Awesome Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Urbana. Great food, service and ambiance. It's small so reservations recommended.

We've gone here in the past when we were in the area and always were pleased with the food, the service and the prices. This visit I was disappointed because I ordered something just to try it out. It was the Sally pizza with cheese, spinach and anchovies. It turned out to be too salty for my tastes. I am trying to cut down on salt so when I cook I don't use any salt. And if I cook with anchovies, I always rinse them well to remove most of the salt. So I hate to say it but the pizza was edible but disappointing because it was too salty IMO. Otherwise the visit was quite nice as usual (4 stars) and we will be back. read more

Cafe Paradiso - Sign - Cafes Near Me - Urbana, Ohio

See all

Just fabulous and five stars all around. This is a relatively small establishment but the tables are thoughtfully arranged to allow more seating without feeling crowded. They even have a cute four-seat bar at the rear. Decor is charming Italian bistro style. Food and drink menus are displayed underneath plexiglass right on your tabletop. Brilliant! I imagine they swap out lunch menu card for dinner at the appropriate time. Chalkboard provides soup of the day and any specials. Service was excellent. Prompt, welcoming, knowledgeable and perfectly attentive. Drink AND bread refills were offered at the right time, and when I was getting full, the waitress offered to wrap the leftovers without me having to ask her. I wish I'd noted her name for a shout out! The soup of the day was Roasted Garlic, and on her recommendation we started with a blended cup of this plus their house soup, Roasted Tomato. It was full of flavor without being overwhelming. The included croutons were a perfect texture to go with soup. I had the tricolor cheese tortellini with fresh tomato sauce and upgraded to add spicy Italian sausage. The dish was a dream in every way. Sausage was so authentically Italian and nice and spicy. I was also offered shakers of Parmesan and red pepper flakes. My husband really enjoyed his braised beef panini and the horseradish based dipping sauce that accompanied it. This restaurant is aptly named as I found it to be an Italian foodie paradise. Parking is somewhat challenging and that is the sole negative. Highly recommended! read more

See all

Love everything about Cafe Paradiso food is wonderful and it is a quaint little place at the square in Urbana try it you won't be disappointed be sure you make reservations before you go I absolutely Rely love this place. Go go go read more

I was traveling for work and my customer recommended Cafe Paradiso. I took the suggestion and I'm so glad I did. The restaurant is quaint and even on a Monday night almost every table was full. The decor is simple and inviting with plenty of light. My server Eileen was helpful, gave good suggestions, and made sure I was happy every step of the way. The $2 up charge for Caesar salad was well worth it as it could be the best Caesar salad I have ever had. The table bread and butter were so flavorful and delicious. I tried the carbonara and it had a nice little heat to it and was a perfect portion. I was getting full, but the Bundt cake sounded too good not to try. I'm glad I did. It was moist and had plenty of orange flavor. The honey sauce was perfect. I highly recommend, you won't go wrong. read more

See all

Lunch or dinner always great food, very friendly It's small but never too long of a wait, make a reservation if you can Garlic soup is to die for read more

I'm sorry gotta correct review they make some great fresh food staffs friendly helpful I'd eat grilled cheese sandwich's and B soup drink pop great atmosphere friendliest customers to meet talk to their ambiance is casual their services are great you eat food pay for it their great for community awesome read more

Food is excellent but they charge 10% for taking your food home. Nice ambiance, tasty food, fast service for dining in I recommend this business. read more

Why drive an hour each way for dinner? Great atmosphere and terrific food, fresh and expertly prepared. Patio dining or indoor seating. Specials always come through and don't forget the Italian sodas! read more

My husband and I went out on Friday night for dinner because I had heard good things about the food. We ordered Beef Gorgonzola Gratin. When it arrived, it was mostly penne pasta with just a little bit of red potatoes; the "beef" was mainly fat. There might have been one bite of real beef, but it was a big disappointment. It was slop! The service was great -- our waiter was professional, attentive, and kind. That one star is for the waiter, though he deserves more than one star. read more

Really disappointed tonight...been looking forward to dining at Cafe Paridiso. Sat at the bar (the only ones sitting there) because tables were reserved. Everyone working completely ignored us for about 10 minutes. The male waiter finally brought us water and never looked at us, just sat them down and said someone would be with us. About 10 more minutes go by and someone finally comes and takes our order. Then we were done with our soup & salad and waited about a half hour until our steaks were brought out. I had one cocktail because the waitress never asked if I wanted another. $90 later....they were busy but there aren't that many tables and there were 4 servers. read more

Fantastic place!!!! The staff is great the food is awesome the wine perfect. Parking is very very limited but the walk is small town shops and full of gifts and such so shopping to the Cafe is a must. Can't say enough about the pleasantries of this restaurant. read more

Very good food! The garlic soup is outstanding! Only available on Friday and Saturday . Make sure to make a reservation!

I had the Lasagna and it was delicious the bread, butter and oil was so good. The atmosphere is quaint and cute. My food arrived very quickly and wad warm. My waitress was very kind and gracious. I would highly recommend Cafe Paradiso. read more

Cafe Paradiso - Sausage Lasagna - Cafes Near Me - Urbana, Ohio

If you are going to Urbana I recommend this restaurant. Charming place. I had a cup of garlic soup with my chicken piccata and spinach risotto which was so delicious. The soup was so creamy it was as surely the star of my meal. Our server was Eileen and she suggested everything in the menu and was not wrong about any of the items the 5 of us had. The eggplant parm was exquisite. We didn't have tiramisu but thought about it read more

Wonderful little place. Food was fantastic and the atmosphere was great. Our waitress and the service were also amazing. She sold the dishes and the desserts. I wish now I had taken her up on the appetizers but they may have had to roll me out the door. Get reservations and go- you won't regret it. read more

Reservation are not required but at 7:30pm it was full and it only took 15 mins if that for people to get a sit that didn't call ahead. Waiter was so very nice and accommodating. The food we ate was top notch. It was like we were in Italy. The decor was Italian setting even the sidewalk seating outside. read more

See all

Great small town restaurant with delicious food and great service. Great ambiance and staff.

Pasta was delicious. Service was excellent! Restaurant was charming. Eggnog cheesecake was yummy!

Small place on the Square in the center of town. I've been there handful of times usually on the weekend, they are typically packed, but they do take reservations. Service is always friendly and usually quick. Selection of Italian dishes, as well as a choice for steak and typically two choices for fish. They have a very friendly vibe, as I'm sure they have many local returning customers. Definitely worth a stop if you're headed that way. read more

Food is excellent, my husband and I split a margarita pizza, salad, and they're delicious bread! ( he also always has to get a bowl of their homemade soup) We have never had a bad experience, and the waitresses are very attentive. Highly recommend if you are in Urbana ! read more

We spent the early afternoon at the local flea market and were ready for a good meal. Cafe Paradiso delivered in every way. Walking in, the atmosphere is charming and welcoming. Staff is extremely attentive and accommodating, as well as friendly. The beautiful smell of garlic hits you immediately and wakes up all of your senses. We had no wait. We were there late afternoon. We were waited on immediately. The server offered many good suggestions. I was craving garlic and ordered the roasted garlic soup combined with the tomato soup (recommended by our server). And it was delicious! The bread was tasty and fresh. We asked for a second round. My "build your own" pasta with spicy Italian sausage and creamy pesto satisfied every one of my food cravings. It was seriously one of the most delicious pasta dishes I've ever had. My husband was very happy with his Fettuccine Alfredo. It's the first time in a LONG time I finished an entire meal on my own. Stuffed full with amazing bread, creamy delicious pasta, and a nice chianti, the server asked if we were interested in dessert. I mean, I'm STUFFED. Of course I'm interested in dessert! The tiramisu is SPOT ON! So delicious and very worth the calories! Overall, we will make the 1.5 hour drive just to eat here and shop to charming downtown. Do not miss Cafe Paradiso when you're in the area. Better yet, make Urbana a destination! read more

See all

Absolutely the best food bar none. The bread to start with is perfect! We typically have the Mushroom Ravioli with different sauces. Our server is the best! I highly recommend this to anyone read more

Wow! The food, the atmosphere, and the service were all amazing! I recommend the sausage lasagna and the lemon cream cake. Both were excellent. This is coming from someone who cooked professionally for years and learned to cook in my Italian grandmother's restaurant. Keep up the great job and thank you! read more

A Wednesday evening dinner with great food and even better company. A surprisingly good wine selection available in this charming restaurant located in downtown Urbana, Ohio. 10 or so reds available by the glass or bottle. (White wine, beers, and a few cocktails also available) The dinner menu has price points ranging from inexpensive to moderate. Parking: public lots or street parking available Decor: Rustic Italian, did I mention charming? Price: inexpensive to moderate. Dinner for 2 was about $60, not including tip. (Including wine, dessert, and coffee) It would be easy to budget under $20 per person. Menu: great variety including vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten free I had a bit of trouble deciding between mussels, carbonara, and a few other specialties but landed on the 'make your own pasta' option. You choose your pasta (fettuccine); add-in (vegetables); sauce (herb butter) and the bowl arrives with your selection There are many varieties, including upcharge options such as shrimp or cream-based sauces. (Also gluten-free pasta) The vegetables were perfectly cooked and plentiful: mushrooms, onions, peppers, artichoke hearts, zucchini, eggplant, squash, and tomato tossed with the fettuccine and herb butter sauce. (I may have dropped a few pieces of bread into the sauce... a few with an extra smear of butter first) The entree includes a salad or cup of soup. I chose the Caesar side salad. I had a bite of the lobster ravioli and it instantly made it to the top of my 'must order next time' list. Even though it's Wednesday and I indulged in bread, pasta, and a glass of wine - I still shared a slab of tiramisu with after dinner coffee. A little disappointing espresso or cappuccino is not offered-but the brewed coffee was good and this is such a small slight, I did not mind. Much. read more

Cafe Paradiso - Cafe Paradiso, exterior (Urbana Ohio) - Cafes Near Me - Urbana, Ohio

Cute place! Service was great. Food was ok ... got soup and pizza. It was ok but not exceptional... the first visit. The first time the tortellini soup was so good we looked for recipes online ... and had pasta. read more

See all

Food was very good Service was very good No real ambience Prices were on the steep side for me Quite busy the evening we were there read more

While taking a mid-week getaway, we stayed at a cabin in Urbana and wanted to go out one evening for dinner. Through Yelp, we found Cafe Paradiso as one of the few places that demonstrated that they have outdoor seating with great reviews. So, we gave it a try. Cafe Paradiso did not disappoint. You never know what you're going to get when it comes to authenticity when you're in a small town, but we had a great experience with their Italian menu. We ordered Chianti, Caesar Salads, Bread Course, Tomato Bisque, Carbonara, and an Tuscan Meatloaf. Everything came out great with regards to flavor and portion sizes. Not only was the food great, but they were following all COVID-19 safety protocols (including putting stickers stating that the pepper mills and the like were sanitized). We had a great meal and great service - I would highly recommend! read more

See all

Food is delicious and for a good value! Italian ambiance makes your meal very enjoyable.

Amazing place! My husband and I recently moved to town and this is where we had our first date night. I ordered the mushroom ravioli and he got the meat lovers pasta. The salad was great, the bread with butter + dipping oil was flavorful and fluffy...have nothing but good things to say about this quaint little restaurant! We will definitely be back. read more

Cafe Paradiso - Mushroom Ravioli with roasted red pepper sauce - Cafes Near Me - Urbana, Ohio

See all

We arrived at 3:30pm. The place had one couple eating up front but was otherwise empty. They made a big deal about where to seat us. When we asked why they said they had reservations. They sat us at a small table in the very back. My chair was over an air conditioning vent. After 5 min my hind in was frozen. We asked to sit some where else they said they could sit us at the bar, while acting bothered. The place was empty at this point. They finally got us a table. They messed up my wifes order by adding things she didn't request, then wanted to charge us for it, even after pointing out the dish wasn't what she ordered when it arrived at the table. Service was very snooty. I conclusion, we were there 45 min to an hour and not a single person came in the restaurant the entire time we were there. We won't return and I would suggest this place is to be avoided. The food while, good, is to expensive to be treated as poorly as we were treated. read more

Very easy to drive by if not looking at the addresses! Lol. Tucked away in the square. As soon as we walked in I loved the decor! Quaint little place :) was reservation only and we had a seat by the window - was perfect! We ordered the mussels and anti pasta plate for appetizers - add that with the complimentary bread and oil - was a meal itself!! Mussels were amazing, the anti pasta plate was great! My husband ordered the chicken piccata with Asiago risotto, I had the lasagna, our friends ordered the cioppono and lobster ravioli. Everything was amazing aside from the chicken - was a little over cooked but the hubs loved the sauce! We will def come back again - they have a great menu! read more

Cafe Paradiso - Appetizers. Mussels and anti pasta plate :) - Cafes Near Me - Urbana, Ohio

I haven't had Italian food this good since Basi Italia in the Short North. The mushroom risotto is impressive! And they certainly don't skimp on the lobster in the ravioli. Thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Cafe Paradiso and we plan to return. read more

Service was horrible and the food was mediocre for the price. Want a better meal go to Olive Garden

Absolutely love this place! Every time I come to visit Urbana from Florida I always come here to eat! The food is amazing and the service is spectacular! With all of our meals we got soup as well (but they were so good we finished those before the picture could be taken). If you are looking for a great meal at a great price with amazing service stop here ! read more

See all

Love Cafe Paradiso! Good food and always have a good experience dinning in or doing take out.

We had dinner here to celebrate my sons high school graduation. We had the caprese salad as an appetizer, very nice. Bread with garlic butter was delicious. For our dinner we had carbonara, chicken piccata, borsetti, penne with spicy sausage and marinara sauce. We thought everything was super delicious. We also had the sangria which was very refreshing, light and fruity , not a heavy red wine flavor. The quality and flavor is twice what you would get at a chain restaurant for the same price. My only complaint is the sangria was heavy on the ice, for $8 I would like more tasty libation. Call and make reservations, they are busy. read more

Very good service,friendly, tasty food with a great menu selection and cozy atmosphere at

Amazing food. We love it there. Fantastic pasta and bread. We eat here at least once a week!!!! Would recommend to anyone.

Visited my brother & Sis-n-law for a long weekend and had a fabulous dinner on Sat. night. I think this is my 1st ever yelp review and well deserved! Might be the best restaurant I've been to. The garlic soup is life changing! The Rafano dressing that our fantastic waiter Mark suggested was amazing as was the chicken piccata I ordered, and let's not forget about the lobster ravioli my sis-n-law ordered. Can't wait to visit again just so I can eat here!! read more