08:59:16 One of my favorite places for breakfast. Cheaper than IHOP(which sucks) or about the same price. —JudyTang
2006-03-20 13:10:48 I've eaten at both Fuzio and Pasta? and I think this is the only Italian restaurant at Davis I will return to. I had a simple dish, but my friends had more complex food, and all of it was very tasty. The service was nice, too. They let us sample some pizzas they were thinking of putting on the menu. I really liked the seafood pizza ... as gross as that may sound. The prices were fair and the atmosphere was cute. I should be back. —SS
2006-07-28 20:25:08 I'm officially addicted to the wonderful Chicken Fettucini at this place. The serving size is HUGE, more than enough for two people to share. I usually make a dinner and a lunch out of it, and it's more than enough. The atmosphere is very "family friendly", something we appreciate. Overall, just a GREAT place to eat!!! —ShannonBooth
2006-07-28 20:32:05 I love the Chicken Fettucini here and the Pasta Kaboom, as well as most other people here. Does anyone think that it's kind of expensive, however? I'm surprised that it hasn't been mentioned yet. —LiRic
- For the quality and quantity of the food, the prices are just right. — JoAnnaRich
2006-08-25 23:14:32 This place looked like either an expensive tucked away restaurant, or a cheap hotel restaurant, and it is neither. We went here for dinner for the first time using gift certificates that a friend bought us, and we've gone back 2 or 3 times in the last 2 months since then. The portions are big, even the "half-sized" portions, and the food is good. Plus, you can draw crazy pictures on the table with crayons. As crazy as you like. I recently tried the steak with mushrooms and blue cheese, which was excellent - well worth the 18 bucks it cost. The wait staff is friendly, will mix cherry syrup into the sodas upon request, and take obscene dinner-table scrawlings with grace. :) I've forgotton completely about the existence of Strings Italian Cafe and Pasta? —KarlMogel
2006-08-27 02:01:54 The stuffed eggplant tasted like the calzone. It was difficult to tell the difference between the two. Also, service was slow. Not worth it to eat here. —JohnWong
2006-09-02 19:58:51 I don't understand all the fanfare about the Pasta Kaboom. The menu has a little warning next to it, telling people that it is hot. I tried it and it wasn't hot at all! I don't say this in an uppity "I can take hot dishes and you can't" sort of way, either. Not at all. It just wasn't what they said it was. It wasn't even MILDLY spicy! A bit milky, maybe. Not to say that the restaurant itself was bad. The atmosphere was welcoming and fun. My friends and I were celebrating a birthday and we had a lot of fun drawing messages on the table paper. In the end, we got to keep it, too. It's just... the Pasta Kaboom is not hot. What the hell? —NumiaCairaguas
- "2006-09-16 20:13:45" Next time just ask your server for it to be extra spicy, we can easily make it as hot as you want. I agree that the warning is a bit much; however, I believe it is mainly there to stand out and grab someones attention to one of the most popular dishes. —JonAugst
2006-09-17 20:52:52 I'll go with what is more or less the consensus opinion here—cute decor, middling food. Had the spinach ravioli. The ravioli itself was good, but the marinara tasted like red wine. The free garlic bread was delicious, though. I loved drawing on my place mat (I hope the waiters appreciated the dirty jokes I wrote). This would be a good place to take a date, though. It has a nice ambience, the food isn't too pricey, and you can write her lame, cutesy messages on your placemat. —SteveKent
2006-09-18 16:36:05 I'll eat middling food at an American diner, but middling food at a so-called Italian place is unacceptable. I can boil my own noodles and warm up sauce from a jar. Thus, I have no interest in paying this place $12 to give me the same kind of quality as I could get from a shelf at Safeway. When I hear the occasional rave about this place, I feel sorry for that someone hasn't had the opportunity to eat a meal at Vince's in West Sacramento, let alone Negri's in Occidental or a really good place in North Beach, SF. Seriously, on the "gourmet" edge of microwaveable meals, you can beat this place for flavor pretty easily. Useful only for breakfast; then again, you can't do much to mess up breakfast, and we all know that Davis lacks the variety of options that a major college town or village-like small city/utopian quasi-cosmopolis should have. —RickEle
2006-09-28 17:20:31 Wow, some of you people need to lighten up. Is the lunch and dinner decent is not better? The answer is yes, it isn't 5 stars but you leave happy. Is breakfast here the best in town? You freaking know it son! Tons of breakfast options, pretty good prices, can usually eat with two people for 12 bucks total and leave full. —SteveBlais
2006-09-28 17:38:13 The food is pretty good. However, one time both my girlfriend and I got food poisoning from here on the same night (two totally different items too). But it was so damn good I didn't care! :P —JoeyBennett
2006-10-09 16:42:26 Too expensive. I like the atmosphere tho. And the food was good. —KiwiSelina
2006-12-18 13:52:28 We are new to Davis and on our quest for the best breakfast in town. I was very disappointed to see a surcharge of $2.25 on the menu for egg substitute or egg whites. This is definitely the highest surcharge I have ever encountered. Perhaps it is just to serve as a warning for those who must watch their cholesterol that they should avoid Caffe Italia. Don't worry - I will. —PaulBauer
2006-12-29 16:06:29 Disappointment times two. Dinner before was pathetic with the pasta large but tasteless. Breakfast today was very bad: Cold eggs, soggy french toast, poor cut of bacon, and weird tasting orange juice. The rest of our party's food looked bad too. The waitress was one of those "I've been in this job too long" type and had a very bad attitude. I'm amazed by how people love and swear by this place. If not in a group and forced to go, I won't. I strongly recommend Cindy's instead. Great food and great service, consistently. —BrettCoder
2007-01-11 15:01:35 The food here is average, and the service is a bit slow. It is a overall average place. —WillLiu
2007-01-24 13:34:09 Just had breakfast there after a couple years. It was terrible. Cold omelette, cold potatoes(and undercooked), toast that wasn't toasted. The omlette was supposed to be ham and cheese. I saw ham but had to peel the whole thing open to check to see if there was ANY cheese at all. It was about half the size of the omlettes I had there a couple years ago. The best part was drawing on the "tablecloth" using crayons with my 2 year old niece. My family and I have already decided that we will not go back. —AyjaySmith
2007-03-29 11:06:35 I love their omelets for breakfast, their salads for lunch and their chicken parmesan for dinner. Best of all is the chocolate lasagna!!! —KarenNguyen
2007-05-03 19:49:07 The menu looks very promising here, with lots of choices. But I found myself disappointed. The "greens" in the dinner salad are iceberg lettuce (why do people persist in eating it? It has no nutritional value) and I was sorry that I didn't order the dressing on the side, because the lettuce leaves were dripping with the stuff. I thought the red sauce tasted like a jar of Ragu, which is OK if you like Ragu, but I expect better. (Strings' red sauce is much better). I will say, though, that the "lasagna" dessert (I don't recall the exact name, but they do refer to it as a lasagna) was really quite good — a brownie with coconut and walnuts, topped with ice cream and whipped cream, big enough for at least two people. —CovertProfessor
2007-05-07 11:24:01 Caffe Italia is a fun place but wouldn't go there for dinner. Their prices are a bit high for the lack of quality in the dishes. My dinner salad was not very appetizing with WAY too much dressing. My pasta dish was swimming in sauce and was incredibly disappointing. It's nice that they give you garlic bread with your meal though; plus you can draw on the table. But I'm always bummed when my friends choose to go here. —MissBelomy
2007-06-24 00:56:33 My friend and I had breakfast here today. It was quite tasty, decently priced, and the service was excellent. I have yet to try the dessert lasagna. —ZiweiHu
2007-07-19 16:13:49 It is official people do not know how to higher cooks, when is the last time you went to dinner and had good service? happens not to often and the food omg please i am eating at home all meals —dickjones
Well, when you run help wanted ads in the Enterprise saying Cooks wanted, no experience, will train $7.50 an hour... you are expecting chefs? Davis businesses love cheap student labor because UCD students have health insurance which means that employees will never ask a Davis business for health coverage if they are a student! Win win situation, huh? - —LouisM
2007-08-01 12:43:01 A worrying amount of people seem to think the food here is good, it is bearable but that's about all. The food is not Italian, chicken does generally not belong in pasta it should be an occasional exception not the rule. This all could be forgiven if a plate of pasta (although huge) was not around a whopping $12, it was worth $5 tops. —SusieStarcake
2007-08-20 21:48:12 Caffe Italia is my most FAVORITE restaurant of all of Davis. Their sauces are so full of flavor, I just can't get enough. If it's just spaghetti and marinara...the marinara is off the charts so TASTY and, once again, full of FLAVOR. When I go, I would always try to get something different, but I always go back to the TORTELLINI!!! You should try it...it's the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. <3 —MichelleV
2007-08-25 18:54:55 the one time i went here the waiter was not too bright. he got the wrong order and didnt know how to separate the checks. —MarcosDominguez
2007-09-09 10:12:49 Great food, good service. Bathroom stench coming down the hallway was horrendous will they ever fix that?? —Miley
2007-11-08 22:35:27 The pitchers are not 4 dollars. The one that we had tonight was 12 dollars. —sbraud
2007-11-11 10:37:21 Well, I learned something from MrProfessor. I did not know Cafe Italia was owned by the same people that own the Italian Cottage in Chico. I have eaten at the Cottage numerous times since I was a kid. Yeah, back when it had sawdust on the floor. I have never been to Cafe Italia for breakfast, only lunch and dinner. I like their menu, salads, pastas and minestrone. They are busy but seem to fit two people in without too much wait. Davis really has a problem with a good Italian place and Cafe Italia is the best in town. The Pasta Q served us bland pasta in a Chef Boyer-D liquid... what ever that was. Italia is much superior. —LouisM
2007-11-30 13:47:40 I went here for lunch today with two coworkers. Between the 3 of us, we ordered the spinach ravioli (gummy and raw-tasting, sauce had too much garlic), pot roast (meat was overcooked, and the sauce was too garlicky as well), and the chicken fettuccini (which was "OK"). Service was pleasant, although the waitress forgot part of our order. The dishes weren't worth the prices we paid. The mere thought of the ravioli makes me nauseous. This is a kitchen nightmare! Call Chef Ramsay! —SueReiff
2008-01-17 10:59:27 I went to this restaurant around christmas with some friends. I ordered the carbonarra (one of my all time favorites). Unfortunately this was almost unedible. The only reason I did not return it was because it had already taken 45 min to get it. The peas in it were chalky and the pasta undercooked. I was not impressed. I have had far better at less cost at the Olive Garden. —Karik
- The carbonara isn't very good at Caffé Italia. However, the rustic penne, tortellini amalfi, and pasta arrabiatta are excellent. —BrentLaabs
2008-01-27 11:38:58 We've been going here monthly for the past two years, and we normally stick to two menu items- the tortellini amalfi and the Meatsa Pizza. They have been consistently very good while the service has been relatively quick and friendly. We'll keep going there as long as it stays the way it's been...nothing but positive comments for this restaurant! —RMM
2008-01-28 16:47:38 They have never disappointed. GET THEIR TORTELLINI DISH!!! EXCELLENT!!! 10/10!!! —thelonepiper555
2008-02-10 18:52:48 I ordered for takeout, so I can't say much about the place itself. I probably would have been annoyed because I don't like busy places with people talking loudly. Anyway, the meatballs and garlic bread were yummy and I LOVED the Thai Pizza. I'm surprised nobody has commented on that yet... —JenniferGiang
2008-03-23 19:00:37 From my experience, Caffe Italia has always been fantastic. I have eaten there several times and each time the meal has been spot on. I especially like the Pasta Kaboom —BrandonMinow
2008-03-29 21:56:34 Just got back from here. It was a very nice restaurant with good food and service. It is a bit loud in there, especially when people bring kids in, but other than that very nice. The garlic bread was amazing. The only thing I would complain about is that the waiters seem to fight over who works the wait list, and thus our name was completely forgotten about, if we hadn't said anything, they would have never sat us. Other than that, very good, I will be returning, hopefully with better service next time. —BrandonBarrette
2008-03-30 00:47:35 Honestly, if you are going to get breakfast, go to Bernardo's or Putah Creek Cafe in winters instead because this place isn't all that special in my opinion. —LizMelack
2008-05-21 11:10:21 I had the fettuchini alfredo with chicken and it was disgusting. It was greasy and tasted like a frozen pasta dinner. I hear their breakfasts are good, though. The service was good, though...the waitress brought me a soda without enough syrup and corrected the problem before I had even noticed there was a problem. —Kiran
2008-05-21 20:09:18 I came here recently for a friend's birthday dinner and ordered ravioli with vegetarian red sauce. Apparently this was a difficult order because they messed it up, twice. The waitress was nice and apologetic enough, but when I finally got my meal everyone else was finished and it wasn't good enough to bother asking for a box. They didn't take it off the bill either, so I ended up paying and going home hungry. —carlaisnt
2008-05-21 23:59:24 This place is overrated. I don't understand the fascination with this place. Friends of mine rave about this place as if it's like the greatest Italian food on earth. Just like a taste of Tuscany or whatever.
I used to frequent this place several years ago. It's gone downhill. I've had some disgusting dishes here. The last time I was there, I ordered the fettuccini alfredo (w/ chicken) and it was dreadful. And cold. How do you screw up pasta, anyway? Isn't it like the easiest thing to make? —CurlyGirl26
2008-06-06 08:46:08 I enjoy the non-italian dishes for lunch and breakfast. Dinners have been terrible in the past and frankly I haven't been back for dinner in years. The sandwhiches are really good (I like the beef dip with pepper jack cheese). Breakfasts are basic and always good. Sometimes it is nice to get just a good "traditional" breakfast. —LokiAbbi
2008-06-27 09:35:59 I recently had a problem with a disappointing meal at Caffe Italia, wrote to the managers and they bent over backwards making it right. I came away with a very favorable impression of the restaurant and would unhesitatingly recommend it to anyone. —BevSykes
2008-06-28 18:20:49 I ordered the Pasta Kaboom and an Iced Tea for lunch today and the check came out to $18.30 BEFORE the tip. I love the Kaboom, but doesn't 20 bucks seem a bit high for a lunch for one? —AynReyes
2008-07-07 18:15:21 I'm always please with the meals I get here. The Veal Sambocca is really good as are the omlettes. I frequent the Caffe far too frequently and keep going back for more. —LeslieOwens
2008-07-15 11:58:47 Agree - the veal is awesome! Try to come here at least once a month. —slt
2008-08-09 17:56:32 I love the Chicken Fettuccini. the sauce tastes great! i also ordered this green pasta once and hated it...too bland. the place is a bit expensive, but for the chicken fettuccini, it's worth it! —Joty
2008-09-25 00:23:24 This place is either a homerun or a complete miss. I come to Cafe Italia about once a month. I have been going to Cafe Italia for over 3 years now. It was one of my first college dining experiences. I have been extremely satisfied with their "Rustic Penne". It's one of the best things on the menu. Their garlic bread is quite good especially if you ask for Mariana or Olive Oil with Balsamic Vinegar. However, that said I had several complete miss experiences. I ordered one of their specials "Seafood Fetticcini" and was completely dissapointed. The price was not worth what was served. For 18.99 plus tax there were a total of five small shrimp, and very few scallops. The pasta was slighty undercooked and the sauce was very light for a seafood dish. I also ordered the "Farmers Market Bruchetta which was good ,but I must warn you that its only 3 small pieces of toast so don't order this appetizer if you are hungry. I have ordered the "Pasta Kaboom" in months past and really like this dish in addition to the Texas toothpicks. I recently ordered the cheesecake and was very satisfied with this lovely desert. Their breakfast is very good as well especially their omlettes and biscuits and gravy. Overall, Cafe Italia does a good job, but sometimes they make a big blunder and it makes me consider not going back or just sticking with what I know is good. I have included some pics of some of the dishes for portion size, etc. For your birthday they sing to you and then you get vanilla icecream that has been choc dipped. 4/5 stars on good days If you are looking at saving some money join their free club. For signing up you get 15 percent off and every month or so they sent you postcards for free meals up to 10 dollars. There are also specials during certain months. Joining the club makes me come here more often because I save a little money. UPDATE: I recently ventured from my normal Pasta Kaboom and Rustic Penne to try their steaks,Thai pizza and Chicken Fettuccine. I really liked the Chicken F and the Thai pizza was a homerun ,but was not at all impressed with the steaks, the steak was very fatty and just not high quality for the 21.99 price tag. My friend and I go to Cafe Italia all the time and really enjoy their atmosphere and service when they are not busy. Brian is a great server. We also recently had several of the no peeking envelopes opened on our last three visits: we received 50 percent off a dinner en tree, a free appetizer, and free dessert. They also sent me a Half Birthday 10 dollar coupon. I will be trying their Shrimp Cafe April special later in the month. July 09 Cafe Italia had a great special in the month of July called "Date Night" For 30 bucks you got one Anti-Pasta Plate for an appetizer, choice of any two drinks including any glass of wine, 2 entree's of your choice, and choice between a Choc lasg or funnel sticks(a great value when you consider 2 entree's alone usually cost 30 dollars). I had Choc las the first time and funnel sticks the second time. You get a good portion of funnel sticks with a Raspberry and Choc dipping sauce and it's a good dessert if you want a lighter dessert. I also tried the Pasta Carbino and it was ok ,but smaller dish than the Rustic or Kaboom. This place keeps me coming back with their constant supply of coupons, rewards, and specials.
2008-09-28 22:06:16 Was here for dinner on Thursday. It was good times. I ordered the seafood fettuccini and thought it was quite tasty and satisfying. Although, I do think that $18.99 is a bit steep. Now I eat out a lot and don't mind throwing down money for a meal, but this didn't seem reasonable for what I was getting. I recommend the Texas Toothpicks. Those are fun. The garlic bread is only tolerable. We ordered some desert that was rather decadent.
We had a nice server, but she could have been more on top of the drink re-fill.
Not everything is perfect here, but I still recommend it. The food and service, overall, is good and it's just nice place to go and gather with friends to just hang out and talk. —CurlyGirl26
2008-09-29 20:35:02 Priced about the same as Pasta?, but the portions are larger. ie. If you order something here, you will probably not feel the urge to go elsewhere for even more food. The food at Pasta? tasted a little bit better. Given the money and the quality of the food, between these two restaurants, I would probably go to a totally different restaurant... —IDoNotExist
2009-01-09 14:49:44 Honestly, like many mid-range Italian restaurants, some dishes are better than others. The Pasta Kaboom! and the Chicken, Italia-style (With Prosciutto) are fantastic dishes, full of flavor. However, my wife and I can make a better lasagna at home with ingredients easy to find at Safeway. But let's be honest here - Most of us could go out and buy $50 worth of stuff (including pans/dishes if you don't have the necessary stuff at home) and download a recipe from Bigoven, and spend 7 hours in the kitchen to make an Italian meal, bread and all. Most of us eat out because we enjoy the social atmosphere, or because we feel like we need to be waited on for once (Heaven help me I love school but sometimes I want to feel like a celebrity, too!) If you go to Italia when you're very hungry, unless you get an appetizer (the pesto breadsticks are amazing), and drink a lot of cola/coffee/whatever your vice is, you WILL be left hungering for me. That is, if you have a normal appetite. For the really hungry among us, it'll be even more dissatisfying.
As far as "disgusting" dishes goes, I've never experienced anything at Italia that even remotely qualifies as disgusting. Average, mediocre, and bland in some dishes for sure, but never repulsive. It is expensive, and for the money, Johnny Carino's in Natomas will give you more for your buck, but in Davis, this is probably as good as it gets in a balance of price, atmosphere and location. —Aggieanthony
2009-01-27 10:15:20 I would like to compliment the owners of Caffe Italia. We had some difficulties with a meal and when I wrote to express my disappointment, they offered us a free dinner for two, complete with dessert and beverage (wine, if we wanted). I make it a point of writing to a place if I've had a very bad experience and also if I've had a very good experience (because I don't think they hear the good stuff often enough). I was highly impressed at the pride with which the owners held their restaurant and the extent to which they were willing to go to make sure customers were satisfied.
Is this a gourmet restaurant? No. But the food is good, reasonably priced, the wait staff is attentive and the garlic bread is worth the trip all by itself. —BevSykes
2009-02-22 11:51:26 They only serve breakfast until 1 on Sundays!!! How disappointing. —leiris
2009-02-23 23:53:34 The service here is very friendly and usually quite attentive but the food varies. Despite the average food, I come back here for the service and the fact that I know exactly what to expect. Here are some recently ordered dishes: Pepperoni Calzone- seems like dough stuffed with as much pepperoni and cheese (but mostly pepperoni) as possible and therefore very difficult to eat Seafood pasta- pretty good but a tad greasy garlic bread- tasty but has been doused in a vat of margarine veal samboca- not fantastic but not repulsive, just a decent meal that tastes nowhere near as tender as veal usually does salads- not good. consists of mix of iceberg lettuce, greens, and beans with very processed dressing All in all this is an okay place for a casual bite to eat when cooking does not appeal to you.
2009-02-24 08:22:18 I used to love Caffe Italia, because I felt like it was a classic place that I associated with Davis. Unfortunately, I left really disappointed the last 2 times. It just wasn't the quality we used to receive a few years ago. The spicy chicken fettucine was actually missing the chicken, and we had to ask for them to put some in. When they did, it was just 4 strips of chicken! The portion was smaller and the price higher. My polenta had a hair in it and I never got the marinara I asked for on the side. Overall, the bill was way too high for what we got. I think I'd stick to making Italian at home now that their quality has gone downhill. —AmLin
2009-04-03 14:40:27 Now that I have two (young) kids, I've found this is one of the few places that I can still rely on. In other words, it's a great family restaurant with reliable service and delicious food. The crayons are also great. My picky-eater daughter loves their fish & chips. I love the veal parmigiana (yes veal, shoot me). I'd also recommend their weekend breakfasts... it's standard fare (omlettes/sausage/bacon), but better than IHOP in my opinion. —ChonT
2009-04-11 22:09:13 Not vegetarian friendly!!!! Ordered a Veg. Calzone and it was full of meat. The manager said well you guys ate half your meal so you should pay for 1/2. Not very costumer oriented, especially for a restaurant. —Venk
2009-04-13 16:38:38 The first couple times I ate here I was delighted with their food. Their portions were large and the taste was fantastic. I ate there yesterday with my boyfriend and was thoroughly disappointed with our meal. Their prices have stayed the same (or increased?) but their portions have shrunk. When they brought out my plate, I thought it was a wrong order at first. They used to serve meals on those big round plates, and our meals came out and plates half that size! But it was the items we'd ordered. Not only is the size horribly changed, but the food was just mediocre. All in all, we went away having paid a rather large sum for food we could have had somewhere much cheaper. And we've decided that what was once our favorite restaurant is a place we will avoid in the future. —jjgorgen
2009-06-01 05:35:36 All I can really say about this is FRENCH TOAST. The french toast is soooo good, enough that I ask for it for my birthday. It's always perfectly cooked and the batter is just slightly spiced in a way that I've never managed to duplicate. Add in the healthy portion of incredible bread that it starts with and you've got this kid hooked. The basic penne pasta is another of my favorites. Big pile of pasta, juicy tomatoes, delicate cream sauce, and a big dollop of cold ricotta in the middle. So simple and so good! The staff is always cool, and one of my favorite things about it is making... ahem... "artwork" of the paper on the tables. Makes me feel like a big kid, especially when I draw something entirely inappropriate and make my meal companions spray drinking substances out their noses. Crayons are awesome. I sometimes wonder if I make a true masterpiece of it, would they keep it? I'll probably just have to give it a (serious) shot. —KBathory
2009-08-14 06:08:47 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEE TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS PPPPPPPPPPLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( I love this place) they have the best food ever!!!! though the prices are high it is SOOOO worth it! —pancake5556
2009-08-14 06:09:06 oh and i love that you can draw on the table —pancake5556
2009-09-07 23:36:34 some of the worst food in davis. how hard is it to cook decent italian?! I'll never forget eating with my cousin here. He ordered a steak sandwich whick looked like a gray shriveled peice of rubber. He almost vomited half way through in a fit of disgust. I always liked this place growing up becuase you get crayons to draw on the tables. I never realized the food was pure shit (hell, I even liked Carls Jr. as a kid). I you are looking to eat cheap italian, go to fuzios. It is pretty terrible stuff itself, but at least you can order a cocktail to numb the senses. —JustinMehlhaff
2009-09-08 21:04:49 Funny how some people say the chicken fettuccini is their favorite. I had some and it was the worst chicken fettuccini I've ever had... and I've eaten at the Olive Garden. It was cheese, pasta, chicken, and about half a cup of oil. Terrible taste with a ton of salt to top it off. I can cook better italian just by watching molto mario a few times. —CoffeeSnobDavis
2009-09-18 20:37:21 I just had a great lasagna here tonight. Very nice! —NickSchmalenberger
2009-10-30 10:34:23 I love this place. I have been coming here for years. The menu has a huge selection of choices, the food has always been delicious. I love the eggplant parm. Best breakfast around. The french dip is amazing as well. Karen and Jorge are awesome waiters. They always give top notch service. I also recommend the rewards program if you are a regular customer. I receive $5.00 to 15.00 reward certificates all the time! —ashleyinthemist
2009-11-11 11:09:54 This is my favorite breakfast/brunch place in town. I love their french toast. It's also a great place to go with your parents after an Aggie game. Plentiful seating. Decent prices. I also enjoy the Pasta Aribatta. —GJC02
