Reviews for Caffe Italia in Albany, NY

My friend and I dined at Caffe Italia for the first time last night and it was the finest restaurant experience in my life. The... incredible meals were only eclipsed by the impeccable service! We were visited by at least six of the staff during the courseof our meal and this level attention was stunning. It was like going back in time to when going out to dinner was a specialexperience. We will certainly be back! 5 Stars! Read more

I have dairy and gluten allergies and was still able to enjoy an Italian meal. I had lobster risotto with shrimp Fra Diavolo. It... was delicious. I highly recommend coming. The staff was very accommodating to my dietary needs. Read more

I first noticed this restaurant as I was leaving the car wash down the street. It struck me as a place I would like to try; and... finally did. This is not a place for thirty-somethings, and just about everyone who came in while we were there -the tableswere gone by 6 pm - were, more or less, into their senior years. Why? Because the food is terrific (not amazing), and theservice is terrific (not perfect). I asked our waiter how long the place had been open, as it is in a very middle-classneighborhood, fairly small, and not particularly luxurious; he told me his grandfather had opened it during the 70's. Thenanother server came to the table, and when I referred to the earlier conversation, she said, to the effect, that's my son. Itis certainly reasonable to consider this a "family-owned-and-operated" restaurant, and it shows that quality in every respect. The menu is comprehensively Southern Italian (pasta, meatballs, chicken, veal, vegetables, and home-made desserts), withspecials (we had soft-shelled crabs), and spaghetti with clams. All were expertly prepared, and served hot. At all times,though we were seated outside with our puppy, and the only ones there, we were never forgotten about. So, five stars comes notfrom competing with a Michelin-recognized eatery, it comes from delivering expertly what they promise, old-fashioned Italianfood prepared and served as if Italians were cooking (and serving) it. They feel good when someone enjoys it, and you will. One small caveat; avoid the outside tables if possible. Central Avenue is simply too busy between 5-7 p.m. in that neighborhoodto give the food the environment it so well deserves. Read more

Caffè Italia Best Italian food in the region! ???? I was invited here from a friend who haven’t been here for a while. we... ordered our food and everything was very good and I really enjoyed the delicious Italian taste and conversation with myfriend. My five star ?? for this place is inly for taste and chef’s ????????? Few things need to improve for thisrestaurant; • There’s no parking ????? for this restaurant and you have to find spot on the street, and unfortunately streetparking isn’t available all the time. • menu needs improvement, they had especial menu for Friday but wasn’t on the tableand explained by servers. • price on the menu isn’t reasonable and dessert menu wasn’t available. • interior design ofrestaurant is so basic, if you are serving a delicious Italian taste at your place you must present Italian atmosphere. Fingerscrossed for improvement???? Read more

A most intimate true Italian restaurant. Loved the service, everyone makes you feel well taken care of. Had the veal, some of... the best ever. Cooked to perfection. Its abit pricey. Reason for 4 stars, I felt rushed. Waitress took my half eaten salad whenshe brought my entree. Didnt ask, just grabbed it. I definitely wasnt done with it. Seems the courses came too fast, too closetogether. Same thing with bread & oil..gone too quick. They want to turn the tables & for their prices, a party of 2 should beallowed at least 2 hours from appetizers through desserts. Sadly, that was a downer to an otherwise fantastic meal. Read more

This is a classic old Albany Italian restaurant. It's tight inside, with greeting by the door next to tables, and the server's... station in the dining area also. One feature that has been added since Covid is an outdoor seating area with a canopy, which hasluckily added to their capacity. We hadn't been here in probably 3 years but we immediately recognized our greeter, who appearedto be the front of house manager. Obviously staff are satisfied there; they are experienced, professional and seamless. We werelooking for a few old favorite dishes, and although they have reduced the size of the menu, the server didn't hesitate to assureus the kitchen could make whatever we wanted. We had eggplant rollatini as an appetizer, which is still heavenly. They also madeup a fresh bowl of pasta fagiole upon request which was broth light but flavor full, if you will. Entrees still come with asalad. The greens were very fresh, and everyone enjoyed their choice of dressing -- gorgonzola, tomato basil, and Italian.Entrees to order were veal saltimbocca, veal Quatro stagione (four seasons) with spinach, artichokes, roasted red peppers andpepperoncini. One of the specials was veal bruschetta, a breaded veal cutlet with a white wine sauce and bruschetta topping.Rounding out our entrees was pasta carbonara, perfectly prepared. We were stuffed but opted for filled to order mini cannolis,crisp and delicious. This is not a mom and pop establishment with comparable prices, but if you desire a truly Italian bistromeal with service and food top notch, this is for you. Read more

What a surprise. Such an incredible restaurant in an area of Central Avenue not known for dine dining. The chef takes pride in... their dishes. The food was fantastic and didn't take as long as you'd expect from what clearly was from-scratch dinners. Wewere seated quickly on a Friday without a reservation (party of 3). Upon being seated, we were immediately served hot, freshbread and a dish of oil and seasoning. The prices were a tad higher than expected, but the service and experience was wellworth it. No parking lot, but it wasn't difficult to find on-street spots relatively close by. Read more

Went here last week for our anniversary dinner. The place is very small (can only fit around 8 tables) but very quaint. We were... seated in a small cubical near the window. Although a bit of a tight fit, we enjoyed having the window view. Our server, whoinformed us that she was also one of the owners was very friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed buying a bottle of wine and someappetizers to start. We had the meatballs and clams casino. The meatballs and their homemade sauce (which they sell jars ofthere) was fabulous. It tasted as homemade and fresh as my grandfather used to make. The clam casinos were good, but nothingthat stood out. We both decided to go with the chicken parm which you could cut with a butter knife. We were served very largeportions that became lunch the next day as well. Dessert is what moved this review from a 4 star to a 5 star. Their lemonricotta cheesecake was the best dessert I think I ever had. It was creamy, rich and fresh. I enjoyed it more with every bite. Iwould come back just for that alone- it is a must try if you are here. We are frequent flyers of NYC little italy, and whilethis food matches the quality you get down there, the ricotta cheesecake is top notch and even better than I have had before. Wewill be coming back. Read more