Little Italy Cafe & Deli
3305 NW River Rd, Sanford, MI, 48657
Little Italy Cafe & Deli Menu
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Address :
3305 NW River Rd
Sanford, MI, 48657 - Phone (989) 687-5212
- Website https://www.littleitalycafedeli.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Dinner
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
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Jeff L.
CLOSED Very good food. The place is not fancy, but the food is excellent. You will not be disappointed. We will definitely make this a frequent stop.
(5)Steve C.
I thought I'd never find a decent Italian restaurant in Mid-Michigan. Who'd have thought I'd find it in the middle of nowhere down a back road in Sanford? It's a small, intimate place with only a few tables. Dinner reservations are a must. We began on a good note with an appetizer of warm crab bruschetta. I ordered the chicken capocollo; it was phenomenal. My date's alfredo carbonara -- apparently the chef's favorite -- was equally good. I also tasted a bit of my friend's stromboli. It had a nice flaky crust, but I'd stick to the specialty dishes. Ordering stromboli at such a nice restaurant felt wasteful. That said, the pizza at the table next to us looked amazing... Service was attentive. The whole place has this bizarre juxtaposition of very high-quality food with plastic cups, playing cards at your table, and diner-like exterior. It works though. If you can embrace it, this is in the running for the best place to eat in Mid-Michigan.
(5)Lindsay A.
The food is still wonderful and you still need reservations (perhaps more now than ever), but some things have changed. Most notably, the food is now served on real plates and with real silverware. While the foam plates/bowls and plasticware did not bother me, it seemed to strike some people as odd. Now, the only disposable things on the table are the cups. Also, Chef Delite had a helper in the kitchen on my most recent visit, which seemed to help move things along in the kitchen despite the fact that the restaurant was completely packed when we were there. I'm not sure if this is a permanent/full-time change or was just a temporary thing. One other note: I've now had a few desserts from here -- chocolate mousse pie, chocolate layer cake and cannoli -- and I've enjoyed them all. My advice is to save half of your entree to take home so you have room in your stomach to have dessert with your meal (plus a second chance to enjoy your delicious dinner the next day!).
(5)Jessica M.
Yes, reservations needed. There are only a few tables in this place. The food is amazing! The owner/chef is super nice and world classy. BYOB. Also offers a deli section with baked goods etc. GO and GO often. Wait, no. Stay away, I want to ensure I have a table.
(5)Emily N.
Awesome place. It has its quirks and those make it great. The food is excellent and make sure when you are going that you plan for awhile because it may take awhile but split a bottle of wine and have some conversation.
(5)Mister T.
This place is BOMB! Don't order too many or any appetizers bc you won't have room for anything else... Every thing on the menu is bang'n!
(5)Tracy P.
You go here because of the good food. Everything else is low budget - small space only holds abouut 20, plastic plates, tableware and cups. Bring your wine, they have a corkscrew available. If you forget the wine, the gas station across the street now sells high end wines - don't you love America? Cash or personal check only. Service can be slow - it's a small operation. Some dishes can be just OK (the lamb) but others can be signature dishes (portobello with red pepper sauce). But even with all that, it's some of the best Italian in the Tri-Cities area.
(4)D D.
The rest of reviews say it all. You must make a reservation unless you go for lunch. The chef runs this place her way so you better abide by her rules. If she does not answer the phone, your out of luck that night. You can leave a message and get carry-out if she calls you back. You can bring some wine which is nice and she runs some great specials. You may be stuffed but make sure you bring some of her baked goods home with you. Her cakes and homemade breads are worth a trip alone. The best thing is go for lunch and get all her rules and grab a menu. Love this place!
(5)Ellen P.
Friends enthusiastically recommended this restaurant to us some time ago...we've unknowingly driven past it a couple of times, but finally tracked it down with our GPS so we could have dinner there on my birthday. (Yay!) First you have to find it, which will not be easy without technological assistance; it's out in the country, on River Road, west of the village of Sanford near Midland, in a nondescript yellow building that also houses a small gym. If you blink, you'll miss it. (Look for the nearby gas station; it's on the same side of the street.) Let me take that back. First you have to call for reservations, because Little Italy's dining area is so tiny -- maybe five tables of various sizes, in two austerely appointed, space-heater-warmed spaces -- that they have to serve in a series of seatings. Also be warned that the establishment doesn't serve beer or wine, but welcomes diners to bring their own. So bring your own beverage, plus proper glasses so you don't wind up drinking out of plastic cups. Oh...and you must also bring cash or your checkbook; no credit cards here. In other words, this ain't exactly Spago. But anyway...now let's talk about the food. Here in flyover Michigan, Italian food generally means pizza or, if you're feeling fancy, spaghetti. Not here. Little Italy has, in addition to those staples, an amazing menu featuring everything from veal marsala to chicken Modena to giant ravioli to shrimp piccata, plus evening specials. Meals come with a modest oil-and-vinegar tossed salad and bread with herb-infused olive oil. We started out with a fairly pedestrian but tasty platter of breaded fried shrimp and calamari, served with a zesty marinara dipping sauce. We then moved on to our entrees -- extravagant portions of a delicious veal marsala served with mashed potatoes and veal cacciatore over pasta. We switched plates midway; it was hard to pick a winner, because they were both so rich and flavorful good, but I will give a slight edge to my cacciatore. We finished the evening by splitting a yummy cannoli with light, airy filling. The ambiance is divey but in a good way. Obviously the space limitations of the restaurant mean you share close quarters with other diners. But if our experience is any indication of the average evening, fellow diners are friendly, polite and above all focused on the food. My only -- ONLY -- complaint about our experience here was the overwhelming aroma of the deep fryer in the back, which tends to permeate the air of the small restaurant space, and one's clothing. And it would be nice to see a few more non-fried starters on the menu; there are an antipasto plate and a couple of other non-fried items, but that's it. (I say this as I plan to enjoy their deep-fried artichoke appetizer on my next visit...) If you enjoy the fun and adventure of finding tiny hole-in-the-wall eateries with unexpectedly great food, you will find it worth your while to travel off the beaten path and visit Little Italy. We are definitely planning to visit again and begin working our way down their delightful dinner menu.
(5)Joseph G.
Went for dinner, arrived to a comfortable table in an intimate corner. Excellent food with many options, very cozy space (small area, definitely requires reservations beforehand) and items are reasonably priced for the quality and amount of food. Arrived to our name on the table and were treated excellently by the waiter. My only complaint, as petty as it sounds, is that the pepper shakers and olive oil bottle were sticky in excess no matter how I held them. Be aware that the cash and check statement is still accurate - no credit/debit card functionality at the register. Took a menu heading out the door, definitely returning for future occasions.
(5)