I'm surprised I've never reviewed Bertolone's before, I've visited quite a few times! Tucked in the corner of a shopping center in calera, this family owned restaurant is a real gem. When you walk in, you come face to face with a big cooler full of all sorts of heavenly cakes and desserts. I like to size them up before I sit down so I have an idea of what I want when the meal is over. I usually get the Lasagna Bianca. A bertolone's original, this delicious dish boasts chunks of Italian sausage, a creamy, cheesy sauce, and turnip greens. Rich and satisfying, it can't be missed!! The tables are stocked with chunks of bread and bottles of dipping sauce made onsite. The interior is warm and inviting, with one large wall dominated by pictures of the family that founded Bertolones and Joe's Italian. Please check out this great spot! read more

Bertolone’s - Nonna's Lasagna Bianca - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

Update for 2026: I have visited this restaurant once each year for the past three years, and the food is always first-rate! The lasagna is awesome, the ravioli is flavorful, and all the ingredients are fresh and delicious. However, the service this year, provided by Amanda, was less than stellar. My dining party was one of only two in the restaurant at about 3pm, and Amanda was terribly impatient with all of us and seemed irritated. Her unfriendly, rushed manner is why I'm updating this review and reducing the rating by one star. So, if you go, expect great food but you might have a poor experience with your server. Original review from 2024: "Stopped at the restaurant after seeing advertising on the highway. This visit was absolutely perfect! Our waitress was helpful answering questions about the menu and food. She even allowed me to try a sample of the soup before ordering. That was awesome! I tried the lasagna and I absolutely recommend it! The sauce is delicious! Also delicious was the oil/pesto blend served at the table with bread. That was so tasty, we ordered a bottle of it to take with us!" read more

The food was wonderful, I have no complaints on the quality of our food or service. However, I was penalized by our server this evening. They closed at 9pm and we rolled into a full house at 8:15. By the time we were served out entrees they had turned off the music and made a massive cleanup in our area. I asked our young server what happened and she said yall are the last people here. So we have shut down. I do not blame the server although she took the brunt, I blame the manager and leadership. Turn me away at 8:15pm but do not ruin our dining experience because yall want to go home. I was bullied at the door by every server when we left. We loved the food, but the dining experience was the pits... Look at my reviews, I post positive posts. This however is not one of those. Food 10 Staff: Rookie, 5 Atmosphere, 1 Again, turn me away and won't spend $89 on great food and a horrible experience! read more

Excellent family meal of spaghetti, salad and bread. So easy to order, pick up and share.

Reservation was easy to make and was confirmed. Food was delicious. Party of seven. Everyone raved about their food! read more

This was my first visit to Bertolone's and it's been on my list to try for a while. I went during lunch so it wasn't very busy. My waitress was friendly and attentive. I ended up trying the spaghetti and meatballs because I haven't had it in a while. My waitress did mention its made with the marinara sauce and she prefers the meat sauce. I went with the traditional way it's served- with marinara sauce. After taking a few bites, I wasn't impressed. My waitress asked how I liked it and I said the meat sauce may better. She brought a small saucer of the meat sauce. It made the best difference to me. I also had the Caesar salad which the suave is made in house. I also tried the tiramisu cake which is also made I house. I now like tiramisu cake. Good first visit and I will come back to try another dish. read more

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The family specials are delicious and reasonably-priced, perfect for takeout during the week. The restaurant offers ample seating, and you feel like you are in an Italian restaurant. Let's go through the menu so that you can see how many choices are available. If you are eating at Bertolone's you'll see that there are tables and booths to choose from, so there isn't usually a wait. And the servers check in with you shortly after you're seated. If you're doing take-out, your food will be ready when you get there, and your family will be thanking you for the tasty and ample servings. Everyone can have seconds. My family loves the calzones, so many combinations! But when I have family visiting, I go for a variety, so that everyone is happy: usually spaghetti and meatballs, lasagne, and Chicken Parmigiana or Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken. Delicious! The family meals run $36.95 to $45.00 and feed four adults, so plenty if there are two adults and three or so children. Pizzas and calzones are $16-$18.50; subs are $14.00. The cakes are to die for, and each slice easily feeds two people. I usually split it with two people so that I don't feel guilty. If you have never been to Bertolone's, take exit 231 off Hwy 65, and try it. It will be one of your favorite Alabama restaurants! read more

Food was overall good. The calzone was huge and so delicious. The Cajun Shrimp and Crawfish Penne was good. I would have liked for it to have a little more kick. Server was great she was attentive and checked on us regularly. We got seating quickly and food came out quickly and hot and fresh The salad I had was good. The Italian dressing wasn't my favorite but good. Atmosphere was ok. Place was clean and orderly from the dining area to the bathrooms. Nice drink and bar selection. Also nice desert menu. If you looking for some Italian themed layout this ain't Olive Garden. Yet if you looking for good food and great service from a local family. This is the place. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Great food and nice people. We have been eating there since their opening. The service is timely and food well done.

People and service is great. First brought out the bread and oil. The bread was not warm and not that great. Tasted like it was a few days old and from the grocery store. For appetizer ordered the mozzarella triangles. Could use some flavor, but crispy and hot. These were pretty good overall. Then came the salad. Looked fresh, had the italian dressing. You can definitely taste the garlic. I didn't love the dressing, but I do think its more if a preference. For the main event I had the Chicken Parm. There is definitely a ton of food. 2 pieces of chicken, and the pasta in the middle. Chicken was ok, breading didn't have much flavor. And the sauce was not fresh at all. For the price, plenty to eat. Wish the quality was a little better. read more

We stopped by Bertolone's Italian restaurant for lunch. We ordered a delicious pizza and chicken Parmesan along with the soup of the day. The service and ambience were very good. We were seated right away and our order was taken promptly. All of the food was delivered quickly and it was all delicious. We enjoyed our lunch experience and added a couple of desserts to take home with us. I would recommend Bertolone's for their delicious food and friendly staff. read more

My son is a senior at Montevallo and I am kicking myself for not going here more often in the last 3 years! We had a great meal this weekend, charming server, didn't have to wait. Love that there is a nice full bar, will go back for a tiramisu martini next time! read more

Loved it! Great Italian food and the cake slices are huge. Enough to split. Excellent pasta.

Food is delicious cakes are absolutely delicious atmosphere is wonderful and the staff was very friendly and it was a pleasure to eat there read more

Bertolone’s - Best cake around - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

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We live down the street from the family's first restaurant, so we thought we'd try this when we were in the area. Parking can be a little tough with a couple busy restaurants at the end of the shopping center. We ordered our old standbys of Capellini Pomodori Freschi (no added protein) and lasagna. Portions are generous, and the fresh bread is always a great complement. Service was quick, and even for a Friday night we were in and out pretty quickly. I think my only critique is the dessert case that was located nearby. The ambiance of the place is nice; the lighting is warm and inviting...and then we had a display case with overly bright white LED lights. It was distracting. I know they have great desserts, and I know they need to highlight them, but from the open table where we were seated, it was a detraction. It probably would not have been as noticeable or bothersome if we were seated elsewhere. read more

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My wife and I ate here after there was too long of a wait at the nearby Cracker Barrel. We are so glad we did. We shared a veggie pizza and it is one of the best pizzas I have ever had. Even in early March, the tomatoes were fresh and juicy. The pizza was covered with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and black olives. The crust was a nice level of thickness (not too thick)-- just right. Service was excellent, too. read more

Bertolone’s - Veggie Pizza - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

Nashville hot pizza was a Sweet and Spicy pizza... Absolutely disgusting.. service could have been better. A couple of times, My mouth was on fire with no water to drink.. will not try again read more

Excellent all around! Food was great, service was good and the place is nice! Lots of parking available Large rooms available for large parties. read more

I loveeee the spaghetti & meatballs here. Outside of that, I have not tried much. Also getting cake from here is a must! Very good for a good quick fix for your Italian cravings. read more

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Food was great, server was great and a great value for the price. Family took there for my birthday dinner. Highly enjoyed.

This place is amazing! We make a point to stop here every time we are traveling through the area. Fresh, authentic Italian and we have never had anything but delicious food here. Great service, great place! Don't miss it! read more

I ordered online and picked up. I ordered the cannelloni dinner entree. What I received looked nothing like the picture off of which I was ordering from. The "vegetables" described in the description is large pieces of spinach and a little much. No chopped basil garnish. It was also COVERED to the top of the takeout dish in the red sauce. I asked for no onions on my salad and it came with onions. read more

Bertolone’s - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

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Great food but the front desk people could be a little more friendly! Probably won't be back due to the lack of good customer service.

We eat here regularly and the ambiance is apprpriate for an Italain restaurant. Small menu, but they do a very good job on all meals we've had. They have cut back on the size of the meatballs, which as an appetizer was not appreciated. Service is fair. It does take a considerable time to receive the food, but I believe it is make from scratch, so worth it. The olive oil to accompany the bread is the best we've had anywhere including Rome. Definately worth a try. read more

Great food chicken parmigiana also love there family meals along with there deserts. Excellent service

Had an amazing lunch at Bertolone's! Thank you Sonia for lunch and delicious cake tasting! We will be back soon and can't wait to try more! #YUMMY!! read more

Bertolone’s - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

Great wait staff and the food was wonderful! We just moved near the restaurant, so we will be back!

My husband's birthday was 2/2/22, and he wanted a birthday cake. A bit of backstory: We used to go to Joe's Italian and fell in love with Mama Bertolone's three layer cakes. He would want to get the whole sheet cake for his birthday and take it home after dinner to eat for all next week. We ended up buying half sheet cakes and shared them with family so we wouldn't have to throw out any of it. We did this for birthdays in our house until Papa Joe passed away. We then would get our cakes from Cynthia Bertolone's place in Pelham, but the place closed down. When I found out from my co-worker (Jerome Hanby) that Mama Bertolone was opening up a restaurant in Calera, I was excited, and became determined to go there to eat one day. Unfortunately, the pandemic came and we never have been for a meal. Now, back to my husband's birthday. I decided to order one of Mama Bertolone's scratch made cakes for nostalgia. I wanted to do a lemon cake or a peach cake, but they both were out of stock. I decided to go with a Chocolate-Strawberry 12 inch round cake. It's one layer of chocolate cake, one layer of strawberry cake, and frosted with strawberry whipped icing and drizzled over the top and sides with chocolate. I easily placed the order online and set it up to pickup at 12:30pm on his birthday. I found out that I would be late, and I called a team member. She told me that there wouldn't be a problem with me coming late - they would hold my cake until I got there. I opted to do curbside delivery for the cake. I made the 35 minute drive from home (yes, it was a good trip down I-65 to Calera), parked, and called when I arrived. They brought the cake out to me and I headed back home. After dinner, he opened the cake top and the smell of the cake took us both back to when we would get this at Joe's Italian. It was heavenly. He made the first cut into the cake and I sliced both of our slices. We smiled as we ate the cake. It was just as we remembered - fluffy, not too sweet, and amazingly delicious. Mama still makes THE BEST cakes!! Thank you bunches to Bertolone's for making my husband's birthday special! We still plan to come down to Calera for dinner with you all one day. read more

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Service was great and food was ok. We just look for a bit more ambiance when dining. There are other Italian options for us closer to home

The food is authentic and fresh. We had a large group and they took very good care of us.

I ordered the chicken Parmesan to go with Alfredo instead of marinara. It was a very generous portion and it was really good. Lots of really good Alfredo. A lot of times if you order it this way they just give you a little bit of sauce, but this place Had swimming and Alfredo, which I love. read more

My little family stopped here on our way back home from a family trip... My husband was in the mood for Italian, and he picked this place based on the good reviews... It was off the beaten path, but I would go miles out of the way to eat here again...We agree with the five star reviews... I rarely give a five star, so it's a big deal when I do... Everything we ordered was delicious and plentiful... I really don't think anybody could go wrong, choosing anything on the menu... We had fried calamari as an appetizer...I ordered one of my favorite entrees [Eggplant Parmesan], which I usually get at most Italian restaurants... This place had the best I've ever ordered anywhere... My husband liked the Spaghetti & meatballs, and my daughter liked the lasagna... I am a big fan of Sangria... They have the best I've ever tasted, at the best price I've ever seen... I seriously wish I lived next door bc I would go daily just to have that refreshing drink... I highly recommend my entree, but if you only have time for drinks or just in the mood for that, get the Sangria... You'll thank me for suggesting it! read more

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Delicious and great prices! Kids enjoyed their meals and left full. They even had a coupon to save us further so definitely recommend! My only negative was the longer wait but we showed up about 12 pm on a Sunday and they were busy for sure. Overall would go back and try a different time. read more

One word sums up my lunch experience here today. amazing! The food and service was fantastic! We had the Lasagna and a Buffalo Chicken Calzone. read more

Bertolone’s - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

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Great food nice service. Stopped in while traveling. Great bread and salads. Entrees were hot with large portions. I had the keto lasagna so happy to get a keto dish in a nice Italian place. Kids had spaghetti and meatballs looked great. The chicken parm was nice looking too. Beautiful cakes but didn't try. Great stop wish it was in my area. read more

We were in the mood for comfort food after a long drive and we're not disappointed. Canneloni and lasagna were fresh tasting and savory. Complimentary bread and their house olive oil with herbs was delicious! We purchased a bottle to take home with us. All topped off by excellent friendly and courteous service from Kathy (sp?)!!! Will stop back on a return trip! read more

Second time eating here! Just as fantastic as the first time! So glad I finally found what I believe to be the freshest, best, Italian food in all of the Birmingham area! AND it's in Calera! So, so good! I forgot to mention this but the strawberry cake (amazing!), and the Tiramisu (stunningly good!!!) are beyond fresh, and homemade! You have to try at least one of their cakes for desert! read more

Bertolone’s - One of today's specials: penne pasta, chicken, sausage, and meatballs in a lovely tomato sauce! Amazing! - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

We ate at Bertolone's Friday night and loved every bite: two pizzas, one calzone, and cheese ravioli! Obviously everything is hand made down to the crust! Also, my daughter is an athlete at the U of Montevallo, she hadn't eaten well that day so was Hungry! We get there and rightly so there's a slight wait, my daughter's face must have betrayed her hunger! The owner saw her face, then immediately went and got her a tray of bread and oil to eat in the waiting area! How kind!! Great food, even greater hospitality!!! read more

Bertolone’s - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

The food was probably the best Italian food I have ever eaten. Service was superior, and prices EXTREMELY reasonable! Can't wait to go back!!! read more

Ok, so first let me say, I love being able to order through GrubHub on the Yelp app. It allowed me to check the status of my order. Now, I did think the wait time for pick up was lengthy because I figured it wouldn't take long to put together spaghetti and meatballs. Especially when you think you are getting meatballs. Bertolone's has been opened for some time but I am always skeptical when ordering things like spaghetti or fettuccine alfredo because I have been disappointed on several occasions. I should have checked my order because when I got home there were no meatballs and because I ordered through GrubHub, I had to call them for a refund, which they assured me I would get back. For the price, I think the portion size was more than enough minus the meatballs but I will not order this again because the taste wasn't there for me. This experience plus the sauce just not winning me over confirms that I need to try something different. 3 stars for portion size and the ranch dressing for the salad was good. read more

Bertolone’s - Italian Near Me - Calera, Alabama

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