Cafesano South Lakes in Reston is back after recovering from a fire over a year ago and Covid complications. We were worried that the salmon kabobs would not be on the menu. They are on the menu, and they're as good as ever, which means they are the best I've had anywhere. Yesterday was their first day back in business and heavy rain and wind kept us off the patio seating overlooking Lake Thoreau. But we'll be there on the patio at our first opportunity, enjoying a glass of wine or a craft beer. I'm also eager to taste the Margherita pizza again after so long without it. read more

First, let me say that the Steak & Cheese Panini is to die for! This sandwich is absolutely delicious! The pita chips they serve on the side are really tasty. This was my second time at Cafesano. I had a pizza the first time and it was very good. You walk in a place your order at the counter. They give you a pager and you sit and wait for a waitress to bring your order whether you are dining in or have a carryout order. There are free refills on tea, soda and lemonade. They serve alcoholic beverages for those who drink. You can actually see the food preparation taking place behind the counter. I applaud the young ladies preparing the food because it looks like they put a lot of care into preparing each order. I arrived a little after 5 on a Friday evening and most of the tables were filled. I found a nice booth near the door and began to notice an abundance of people coming in. There was a long line and suddenly the place was packed! During my wait, I chatted with another patron waiting for her order. She said it is typically crowded on a Friday night. I recommend Cafesano for anyone who appreciates tasty food and a nice atmosphere. read more

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Great atmosphere, great food, and fast service! I got their traditional salad and my friend got turley and avocado wrap. We also got two glasses of wine. The food was delicious! Very healthy option for our lunch. read more

Cafesano - Traditional salad and turkey/avocado wrap - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

I gave Cafesano a low rating because after several attempts the staff was unable to sell us a gift certificate. Gino M. contacted me immediately and the cashier was able to complete the transaction in a timely manner. This restaurant has been a favorite for us because the food, service and atmosphere is very good. Management responded quickly and fixed the problem. Therefore, I am upgrading my rating to 4 stars. read more

This is a beautiful venue in Reston. When I see restaurants labeled as Mediterranean and Italian, I assume it's the former and order whatever is in that category that interests me. In this case, I ordered the Chicken Shawarma; the pita was piping hot, fresh and delicious. The chicken however had an odd flavor (it was a bit strong) and the garlic mayo wasn't that great. The pita chips were also delicious. The fresh lemonade (with free refills) was awesome. I'd like to come back and give them another chance; their salads, which you choose the toppings, looked amazing. read more

Very slow service, even when not busy. Stopped in last week for something quick to-go, I ordered a bowl of the house soup thinking that couldn't take more than a couple minutes but it took 15 mins. Thought maybe they were having a bad day so came back today for a salad, they were not at all busy and I waited for 23 minutes. Food is ok but expensive and not worth the wait. read more

I like this place. The menu choices are very good. The restaurant is clean and service is good. The pet peeve I have with this restaurant is that they do not provide Nutritional Information about their food. I sent an email to them a few years ago and the owner replied that he had not had time to do the Nutritional Information. And has yet to find the time it seems. I still go there on occasion, but not as much as previously. I was a bit taken back by a resent email I received from them announcing "National Nutrition Month at Cafesano". REALLY?!?! So where is the Nutritional Information about what you are serving? read more

Really good food, great views and a nice patio overlooking the lake! They have a varied menu and it's a great place to meet someone at when your don't know what kind of food they like! I tried the steak kabob platter with the brown rice and wheat pita bread. The platter came with a long skewer of medium rare steak and a smaller skewer of vegetables. The rice was plentiful, a small salad with a light, but flavorful dressing. The Tzatiki sauce was good and made for nice dipping sauce for the pita and steak. The platter was large and made for a filling meal that kept me full for a long time. Added a fountain drink to make an Arnold Palmer and mix the unsweetened tea with the flavorful homemade lemonade. My friend had some lentil soup and a Panini, both of which looked excellent and my friend said they were tasty and very filling. Lots of good things for me to try on my next visit. Hopefully the temperatures will allow for an outside visit soon. Highly recommend checking this place out! It won't disappoint! read more

This is probably favorite restaurant in town and we go here at least once a week. For the reasonable prices, you won't find better food anywhere! Generally, I'm an advocate of keeping menus smaller so that the restaurants can focus on doing those few foods well. Cafesano is the exception to the rule! The menu is huge and it is all good. You'll find Mediterranean (hummus, kebabs, baklava, etc.), pizza, classic Italian dishes, paninis, wraps, soups, and salads. They also have a nice little beer and wine selection. As far as the physical restaurant, it sits right on Lake Thoreau and the outdoor seating is perfect on a nice day. I believe there's a catering and carry-out location a bit further down on the strip mall. It work just as well for a business lunch as it would for a Friday night date spot. I have found it is most crowded on weekdays at lunch, although with ample seating, the bigger problem is hunting for a parking spot. If that's your biggest problem, you're doing pretty well! read more

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We wanted to try something new in the Reston area and my fiancee found Cafesano through its yelp reviews. Its a interesting menu- a real mix of Italian and Mediterranean foods- everything from pizza to pasta, salads and kabobs. You order at the counter and they bring the food back to you. The decor is nice inside- nothing too splashy but not boring. And its a nice location on the lake with lots of windows. As for the food, I've had better. We got the red pepper humus for an appetizer. I'm not usually a fan of humus, but this had a good kick to it. I then opted for the chicken shawarma wrap- one of my favorite dishes. But the chicken was dry beyond belief. The garlic sauce was the only thing that kept it edible at least. I would give this place another try, but would not order that wrap again! read more

Got to know about this place through my wife. I liked the food specially Sandwich and Pizza, i can say they have pretty amazing Pesto chicken sandwich and my go to place around for it. Do give it a try :) read more

Always good. Love the kebabs. The outside seating is always a hit. Great quiet lunch spot

Decent place, nice scenery by the water, lots of menu options. Would add service has gotten better in the past year.

Cafe Sano catered a reception we had at a Reston picnic shelter yesterday. The food (heavy hors d'oeuvres) was delivered on time, the order was correct, and the food was delicious. Many of those attending commented on the excellent the food was. We almost had a food fight over the mini cannolis, which were fairly large and brimming with filling! My only wish is that they used paper rather than plastic cups, used paper straws, and that more of the items were reusable, or at least recyclable. We would have gladly returned reusable items to the restaurant. read more

One of my favorite places EVER. The cashiers can be kind of rude but I don't care 'cause I don't have to tip anyone. Things to try: the grilled portobello panini (with red pepper hummus!), falafel, and pizza (they throw big fresh basil leaves on the margherita). The pastas are pretty basic, but the portions are huge if you're craving something like that. Homemade lemonade really tastes homemade. read more

Customer service is terrible here. They screwed 3 things up with one order, somehow: 1. Told me order will be ready for pickup at 12:15pm, it wasn't actually ready until 12:30. Alright. No big deal. 2. Got the sides of my order wrong. Wanted pickles and normal chips, got orange slices and seasoned chips. 3. Charged me twice for the order. When I called in to have it changed, they put me on hold for 20 minutes and then told me it would be taken care of "later". However, they did refund me on both cards so the meal was complimentary. Food was good. read more

We ALWAYS come back for their beef shawarma . Instead of lettuce- ask them to put onions instead and along with chopped tomatoes and the garlic sauce..Ahhh ... Sheer bliss to the tastebuds. It also comes with lavash chips. read more

This is a nice little restaurant hidden in this shopping center. You can tell by the number of guests going in and out of the restaurant that it's pretty good. I ordered the grilled chicken pesto panini and it was good but there was nothing outstanding about it. The service is friendly and quick and the price is reasonable as well. The view of the water is a really nice plus though. It might bump it up to 4 stars but overall the food was average. read more

Cafesano - Grilled chicken pesto panini with a pickle :) - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Got salads with salmon and shrimp. They asked for $5.50 for the shrimp and $8 for the salmon, which was on top of the charge for the salads, but when we got it, it was only 4 pieces of shrimp and 4 bite-size chunks of salmon. Such a small amount! They allowed me to return it. Ive never had to return food like this before, but in this case i made an exception. You dont get your moneys worth here. Sorry to say idk if i will come back here again. read more

Food was less than mediocre and a complete waste of money. Pizza had no flavor, baklava had no flavor, kabobs and rice were dry and clearly not cooked to order. We also ordered a chicken wrap that came without any chicken in it so it was just lettuce and cheese in a wrap. Nobody answered the phone or returned my phone call about the concerns. I was also surprised to see that you are prompted to tip 15% on a carry out order. I find this to be especially ironic considering the poor customer service. read more

I had written a very positive review in the past. Unfortunately my takeout order today fell short. I called the order in. My wife picked it up. However when she got home. We were 1 pizza short. The market rep confirmed it was still there. No offer to take it off the charge. I talked to a manager after who did offer reasonable recompense. My advice is to double verify orders - online or verbal. And double check when picking up. read more

Finally got to Cafesano at my wife's urging. I can see why it's popular with both worker bees at lunch and families in the evenings and on weekends. The food is solid and decently priced. The place does have some quirks though. I got a meatball panini, which was very good, but it was accompanied by two little orange slices and some weirdly spiced crackers. Just an odd looking plate. Also, if you have leftovers, which you likely will, you have to go up to the counter, where there will be lots of people, and ask for boxes. Bit of a hassle. We also got an order of zucchini fritti, which was clearly house made but needs more seasoning, a Del Mar pizza that my wife really enjoyed, a couple pastas for the kids that looked good, and a mediocre basket of fries that I recommend you skip. Also some tiramisu and cannoli to take home that were ordinary. read more

I have no complaints. Lovely view of the water. Good selection of items. The tzatziki is great! read more

Cafesano - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

Love this place! Super cute interior and great food! The chicken shawarma is my favorite thing to get, so flavorful. The grilled shrimp is a must as well, has a great char-grilled flavor. read more

Cafesano - Chicken Shawarma, Pizza Arrabbiata, Grilled Shrimp - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

It was a little hard to find a table when 3 of us went on a Thursday night for dinner. It's like a Panera with a lot more options. Cafeteria style is how I'd describe the setup. I ordered the 1/2 Cesar salad and the Penne Pesto with chicken. The salad had too much dressing to the point were the lettuce was soggy. The penne also had too much pesto sauce - but it was still good. We ordered a hummus plate with grilled pita for the table. It was the best thing we ate there. The flat breads looks really good. If I go back - I'll have to try one of those. read more

Cafesano - Fettuccine Alfredo with sausage - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

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good food kinda loud and crowded most of the time ,,, pretty expensive too ermmmm decent tho

Not only were the severs rude and pretentious the food was absolute trash that made me sick. Hummus wasn't awful but the experience overall was. read more

Eggplant Parmesan panini Pretty good.. a little dry. I thought there would be more sauce on it like other parmesan sandwiches I've had, but it was very scarce rendering the sandwich more on the dry side. Chips are delicious though. read more

Cafesano - Eggplant Parm has some left to be desired. Not enough sauce rendering the sandwich more on the dry side. Chips are delicious though - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

We ordered pasta dishes for takeout that we have had before at this restaurant. They were so oversalted we could not finish them. That hasn't happened before with Cafesano. Also, the Arrabiata pasta was not spicy (which is the whole point of "angry" pasta (Arrabiata). What is going on? read more

I have been to cafe sano at both locations several times. I only ever order the signature salad with falafel. Without fail it takes 30 plus minutes to get my food. Busy or not busy it's the same. It's a salad. I'll never understand. read more

Food is good but ordering from this restaurant is a complete disaster. I stopped even trying after 3 or 4 terrible experiences in 2020. I thought, a new year, try again. THE SAME PROBLEMS. No worth it. Go elsewhere. read more

I've been here for a pastry before. Today, I went for lunch and it hit the spot! I got the falafel wrap. Delicious! Their menu is ginormous. Tons of stuff, all Mediterranean and Italian. Salads, soups, pizza, sandwiches, tons of stuff. The lady at the register was the sweetest. I was altering my order, as I usually do, and she kept apologizing for it taking so long. Food only took about 10 minutes to get. Seating was not an issue. Then one of the guys even helped me clear off my tray (I had my hands full). Super sweet staff. I would love to go back when the weather is warm and sit outside by the water. They also have another Cafesano in the corner which is used for market and catering. I'm sure their catering is amazing too. read more

This local favorite is only carry out. Always high quality and fresh ingredients. My fav is the Signature Salad. Convenient location for curbside pickup. Don't forget dessert, the baklava for one is actually 1 piece cut in two pieces. Perfect to share or save for tomorrow. Support the place for all the right reasons read more

Great atmosphere to have lunch or dinner. I went there for the first time today. My route for my everyday job is around this area and today one of the persons that I see mostly every week told me this was a really nice place to eat (they weren't kidding)I bought as an appetizer a Avocado Dip which wasn't the best I've ever had. The Avocado was already getting dark as soon as they brought it to the table but I really liked it! However, I got a basic Grilled Chicken Wrap that I enjoyed very much. Everything about it was just so fresh and delicious. A bit disappointed because I ordered a beer from their menu and a few minutes later they told me they didn't have it anymore I exchanged it for a NY Larger which was really really good! Over all amazing place, I'll definitely come back to try some of there other food that looks appetizing! read more

Cafesano - Quick and delicious! - Pizza Near Me - Reston, Virginia

It is take out only right now and the staff is doing an excellent job. It was understandably crazy in the store so the wait times were long (call in instead of ordering online) but they still made a delicious meal. Thank you for your hard work! read more

Cafesano is hit or miss for me. Unfortunately things seem to happen when they're not that busy - like this past Saturday at about 6pm it wasn't busy when I arrived. I love their Lombardi pizza and order it regularly. I went in with a friend and we payed separately but ordered at the same time. Granted - I know pizza may take a little longer than chicken, but her food arrived in 10 mins and mine took 25. Also - my pizza ingredients were incorrect - no prosciutto and lots of red onion. I was so hungry and we had plans so I didn't say anything as I couldn't wait for another pizza. This has happened at least 3 times when I've ordered pizza. The order reads correctly but the pizza comes out incorrectly. In general the food is good albeit a bit pricy for what you get - and if you order take out you should definitely check your order before you leave. read more

So sad to have to write this. I used to LOVE Cafesano, but after today I will not be going back. Not only was the amount of time taken to receive what we ordered 30 mins (just 2 wraps nothing else), it lacked the lemon tahini sauce as promised (or if there was any on it, there was no flavor to it). The restaurant was not crowded or I would have be patient with a delay and there were at least 8 people "working" there. I also witnessed a table that was seated before we arrived, waiting for their food - which was finally delivered as we were leaving. The staff seemed confused on who was supposed to be getting multiple orders and came back asking someone behind the counter which table for a few orders. The quality of the food and the service has definitely changed. Really sad for one of my go-to restaurants which will now be crossed of my list. read more

Great food and good service. Only have one gripe, the price. They charge a lot. I do understand that good food is more expensive but I don't think they buy local or use organic so I'm not sure why the prices are so high and the portions are so small. read more

I've been here a few times and it's one of my favorite places. I always know the food will be good and the Greek salad is my favorite one I've ever had. That being said, the service is always slow. For a walk up counter, I would think I would have to wait 15/20 max for food. Today I waited a half hour for a panini and a Greek salad. They were really nice about it and apologized, but you should never wait that long. And I wish it was a once in awhile occurrence- but that's happened every time I've been here. If you want good food- they've got it. But be prepared for slow service. read more

Delicious shawarma & hummus! They also make great fresh lemonade. Very happy with our experience.