Returned to Cafe dell'Amore with my wife after having a wonderful meal there just three days earlier. Again, a first class experience with outstanding food and service. Dominic, the owner/host couldn't be more accommodating. The ambience is warm and friendly. Go. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Todd C.
I have eaten here several times. It gets mixed reviews from my family, but they should just go to Olive Garden. I think they try to offer Italian with a 'family' recipe so the lasagna will not be typical. But, if you don't want the same Italian as anywhere this place has its own style. It's off the beaten path a bit, easier to get in & the food is very good.
(4)
Gloria Y.
This restaurant is absolutely fabulous! If you are in Naples, dining here is a must! Ambiance, service, food...everything was perfect! The owner, Dominic, and members of his highly professional team greeted us at the door. Their wine steward suggested a Sicilian wine we had never heard of and we really enjoyed it. We started with the heavenly spinach balls that melted in your mouth. I could have made a dinner out of those alone. Then we had their Caprese salad that was wonderful and so fresh. For our main course, Dominic suggested the Eggplant Rustici and the Cacio e Pere. The flavors and freshness of both were awesome. The eggplant was so tender I never had to use my knife. I also had the meatball side...and, again, it was excellent (tasted like my mother's!). Finally, we finished off the evening with the Poached Pear Dessert that my boyfriend described as delightful with great flavor; he was still talking about it the next day. I cannot remember enjoying a dinner and everything I ordered so much in such a long time. I cannot wait until we visit Naples again to come back to this restaurant. Note, you must have a reservation because their serving times are limited.
(5)
Drew-Montez C.
Having spent a lot of time in Italy I have become very picky when it comes to Italian cuisine. I must say that Caffe dell'Amore met and exceeded my expectations. Great date night with my wife ... 2 thumbs up from me !!!
(5)
Tangerine M.
First, Did I just walk into a restaurant in Italia? Everything was excellent! The wine list was Exceptional. Zuppa Del giorno was superb! Spinach balls were great! Wild Boar over polenta, Fantastico! Grouper Putanesca excellente! Dominique the owner Bravissimo. He spoiled Sam mi Carne di Servicio! Loved everything finished with Semifredo with a warm chocolate torta!
(5)
Patty T.
Wow! We just finished a delicious meal at Caffe Dell'Amore! Lasagna was delicious and so were the ravioli stuffed with braised short ribs. Do not miss the spinach appetizer - melts in your mouth. Delightful service.
(5)
Terry S.
Making a reservation a week ahead, our time choices were 5:30 or 8:15. Arriving, we understood why - the restaurant was tiny! But we were greeted warmly, comfortably seated, and received immediate service. The waiter was knowledgeable about the wines and food - we had questions on both, and his answers were on target. Lobster Ravioli - light flavorful sauce with a good amount of lobster. Baked Ziti - comfort at its' best, organic meatball was delish. Cornish Hen and Gnocchi special were significantly above average. Quietly elegant, we found it a great location to celebrate a birthday., and were surprised with a card from the staff. It is pricey, does not serve piles of pasta drowning in heavy sauces, and the owner is very visible in the dining room. In short it is about as far from a chain as one can get!
(5)
Kay B.
A lovely little gem across from Lowdermilk that seemed to suddenly have lots of cars around it! Same name but new owners since we had left it years ago after having had overpriced and haughty service with ordinary food. It is a delight! Very friendly service and classically prepared italian dishes. Their sauces are masterfully prepared - better than your Italian Grandmothers!! My grouper Puttanesca was delicious and my husband's Lasagna was extraordinary. Very small, cozy and inviting - reservations a must.
(4)
Gary K.
This is a must go to restaurant. Utterly the best in Naples. The eggplant tower was perfect, baked not fried, yum. The lasagna. A house specialty, is just that, special. Order it enjoy it. We loved our meal and will be back. Service by Martin was exceptional. Wonderful wine list with great selections and affordable. Wish I had discovered this gem sooner. But never too late to enjoy quality food. Thank you, for a fantastic meal.
(5)
Richard S.
Dinner for four the other night. We were seated promptly and offered some homemade focaccia which was awful. We wanted real Italian bread which is hard to find in Florida. The menu was mostly pseudo Italian concoctions with too many ingredients and over priced. The waiter bragged about the homemade pasta so I ordered raviolis with a lot of other things inside and out. My wife ordered sausage and peppers with what looked like rigatoni but they called it something else. The pasta was doughy and chewy, not al dente. Truly not good at all. I think my raviolis were over $25. The wife's dish was little tiny pieces of sausage and a few peppers in a spicy red sauce. Adding insult to injury was an $11 glass of very average pinot noir that was a definite pour for the house. All in all, it was a very amateurish poor dinner. The chef should go to Italy and learn some really good cooking with simple ingredients. A waste of $80+. Definitely not coming back, ever!
(1)
Danielle D.
The food and service were incredible. I had the baked ziti and it was so delicious. I would also recommend the almond champagne. Beautiful place, definitely a must in Naples!
(5)
Angie B.
My husband is Italian and I wanted to take him out on a date to a place he could have a fantastic quality Italian meal in beautiful surroundings. I had never heard of Caffe Dell' Amore and stumbled upon their restaurant during an online search. Upon being seated, the first thing we noticed was how impeccably clean the restaurant was. Not a speck of dust even in the corners of the room and the ceiling vents were so clean, you could have dined on them. Being a great cook myself, I can be very critical of restaurant food but from the cream of asparagus soup, with the delicious flavor and texture served piping hot, to the short rib stuffed homemade ravioli to cream filled pear, I had no complaints and enjoyed every savory bite. I would have driven 20 miles just for the cream filled pear. You know when you have had an exceptional dining experience when you are still thinking about the food the next day. Do yourself a favor and try this restaurant at least once but beware, after this dining experience, you will be innamorato (in love).
(5)
S M.
We really wanted the restaurant to be good since it is within walking distance. We took the overall recommendations Soup, Spinach Appetizer, and Lasagna. The soup was bland, the Spinach appetizer was terrible, and the lasagna was the worst ever. The wait staff was bragging on the Spinach balls, talking about everyone wanting the recipe. I can post it, boiled spinach pressed into a ball with nothing else. The entire menu needs to be redone, we can only hope since the location is so great.
(1)
Rick R.
Where to start? Had I given any credence to the early reviews this restaurant might have slipped off the radar. Let me first say that my wife and I have been blessed to have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the UK and Europe as well as here in the states. We spent a month in Italy two years ago and the food here is equal to the best restaurants we experienced bar none. The wine list is extensive. The suggestions from the wait staff both for food and wine were excellent. As an appetizer we split the spinach balls. Truly extraordinary. My wife had the gnocchi and I had the veal shank which were both wonderful! The flourless chocolate cake and gelato dessert were hands-down one of the best we have ever had. The restaurant is small and I would think reservations in advance are a must. We look forward to our next dining experience with them which will be in the near future! We look forward to bringing both friends and family here. Our new favorite restaurant!
(5)
Beth P.
+'s Very attentive service including from the owner Very cozy and small Homemade pasta delicious desserts -'s Very small portions Very expensive Mediocre Cornish hen (stick with the pasta) Bread - not crusty/crunchy with soft middle like most Italian rest
(3)
Beej M.
Nobody called and asked for a credit card (which I agree is tacky) so we just showed up for our reservation. Tiny place, welcoming owners, great food. One of the best meals we have had in a town with many great restaurants.
(5)
Denise P.
Discovered this restaurant on a drive to Naples from Punta Gorda. So glad we did. Their menu is refreshingly true Italian - Spinach Delizie, simple yet amazing, melt in your mouth appetizer, Mussels and clams in a beautiful tomato broth, delicious, and then an Eggplant tower, tender slices of eggplant stacked with fresh mozzerella and just enough sauce. We rounded out our meal with the perfect wine and while truly satisfied still couldnt resist trying the Italian cheesecake, with an expresso of course. Another pleasant surprise on the dessert menu is the Vin Santo. Dominick and Brian have a great place here. Happy to have met them and definately plan on going back again, and again.
(5)
Dauphine S.
Had high expectations. After a hassle adding a person to the reservation, despite open tables, service was spotty. Over the course of the night, we had 3 different servers take our orders. Servers were untrained on special dietary needs (vegetarian, to be specific). Our Spinach Balls were actually excellent and the majority of the food was good. Most of our party was overjoyed by the experience. For the common diner, it will exceed expectations. However, out of 4 bottles Of wine ordered, two were bad. I have a 2500 bottle wine cellar and have traveled to most wine regions in Italy. I was told an obviously bad bottle of wine tasted like it was supposed to taste and that I just didn't understand the region. This was second hand because the second server of the night, a very nice young lady, didn't know the wines and was told this by the owner. I have been to the region and own dozens of wines from the top producers in the region. The server was put in a shitty situation because she didn't know the wines and had to relay passive aggressive information from the owner to us. The owner let us replace the bottle after we "didn't like it" (again, it was bad; not a preference issue) and the next bottle, a different wine altogether, was corked. At this point, our party was enjoying themselves and as it was a work function, we didn't say anything. Given the reception we got about the first bottle, we just let the table drink it as they didn't know any better and it was the end of the night. I really would have liked one server throughout the night. I like consistency. The food was good. Not epic, not divine, but solid. I would have liked the answer about the bad wine to have been "I'm very sorry. Can I replace it for you or would you like to try a different wine?" That would have far exceeded implied accusations of our bad taste. I would recommend the restaurant based solely on food quality. Make a reservation and know you'll get Italian wait service, so distant but friendly. Know that if you have a problem with anything, it will be handled as if *you* are the problem and they are doing you a favor by fixing it. Oh, and just a side note, the restaurant is an AT&T dead zone. And the restaurant didn't offer wifi to is upon inquiring about the phone service.
(3)
Richard P.
Lasagna was well reviewed so we tried it. It was a slice of lasagna. The bechamel was barely noticeable, there was a preponderance of meat, yet the whole thing was watery. It was quite an ordinary slice of lasagne that I suspect didn't survive freezing or reheating all that well and it was $28.00 ... ala carte. We also had a fancier dish made of wild mushrooms and pasta sachets with filling... again... watery... do they actually freeze and reheat for this kind of money?!? Service was good. The guy in charge was nice but a bit intense... kind of thuggish and if I was overcharging for mediocre home-cookin' I guess I'd don an attitude too. Whatever. Won't go back. I really wanted to like this place too.
(2)
Lisa S.
We drove from Ft. Myers to eat here, and it did not disappoint. Fabulous food, service, and atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and come here for the best Italian food in SW Florida.
(5)
P. M.
It was just ok. Fish was old, replaced with a bland sole dish. The captain is very attentive but that doesn't make up for just ok food. There are far better places then this.Esoteric wine list with few known wines on it. Over priced for country cuisine.
(2)
Nancy N.
terrible! we came to Naples specifically to eat here and were sorely disappointed! spinach balls resemble creamed spinach with no distinction. heavy and fairly flavorless. wine ($45) was equally common--fairly tasteless. Value $7. entrees beef tips excellent with fine season seasonings. My lobster ravioli wretched--tough frozen and the ravioli NOT fresh NOR homemade. YUK OVERRATED with OVERWEENING Matre'd.
(2)
Kristine D.
Authentic Italian cuisine in a cozy setting. A little hidden, but worth the effort to find. We four thoroughly enjoyed our recent meal and felt like we had been transported to Italy. You really taste the freshness and notice the effort that went into each dish, plus it is not too pricey. A good selection of Italian wines, too. Sincere, personal service. We can not recommend highly enough. A+++
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Intimate, Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Happy Hour : No Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Emilio S.
Returned to Cafe dell'Amore with my wife after having a wonderful meal there just three days earlier. Again, a first class experience with outstanding food and service. Dominic, the owner/host couldn't be more accommodating. The ambience is warm and friendly. Go. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Todd C.
I have eaten here several times. It gets mixed reviews from my family, but they should just go to Olive Garden. I think they try to offer Italian with a 'family' recipe so the lasagna will not be typical. But, if you don't want the same Italian as anywhere this place has its own style. It's off the beaten path a bit, easier to get in & the food is very good.
(4)Gloria Y.
This restaurant is absolutely fabulous! If you are in Naples, dining here is a must! Ambiance, service, food...everything was perfect! The owner, Dominic, and members of his highly professional team greeted us at the door. Their wine steward suggested a Sicilian wine we had never heard of and we really enjoyed it. We started with the heavenly spinach balls that melted in your mouth. I could have made a dinner out of those alone. Then we had their Caprese salad that was wonderful and so fresh. For our main course, Dominic suggested the Eggplant Rustici and the Cacio e Pere. The flavors and freshness of both were awesome. The eggplant was so tender I never had to use my knife. I also had the meatball side...and, again, it was excellent (tasted like my mother's!). Finally, we finished off the evening with the Poached Pear Dessert that my boyfriend described as delightful with great flavor; he was still talking about it the next day. I cannot remember enjoying a dinner and everything I ordered so much in such a long time. I cannot wait until we visit Naples again to come back to this restaurant. Note, you must have a reservation because their serving times are limited.
(5)Drew-Montez C.
Having spent a lot of time in Italy I have become very picky when it comes to Italian cuisine. I must say that Caffe dell'Amore met and exceeded my expectations. Great date night with my wife ... 2 thumbs up from me !!!
(5)Tangerine M.
First, Did I just walk into a restaurant in Italia? Everything was excellent! The wine list was Exceptional. Zuppa Del giorno was superb! Spinach balls were great! Wild Boar over polenta, Fantastico! Grouper Putanesca excellente! Dominique the owner Bravissimo. He spoiled Sam mi Carne di Servicio! Loved everything finished with Semifredo with a warm chocolate torta!
(5)Patty T.
Wow! We just finished a delicious meal at Caffe Dell'Amore! Lasagna was delicious and so were the ravioli stuffed with braised short ribs. Do not miss the spinach appetizer - melts in your mouth. Delightful service.
(5)Terry S.
Making a reservation a week ahead, our time choices were 5:30 or 8:15. Arriving, we understood why - the restaurant was tiny! But we were greeted warmly, comfortably seated, and received immediate service. The waiter was knowledgeable about the wines and food - we had questions on both, and his answers were on target. Lobster Ravioli - light flavorful sauce with a good amount of lobster. Baked Ziti - comfort at its' best, organic meatball was delish. Cornish Hen and Gnocchi special were significantly above average. Quietly elegant, we found it a great location to celebrate a birthday., and were surprised with a card from the staff. It is pricey, does not serve piles of pasta drowning in heavy sauces, and the owner is very visible in the dining room. In short it is about as far from a chain as one can get!
(5)Kay B.
A lovely little gem across from Lowdermilk that seemed to suddenly have lots of cars around it! Same name but new owners since we had left it years ago after having had overpriced and haughty service with ordinary food. It is a delight! Very friendly service and classically prepared italian dishes. Their sauces are masterfully prepared - better than your Italian Grandmothers!! My grouper Puttanesca was delicious and my husband's Lasagna was extraordinary. Very small, cozy and inviting - reservations a must.
(4)Gary K.
This is a must go to restaurant. Utterly the best in Naples. The eggplant tower was perfect, baked not fried, yum. The lasagna. A house specialty, is just that, special. Order it enjoy it. We loved our meal and will be back. Service by Martin was exceptional. Wonderful wine list with great selections and affordable. Wish I had discovered this gem sooner. But never too late to enjoy quality food. Thank you, for a fantastic meal.
(5)Richard S.
Dinner for four the other night. We were seated promptly and offered some homemade focaccia which was awful. We wanted real Italian bread which is hard to find in Florida. The menu was mostly pseudo Italian concoctions with too many ingredients and over priced. The waiter bragged about the homemade pasta so I ordered raviolis with a lot of other things inside and out. My wife ordered sausage and peppers with what looked like rigatoni but they called it something else. The pasta was doughy and chewy, not al dente. Truly not good at all. I think my raviolis were over $25. The wife's dish was little tiny pieces of sausage and a few peppers in a spicy red sauce. Adding insult to injury was an $11 glass of very average pinot noir that was a definite pour for the house. All in all, it was a very amateurish poor dinner. The chef should go to Italy and learn some really good cooking with simple ingredients. A waste of $80+. Definitely not coming back, ever!
(1)Danielle D.
The food and service were incredible. I had the baked ziti and it was so delicious. I would also recommend the almond champagne. Beautiful place, definitely a must in Naples!
(5)Angie B.
My husband is Italian and I wanted to take him out on a date to a place he could have a fantastic quality Italian meal in beautiful surroundings. I had never heard of Caffe Dell' Amore and stumbled upon their restaurant during an online search. Upon being seated, the first thing we noticed was how impeccably clean the restaurant was. Not a speck of dust even in the corners of the room and the ceiling vents were so clean, you could have dined on them. Being a great cook myself, I can be very critical of restaurant food but from the cream of asparagus soup, with the delicious flavor and texture served piping hot, to the short rib stuffed homemade ravioli to cream filled pear, I had no complaints and enjoyed every savory bite. I would have driven 20 miles just for the cream filled pear. You know when you have had an exceptional dining experience when you are still thinking about the food the next day. Do yourself a favor and try this restaurant at least once but beware, after this dining experience, you will be innamorato (in love).
(5)S M.
We really wanted the restaurant to be good since it is within walking distance. We took the overall recommendations Soup, Spinach Appetizer, and Lasagna. The soup was bland, the Spinach appetizer was terrible, and the lasagna was the worst ever. The wait staff was bragging on the Spinach balls, talking about everyone wanting the recipe. I can post it, boiled spinach pressed into a ball with nothing else. The entire menu needs to be redone, we can only hope since the location is so great.
(1)Rick R.
Where to start? Had I given any credence to the early reviews this restaurant might have slipped off the radar. Let me first say that my wife and I have been blessed to have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the UK and Europe as well as here in the states. We spent a month in Italy two years ago and the food here is equal to the best restaurants we experienced bar none. The wine list is extensive. The suggestions from the wait staff both for food and wine were excellent. As an appetizer we split the spinach balls. Truly extraordinary. My wife had the gnocchi and I had the veal shank which were both wonderful! The flourless chocolate cake and gelato dessert were hands-down one of the best we have ever had. The restaurant is small and I would think reservations in advance are a must. We look forward to our next dining experience with them which will be in the near future! We look forward to bringing both friends and family here. Our new favorite restaurant!
(5)Beth P.
+'s Very attentive service including from the owner Very cozy and small Homemade pasta delicious desserts -'s Very small portions Very expensive Mediocre Cornish hen (stick with the pasta) Bread - not crusty/crunchy with soft middle like most Italian rest
(3)Beej M.
Nobody called and asked for a credit card (which I agree is tacky) so we just showed up for our reservation. Tiny place, welcoming owners, great food. One of the best meals we have had in a town with many great restaurants.
(5)Denise P.
Discovered this restaurant on a drive to Naples from Punta Gorda. So glad we did. Their menu is refreshingly true Italian - Spinach Delizie, simple yet amazing, melt in your mouth appetizer, Mussels and clams in a beautiful tomato broth, delicious, and then an Eggplant tower, tender slices of eggplant stacked with fresh mozzerella and just enough sauce. We rounded out our meal with the perfect wine and while truly satisfied still couldnt resist trying the Italian cheesecake, with an expresso of course. Another pleasant surprise on the dessert menu is the Vin Santo. Dominick and Brian have a great place here. Happy to have met them and definately plan on going back again, and again.
(5)Dauphine S.
Had high expectations. After a hassle adding a person to the reservation, despite open tables, service was spotty. Over the course of the night, we had 3 different servers take our orders. Servers were untrained on special dietary needs (vegetarian, to be specific). Our Spinach Balls were actually excellent and the majority of the food was good. Most of our party was overjoyed by the experience. For the common diner, it will exceed expectations. However, out of 4 bottles Of wine ordered, two were bad. I have a 2500 bottle wine cellar and have traveled to most wine regions in Italy. I was told an obviously bad bottle of wine tasted like it was supposed to taste and that I just didn't understand the region. This was second hand because the second server of the night, a very nice young lady, didn't know the wines and was told this by the owner. I have been to the region and own dozens of wines from the top producers in the region. The server was put in a shitty situation because she didn't know the wines and had to relay passive aggressive information from the owner to us. The owner let us replace the bottle after we "didn't like it" (again, it was bad; not a preference issue) and the next bottle, a different wine altogether, was corked. At this point, our party was enjoying themselves and as it was a work function, we didn't say anything. Given the reception we got about the first bottle, we just let the table drink it as they didn't know any better and it was the end of the night. I really would have liked one server throughout the night. I like consistency. The food was good. Not epic, not divine, but solid. I would have liked the answer about the bad wine to have been "I'm very sorry. Can I replace it for you or would you like to try a different wine?" That would have far exceeded implied accusations of our bad taste. I would recommend the restaurant based solely on food quality. Make a reservation and know you'll get Italian wait service, so distant but friendly. Know that if you have a problem with anything, it will be handled as if *you* are the problem and they are doing you a favor by fixing it. Oh, and just a side note, the restaurant is an AT&T dead zone. And the restaurant didn't offer wifi to is upon inquiring about the phone service.
(3)Richard P.
Lasagna was well reviewed so we tried it. It was a slice of lasagna. The bechamel was barely noticeable, there was a preponderance of meat, yet the whole thing was watery. It was quite an ordinary slice of lasagne that I suspect didn't survive freezing or reheating all that well and it was $28.00 ... ala carte. We also had a fancier dish made of wild mushrooms and pasta sachets with filling... again... watery... do they actually freeze and reheat for this kind of money?!? Service was good. The guy in charge was nice but a bit intense... kind of thuggish and if I was overcharging for mediocre home-cookin' I guess I'd don an attitude too. Whatever. Won't go back. I really wanted to like this place too.
(2)Lisa S.
We drove from Ft. Myers to eat here, and it did not disappoint. Fabulous food, service, and atmosphere. Do yourself a favor and come here for the best Italian food in SW Florida.
(5)P. M.
It was just ok. Fish was old, replaced with a bland sole dish. The captain is very attentive but that doesn't make up for just ok food. There are far better places then this.Esoteric wine list with few known wines on it. Over priced for country cuisine.
(2)Nancy N.
terrible! we came to Naples specifically to eat here and were sorely disappointed! spinach balls resemble creamed spinach with no distinction. heavy and fairly flavorless. wine ($45) was equally common--fairly tasteless. Value $7. entrees beef tips excellent with fine season seasonings. My lobster ravioli wretched--tough frozen and the ravioli NOT fresh NOR homemade. YUK OVERRATED with OVERWEENING Matre'd.
(2)Kristine D.
Authentic Italian cuisine in a cozy setting. A little hidden, but worth the effort to find. We four thoroughly enjoyed our recent meal and felt like we had been transported to Italy. You really taste the freshness and notice the effort that went into each dish, plus it is not too pricey. A good selection of Italian wines, too. Sincere, personal service. We can not recommend highly enough. A+++
(5)