Cafe Al Dente

A lot of history and personalities define this place. Sometimes I hear complaints that the food or service can be rather slow but if you want only speed go to to McDonalds. They make a lot by scratch and their calzone is fantastic and takes a little longer. Enjoy the time with the person you came with or grab a seat at bar because there’s a treasure trove of stories amongst the characters here at Café al Dente. The patio is second to none for more casual dining and people watching along Delaware Street.

Perfect date night with hubby! First time at Café Al Dente, but definitely not the last. The atmosphere was charming and comfortable, the food was outstanding (I had the special –fish stuffed with delicious crab), and the service was wonderful. The owners were personable and truly take pride in the quality of food and service they offer their patrons. ***Absolutely the BEST TIRAMISU and French press coffee I’ve ever had.***

The meatball sandwich from here (I think they call it the Reverse) is AMAZING. Best I have found. I just bought lunch for my employees from here and they gave nothing but praise for the food. I think my team has found a new favorite spot for lunch. Give it a try if you haven’t yet, you wont be disappointed.

The service is painfully slow along with the preparation of the gross food. They also treat their employees terribly. I do not support this place and resent that they only do well because some locals are to lazy to walk anywhere else and continue to support them. I, however, choose to support business that treat their employees with respect and take pride in the food they serve.

This place is the most endearing restaurant. It’s family owned and run, and is the perfect spot when you’re craving a casual, home cooked meal. Food was very tasty with big portions for a good price. The service was also so friendly, told us all about their menu items, and made sure we had everything we needed.
Started with the brie, spinach & artichoke dip — creamy and delicious. We then split the kickoff pizza (meatballs, ricotta, sausage, peppers, sugo sauce) and the chicken parm. Delicious comfort food. Definitely would come back.

The cheese pizza with spicy sauce was fabulous. The buffalo wings were also great. Fairly speedy delivery. I will definitely order again.

Food is always fresh and tasty ! BEST jalapeño poppers I had in my life so far !! Very friendly ! Delivery is always a plus ! I recommend this place ! Especially for a night in !

I came here for the first time a few days ago, really bc their prices are very reasonable for homemade pasta, and of course bc of all the great reviews. I thought the wait staff was more interested in talking to their regulars than talking to a new customer, but that’s just based off a 10 minute visit here bc I ordered to-​go. So I got the Fettuccine Alfredo $ 7.29, and it comes with a dinner roll cut in half and made into garlic bread. The food was pleasant, but I thought it a bit odd that they added chili flakes to the pasta, but overall it was ok. I was really hoping for a little bit of pasta, side salad and bread but didn’t feel like paying $ 10 for it. If they come out with a lunch special like that for under $ 8 I will give this establishment another try.

I love this place! It is family-​owned, so it’s quaint, homey, and warm. It’s also very classy and just perfect for any sort of night out– a quiet date, a fun meal with friends, a place to watch the game, a place to bring your family. I got the shrimp scampi the first several times we came just because it is so, so good. Tonight I had their special, which was shrimp with bowtie pasta in a pesto cream sauce. Of course, it was wonderful! We also had a giant slice of key lime cake (perfect). The prices are also great. It always feel like I’m having a spot-​on, home-​cooked, Italian meal. I have only good things to say.

Delicious pizza for movie night! Thanks so much for the great customer service and fantastic pizza!

I ordered delivery through Grubhub. They delivered fast and it was hot. For the price, the food is great. I rated a 5 for the level of service. I will definitely order from here again when I’m feeling lazy. The chicken wings are good.

Wonderful, friendly, small local restaurant. I ate on the patio (about six tables) and watched the world go by. There are old style booths inside which couples seemed to prefer — like being in your own world.
I had the meat sauce spaghetti and it was yummy. And as it was only $ 8 and came with some great, good old fashioned garlic bread it was super yummy! I had the $ 2 side salad (ask for black olives if you like them) and it was the perfect sized portion of goodness. $ 5 glass of wine and I was set.
Yes, maybe some trendy restaurants may be slightly ahead of Café Al Dente. But for the money, the sincerely welcoming atmosphere and the local vibe, my money is on this place.

The best part of this place is that the food is made from scratch, on site. It all looks so unassuming, but it is delicious. I had the lasagna with what may have been the best red sauce I’ve ever had.
The tiramisu. Oh my god!
The price is reasonable as well.

Good family cooking.
My wife and I enjoyed a nice date night at this restaurant. We found the food to be really tasty, and not too rich in flavor.
The prices are way cheaper than other Italian places. In the family owned atmosphere is really appreciated!
I recommend their meatball sandwich or spaghetti with meatballs. They prepare everything in house and have pretty good recipes.
This is a great place for a cheap night out.

Nice little restaurant, owned by this funny older couple. Food was great, service was solid and I enjoyed my visit.

I’d like to rate this place higher but there are a few reasons I can’t.
First, the service is very spotty. Late arriving waitress left the ONE server for the entire restaurant fending for herself. And she was terrible at communicating what was going on and/​or managing the situation. New arrivals. A table with kids (this is not a good place for kids) that had spills to clean up. Split checks. Take out calls. It was a shitshow.
Second, when we finally were served and finally received food it was just as the rating states. A-​OK.
The Lasagna was good meat pie. The red sauce was terribly sweet, though. I had to add lots of spicy red pepper flakes just to balance it.
The Kick Off pizza had excellent toppings and an occasional burst of roasted garlic. The crust was a bit normal though. They bake in those pans with a dimpled bottom… which makes me think of several chain restaurants.
The service took so long that they comp’d the pizza. We didn’t ask… they just did it. Nice touch.
Soooo… I’d go back. But I’d be careful what I ordered. The daily special shrimp po-​boy looked aMAzing, for example. And if the place seemed understaffed I’d leave and go to Il Lazzarone on the other side of the building, where the best pizza in town is served and the service is spot-​on. That’s life in the big city!

Wow! Great service, awesome build-​your-​own calzones! I’ll be back. Often.
They have a full bar and reasonable prices.
Parking can be an issue at lunch time.

as a river market resident, Café Al Dente is a great option to have when you’re too lazy to make dinner but are desiring a close, inexpensive bite to eat.
I can only speak to their sandwiches as thats all i ever get, but they are delicious. I have tried several different ones and have never had one i didn’t like.
Their brie and spinach artichoke dip is SOO GOOD. we get it every time and practically lick the dip bowl clean.
I have always found the staff to be friendly and accomodating. And I can always get behind supporting a good local business. Glad to have it in my neighborhood!

This is a review for a DELIVERY order for 3 of us at the office.
Ordered: 2 calzones and one sandwich (no substitutions or special instructions)
Order made: At opening time (11am). When we asked if the order could be delivered at the office by noon, the answer was yes.
Called at (12:20pm) asking if the order was on it’s way.
The woman on the phone said it «probably was». She was unapologetic. Minus ONE star.
Order was delivered at: (12:45pm) — Minus ONE STAR
Note: We are in their delivery area, 4 miles away. No inclement weather — clear day.
ONE star for a pleasant delivery guy
ONE star for the food — it was very good. No complaints about the food.

I went in for lunch on a Monday. They had maybe a double handful of tables — most getting ready to leave and five staff that I saw working. It still took more than 30 minutes to get a chicken sandwich and order of fries. The staff were unfriendly and unattentive. I finally had to stand up and to get my server’s attention. When I pointed out how long it was taking for a simple sandwich, I got only excuses. I ultimately had to change my order to a to-​go order because of how long it took.
When I got back to my office, the food was bland, unseasoned and unappetizing.
Needless to say I won’t be back.