This place deserves a following. We came here on a winter night. Our server didn't lead us wrong and was solid all night. The food is the star here. You start with a salad that's good. Get the Parmesan peppercorn dressing. We got various dishes but I was jealous of my dining mate who got the chicken parm. The chicken had a crispy outside but tender inside. Good sauce too. Thankfully the veal à la Bucci was a hit too. Sausage and peppers in a rich wine sauce. Huge portions. Great dessert too. The tira misu was so so good. Grateful for a good dinner at reasonable prices. Isn't that what you want in a place? read more

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Excellent excellent! We went to the Farmington location! They do have a sister restaurant that recently opened in Southington also. A blend of Italian, Brazilian and Portuguese dishes. The best part is they are able to do quite a few dishes gluten free. They do have a dedicated fryer. I ordered GF fried Calamari to share, and as my main dish GF chicken parm with GF pasta. Everyone else in our table truly enjoyed their dishes. Prices were very good . The amount of food you get is enough for 2 or 3 days! It was all delicious! Precious our waitress was great! She kept checking up on us , very friendly and attentive. The restaurant wasn't crowded but it was busy on a Thursday. The bar area seemed busier. Definitely will be back! I'm definitely trying southington location as I see their menus differ slightly! Hope is just as good as Farmington location!! I'd love to try their pizza . I do wish they had GF rolls for their sandwiches. They have a great list to choose from on the menu . Highly recommend! read more

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I hate to write this review because I have had so many amazing dishes from Cafe Pesto. I order penne alla vodka and the dish I received was not what I ordered. It had to flavor and looked like pasta with butter. I asked for a new dish and the chef came out saying this is how he always makes it. I've had this dish over 5 times and it never looked like this. He made another one and it was even worse. I am so disappointed and the way I was spoken to was so rude. read more

Decently decorated Italian spot with basic foods Came here on a whim. Reviews seemed mixed but recent ones were favorable. So we made the trek to this small place in Farmington to try them out. In terms of visuals, it's a very well decorated space. Very homey, nice booths, the pond is a nice backsplash to the dining area. The outside rails need replacement, but it's winter so it's not a priority. The place was barren when we showed up. The server was nice, got us bread and their homemade pesto. The pesto wasn't in oil like I would expect and was a very bright green but it tasted good and was fresh. We got the calamari picatta, the lunch version of their blackened chicken Cajun Alfredo pasta, and a side of meatballs. Food took a while to come out, but we were in no rush. The calamari was cooked well, had a light crispy exterior and the calamari was not overcooked. The sauce they added to the top obliterated the crispiness of the dish and left a big soggy mass in the middle of the plate. Should've seasoned the batter and put the sauce on the side for dunking, but nothing that could be salvaged this time around. The Cajun Alfredo didn't really have any flavor. Pasta was overcooked, chicken was tender but not seasoned, the sauce was a cream sauce but didn't have any Cajun nor Parmesan flavor. Even with salt and pepper, the dish just didn't have any presence other than mush. The meatballs were pork forward and very dense. They were sitting in a very basic tomato sauce which was watery and unseasoned. But the biggest error was the entire dish was cold. The flavor of the meatball was good, but the execution was sub par. Our server did answer our questions truthfully, did remove the Cajun Alfredo from our bill but only after getting defensive on our feedback. The price is reasonable for the quantity, but not for the quality. I'm rating this place a 2 because most everything we got was lacking in some way. The proteins are cooked, but lacking any seasoning, flavoring, or care. The server was helpful and kind, but also defensive. The decor is nice, but the bathrooms are tiny. It does seem like they are trying, but lacking in many ways. If you want to take the parents to a reasonable Italian place and only care that the proteins are cooked, then this place is an option. The foods too bland to recommend otherwise. read more

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Restaurant decor is lovely with a nice view of a pond, Came on a Saturday lunch. Overall friendly staff and clean atmosphere, however the food itself wasn't great, but not bad. I was pleasantly surprised by the pesto smear that came with the bread. It was very basil forward, but in a good way served with homemade bread. (Bread was not warm - was made earlier in the day) We started with the calamari piccata, the calamari itself was very well executed, not overcooked. However, the crispy calamari was served in a bowl of lemon caper sauce, so by the time it hit the table half of the calamari was soggy. Flavor good, but sauce on the side to dip would have been a better way to execute the dish. Next I ordered the lunch "Cajun chicken alfredo" which very specifically says "blackened chicken over Alfredo fettuccine on the lunch menu". Now I will mention that the lunch menu did not have good descriptions- so we utilized the dinner menu to decipher the lunch menu, the dinner menu did have a different description of the Cajun chicken alredo - stated as "Cajun Alfredo sauce over fettuccine nooodles" to which you can order a protein. With all that said... I ordered the lunch Cajun chicken Alfredo. I was given a bowl of pasta (half fettuccine and half linguine noodles - which then the linguine noodles were severely overcooked) with chicken (not blackened), covered in a cream sauce (not Alfredo - not cheesy). So I assumed I got the wrong dish - when I mentioned it to the waiter he assured me it was the correct dish, and this is how it always is done and it is a customer favorite. Now I will say the sauce and chicken were very good, However, it was not Cajun chicken Alfredo. So .... But the waiter did take the item off the bill, since I didn't really eat it. (He got a good tip for that ). We also ordered a side of meatballs, which were great value for the money, four large meatballs for $7.50, the meat mixture was seasoned well, but overworked. But unfortunately they were served to us cold in the middle. So I give this place three stars... not a place you are going to drive to. But if you are in the area and looking for pasta (not homemade- asked, waiter happily said they use Barilla... lol) this place has a great atmosphere and decent food, it just might not be exactly what you have in mind. read more

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Other than The Keg and The Wood n Tap which both resided in this spot in Farmington and were very successful, recent establishments have not been able to get things going in the bar or restaurant at this same location. We felt as locals that we needed to give Cafe Pesto a try even though the parking lot is usually half empty yet the food reviews were leaning more positive. There were several servers onsite with the dining rooms about half full yet we waited a good 10 minutes until a waitress arrived at our table. Pleasant enough but new to the job, we ordered drinks and asked the server for water with yet another long wait for both. We placed an order for our entrees as soon as she returned (no drinks arrived yet) and were given rolls with butter and pesto. All at once, starter salads and entrees arrived together with one entree delayed...note to servers and kitchen..NEVER do that. Salads come first, then entrees come later and everyone is served together! There were too many dishes on the table and the kitchen should hold the entrees back until salads are cleared, ready for the main entrees. The food was decent, very good portions and the pasta was not overcooked. I would not return here however as there are too many well managed restaurants in the Valley. I toss this up to the inexperience of the kitchen staff and the need for a floor manager to manage the service process. Simple solution as I don't see them gaining any ground with the current service situation. read more

Really enjoyed our visit to Cafe Pesto. It was a Monday night so not busy and seated right away. Our server (forgot his name) was very friendly and sociable. There were 7 of us and all the meals were generous portions and everyone enjoyed their dishes. Each meal came with crisp salads and hot rolls. The pesto served with the bread was delicious! We shared the desserts and both were yummy! Will go back! read more

Cafe Pesto's - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Farmington, Connecticut

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First time visiting acting on a friend's recommendation. Sat inside at a table with a beautiful lake view. Too cool to sit on their lakeside deck for dinner. Both couples loved dinner and excellent service. Chicken Parm and Lobster ravioli were excellent with large portions. Probably best Italian in Farmington area for reasonable prices. Strongly recommend. read more

To start we were greeted with a smile and friendly welcome. The restaurant wasn't overly crowded but there were several parties already seated. From start to end the service was impeccable - everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. Our server was Manny and he was polite, aimed to please, and had a great sense of humor. The establishment was very clean and tastefully decorated. If you are familiar with the building much remains the same such as set up, deck, bar location, and the good ol' tight bathrooms, but I'm a Farmington native and so it has become part of the building's "charm" over the years, lol. I've read mixed reviews on the food, but I can honestly say I had an excellent experience. From the crisp, cold, fresh salad to the piping hot chicken parmigiana, I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce had great flavor and I really enjoyed the rolls served with homemade pesto - not heavy on the garlic which I appreciated. If I had any recommendations it would be the ability to specify the type of side pasta; and I would have preferred it just slightly more al dente, but it was not overcooked by any means. My dad ordered the Pasta Ala Mare, but asked if it could be made with regular marinara sauce, and they happily obliged. He thoroughly enjoyed it and left nothing behind except the shells and shrimp tails, lol. Overall a great experience and the portions were great for the price. I would not hesitate to come here again and definitely will be back. Highly recommend. read more

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Excellent dinner! This restaurant is where the former First & Last was, and The Wooden Tap before that. It's very clean and so inviting. We went on a late Sunday afternoon, it was quiet with nice jazz music playing. We were seated at the large window overlooking the deck and water. Our server Manuel was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu! The food was delicious. We had the chicken Parmesan and the chicken Milanese. The meals came with pasta and a salad. One meal we substituted veggies for pasta. These dishes were huge and so flavorful. They served warm rolls with a delicious pesto before they brought out the salads. Overall an excellent meal, we plan to come back with friends next time! read more

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Good food : good service Definitely worth a try Our waiter was excellent Nice atmosphere read more

Went on a first date here last night, Friday - 8/8/25. It was the first time either of us had ever been here. Food was great, drinks were great, the waterfront view was great, but the real treasure of the evening was our server, Alyssa. As someone who started working in the restaurant industry at the age of 15 (I'm close to 40 now -- I have a standard M-F day job at this point, but bartending and waitressing in addition to my regular full time job pretty much helped get me through college and grad school without much debt - I have basically worked in the restaurant industry for WELL OVER 20 years, and prior to that, my parents used to own a bar. So I've seen every aspect of the hospitality industry. I also go out to dinner at least twice a week. The service I get is usually satisfactory, but not usually mind blowing, and I'm also not a complainer. #nokarenhere HOWEVER -- Alyssa was, hands down, the BEST server I have EVER encountered in my entire life, and I'm not saying this lightly. Not only was she legitimately excellent at her job and took great pride in her work, she's also hustling her butt off over the summer, picking up a ton of shifts before she goes back to college. She has a commendable and HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE work ethic, the likes of which I rarely see in someone who is so young. Alyssa is a TREASURE, and this restaurant is lucky to have her. I can't wait to go back - she really made the experience even better, and I was already very happy with the quality of the food, drinks and ambiance. But her personality and recommendations and her general interaction with us sent the experience from great all the way into the stratosphere. Thank you for a great night!!! read more

My husband & I ordered takeout from Cafe Pesto in Farmington this afternoon. Everything was outstanding! I'm sharing photos of our meals, which I took at home) - I ordered chicken & eggplant parmigiana; my husband had chicken parmigiana. Each of our meals tasted fresh, delicious, and portions were plentiful. (Each entree is on our 12" plates!!!). The salad was fresh, crisp with great dressing. The just-out-of-the-oven rolls (we received 2 each) were fabulous & accompanied with butter and their divine pesto. Bruno assisted us at the front desk - super nice person. I spoke with the owner, Paul, a very nice person who should have great success with this gem! Great location! read more

Cafe Pesto's - Chicken & eggplant parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Farmington, Connecticut

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Excellent food everything was made in house and delicious! Our server was Carlos and boy he did an excellent job making us comfortable and well taken care of. The dining room looks over a small pond making the meal even better! I got the stuffed sole, delish, and my husband had the Portuguese steak and egg, both excellent read more

Enjoyed a great dinner last Friday night. I had the Chicken Chorizo Paella and it was excellent! Our server was Precious and she was nicely attentive with a friendly personality. read more

Went there for lunch early September 2025. Staff was friendly. Sat outside on a sunny day. I ordered spaghetti with meatballs. My girlfriend ordered a Minestrone soup. Waiter brought hot bread (rolls) and pesto. The bread and pesto were average. Girlfriend's soup looked ok, full of vegetables, it looked fresh. The spaghetti with marinara sauce was good. The reason for the 2 star review is, no decent Italian restaurant should sell meatballs bought from a wholesale provider or supermarket. C'mon, is that the best you can do? The meatballs were awful, I don't eat them after the first bite. They were like rubber and very disappointing. I'll never go back to Cafe Pesto. read more

Food is average. Pasty pasta. Waitress disappeared for 20min when we tried to order deserts. Moderate noise, too Brite. They whack you 4% extra four using credit card. Actual prices don't match menu'd pricing on their website. read more

Food is good at a reasonable price given the size of the dishes. Yet they charged me $19 for a double Grey Goose with Granberry. Unless they charge a reasonable charge for the drink, I'm not going back. I used to eat at Sugo and Toro Loco twice a week. No more. read more

The service was fabulous. We had the Stuffed Sole and Cajun Chicken Alfredo; both were delicious. The limoncello Mascarpone Cake was the perfect dessert. The view over the water with the rain outside was such a great ambiance. read more

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We stopped at Café Pesto late Saturday afternoon. The bartender was very welcoming. It's a casual atmosphere. We started with hot rolls right out of the oven with a creamy pesto sauce that was delicious. I had the A-La- Bucci Veal it was amazing I was surprised how much veal and sausage that came with the meal it was very tasty. We also ordered the penne pesto with shrimp it was delicious. I would definitely go back and order the same meal it was that good. If you haven't tried Cafe Pesto's I highly recommend it . read more

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A review of "PESTO" a new Italian restaurant in Farmington! It s with mixed emotions that I review this new Italian restaurant where the establishment SUGO was once located. I went to SUGO only once for dinner and never returned. The service was as bad as the food. Let me describe my experience this evening at 6:PM with PESTO. The place was full and we got the last parking space available. We were sat quickly at a booth and Bruno, our server came to take our drink order and dinner order. The side salad was a very nice portion and contained fresh leaves and uncooked vegetables. Fortunately, although very crowded, the atmosphere was not noisy and we could converse easily. I placed an order for one of my favorite dishes fra diavolo with shrimp. Our dinners soon came but my dish was devoid of any shrimp. Since my server was nowhere to be found, I requested the help of two other severs and started to eat the fra diavolo dish which was amazingly wonderful. Our server showed up and asked if I still wanted the shrimp after I had finished a good portion of my dinner. I responded in the affirmative and after he returned in a while, managed to eat one shrimp and took the remaining dish home. When we ordered tiramisu for desert he returned to inform us that at 6:30, on a Friday evening they had run out of that item, so we paid and soon left. I would call this service very poor but the food was exceptionally good and the portions were generous. In a finer restaurant they would have not charged me for my meal. We will definitely return to Pesto and hopefully their service staff will improve in the future. read more

The service was great. Our server, Precious, gave us wonderful recommendations for appetizers and entrees. We started with the wings (spicy and smokey BBQ- both amazing). I got the Cajun alfredo with blackened chicken and my wife got the chicken parm. The portions were a good size and we were super satisfied with how everything came out. The ambiance is great but only downside was that even though we sat next to the window, it was really warm. We will definitely be back to try more menu options. read more

The service was good and reasonably attentive, which is the only reason I'm giving 2 stars. But the food ranged from bad to awful. Two small rolls for the table... seriously? Came with 5 pads of butter. Pre-dinner salads were school cafeteria grade. I got the mac and cheese, which was not very good. It's hard to screw up mac and cheese, which is why I got it, but it's probably the worst I've gotten at a restaurant. To make matters worse, the portion I received could have fed a family of five. Why? Bad food does not get better when there is more of it. One of us got penne a la vodka, and it was just sad. The pasta was overcooked, the sauce was undercooked with crunchy onions and garlic, and watery. You would be better off with a jar of pre-made sauce at the grocery store. Definitely the worst establishment to be housed in this location, and a bad look for Farmington. read more

Great food and even better service. The stuffed sole was incredible as was the Cajun Alfredo pasta. Will definitely be back! Had a great happy hour menu too. The shrimp were top notch. read more

got a Cobb salad with chicken size was great dressing tasteless got another dressing tasted like straight mayo. crispy chicken was tasteless coating was weird! They automatically added a tip (maybe because it was a large group, but I don't approve of you telling me what I should tip!) our other people really didt like theirs either. portions were good. but ide never go there again. read more

Visited Cafe Pesto for lunch with several cousins recently. We started with various cocktails which were great. We added fried calamari which was excellent it was very lightly breaded and tender. The roll were fresh and warm and were served with both pesto and butter. We had various lunch entrees from stuffed sole, steak, chicken Marsala, eggplant parm and Cajun chicken Alfredo. All were very tasty, were more than ample portions and very satisfying. The desserts were also excellent. Our waitress, Julie, was friendly and very efficient. We were impressed with the reasonable pricing and will be sure to return. read more

Café pesto good food good service ambience is excellent. You can sit on the back deck and sit by the lake,Every time the wife and I go there the food is always good. Prices are very reasonable portions are large enough to take home for another meal. I recommended to anyone I take my friends there when they come up and visit, and they enjoyed as much as I do. read more

Great lunch stop today. The food and service were great. Our server Bruno didn't miss a beat and made great suggestions. I enjoyed a chicken cutlet sandwich for lunch along with cucumber lime margarita. The cutlet was freshly made, not some cheap frozen chicken and it was perfectly cooked. The margarita was amazing and perfectly assembled! Very refreshing with the perfect hint of sweetness. Definitely going back! read more

Cafe Pesto's - Cucumber lime margarita! - Italian Near Me - Farmington, Connecticut

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We have been to Cafe Pesto at least 10 times in recent months. It has EXCELLENT Food, Fantastic Service and a Great atmosphere!. We have brought family and Friends with us on almost every visit and All have loved it. ZERO complaints. Oh and Very Reasonable prices! read more

The food is made fresh. Service is amazing. The vibe of the restaurant is relaxed and charming.​

Three of us ladies had lunch at Cafe Pesto for the first time today. We all enjoyed our lunch. Portions were quite generous and our Server Emily did a great job taking care of us. We will be back ! read more

We've visited Cafe Pesto three times so far and each time we had an experienced wait staff and good food.

I should have given it 0 stars because we didn't get any further than just sitting down. Sat there for 20 minutes, no water, no service. Staff just walked past us and totally ignored us. People that sat down after us got service before us. read more

We had an excellent dinner here. It was early on a Tuesday evening so it was pretty quiet, though starting fill up by the time we left. Two of us ordered shrimp dishes, which were tasty and plentiful, and the third person ordered a delicious veal dinner. Service was friendly and efficient. Planning to go back soon! read more

ambiance and servuce very good. relatively not loud so we could have conversation etc. more civilized than many restaurants. I was surprised to find heat in my veal Milanese. partners shrimp scampi was ok. early days to new place and we are hopeful. read more