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Aldo's Sidewalk Caffe
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
31882 Del Obispo StSte 152
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 443-0423
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30 am - 9 pm
Sun 10:30 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for Aldo's Sidewalk Caffe
Review Highlights
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"You have to get the lentil soup." In 12 reviews -
"Delicious panini-style bread." In 11 reviews -
"...simple things like the Caesar salad, lasagna and homemade..." In 5 reviews
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Dwight B.
Mission Viejo, CA
2/3/2012
I am so stoked that I found this place. I went on a recommendation from a friend. Looked at some of the Yelp reviews and thought I would give it a shot. It is pretty unassuming from the parking lot. It almost looks more like a bakery or coffee shop. However, once you get within 20 feet of this place, you will start to smell the magic.
We started with the bruschetta. Off the chain. Everything was fresh. The olive oil was of great quality and the bread was light yet crunchy. Amazing. Next we had the lentil soup based on some of the reading that I did earlier. Bottom line: Best lentil soup that I have ever had. It was thick, hearty and the seasoning was perfect. I wanted to grab the bowl and run into the nearest bush and growl at anyone that came near me.
The chicken marsala was amazing as well. Aldo uses a very thick demi glace as a base. He does not believe in using butter and flour etc. This was amazing. The sauce was so thick and tasty that I wanted to roll around in it. He takes great pride in this sauce as he should. Demi Glace takes a long time to make properly. He nails it.
The Penne Veneziane was awesome as well! Slightly creamy, spicy and elegant.
Here is a link to their menu: http://dineries.com/ca...
Aldo himself is a super guy. He spends a lot of time with his customers with the utmost willingness to please. I absolutely loved his personality.
This is one of those dinners for us where we walked out extremely happy and excited about coming back. I find this rare these days. I cannot wait to go back to Aldo's again.
Dwight -
Review from M K.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/6/2012
I'm going to preface this review by saying there have only been a handful of times in my life where I found myself especially critical of a restaurant. I'm usually very understanding of those working in the restaurant business, more so with smaller family-owned places, as I know how hard it is to make it in the industry.
With that being said, I have to say that this was one of the most disappointing and unenjoyable dining experiences I've had in a long time.
Granted, that my coworker and I were on our lunch break and only had less than an hour until we had to go back to work, I wanted to try somewhere new and decided on Aldo's based on all the high reviews. In retrospect, one of the red flags we should've considered when first peeking in were all the seemingly retired people eating or those who looked like they had their day off. Despite having 6 or 7 tables full, there was only one server and a person I assumed to be the owner who were serving food (I wanted to say that the owner was also cooking the food).
Having such a horrible overall experience just makes me want to point out every single thing that went wrong while eating here:
- I asked about the lunch special which was posted on the sandwich board in front since it wasn't given on the menu. The waiter was very nonchalant about answering ("uuhm, yeah, it's ...."). He mentioned that I could get change any of the pastas he mentioned with any kind of noodle. So I ordered one of the pastas with linguine and my coworker ordered the full sized pesto. I assumed he knew I was ordering the lunch special since I asked him about it right before I ordered it - it came out to be full sized, and was angel hair, not linguine like I asked for.
- My coworker's pesto was one of the worst she'd had in a while. The sauce was like eating a plate full of grated parmesan cheese with green food coloring in it.
- My pasta was rather bland, just olive oil with about 3 cloves of diced garlic sprinkled with parsley. Definitely not worth the price.
- My iced tea tasted funny, almost like there was pepper or tabasco sauce in it (!)
- Coworker's water tasted like it came out of the garden hose.
- Entrees took about 30 mins to come out. Waiter first gave our food to the wrong table. No salad or bread served until then, which was supposed to come with.
- Waiter had no sense of urgency whatsoever with anything. Even after we politely asked him if we could get the check early since we didn't have much time left to eat. He acted as if he really didn't care about his job. Only got to scarf down half of the food. I've seen servers at Denny's with as many tables to wait and move twice as fast as he did, with twice the quality of service.
- After finally getting the entree, I asked if we were supposed to get salad and bread too: "oooh... uhm, you guys didn't get salad and bread?" -- I wanted to say: uhmm, do you see any salad plates or bread baskets on our table?? You're the only one serving us!
- Waited too long for our check... Asked if we could get our salad and bread to go, only brought out the bread - waiter said it would be a little longer for the salad. We eventually just left and said, screw the salad, we're gonna be late.
How this place has gotten such great reviews, I have no idea. My only guess is that the customers are SJC locals who have just gotten used to the quality of the food, or lack thereof. And they would have to have a lot of time on their hands.. give yourself about 1.5 to 2 hours if you eat here. Wouldn't have made such a bad review if all the others weren't so misleading. Definitely not coming back here again. -
Review from Christine M.
San Clemente, CA
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of my new favorites! We ordered the lunch specials: Fettucine Alfredo and Spaghetti Bolognese with salads for less than $8. They brought warm, fresh bread first. Then our salads. By the time we got to our food, we were almost full. Great portions and delicious food for the low lunch cost. They have lunch special deals, too, on weekends!
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Review from Jim G.
Whittier, CA
Updated - 4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place! Fresh and tasty food and always good service!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/16/2010
What a find! We spent some time around the Mission and I used Yelp to find a reasonable place to… Read more »
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Review from Pishool P.
Laguna Beach, CA
3/10/2012
Too expensive for what you get! Food is good, wine is good enough for a cafe, but, two people, a salad each, panini, one glass of wine each, $75!!! The guy is so nice and he makes you comfy, then when you get the check, you cant ask why! !!
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Review from Joe I.
Corona, CA
3/10/2012
Great place to unwind and enjoy home cooked food. Made the old fashioned way, with love. Try all the deserts and the spinach salad is really good.
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Review from Kim C.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
3/15/2012
Delightful, delicious and cozy. Love the happy smiley waitress. She should work there more often -- the owner and she really bring life to the place! Prego Prego!
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Review from Grace S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I guess you can call this an Italian restaurant? Meatball sandwich is pretty good with oozing cheese dripping from the sides. Love that it's panini style. Italian sub is okay, but wouldn't order it again. Really cute and friendly waitress.
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Review from Stevenenen N.
Orange County, CA
This place is a gem. The owner is super friendly, as well as the staff. A warm welcome and friendly good bye spoken in Italian is joyfully shouted out by the owner as you enter and leave his establishment. This cafe is cozy with comfortable seating on the inside and some on the outside to catch some rays. http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi... http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My last visit here I had the chicken pesto panini for $9.95 http://www.yelp.com/bi... This also came with a side salad. The bread here is perfect. It is light, crispy, which really makes it easy to scarf this sandwich down. The pesto is light and smooth. The red peppers in this sandwich were sweet and the chicken was flavorful.
I washed down this tasty meal with a tall glass of ice tea for $2.50. http://www.yelp.com/bi... I love places that serve their drinks in tall glasses. It makes it easier for both the server and the customer. Less trips needed filling up the glass. -
Review from Briana H.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/27/2012
I ate here just before Christmas before going to a concert nearby. The food was awesome! I had a small side salad, everything on it was just good. Nothing super special about it, but it was tasty, and the vegetables were fresh. I LOVED the bread, it's not a foccacia, and it's not a loaf of sliced bread or a roll, but it was slightly flat, very crunchy outside and soft and chewy inside, and they give you plenty of butter that you just spread on top. I could have eaten just the bread all night!
For my main course I ordered the Linguine with Pesto sauce. When it came it was so vibrantly green! It was gorgeous, and it tasted better than it looked! You could taste the Oil, the nuts, the cheese, the garlic, and the basil all very clearly, but none of them were overpowering anything else. Everything was delicious.
If you are in the area, go check this place out it is worth every penny, and the owner, he's a crack up! -
Review from Wendy K.
San Clemente, CA
9/4/2011
Best Italian place I've been to in a long time. I had the primavera with alfredo and the sauce was buttery deliciousness, veggies were fresh and cooked perfectly. We ordered a kids portion of penne with marinara and it was equally delicious - the marinara had just the right amount of kick.
Service was friendly and fast; restaurant was clean and cozy. We will definitely be back! -
Review from Mike R.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
4/13/2011
The food at Aldo's is tremendous. We've been several times, and it's great for a semi-casual bite out when you have the urge for Italian pasta or a pannini. There's actually not very many places to get a pannini in SJC, and Aldo's probably has the tastiest.
I noticed there are several reviews regarding the service. The place is definitely small, and from what I've seen, they can go from a single couple dining to having every single seat filled in a 15-minute span, so I give them some leeway here since it'd be quite challenging to staff for such swings in patronage. Typically we only head to Aldo's when we're not in a rush. There's times we've gone where every seat is filled (they have maybe 25 seats inside?) - so definitely head when you feel like you can take your time, or go at an off-time when you can be treated like a king (or queen).
The owner has served us directly several times. Right now I believe the tables are all decorated with flowers from his own personal garden, which is a great touch.
I highly recommend the spicy creamy tomato sauce on your pasta dish - I haven't seen very many places serve this kind of sauce (it's not a fra diavolo, its creamy). -
Review from Shane D.
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
At times it seems some places on Yelp have unreasonably high ratings for what they are, and I can only assume that all the locals give it 5 stars to prop up their neighborhood image.
Such is the case with Aldo's I think.
I saw that this place had a average of 4.5 stars, so I had to try it when I was in SJC. But what I didn't notice is that only 18 people (probably mostly locals) had written reviews so far.
Walking up to this tiny cafe in a strip mall I knew this was going to be wrong. There were two huge grease boards outside with the menus on them. One had about 8 kinds of salads, all between $10 and $12 each. Wow, that better be some good salads. The other board was panini sandwiches, again all $10-$12 each without any side dishes. Geez, kinda pricy for just a sandwich. Then I walked in and I was the only one there. Uh-oh.
I ordered a panini and immediately I was worried as I heard him fire up the microwave. A microwave is being used to make a sandwich? Turns out he melted the cheese in the microwave before putting it on the bread. Why? Doesn't the panini press melt the cheese?
I decided to tell him I'd get it to go as I didn't want to sit alone here, so he put in it a container and I left. As I looked inside, the bread was flat as a pancake and cheese was all over the container, and almost none was still in the bread. I honestly had to re-load the cheese on the bread myself, or it would have just been toast and cheese soup.
So why didn't I give it 1 star. Well, the same reason the locals probably give this place 5 stars... the owner Aldo. He is from northeast Italy and is super charming and friendly. He is a joy to speak with and very funny.
Also, despite the poor execution, the sandwichdid taste good. I think he uses good ingredients, and he's obviously full blood Italian, so I assume it's all authentic. But I wished he make some pasta dishes instead of the paninis, because that just didn't work.
If I ever come back, I will try the salad instead. If you give this place a shot, I'd suggest the same, and avoid the paninis. -
Review from Safa S.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this restaurant! You have to get the lentil soup. Any of the vegetarian or fish sandwiches are good! This is worth a stop for a nice lunch.
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Review from art p.
Laguna Niguel, CA
2/23/2011
If you are in the mood for a Panini as opposed to the Subway next door, you will like this place. If you are in a mood for a subway and go for the Panini you will wish you had just gone to Subway. Cheese Panini with Brie, mozzarella was tasty but the cheese inside was cold. Their Panini machine grills the bread but is not good enough to warm the inside? Same for the ham and cheese Panini. Ham is thin sliced sandwich ham straight from the fridge and was cold. Everyone raved about the lentil soup so we tried that too. It was hot, hearty and filling, but there was a lot of oil floating on top. No bread was offered with the soup. I'd rate it an 8 out of 10. Total bill for 2 lunch special paninis, one soup and one ice tea was $20 including tax and tip. Our lunch at Subway is usually $8.
I mean it is really unfair to compare this to Subway as Aldo is a restaurant with some nice wine selections (not necessarily on the menu). But the food is average and the presentation is 1 star. The Panini comes on a stark white plate with no garnish. It just looks wrong with waiter service. I think I am just expecting too much from non-Mexican food in San Juan. Besides the Mexican places, Bad to the Bone BBQ is the best place for lunch in San Juan. If you want something gourmet then Savoy's Faire in Laguna Niguel is the place. -
Review from FIONA M.
Aliso Viejo, CA
I can't believe this place only has 18 reviews!
This past Saturday I was on Yelp searching for a place for dinner and came across Aldo's. I was hesitant to try it because of the low number of reviews but still curious to try it out anyways because all the ratings were 4+ stars. Thank goodness I did!
The restaurant is small but comfy with Italian music playing throughout. They serve bread and butter - a definite +1 at any restaurant. Waters come in huge colorful tall cups. The 4 of us each ordered a different panini and we all LOVED our grilled sandwiches and are planning to come back soon for more! I had the Italian Sub. The panini bread was so soft. The salami was so juicy and tender. The basil leaves were so flavorful. There was the perfect amount of provolone cheese. Each bite was heavenly. Next time I'll have to try the lentil soup that all the other yelpers raved about.
When we got the bill, some of our paninis came out to be only $5. Then we realized that Aldo's has daily specials, even on weekends! This made our tummies happy and our wallets even happier! I definitely feel sorry for the Subway that's right next door to Aldo's! -
Review from Brooke H.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
11/1/2011
My first time going to Aldo's I just grabbed one of the Special $5 paninis to go. After having it I wanted to get the whole experience and take my boyfriend with me to dine there. We went and are already planning on going back as soon as possible. Aldo the owner was very nice. I have tried the chicken picatta which was just amazing and then we also had the #23 chicken and avocado panini which was beyond delicious as well. The panini comes with a Cesar salad for the wonderful price of only $10. And the chicken picatta comes with a salad too. He also brings out bread and butter. Something about that bread is just aaaaamazing. And the tomatoes are so delicious, I seriously can go on and on. It is the best Italian food I have had in San Juan and I will definitely be back again...and again..and again. =)
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Review from Anderson H.
San Clemente, CA
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh yeah, one of our go to outdoor lunch spots. Only had the sandos and salads so far.
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Review from Jill J.
Newhall, CA
12/10/2011
Just came back from a yummy dinner at this restaurant. But, we almost bailed because we had a hard time finding it. Pro tip: Aldo's is in a stand-alone building near the street, next to Subway.
I had the linguine with mussels, and hubby who is not a foodie was impressed with his chicken fillet. The place is small, but cozy, and we would be back in a heartbeat if we lived nearby. -
Review from Leilani Y.
Palo Alto, CA
12/31/2010
We found this quaint little place tucked away in a shopping complex, and what a great find! It's hard to live up to 5-star Yelp ratings, but Aldo's certainly does. I felt like we were visiting Italy and eating homemade food. And my husband said hi to Aldo who looks as charming as his restaurant.
I loved my panini -- salami and provolone plus a scrumptious chunky tomato topping with spicy mustard and flavored mayo. To die for. The caesar salad was good and you have to try the homemade lentil soup. Sooo hearty and delicious. If you are near San Juan Capistrano, stop by Aldo's for a wonderful treat! -
Review from Kevin F.
Dana Point, CA
12/29/2010 2 photos
I don't know how to not love this place. It's a small cafe with delicious food and a homey atmosphere. I had the lentil soup. It is homemade and is a savory treat on an unusually chilly, rainy, southern California day. I also enjoyed the Del Obispo sandwich, the Bishop of his sandwiches so to speak. Michelle had a pasta salad that was also a treat. We ended our meal with cappuccinos. They were good cappuccinos by the way.
Aldo was out in the dinning talking to people. He stopped to talk to us for a minute. Anyplace that has the owner and namesake out in the dinning room gets an extra star from the get go.
He's also got outside seating that probably adds 50% to the restaurant capacity. I recon that also means the outside seating is dog friendly.
I wish I had noticed this place years ago. I can't imagine how we won't become regulars. -
Review from Sasha K.
San Clemente, CA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was a great yelp find. We came based on the 4.5 star rating and we were not disappointed. We had 4 different dishes and all of them were really good. The service was fast and friendly. The bill was more than reasonable. This is a place worth your time. I give it 4.5, but I put a 5 because I do this from my iPhone and I don't want to bring their average down.
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Review from Jomamma C.
Riverside, CA
7/2/2011
First I'd like to note that I am not from this community so my rating is genuine, in case you are a sceptic.
My husband and I happened upon this little gem as a pit stop to avoid holiday traffic. With a little help from my Yelp, we chose Aldo's.
Went late Sat. afternoon, it was empty but just as I began to worry I hear a thick accented "Prego!" I can assume this is the owner as he joyfully showed his hospitality. We sat outside since we had our two pups and he quickly offered a bowl of water for them. He managed us and another couple who just arrived quickly. I am quick to notice slow service and this was acceptable by all means. Even when two more tables arrived.
Bruchetta was heaven.
Antipasto de misto, together with the Bruchetta and a glass of wine, perfect lunch.
Tasty homemade chicken veg. Soup, delish.
Hubby's meatball sandwich was good, cheesy.
It was a delightful quiet (holiday?) experience.
The owner's hospitality makes you want to be a regular, the food will make you fight your spouse for the last bite. Maybe I'm a tad more generous with the 5th star, but I'm a sucker for a small business making an exceptional effort. I left in my happy place. -
Review from Michael G.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
3/27/2011
Great Italian Restaurant in OC!! Such good and fresh food for the prices! It is so yummy and authentic! It is very small, but decorated like an Italian Kitchen, so I felt RIGHT at home!
Also, All You Can Eat Pasta on Wed. from 5-9 for $10!!!! Can't beat it!!! -
Review from Dennis M.
Laguna Beach, CA
1/19/2012
This is a great little Italian hole-in-the-wall type restaurant that succeeds completely in being what it is trying to be. It has a very pleasant atmosphere, a charming owner, and very good food. The gnocchi with gorgonzola is outstanding as is the chicken picatta. I look forward to trying some other things on the menu.
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Review from Emmie F.
San Diego, CA
11/19/2011
Quaint little authentic Italian restaurant. Wonderful food, fast and wonderful service, great atmosphere. The owner was really nice! Highly recommend!!
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Review from Ashley B.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
7/7/2011
i love love love love love aldos. five stars for five loves. the owner, a genuine i-talian is so warm and welcoming and is always dashing all over the place making sure everyone is happy, as everyone must be at this cafe.
the food is astoundingly delicious. the paninis will ruin you for other sandwiches. the lentil soup, as others have noticed is the best ive had, bar none.
sadly, ive never had a chance to have a sit down meal here, but im really looking forward to doing so. i always grab a lunch special panini and a bowl of lentil soup (portions large enough for two meals, easily) and dash off. but the cute tables dotting the exterior really leave me envious.
you must try this place. there are so few italian places in sjc, and fewer delicious ones, and no other with this charm. so its a no-brainer. support your local cafe, and start here. -
Review from Ryan P.
Laguna Hills, CA
8/13/2010
Aldo's is very special to my heart. I meet my Argentinian Italian Grandparents to eat here about once a month. It is very casual yet the food is excellent. My Grandparents are very picky about their Italian yet they come to Aldo's three times a week or more. That is saying a lot.
Aldo. the owner is very friendly and cooks most of the dishes himself. My favorite dish is the lamb chops. I swear to you, I do not like lamb at all, but I love Aldo's lamb. It is not gamy and his mustard sauce his the secret.
On Wednesdays, Aldo's puts on an all you can eat pasta night. I recommend the pesto. If you are looking for a casual place to dine out and eat great Italian, Aldo's is the place for you. -
Review from Sam S.
Long Beach, CA
2/14/2008
I work a lot in the San Juan Capistrano area and the apparent state of local gastronomy is depressing. My apologies to the spoilt locals if I'm simply uninformed. But the only two restaurants I've liked in SJC are El Adobe and Rendezvous. And I can't walk into these places in the state I'm often in. The work I'm doing in SJC is dirty so I want a place that is casual enough for me to show up smelling a bit gamey and smeared with invasive frog intestines. Please forgive this mention of such unpleasantries and don't let my review diminish your appetite for Aldo's is truly a sparkling jewel in a dung heap of local dining.
It's a very small, unassuming cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. It's kept clean and the decor is basic so the clientele can range from the filthy field person (seated outside) to a gaggle of local soccer moms to suited formal business lunchers. The food is authentic Italian served up by an authentic Italian with accent. Aldo is indeed the owner and likes serving up his delicious dishes to diners as much as spending time in the kitchen. When it's slow he likes to chat with the patrons. He listened attentively as I droned on about the plight of the arroyo toad.
Now to the food. So far I've had the lentil soup, chicken & spinach panini with pommodoro sauce, gnocchi in alfredo sauce, chicken masala, and crepes al mare. All were delicious. And it's obvious he's using all fresh ingredients and the bread is baked onsite. Two people can get stuffed to the gills and have a proper cappuccino afterward for less than $35. And in an area where I had previously been reduced to eating at Jack in the Box, I'm ecstatic to have found this place! -
Review from Vicor D.
Laguna Niguel, CA
3/26/2012
good food a little crowded seating, wait staff seems like they need more training/better happier attitude
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Review from Renee S.
2/22/2011 3 Check-ins Here
It's not much of a looker, this restaurant. I'm glad I looked twice! Actually, I've been working in the area for over a year and have just recently tried Aldo's!? What!? I know. Where have I been, right. Well, let me tell you, I'm on board now gosh dang it! Hot dang this place was delish! Aldo himself was a man of many. From cooking to serving to waiter-ing (?). I ordered the lunch special Linguine Bolognese. It comes with a side salad and toasted warm soft italian bread n' butter. I'm not much of a large lunch eater but my portion was huge and I ate it all! OMG. I ate it all. Does that say enough. GO, try it! You'll see. I had no self control. A rarity, seriously.
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Review from tina c.
Dana Point, CA
5/19/2009
This is a great neighborhood restaurant. It looks like a tiny cafe but don't let that fool you. There's some really great authentic pasta dishes served here. We tried these dishes:
Bruschetta: awesome, crunchy toast topped with fresh chopped tomatoes, capers, basil & olives
Angel hair pasta with roasted eggplant and marinara sauce: awsome
Gnocchi with bolognese sauce: the gnocchi was really soft and silky and the sauce was full of flavor
We met the owner/chef. He's from Venice, Italy, a really friendly guy. I'm definitely going back for more. -
Review from Brook O.
Capistrano Beach, CA
4/5/2011
Best veggie frittata in the WORLD! Just make sure if you come here you are not in a rush.... but its worth the wait. I work right next door at Curtis Michael Salon so I've learned to order ahead.
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Review from Brian D.
Irvine, CA
5/9/2011
This place has AMAZING sandwiches. The all you can eat pasta quickly becomes a little much. Great service and nice outdoor seating. The owner seems like a nice guy.
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Review from Darren S.
2/6/2011
Aldo's is the polar opposite of fast food. There isn't an army of line cooks assembling pre-made or previously frozen food. There's just Aldo. At least that's the way I've seen it on the weekend afternoons when I've been. Aldo's Sidewalk Caffe is a great choice for people driving through that want to take a break because: 1. no Google Maps or GPS required -it's off of Ortega Highway and near the 5, 2. there's a shaded patio, 3. being that there might be only one guy there - Aldo taking your order, cooking, bussing and checking on you so you need patience and 4. the food is great. I've stuck to simple things like the Caesar salad, lasagna and homemade ravioli and they've all been fresh and delicious.
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Review from Kathryn G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2011
Incredible. Like so many hidden gems in CA, this one is in a shopping mall next to a Subway. Divine. I found it on Yelp - thanks guys! We were going to be in the area and this place kept coming up. The food=fantastic. I had chicken piccata. Really nice lemon sauce with lots of capers and pasta with garlic and olive oil on the side. A lovely small Caesar salad to start off. Delicious panini-style bread. A killer espresso. And best of all, probably the best tiramisu I've ever had, including Italy. Boyfriend had chicken parm, which is said was fantastic and he's a tough critic. Don't let the location put you off. Go find it and eat there now! Aldo is indeed charming. Don't hesitate to try this wonderful place.
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Review from Lamb R.
Dana Point, CA
10/18/2010
Great place for an awesome lunch or a real authentic Italian dinner. You must try the lentil soup, it is simply out of this world. The pannini ($5.00 lunch specials during the week) sandwiches are great meal for lunch.. toast on a nice Italian loaf of bread. The dinners are real authentic taste, not like all the other want to be Italian restaurants in OC. This place is our little secret that we love to go for a nice quite meal.... The owner is very pleasant and wants to make certain you have a great meal ... to sum it all up, great place, great food, great prices, quites location....Later!
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Review from JULIANNE S.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
2/18/2011
Homemade Lentil soup and baguettes are to die for! Great little sidewalk cafe with awesome food!
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Review from Lindsay D.
Irvine, CA
3/24/2011
Was really hoping to find a gem in the rough with this place and it is no gem. The atomsphere is fine, but the service is SO slow! And its not getting your food that's slow..it's getting your drink, your order placed, and receiving your check. I have gone twice for lunch and each time for just me, it takes 1hr 15 mins to get out of there! I only have an hour lunch so I came back to work late :( You'd think for a small place (few tables) it would be faster, but they only have one server who does everything. The food was good, a little expensive. Overall, if you got nothing to do and all the time in the world to spend eating Italian food, come here.
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Review from Q T.
Garden Grove, CA
9/29/2010
We were going to stop by Subway to get sandwiches, right next door to Aldo's. Once I stepped out of the car all I could smell was the aroma of garlic being sauteed, so divine. The idea of subway went out the door. It's a small cafe but they also have seatings outside as well. We were there on a Saturday afternoon and outside there was a sign that said $5 panini and the variety listed. We decided to sit outside. I ordered the tuna sandwich and my bf ordered the italian sub. My tuna came with a small cesar salad and it was good and light. I shared it with the bf and he said it was really good too. We really liked our sandwich, very yummy and filling too. The waiter was nice and checked on us. The bill for 2 sandwiches (we didn't get the panini special) and 1 soda came out to be $20. Would definitely come back if we're in the area again.
