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Aldo's Cafe
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Aldo's Cafe
Review Highlights
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"the place is very clean and the staff is very courteous." In 4 reviews -
"...and small but solid menu, and we also take out frequently." In 2 reviews -
"I had the meat lasagna, which was a HUGE portion and their..." In 2 reviews
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37 reviews in English
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Review from Carrie S.
3/11/2012
Breakfast all day. YES!
Featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives? YES!
Good views? YES!
I loved this little place. I had great food, great service, good company, and talked with a few regulars who provided some great menu suggestions (Guy's suggestion here is the Chicklen a la King with the biscuits, or the cioppino)
Cioppino: Get it.
Good size menu, but a little pricey. But, it is Santa Cruz. -
Review from jean c.
San Jose, CA
5/17/2012 1 photo
So far so good, impressed with the place. Good clean food, good service nice portions. Pizza is light and airy and the caesar salad with chicken great for lunch. Prices are very reasonable for the good location and nice decor. They have a good thing going here.
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Review from Brant H.
Bellevue, WA
4/30/2012
Awesome service and food. Great time with some great friends. The Penne Sausage and the Aldo's salad were excellent!
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Review from Dale M.
Los Gatos, CA
Updated - 4/27/2012
Our Favorite local restaurant. The Basa Filet, Cheese Tortellini and Lasagna. Nice wines and desserts too. They can get busy but we find the staff friendly and attentive.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/29/2011
The food is always great -- we've had the Tortellini, Lasagna, Basa Filet, calzone and pizza.… Read more »
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Review from Gerry D.
San Jose, CA
5/3/2012
came to aldos cafe expecting a great italian experience. i got a good sandwich during lunch but was not blown away by it. the price for a sandwich was higher than expected and it did not deliver (dry and salty). I will try again but will try one of the main courses instead as the person i ate with was happy with their course.
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Review from Lia S.
San Jose, CA
8/6/2011
I was pretty disappointed by this place. Some good elements, but rather uneven. I think I made a mistake in thinking it would be a tiny bit more casual-ie, we could order a salad and some pizzas or sandwiches and it would be a tad faster (it might be that way for lunch; we came for an early dinner). We weren't that hungry, so we ordered a light dinner-hubs had the mista salad and I ordered a soup (pasta fagiole) and a salad (insalata con arancie) off the specials menu. As soon as we ordered, we both got a distinct vibe from the waiter that we were the "screw them, they are a soup and salad" table (I used to wait tables and remember servers like that.
Husband's mista was a solid, excellent, mista, a bit pricey, but clearly using superior ingredients and it's local so it gets a pass. He liked it.
My pasta fagiole was not like any pasta fagiole I've had (mostly homemade by Italian relatives). Just sort of a simple basic broth (a tasty broth, nevertheless) with some pasta (homemade pasta) and some cannelini beans that appeared to be out of a can. It felt thrown together. I was bored, even though the ingredients were fairly good.
My salad was interesting, but the oranges overpowered the rest of the dish and I was hoping for some greens. It was just avocados, onions and oranges with a yummy vinegrette. I wished I hadn't ordered what I did. I saw some other food coming out of the kitchen that looked better, but I hesitated, because the menu prices were high (16.50 for aglio olio? Seriously? Even with the most expensive olive oil and pasta in the world, it should not cost that much.) But other pizzas and pastas coming from the kitchen looked sorta good. If I ever went there again, I'd order pizza.
They messed up our order (soup first for me, then both salads as entrees was what we asked for; but my soup and his salad came out at the same time and then I ate my salad alone). The table in front of us also got their order messed up-they didn't get what they asked for foodwise, and they looked sort of pissed off.
This place could be great if they took a minute to revamp their menu a teensy bit and trained their servers better. They obviously buy quality ingredients, but it's, like I said, uneven, and too much $ for an uneven experience. I'd give it another try if I lived closer, but doubt I'll make the trip based on my proximity and the last experience. -
Review from Roland P.
San Jose, CA
1/5/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The best fettuccine Alfredo i have ever had in my entire life! OMG. And my fat ass with man boobs loves me some Alfredo!
The problem, and i wish they would fix this, the portion of Alfredo is so small, six fork-fulls later the plate is empty. But its so damned good you just have to go back for more.
Blondie loves the sandwiches here. Definitely worth trying this place out. You wont leave unhappy but you will leave still hungry unfortunately. -
Review from Leen T.
Campbell, CA
11/25/2011
It's my first time trying out Aldo's Cafe in Los Gatos in hope to find a good Gnoccchi dish. On the menu, it was for $12.50 but they charge me $16 when I picked up my order. I called the restaurant back and discuss the price differences but I was told that if i'm not happy with the order, i should bring it back.
Overall, I was very disappointed with the portion I received for $16 and the customer service was very unpleasant.
I would not recommend this place or eat there again. -
Review from Vivian G.
San Jose, CA
10/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
I like the food here very good not bad for your money!
Never got food that is disappointing!
And I also like Giuseppe!
Because he is so nice and always give good service! -
Review from Kitty M.
San Jose, CA
7/8/2008
While I don't think that Al Gore is worthy of a Nobel Peace prize or much less a second thought for his turn or burn movie, An Inconvenient Truth.....I feel that perhaps we have some issues going on with the state of our fine planet. And in this "green hysteria" we now have people preaching about the effects of eating foods that are pumped full of hormones, anti biotics and other fun chemicals. So, while I may not be "greening it up" at home, I am at least trying to "green up" my body.
I thought that aside from buying organic and all of that other fun costly stuff, I should consider giving myself a little "evil food" detox.....you know the stuff you are warned about or have read may be bad for you but you eat it anyway cause it is so damn good. Meat, dairy and sugar. Three items that I hold near and dear to my heart.
I thought I would start my grand cleanse today but realized I had no Stevia for my coffee and I just had to plop in a little Coffeemate into the morning java.....strike one
Then lunchtime hit and I figured I would be good and get a salad or fruit or something that was cleansing or sorts. I ended up at Aldo's Deli and still assumed that I was not going to be swayed by the evils that lay in front of me on the specials board. Strike 2, 3 and beyond.
I am now the proud owner of a devoured and most delicious italian sandwich.
This bad boy was a Bresaola wonder. Piled on a fresh baguette was this delcicous air dried meat, so dark and flavorful it would have been fabulous on its own. It was topped with a creamy Taleggio cheese and some sort of wonderful concoction of balsamic glazed pears. This was truly a delcious sandwich that was meant to be eaten on a summer afternoon in the Riviera - or at our lunch table at work.
I cannot wait to go back and purchase some of their fine inported Italian foods to make at home or any of their other fabulous dishes. The menu isn't cheap but either is that gas I am putting in my car that leaves my fine carbon footprint all over the SouthBay.......here is to a new day of cleansing tomorrow, agh.Listed in: Eatin in the Gat, Best thing since sliced bread
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Review from Danielle m.
San Ramon, CA
2/18/2009
I just went here and got a "turkey breast sandwich". My low rating is NOT for the staff, they are very very nice. The sandwich on the other hand is another story. I was expecting actual turkey breast (like at evey other high end-ish deli around) and this was literally that gross, processed oscar meyer lunch meat NO JOKE! I got back to work all excited, mmm fresh turkey breast, and I am greeted with this slimy, processed crap. $7.50 for LUNCH MEAT! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Everything else here looked good, but don't get this sandwich, totally nasty. -
Review from Raian V.
San Jose, CA
3/27/2009
I came here for Lunch since my friend worked just across the street. When I walk in, you can see the nice decor and it feels like you're in a little cute deli in Italy. They also have Pizza and some pasta dishes along with a good list of wine. My friend ordered the Turkey Breast and I ordered the Roast Beef Panini. The Panini come in a huge plate and there's also some kind of salad with a sauce tasted like vinegar on top. I thought the salad has a very distinctive but yet good taste.The bread of the Panini was chewy yet soft. The meat and veggie were very fresh and it's really good. I don't know what happened that day but my friend and I only ate half and we're both full.
The staff was very friendly, I can tell this is a local favorite because a lot of people came in and were talking to the staff and maybe the owner? I wasn't sure who's the owner but they seem to know each other. I would definitely want to go back and try their pasta next time. -
Review from Alan W.
Campbell, CA
Just like the larger sister restaurant this place will deliver in the flavor category. It is a little pricey for lunch so bring some dough with you if you want to get your prosciutto and melon on!
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Review from Daddy G.
Menlo Park, CA
3/31/2010
I cannot tell you how the food tastes, because we got up and left yesterday when the wait staff was rude, short tempered and acted like they were the only place to eat in Los Gatos - There are likely 25 other cute friendly restaurants within 1 mile.
Highly disappointing - the owner needs to re-train all staff on how to treat customers. -
Review from Dan C.
San Jose, CA
6/20/2011
I love Aldo's cafe! Whenever my wife asks what I want for dinner, Aldo's cafe is almost always my response.
I think they have the best lasagna I've ever had (even better than my own). It's a very generous serving (I always eat the left overs the next day for a full lunch). I think each lasagna order is fresh made and hand assembled. My wife loves the penne arrabiata. They make great individual sized pizzas (I think they are wood fired) and great fresh salads.
The staff is very warm and friendly and get to know you. They always ask how my wife and son are doing when I come in to pick up take out. -
Review from Angela P.
Los Gatos, CA
12/4/2010
Love the food.
They need a children's menu!! -
Review from Jeff H.
Los Gatos, CA
6/15/2011
Excellent Italian food, reasonably priced, in a casual setting...
My fiancee and I love coming here and actually prefer this location to the parent restaurant down the street (although the food is awesome in both). We enjoy their wine selection and small but solid menu, and we also take out frequently.
The service is as good as the food - they have even been willing to work with us to create our own pasta dishes not on their standard menu.
For a festive evening out, I would suggest the full restaurant down the street... but for a quiet dinner, you can't beat Aldo's Cafe... -
Review from Janelle V.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2010
Not to be confused with Aldo Ristorante not too far away. I came to this restaurant while my friend was wating for me at the other Aldo's. I ended up sitting here for a while and waiting for her to come to this one. The staff was very nice, and it seemed like they knew most of their customers by name. I had the meat lasagna, which was a HUGE portion and their cabernet. It was kind of pricey (I paid $30) but I don't think the lasagna was that special.
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Review from S S.
Los Gatos, CA
9/28/2011
Had dinner at Aldo's Cafe tonight and was not disappointed. Loved the prosciutto and gorgonzola pizza! Unique, rich and every bite was as good as the last. Service was friendly but leisurely. Like the fact that parking was ample, even on a busier Thursday evening. Place was hopping with to-go orders. Could have done without the blaring television. Definitely going to add this place to my list of favorites due to the vast menu, great meal, good service and fantastic location.
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Review from Karen C.
6/19/2008
I finally made it to Aldo's new deli today. Located at 440 N. Santa Cruz in the shopping center next to Safeway (near HWY 9) and right next to Starbucks. I LOVED IT! My Monte Cristo sandwich was fabulous and HUGE. I could only eat 3/4th of it and it came with a side of green salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. My lunch companion had the spinach salad with caramelized onions, walnuts and ricotta. Also GREAT and again big portions. We tried both of the soups - Lentil and Minestrone - and agreed they were also very yummy. I think the original Minestrone at Aldo's restaurant is better, but then they put cheese on it there and I didn't want to ask for it at the deli since it was lunchtime and they were busy. My only gripe is that they don't have fresh brewed Iced Tea (just the bottled stuff) but it's a deli so what did I expect. I can't wait to go back and try the pastas and the pizza. This is a VERY welcome addition to the south bay!!!
BTW, Panini is the plural for panino which refers to meat on bread and isn't necessarily toasted. Definition from Wikipedia:
A panino is a sandwich made from a small loaf of bread, typically a ciabatta. The loaf is often cut horizontally and filled with salami, ham, meat, cheese or other food, and sometimes served hot. A grilled panino is buttered on the outside and grilled in a press. The word "panino" [pa'ni:no] is Italian (literally meaning small bread roll), with the plural panini. "Panini" is often used in a singular sense by speakers of English and French, and pluralized into "paninis". -
Review from Perry W.
Los Gatos, CA
4/10/2009
Since I work across the street I had anxiously awaited the opening of this new eatery located next to Starbuck's. I have eaten there twice since their opening. Once I ordered a chicken salad, which was good but nothing to write home about. The second time I tried the prosciutto sandwich and comes with a small side salad of mixed greens. It was a bit salty and lacked flavor, probably because of the saltiness. The prices are on the high side for salads and sandwiches. I would probably only eat here out of convenience, as I can walk there.
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Review from Ken G.
Largo, FL
9/3/2010
Took my wife here for dinner. The place is nice inside with lots of parking outside. It took a very long time to be served. The food was OK, not that great but not to awful. Maybe we came on bad waitstaff night, but she was terrible. I had to ask someone to find her so I could get my check. There are a lot of nice Italian places to eat around here, so I will not be coming back to this one.
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Review from Laura S.
Los Gatos, CA
3/21/2009
I've gone here for lunch and dinner and the 2 differ in service styles. For lunch you order at the register and other than bringing out your food, there is no waiter action. At lunch you also buy a bottled soft drink rather than one they'll refill for you (since there's no wait staff).
At dinner you're seated by a waiter and asked for your order just like a traditional sit down restaurant. The sodas are not bottled and have free refills. The hours for dinner also recently changed so that they're now closed between 2:30 and 5 and stay open until 9pm. Even though I eat as late as 2:30/3 once in awhile, I really prefer this so I have a better chance of making it for dinner (they used to close at 7).
For dinner tonight I shared bruschetta with friends, which for $5, was the greatest deal and it also tasted amazing, much better than fancier places I've been to. For my main dish I got the penne aribiatta and that too was awesome. It was served hot off the press and had a great kick to it like aribiatta should. The portion was also generous- not gargantuan, but definitely larger. For a soda, splitting the appetizer bruschetta, and the penne, along with tip and tax, the price came to $20. -
Review from Alexander G.
Sacramento, CA
8/19/2011
One of the worst dining experiences ever. The hostess and wait staff were so incredibly rude and demeaning. The food was bland and poorly cooked. And to top it off, a rat ran across the floor during dinner!
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Review from Crystal O.
Campbell, CA
1/29/2010
I like the smaller deli way better than the more expensive sister restaurant. The food is good both places but this is a much better value. I love their gnocci:) The pastas are great too.
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Review from Mary P.
Los Gatos, CA
1/23/2010
Good food overall but some dishes better than others. Salads are great, sandwiches are good, soups are very very tasty - I love their tortilla soup (no, not an Italian dish!). I had chicken parmigiana and the portion was crazy big (almost gross) but the taste was only fair so I wouldn't have that again but I would definitely return to Aldo's. Lunch now includes table service from a waiter rather than ordering at the register - much nicer! Oh, and if you speak Italian, you'll be happy to know you can usually do some chatting in that beautiful language with one of the waiters - a very nice bonus which underlies that this is truly an Italian place. Buon Appetito!
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Review from Loren g.
CA
6/24/2010
Great food yet I will probably never go back because of the staff. We made a togo order, everything was wrong when we got home. We only ordered one pasta and one salad so we didn't think to check our order before we left. When we called to tell them we got food we just would not eat the women was so rude and blamed the miss order on us. She really acted like she hated her job and hated working there.
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Review from Gary F.
San Jose, CA
12/30/2008
Delicious and great place for a lunch or dinner meal. I have been 4 times and tried something different each time - no letdowns! The downside: 1) Only one cashier - the lunch time line gets pretty long and it seems as if they added a second line, they could get more people in/out faster. Many people come by for a take out order; 2) Closing at 7pm dissuades a lot of dinner business. I for one find it hard to get out to eat much earlier than 7 most nights, so the deli is definitely out for me. They should open until at least 8:30 - that extra 1.5 hours would reap them plenty of revenue.
Overall, a great option for a quick delicious meal. -
Review from Kristen L.
Los Gatos, CA
8/8/2010
Amazing food! Totally authentic Italian food, the staff is amazing and know us by name.
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Review from V. J.
Los Gatos, CA
6/14/2011
I really like the place and I am a regular. Food tastes very good - better than some of the 5 star italian you can find around the Bay. The menu is on the basic side, but that's why this is a cafe and not a restaurant.The staff is also very good - it does get busy some times and they might get a little stressed out but this is normal. I have not noticed anyone with consistent bad attitude. I would recommend the carbonara and the putanesca. Both come in plentiful portions - I am a bit surprised by some comments that the portions are small, as my observation is that they are larger than normal. It does get pricier than your regular lunch, but I think given what you get the price is adequate.
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Review from andy h.
San Jose, CA
7/19/2008
I cannot remember the last time I had a sandwich of comparable quality. try the homemade bread with the olive spread. Wow.
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Review from Carrie M.
San Jose, CA
10/28/2008
I've found it, I've found it! An eatery in Los Gatos that is a) Delicious and b) doesn't break the bank! It's true, there is such a place. My only qualm...Aldo's why must you close at 7:00pm? Can you please stay open until 9pm, so I can have dinner here with friends?
My husband and I have eaten here twice, once we sat down and once we ordered to go. The prices are unbeatable...$10 for a pasta and sandwiches. The portions are HUGE. I love the grilled vegetable sandwich (on their homemade bread), but think it might be a little better served warm. I haven't asked for this yet, but will the next time I order it. The sandwiches are so big that they can easily be split between two people. They also come with a delicious side salad that is simple greens tossed with olive oil and vinegar. My favorite! The gnocchi...OMG. It's made in house and melts in your mouth. The sauce is delicious too. It's a large portion and can be split between two people. I'm looking forward to trying some of their pizzas. If the things we've already tried are any hint of what the rest of the food is like, we're in for a treat! People, go to Aldo's! Your taste buds and wallet will thank you! -
Review from Shawn L.
Los Gatos, CA
1/6/2009
OK, what a great lunch deli. Get the house bread on any sandwich. Large helpings and great choices for $10 bucks. This place is almost as good as his restaurant.
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Review from Larry W.
Los Gatos, CA
7/9/2009
I have been here many times for lunch, also to go food.
The tuna fish sandwich, pizza & salads are what i order
and i love them, glad this place is next to my bank. The staff
is always very nice and once in a while i cave in for glass of vino at lunch. Great Place just like the restuarant, keep up the great food. -
Review from susan s.
Los Gatos, CA
5/21/2008
This place is going to be a terrific addition to downtown LG. My friend and I had lunch there on it's second day open and we were quite pleased. The servings were VERY generous (so you can split). I had the turkey/fontina pannini. Good but I thought a pannini meant toasted...it was not, but it still was good. The spinich salad was great and huge. Cute decor. I love the direction they are going. I'd also love it if they stayed open until 7PM (for an easy dinner crowd). GOOD LUCK! We'll be back (a lot).
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Review from Gina A.
San Jose, CA
5/23/2009
bottom line, affordable, tasty deli style food. the place is very clean and the staff is very courteous.
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Review from D H.
Los Gatos, CA
10/15/2009
Had a proscuitto sandwich. Not so good. Proscuitto was cut incorrectly -- too thick and glopped together -- which made for a stringy disgusting texture and the sandwich lacked any condiments / flavor. Other person had a pasta. Flavorless and pasta overcooked. Another food establishment that is mediocre and below average in Los Gatos.
