Café Sorriso

Went here for lunch because of all the great reviews. It has a very cute, European café’ish feel. I was craving pasta (as were several of my friends) and so I ordered the homemade paparadelle with mushrooms and truffle oil. While the pasta and mushrooms were very fresh, I found the dish was a bit too soupy and the serving size a little small. Good but definitely not worth the $ 15 price tag. My friends’ pasta dishes were also small (the lasagna and the carbonara) and similarly priced although I think they liked the flavors.
There were a lot more non-​pasta items on the menu that were reasonably priced and sounded good, especially some of their brunch items. So next time I would definitely skip the pasta and just order something else.

I don’t usually write reviews, but due the bad experience I had today, this review warrants my time. Although the food was good, it was definitely overpriced. In addition, the staff told me and my friends that we can’t play card games in the «restaurant» although this place is called a café.

I sat down inside and it took about 10 minutes for someone to offer me a menu and another 10 minutes for me to get water. I waited about 40 minutes for my food. One of the waitresses was unfriendly.
The food was bad. I ordered a vegetable omelet and it was sort of a big, flat egg and vegetable fritatta with a lot of unseasoned cheese melted on top. The best part of the meal was the toast that came on the side.
Great location, good if you’re just getting a glass of wine and are not in a rush.

We really enjoyed the gelato! We actually met the maker of the fresh gelato. Stefano was great!

Friendly staff and great food. Had the Farmer’s omelette with an espresso — very tasty and extremely reasonably priced. I will definitely be back!

Cute little place. Fair priced, decent pizza on focaccia bread and good sorbets. Only one waiter. Very nice guy but probably needed a lil help.

Food was genuinely bad and overpriced. I got the «staff favorite» which was too salty and not particularly notable otherwise.
I give it two stars for the décor, which is nice and because I didn’t try the gelato, which looked good. Plenty of seats outside, and seemed like a good place to sit and nurse a coffee for a while.

What a nice surprise! Calamari needed a bit more seasoning but it was cooked perfectly. The pasta was homemade and pappardelle al Ragu Di Carne was delightfully light yet rich in flavor. The bolognase sauce was very tasty. Chicken Marsala was served with a side salad. Marsala was very prominent and made the meal delicious. Finished with pistachio gelato that was creamy and smooth. What do you think about a $ 19 bottle of house wine? Amazing for DC.
Overall, small unpretentious bistro really rose to provide a great meal. Although they locked the door at 8pm on Sunday night then allowed us to stay until 9 pm and enjoy a slow meal. Kudos to our beautiful server who made our Sunday night super!

Get the affogato! Had the Nutella in mine and it was delicious. They also have other gelatos such as Green Tea! Love the cute décor and coffee shop atmosphere. It would be nice if they played music instead of having just sport games on TV.

Friendly staff, cool interior, delicious breakfast and gelato — overall perfect hidden spot to relax and people watch

I went in late in the evening for some gelato. The person was friendly and the hazelnut gelato was good. Not too many flavors though but it hit the spot.

Best gelato and espresso in town. A really nice breakfast spot too. Can’t wait to try their primi and secondi.

Delicious gelato. Friendly staff. Perfect dessert after eating at the Afghan Grille. Not a big gelato selection, but what they do have is great. The chocolate orange tasted like a Milano cookie! Yum

Had some an OK grilled cheese sandwich here. Nothing bad, nothing special. Just a place to get some food.

Great coffee and ice cream spot. Nice big windows to look out of if you’re in a pensive mood and need some inspiration and cozy, intimate corners to sit down and gaze into your significant other’s eyes as you both enjoy some coffee and dessert. Take your pick, but definitely try the ice cream!

Great food, very authentic, lovely staff. Service is a little slow but the food is worth waiting for.

My husband and I came during Sunday brunch. I had the egg sandwich and he had the Carne omlette. The prices were well and the food was delicious. I also had bottomless mimosas, an affogato, and my husband and I shared some deliciously made mint-​chocolate gelato. The place wasn’t busy for a Sunday, so my husband and I had the waiter’s un-​divided attention. I’m more than happy that my husband decided to take me to this small, cozy restaurant. Will definitely have to come visit again!

This place is very quaint and relaxing! I got the caprese appetizer which was very fresh and delicious. My boyfriend got the calamari which was crispy and the batter tasted homemade. I will definitely be back!

Fast wifi and outdoor seating to be with your dog.
I was here for brunch. While I didn’t order off the brunch menu the food was still delicious.

Ordered two Gelato. Two scoop mango and pineapple and a one scoop that remind me of hazzlenut or nutella. They both tasted great!

Cute!!! xo Love! Must must visit, very cute and delicious!

The waiters were unnecessarily rude while the food was overpriced and mediocre. My friends and I came here as part of a journalism conference and apparently the restaurant workers could not handle the stress of serving many people. The restaurant was not crowded; in fact, several tables were empty. Yet it took 10 minutes for us to get any service and when we did, I said we were ready to order and the waiter told us «we can’t drop everything just to take your order.» Nobody else was ordering food at that time…
We only got water when our food arrived. I got roasted cauliflower, a plate as big as an iPhone 6 plus that cost $ 9. Please– they were vegetables with raisins and stale nuts scattered on top. My friend got a soggy BLT with one measly piece of bacon on it. All in all, this has been my worst dining experience to date. Avoid this «restaurant» what all costs

Simple food done well. Plus great espresso and pastries. To to it off the staff is always wonderful.

A nice, intimate little place in a great location.
I had walked past this place forever and not even realized it was there. I went for brunch yesterday and it was ok. I had the farmer omelet. It was a bit overcooked but good and cheesy (a good thing). The toast was dry but ok. I thought the service was fine and the place was charming for an underground location. A quick inexpensive neighborhood place. A good option if Open City has a crazy wait.

Every time I come here I get the same thing — basil lemonade, the BLT, and the cheesecake — and they’re all so tasty I’ve never actually tried anything else. The BLT is made with olive oil instead of mayo so I can almost pretend it’s healthy for me, and the cheesecake is the lightest, fluffiest thing you ever tasted.
The service can be a little hit or miss sometimes, depending on when you go in and how busy they are, but their sidewalk tables are great for people watching.

You must have their pistachio frozen yogurt. It is super yummy. Their tea and cappucino is also good. It was toward the end of the day and the lady offered a deal on their bakery. They were super good also.

I gave them another try after all. Glad I did. Although there was still the issue of having someone greet me and offer me a menu when I came in the person who served me was super nice. I would go back for the food and for the courteous service offered by Luis. The food really is good and the prices are reasonable. Definitely a better experience this time around.

This review is for brunch, which Café Sorriso looks to be pushing pretty hard, including a strong $ 9 bottomless mimosas deal.
I was excited to try this place out, since the menu looked good and was reasonably priced for brunch as well. I ordered the farmer’s omelet («Bursting with Fresh Local Vegetables with a Choice of Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese») (They didn’t actually have provolone, but whatever). I expected a good-​looking omelet, filled with onions, mushrooms, peppers, and other fresh veggies that’d you expect to find in an omelet.
What emerged was not identifiable to me as an omelet. First of all, it was extremely well-​done — rather than being fluffy and light, it had completely solidified, and was covered with a crunchy crust of some sort. I didn’t find any veggies — rather, there were just finely chopped bits of green («Hmm, is this bit broccoli? Maybe that’s an olive? No, it doesn’t taste like an olive»). The swiss cheese I got was barely recognizable too. Each bite tasted the same: equally bland, veggie-​less, cheese-​less, and dry.
The summary here: The omelet was bad.
They also gave me both butt ends of the bread for my toast. What the heck, guys? Rude. And they had soccer on the TVs, which is equally lame.
I’d be willing to give Café Sorriso another chance. The sandwiches on the lunch menu look good, and Holly H. did have a positive review of her egg sandwich (though serving a breakfast sandwich with fries is pretty strange). But this was a very poor meal.

This café is a nice addition to the Woodley park restaurant scene, as most if the current restaurants cater to guests at the Marriott. Café Sorriso is a small café on the basement level, but has big windows you can sit near in the front. There are small tables for an intimate dinner or just sipping on espresso while studying. The exposed brick walls make the restaurant feel cozy. I love the atmosphere in here– it definitely draws more Woodley Park locals than tourists. They have a small amount of outdoor seating during the warmer months that seems to consistently attract dog owners with the cutest puppies :)
Café Sorriso is a café, gelateria, dinner restaurant, and a brunch spot. I’m not sure if it’s good that they are able to offer so many options, or if this takes away from their food and service. After spending a semester abroad in Florence sampling gelato on every corner, I can attest that this gelato is top notch. However, the portion is rather small for the price.
In an effort to bypass the Open City brunch line, I gave Café Sorriso’s brunch menu a shot this past weekend. I got the Café Sorriso brunch special for $ 13 – eggs, smoked salmon, french fries, and toast. An interesting, but good combination and the smoked salmon portion was generous for the price. My friend had the Carne Omelet – stuffed with mozzarella cheese and bolognese sauce. The combination was a creative fusion of Italian cuisine and an American brunch staple, but we thought the bolognese might have been better as a sauce on top, rather than inside the omelet.
The service left something to be desired. We consistently had to ask for more water and we waited for our food for a while. The staff forgot to bring a cup of soup to the couple next to us even after being reminded twice… And then that soup ended up on our bill. If the service becomes more efficient and accurate, Café Sorriso will have more returning customers. I would come here again, maybe for dinner or a cup of coffee or if I don’t feel like waiting an hour to get seated at Open City brunch.