Casa Cosenza

I was really disappointed!
The atmosphere is too sterile and it lacks character. The food was not authentic, and I was disappointed with the lack of flavor.
My husband ordered the pasta with fried artichokes and after digging through his food found none? We asked the waitress if we were mistaken in ordering the wrong dish, and she said she would find out from the chef.. In the meantime the ‘boss/​owner’ came over and stated that they were all out of artichokes? Within seconds of hearing this from the boss, the waitress came back and told us that the fryer was broken. The timing was terrible and I felt bad that clearly there was bullshit afoot! The boss shook his head and dismissed her from our table.
I prefer honesty when there is a mistake. lying to your guests is not a good look, especially for a new restaurant. I wish them well but we will not be returning.

I don’t write reviews at all. But I have to say I really like this place and the way the make their food is real Italian which for some people is bad because is not American Italian but again this real Italian food which is different from the different regions of Italy and his surrounding I ask them a lot of question from the different food I order for example the chicken parm have marinara sauce on top of the chicken but on the pasta it had Alfredo when usually it have marinara and I ask why and the chef say because that how her family makes it. Which to me that is better that they making their family recipe that just been another American Italian restaurant. And to the people that say they don’t like this way of making Italian I can recommend you to go to Olive Garden to your local Italian place that make American Italian food…

First a comment on some of the previous reviews: I’ve been to CC twice now and agree with some of the reviews that the servers are a bit inexperienced but clearly trying very hard. The owner keeps very close tabs on what is going on in his restaurant and nudges the staff toward more professional service. It isn’t something you can learn overnight. The staff are all very friendly and, if thrown a question they cannot answer, they do not hesitate to ask someone who knows. I have food allergies so it is important for me that everyone gets it right. At Casa Cosenza, they get it right!
On the first visit, we had the Insalata della casa and Risotto cacao eblend 5 pepi e sesame (Risotto with 5 different peppers and sesame). The salad was fresh, light and very tasty. It was excellent. The risotto was creamy and cooked perfectly. The peppers added depth to the dish without overwhelming it. Very good. I’m quite impressed that a new Itallian restaurant would take on home-​made pasta, risotto and rice. I don’t see risotto on menus very often and is a nice break from pasta. Will polenta be next?
For our second trip to CC, I decided to throw them the ‘curve ball’. My diet is pretty strict plant-​based. The risotto was a cheat (made with cheese). We asked our server if they could accommodate the allergies and prepare a plant-​based meal. She checked with the chef and returned with an affirmative. We had the Verdura ripassata con uva passa e pinoli (Sautéed vegetables with raisins and pine nuts) and the Pasta fresca del giorno. The vegetables were primarily zucchini and were sautéed to perfection in a light, flavorful sauce. The raisins and pine nuts added a nice flavor to the dish as did the fresh basil. I expected limp veggies swimming in oil and was not disappointed that that wasn’t what we received. They substituted the pasta del giorno with gluten-​free pasta and tossed it with a fresh tomato sauce sans the parmigiana and pecorino cheese. The sauce was a little salty for my taste but otherwise excellent. We could taste the garlic without being overwhelmed by it and there was a little spicy kick. There were abundant grape tomatoes cooked just right — still firm. The pasta was better than many of the store-​bought gluten free noodles and was a little al dente. For desert, the chef created a dish of Belgian chocolate sauce with fruit since none of their deserts were gluten-​free and plant-​based. Overall, an excellent meal. Very accommodating staff and management.
The menu isn’t extensive nor is the wine list but they have only been in business less than two months. We’ve tried the Montepulciano and Valpolicella — both were excellent and fairly priced. The food is excellent. The service is friendly, young and learning. The management attentive and committed to having a long, successful history in the area. Welcome to the neighborhood. We will be back.

I ate here for the first time recently and my experience is somewhat different than others who have commented. They seem to get either 1-​Star or 5-Stars…I think the more realistic assessment is right in between.
The good news here is that the Veal I had was AMAZING. As good as any Veal I have ever had in Florida. The appetizer was this small «pizza-​like» dish that was also fabulous. However, there were some down sides. The Lasagna was only so-​so and had clearly been frozen for quite some time. Also, the Meatball (which they called Meatloaf) was downright awful and not something I will try again.
I probably need to do a more detailed assessment, but there’s definitely some promise here as they learn the American palate a little better. The couple who own the place are right from Italy and barely speak English, but they seem very engaged and they will grow as they gain experience.
Based on how good the Veal was I would bet they have a bright future if they can control prices and better adapt to the way American-​Italians eat rather than Italian-​Italians.

I had never seen this place earlier and assumed that this place just opened up (around a month ago). Gave it and try and was pleasantly surprised. The décor and brightness of this place is briliant and different in a good way. Spacious and airy so that your table gets your own little bubble rather than being crowded. The owners and staff were very warm and welcoming as if they cared about the place and for the people visiting (which you can’t always tell sometimes). The food was delicious. the bread for starters was warm and soft and the texture was yummy. I got the risotto which was rich and full. We couldn’t try the dessert as I didn’t have any place left to ingest but I will defintely be going back.

We just had lunch at Casa Cosenza and it was phenomenal! We tried a little bit of everything! The Scalopina Al Bianco (veal with an awesome sauce!), the chicken Parmesan, pasta with Alfredo, the breads with olive oil, and Profiteroles (cream filled puff pastry covered in wonderful chocolate)!! Everything from start to finish was absolutely delicious and AUTHENTIC!!! Our two year old loved the food too! The service was amazing and they are just all so sweet! The owners are from Rome and everything is top notch! I really appreciated all of the attention to fine details and how welcoming it felt! They really thought of everything from décor, to hospitality, to the ambiance of the restaurant! I felt like I was in a restaurant in Italy! You HAVE to try this place! We will be going back soon!

Love this place! Delicious food and Fresh made bread. My favorite is the nocchi. Yummy! Try the almond flour chocolate cake. have an expresso with your dessert, it’s made the old fashioned way.

Wow! Authentic Italian food in the heart of Oldsmar? What a hidden gem! I went to lunch with 7 of my coworkers and we all ordered different meals and no one was disappointed! The food was fresh and extremely tasty. Our server Lexi was awesome and gave us great advice on what to order and knew the menu backwards and forwards. A huge plus for me was the gluten free pasta. It was delicious and cooked perfectly! I will definitely be going back for dinner with my Hubby ASAP.

The 1 star is solely for the nice Chilean waiter who caught us as we were about to leave.
You’d think, the owners are Italian, this place has to be legit! Well… not the case.
There’s no host station, so we waited a bit to be greeted, waiters avoiding eye contact to avoid questions, waited more to be sat. There was only one menu on the table, and I was missing silverware. The waiter sat us, and we ordered Pellegrino, he gave us soda water from the fountain and a basket of stale bread that tasted fresh out of the microwave oven for the 3^rd time. Still keep hope, since they have a fresh pasta station and it looked cool.
The waiter NEVER came back. As we’re thinking, «well, I guess Chili’s still open» the nice young man came and did everything in his power to makes us happy. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough. The appetizer was below ok, extremely small portion, over dressed salad, and again with the microwave oven! The food was absolutely forgettable. The pasta was NOT freshly made, I got about 3 shrimp and were badly cleaned (I ate a lot of sand) and 3 pieces of grouper. All very bland. But at least we were not the couple beside us, they REALLY had their order shredded! And don’t even get me started on the cherry tomatoes on the floor that every single associate failed to pick up!
I will not be going back again. Ciao.

The people are awesome, but the food omg it’s not!
Only the involtini melanzane are good
The spaghetti with fish «frutti di mare» yukky
There were «ditalini» pasta mixed with the spaghetti and the sauce yukky
Gnocchi? Ok
And the baba?
Mammamia absolutely not good
I’m Italian and I know what’s the italian food
Sorry I can’t pay for this kind of food
They texted me after this review and asked me to take this off
And there were some insults too in the message
I’m italian
Born and raised in Italy
Mamma Mia

Maybe the best veal I’ve ever had.
Surprise restaurant find. In a strip plaza where you would least expect such a place. Nothing much to see outside but when you step in you see a wonderfully decorated family restaurant with a bright comfortable atmosphere. Can’t really explain it but the décor just made me feel good.
3 of us stopped in for a late quasi biz lunch. Two of us got the Scaloppina al vino bianco, which is kind of a veal marsala, and one got the Gnocchi alla Sorrentina. The veal may have been the best I’ve ever had and I’m not just writing that for effect. I mean maybe the best. The Gnocchi were also very good, home made and fresh. The sauce was good and seasoned right. Being Italian, the red sauce is the measure of all cooking ability and they did a great job. (Not going to say it’s was my Mom’s or Grandma’s but very good indeed.)
I also got lasagna to take home to my wife. It was also very good and fresh. My wife really like it. I tried it and it was really good. (Not saying it was my grandma’s but close.)
Service was ok but it was quiet during an off time for a restaurant so can’t say much about service.
One of the owners, Carlo, came around and spoke to everyone. Very nice guy from Rome. His family and his brother’s family run the restaurant.
Definitely a hidden gem you have to try.

Amazing food… Fresh homemade pasta. nice homestyle atmosphere… Great wine… Excellent dessert… Lexi was a great server… We will definitely be coming back…

This place is the real deal! 2 brothers and there families that relocated from Rome Italy to pursue their dream! The inside is very clean and inviting and the food is all made from scratch daily and was very good! I had the Gnocchi and my colleague had the lunch portion Lasagna. Both our dishes were cooked perfectly and the taste of the fresh made pasta was excellent! Also the dessert a Italian type cheesecake was delicious Also made fresh daily! This place is not your «chain» Italian style restaurant… this place is real authentic Italian food made fresh! I will defiantly go back again!

Loved the interior. Service was 5 star. The food was spot on. We want to come back to keep trying things on the menu. Lovers the house red wine. A new jewel has been born in Oldsmar for great Italian food. Not your daddy’s Italian. Simply good. Great place for a date nite stop. Love the bar area. Try it. You’ll love it.

Potential is a dirty word, but the right word for this place. Let the constructive critisizm begin! The serv ice was great with a huge A for effort. She admitted she has never served before, so when a couple things fell on the floor and she put them right back on the table and recapped the water, I was ok with it. The fresh pasta station and the sauce, as well as the pre-​meal bread and dessert puffs were all ok. I was starving, and the house salad was full of mixed fresh greens, plump tomatoes and huge, flavorful artichokes with fresh mozz cheese. So delicious, I could have had it as a meal! What wasn’t so good was the shrimp. It tasted so fishy I thought I’d be sick. They came with a parchment bag of tempura veggies that were alright, but the fried on fried food violence was way too much. I wouldn’t suggest they serve that to anyone ever again. That dish is a lost cause. Lasagna was cool.

Truly authentic food from two brothers who relocated here to open this restaurant. Food is delicious and house made pasta is the best. Care and attention from servers and winery’s. They truly want to know their guests and ensure their satisfaction. Yes they have only been pen a week and working out a few issues. Your patience is rewarded. I truly wish them success with this restaurant. Owners who care!!!

Really solid for a place that is doing their soft opening! I plan on returning a few weeks after they officially open and see what’s cooking for dinner.
Today, I had a lunch special, which was a half portion of lasagna and I added a side salad for a few bucks. Prior to the meal coming out, our waitress brought us some fresh-​baked bread and two pieces of fried dough, topped with Parmesan cheese and a dollop of marinara sauce – all of which were great. The side salad was more like a full salad, and came with capers, grape tomatoes, fresh motz and a wonderfully light oil and citrus based dressing. The lasagna was perfectly sized for lunch, and with all the other treats, I left satisfied. The flavor was on point, and the pasta tasted wonderfully fresh and homemade. Only complaint was that it was a little cool (not cold) in the very center. I offered that feedback to our waitress.
The place was quaint, and the (presumed) owner was walking around talking to people in Italian, giving the place a very warm and welcoming feel. I think they’ve got about 15 tables, mostly 2 tops, plenty of bar seating and a few high tops around the bar.
Service was a little amateur-​like because it was our waitress’ first week in the industry, but she was extremely pleasant to speak with. I’m sure after business picks up, she will get into the swing of things.
Anywho, as I hinted above, I will definitely be back to try some more of their food. I can already forecast an upgrade to a 4-​star based on the quality and presentation of our dishes.

I think this will get better with time — but maybe give them a week or so to sort out the issues. Way understaffed, computer ordering system has a lot of glitches as does the kitchen. I see potential but they have to get their act together. Got the wrong appetizer, my entrée — Bucatini was slightly undercooked and the sauce a touch too sweet. I did not get offered any bread. Owner seemed a bit oblivious to the chaos but he was very friendly and nice. If they want to succeed they need to review what went wrong at the end of each day and come up with a better game plan for the next day — otherwise they are going to lose customers. I hope this makes it because we need better Italian in Oldsmar. Also they need better wines by the glass, I would pay more for a better selection.