Caffe Italia

Elite '08

12

73

Ashley O.

East Boston, MA

Edit-Went here a second time because I thought I would give it the benefit of the doubt and it is close to my house. Again, horrendous experience. One waitress for the whole room who is pissed off and rude. After we wait 15 minutes for her to come to my table she walks up, pulls out a pad of paper, reads the specials and says these are the specials I will give you a minute. Um, no, we have had 15, take our orders. BIG SIGH. 10 minutes more for bread and our salad. I get an important call and go outside to take it and there she is smoking a cigarette and bitching to someone about how overworked she is. Funny, I haven't got any service yet. Who are you waiting on? Food was awful, overpriced, and she told us sadly they where closing because of all the hispanics in the neighborhood. Now apparently nobody eats their food. I think it is cause your food sucks and so does your attitude. Not a racial demographic. Glad it is closed now. Maybe a good place will take it's place!
Initial review
I am not as easily impressed as I guess others are by this place. I walked in with 3 friends Saturday night and not only did not one person working there even speak to us but they actually gave us dirty looks. The place was totally empty except for a few old guys speaking italian at the bar, I mean REALLY OLD, and a 2 or 3 tables of dinners. We stood there awkwardly until I finally just sat us down at a lounge table. We rearranged our own chairs and everything and still hadn't been spoken too. I came here because I heard the martini's are so fabulous. We go get our own drink menu while still being stared at but not spoken too by the waitstaff. I am starting to wonder if they want our business. It is 8 PM. Not like we walked in when they where closing.  A waitress makes her way over and we ask about the martini's. She said "whattya want, we can make it". Umm ok, which isn't true because then she came back and told us they don't make the keylime martini my friend ordered. We all end up with espresso martini's because apparently that is what the bartender makes well. They were good. I wouldn't make a special trip. I get a second martini, it was ok. Then we sit and sit and sit. I see our waitress in the next room sitting down eating. Ok, nobody is covering for her? My friend gets up and goes to the bar and asks for a diet coke. Some waitress standing there snaps at her to go sit down and glares in the other room at our waitress. WTF! Are you kidding. Pick up the gun and give my friend a soda. I dont need to be a part of your drama. $48 dollars later we have to find our waitress again for the check, we leave cash and take off. The food looked ok as it went by but I wouldnt go through that experience again to try it.

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0

12

Ulli R.

Boston, MA

Great Italian restaurant. Amazing pizza and pasta dishes and also kick butt martinis.
The cafe area also has some really nice cafe type drinks....the waitresses and absolutely adorable and feisty. LOVE THEM. :)

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130

197

O M.

Somerville, MA

This is a wonderful restaurant.  Now that Marino's in Cambridge is closed, there aren't a lot of places like this around.  

The front has a bar and small tables to drink coffee and espresso, and the dining room is classy.  The service is superb.  I have loved all of the food I've had here, and I especially like the escarolle soup.  If you want a nice Italian restaurant with authentic, well-made Italian food and a great ambience this is the place for you.  PLUS you don't have to brave the North End crowds.

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2

7

James B.

Boston, MA

Real gem in Eastie.  Dining room with an open kitchen is intimate and has a cool urban feeling.  The food here is superb.  My favorite is the one that is similar to a saltimbocca (forgot what they call it there).  Also have good fusilli.

During the day amid the older gentlemen chatting in Italian at the bar, John will make you one of the best espressos in Boston.  There are only one or two guys at Cafe Graffiti that compare with John and I don't know of any other place around the Boston area that compares with Graffiti or Cafe Italia for espresso.

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1

33

Dani F.

Winchester, MA

During the day you can sit at the bar and have an espresso, watch Italian television and have a chat with the regular patrons. At night you can dine at the restaurant which is small, intimate and romantic. Enjoy andantipasto and a nice plate of lobster ravioli. For dessert they have some of the best italian cakes in town.

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