Woah, a 5-star review! I really think this place is as good as it gets for fast, fresh, friendly Italian at lunchtime. This was my first time in to Caffe DaVinci, even though I've meant to come here for awhile now. It's close to where I live, and I used to enjoy the granddaddy restaurant back in the day at Henderson and Reed. Plus, I had a gift card. This place is one of those joints where you order at the counter, and then your food is delivered to your table a la Noodles & Company. At first I was a little overwhelmed by the menu because I had to read it above the counter, and it's rather extensive. The ordering line is in a tight spot, and I felt pressured to make decisions as the area filled up with people. I was relieved to discover they have a "Pick Two" option for lunch. I got the wedding soup (a favorite at the other restaurant) and the Davinci salad. As you leave the counter to find a table, you will notice a little serve-yourself bread bar. You can pile as many slice of focaccia (soft and fresh) as you'd like, and create a dipping plate of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and spices. Now you have a little nibble plate while you wait for your food to come out! It's like having the best of a full-on Italian dining experience without the time commitment. Just get to the good stuff and get on with your day. Even the napkins have that cloth-like feeling even though they are paper. The big ones. I love that kind of napkin. The food definitely tastes fresh, not warmed over. I think this is pretty amazing, given the "express" vibe. The wedding soup is incredible with meatballs and chicken. My salad was a TAD on the oily side, but there were enough things to make up for this and still give my 5-star rating. You can really tell the workers here love this place. I don't know if the woman we interacted with the most was the owner or what, but she was bound and determined for us to have the best experience possible. She cleared away dishes, made more room for us at our table (by moving off the s&p caddy, etc), and she also refilled our drinks. Okay, so drink refills seems pretty standard, but remember this is NOT a waiter-service kind of place. The drink fountain is self-serve. So, that was a nice touch. Then, we decided to step into the back area for some gelato. The same woman was excited to explain each flavor and give us samples. My dining mate ended up getting some chocolate gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it, expertly crafted in a to-go cup since he was on a tight schedule. I had the lemoncello and it was delish and authentic-tasting. I mentioned I was using a giftcard... well, after the gelato purchase, I had gone 7 cents over the amount on the card. Our little friend threw in the 7 cents, and I left Caffe DaVinci with nothing left on my card... it felt efficient! I'll be back though, hopefully soon! read more

This is by far one of my favorite spots in columbus for Italian food!! Here's why: Food is amazing!! Pizza is good, blackened chicken is the best, and my favorite is the gnocchi with the Rosa sauce (mix of Alfredo and marinara). Soups are also good as are the cannolis. But the best food part... Is they have a room specifically for gelato and espresso! Besides the food, the owners are great! The wife, Tina is from Ancona Italy. It's a little port city on the eastern coast of Italy where ironically I studied for a short time in grad school. She is everything that I love about Italians! She always greets her customers, walks the floor to make sure everything is okay, and makes sure that she gets to know everyone that's there. She's always the first to give us a hug when we walk in. Her husband is just as nice. If you're looking for a good, family owned Italian restaurant, this will be your place! read more

This is the best little Italian restaurant in Upper Arlington! Not only is the food amazing but the Gelato is INCREDIBLE! Best ice cream I have had in a long time. It is a quaint little place and has a family vibe to it. read more

This place. Omg. They have, hands down, the best eggplant parmesan I have ever tasted. I feel like I've never had true eggplant parm before coming to Caffe DaVinci. It has changed the eggplant parm game in Columbus AND my expectations! It's so flavorful, so crispy, and just so darn delicious. And I can't wait to go back and eat it again. No I am not overhyping this. read more

When it comes to dinner with the parents, Caffe DaVinci frequently comes up as the meeting spot. Dad loves the little, family-run DaVinci's for its chicken Parmesan sandwich and proximity to the school where he teaches. Mom loves it for the sugar-free offering in the gelato case (she's pre-diabetic and seriously missing all things chocolate), and even my burgers-and-fries brother can be satisfied by the hand-tossed pizzas (which are big enough to share, but try telling him that). Myself, I fantasize about a singular menu item here, and it draws me back again and again: Tina's Salmon Salad. As I can't eat wheat, Italian can be a bit daunting; I typically get stuck eating salad and drooling over everyone else's entrees. Not so at DaVinci's. This salad gives its peers from pricier venues a run for their money. The fish is always expertly prepared - mouthwateringly tender, but never undercooked. The romaine is always fresh, the pears sweet and crisp. And and as far as I'm concerned, dried cranberries and blue cheese crumbles could make even your neighbor's tuna casserole sing. (Try this with the honey vinaigrette vs. the vinegar and oil it typically is served with). (Just one warning - the pasta portions aren't as ridiculously overblown as they seem to be at other restaurants, so if your aim is to scarf, you may want to add a salad to your pasta selection. Or, you know, just go crazy on the complimentary fococcia and olive oil) But then there's dessert. DaVinci's offers a few traditional Italian sweets (cannoli, tiramisu), but once you take a post-dinner trip over to the gelato case, you'll see why the other desserts are largely neglected. With a dozen mounds of creamy flavors (and almost always one made with Splenda for diabetics or those just looking out) like mango, donatella, stracciatella and Buckeye (decidedly un-Italian, but one of my favs), this may be the reason you can't stop coming back. Last night (many nights, to be honest), the place was a little on the full side with LOTS of kiddos running around (try stopping in later in the evening to avoid the always-bustling dinner rush). I love children, but am easily distracted by the inevitable hellions in the room (my Nanny 911 instincts kick in, and I have to fight the urge not to get up and correct their parents' lack of...well, parenting.) It's probably not such a big deal for most, and may even be a plus if you're thinking about bringing your own family in. As if all this wasn't tempting enough, the service, on top of everything, is fantastic. A lot of the staff are family members, and even those who aren't do an impressive impression. A dinner at DaVinci's feels much like a big family gathering - everyone working together to eat well and talk endlessly. So maybe I lied about all those other things. Maybe this is why I (and Mom and Dad and my brother and my boyfriend....) can't resist humble but delectable DaVinci's. ~a read more

What I liked about DaVinci: The atmosphere is both classy and comfy at the same time, which is an accomplishment. It felt a little on the fancy side when we stepped in, but the counter service setup balanced that by offering a sense of ease. The young lady who took our order at the counter was cheery and seemed not just happy to help but thrilled. You fill your own drinks, grab your own bread, and find your own seat. Food came quickly after we sat down. Staff was attentive, making sure we had all our extras: butter for the bread, ice for the drinks, etc. My friend had pasta faggioli ("hearty ham and navy bean soup with ditalini pasta" ... handy copy/paste from the online menu for the ingredients), and she loved it. What I wasn't so crazy about: I had the linguini supremo ("spinach, onions, mushrooms, peppers and fresh garlic tossed in olive oil with linguini"), and I found it kind of average. The pasta was nice and perfectly cooked, but the overall dish didn't have a lot of flavor. I ended up using quite a bit of salt and pepper. I think it could use some more herbs or something. There's a bread station where you can grab yourself a slice, but you have to wait for a server to bring you butter. I guess that's a refrigeration issue, but it seemed odd. Although the counter staffperson was lovely, the woman who checked in on us at the table had a habit of using words that kept making my dining companion grit her teeth: "girls," "honey," etc.... ...tangential comments because I know not everyone would see that as an issue: I've heard or been involved in I don't know how many arguments about the use of terms of endearment with strangers, and I know the lines of defense (e.g., "It's normal where I come from."). But I have never heard anyone say, "I wish that waitress called me 'honey.' There's just something lacking in my dining experience as a grown woman if I leave without someone calling me a 'girl.'" Given the choice between saying something that irritates a few people **whether you feel they're justified in their irritation or not** versus something that irritates no one, why choose the former? It's debatable in a social setting, but in the context of working with customers at most places of business, it doesn't make sense. Anyway... back to revieweyness. I liked the cafe's layout. The fact that the counter is set back, with the space for the line in a narrow, confined corridor, feels a little odd at first, but it means that once you're sitting down, you don't feel like you're at an overpriced fast food-ish restaurant. There's outdoor seating in nice weather. I love eating outside, but my dining companion preferred a booth. I would come back, but I'd order something different. read more

I'm a salad eater and proud of it. I'm not talking about being a vegetarian, I'm far from that. I'm saying, when I want a good salad - I'm looking for a lot more than iceberg, croutons and ranch in a bowl. I was so excited to find out take the salads at Caffe Davinci get as much priority and attention as their house specialties, pizza and pasta. I ordered the Mediterranean salad, which you would think would be something traditional...but no. The description below pretty much explains why this Mediterranean salad is above average. I added salmon and it was cooked perfectly. Check them out! MEDITERRANEAN SALAD/$9.50 Red peppers, grape tomatoes, green beans, red onions, cannellini beans, ceci beans, fennel, rapini, and fresh mozzarella with a red wine vinaigrette dressing. read more

I spent $9.50 for linguini in olive oil so I expected a hearty portion, but was VERY disappointed. While the flavor was okay the size of the portion was minuscule. I called the restaurant as soon as I arrived home and was told that was their dinner portion. It was more like a side than a dinner. Way overpriced for what I received. read more

Caffé DaVinci - This is the dinner size portion of linguini in oil. Overpriced for what you get at $9.50. - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Went here with some friends for dinner on the weekend. Very tight space for seating, overall the food is not anything amazing. Noodles with most of our dishes seemed a little overcooked (too soft), red sauce is bland. Wife had eggplant, husband had chicken parm - both were average. For dessert, had some cannolis - which are some of the better cannoli we have had in Columbus!! Also tried some gelato, which was very good. Pricing is slightly high for the quality of food and the tight seating. What sets this place apart is the service! Everybody working there was super friendly and helpful with everything. The owner (female) came out and ended up playing with our 2 year old daughter for 10 minutes (which allowed us to eat and relax with our friends for once). After 10 minutes, our daughter was giving her hugs and loving her! Amazing service...thank you, we will be back! read more

Let me start by saying that my wife and I stopped here probably once a month this summer to get some gelato. It's delicious - and I would give it 5 stars, which is why I'm tempering my review. However, this weekend we decided to try the food and we were completely underwhelmed. The pasta sauce was very watery and lacking flavor, as were the noodles. I'm not sure if there was even a pinch of salt or pepper in either of our meals. To spend $35 solely on pasta and receive such a bland meal was pretty disappointing. Will probably be hesitant to order food here again. read more

I have no use for a basic red sauce Italian place with terrible marinara. Tastes like it came from a jar.

I came back for dinner this past weekend. To me, it continues to be my main source for good red sauce, a light alfredo sauce, and a great overall Mom and Pop Italian with a cafe twist. I guess if the reviewers who believe in giving a place one star were a little more descriptive in what they ordered, you may have some guidance on what NOT to order. But since they aren't, let me assure you you will get a great chicken or veal parm, great chicken roma (non-breaded parm), a great eggplant parmesean, a tasty chicken alfredo, any pasta alfredo, and some tasty pasta and meatballs. the Italian panini is delicious as well. And the puffy pizza bread hat accompanies your meal is good as well. Don't forget the gelato for dessert..... read more

Great food!!! They also have gelato. Highly recommend. Food is wonderful, the dining room is a little small

Heard some of the waiters and managers speak in Italian, that in itself a super mood booster for me. Must be good, or it's better be good. I always love the atmosphere of little nicely decorated cafe, and DaVinci clearly have those elements. Not a big ice cream person, so gelato was fine for me, but the eggplant was great. Superb and friendly customer service too, my friend's lasagna was too salty and the cook admitted her mistakes (sometimes they use diff cheese and can't control the saltiness), they kept thanking us for letting them know and offered my friend different food. read more

So I was craving for traditional spaghetti bolognese for the past several days and needed my [rare] Italian fix. The bf found Caffe Davinci on Yelp, and off we went. This isn't your trendy, fancy italian restaurant with pretenses and overpriced entrees and wines. It's straight-up, in-your-face, homemade awesomeness. You order your food and drinks at the counter, and you get to grab at the bottomless tray of bread while waiting for your grub. We got the Mediterranean salad, and boy, I'd have to agree with another reviewer: their salads are meticulously prepared and have an awesome blend of texture and flavor! Their pasta portions are just right (servings enough to feed Goliath aren't my style) and are homemade too! Their spaghetti and meat sauce definitely hit the spot. Of course... There's ALWAYS room for gelato. Mmm, creamy. That first spoonful of hazelnut gelato brought back memories of my daily gelato-inspired walks in Florence. read more

I went there on a recent Friday night with a friend. I had the Chicken Parmigiana which was good, and my friend had the Eggplant Parmigiana. It's a fairly small place so they make use of every inch. It was crowded on that Friday night, and the volume of talking was loud, not just moderately loud. My friend does not talk loud, so the conversation was very frustrating. The soft drinks and tea, and the bread and olive oil are all serve yourself, which is smart for the restaurant, due to the confined space, but it means you may have to squeeze past the somewhat tightly spaced tables just to get to these things. I found that to be a little problematic. I was not overwhelmed with the quality of the food, but my meal had plenty of chicken, and it was tasty. I need to go back again when it is less noisy, perhaps for lunch. I think they had some interesting dessert items, which neither of us explored. The sauce is traditional Italian, so to be honest I generally prefer the Sicilian style of Italian food with lighter sauces imbued with wine. read more

Cafe DaVinci is one of the best Italian restaurants around. The food is all make from scratch- how they do it in that tiny kitchen I have no idea. My favorite is the lasagna, arancini balls, and their potato chips, which are made in house. Try their hot chips with their salsa rosa or their basil cream. Their bread is soft and baked fresh throughout the day. Don't forget their gelato. Finally, for a good deal, they have a family pack to go for about $35. You get an entree, salad, bread, and sauce that feeds a family of four. read more

I had the sausage penne with spicy sauce and was not very impressed. The pasta and sauce seemed to be the same quality as store packaged pasta and sauce. The sauce was watered down. The sausage was pretty average as well. It did not taste at all homemade or authentic. It would not be too hard to replicate this with a quick trip to the grocery store. There is also cold bread with olive oil sitting out. The nice thing about this place is that it is quick but that is about it. read more

Caffé DaVinci - Italian Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The food is OK, but double check your food if you order online or do carryout since literally every time i pick food up something is wrong. They are willing to make it right though read more

This is one of our go-to spots for a pretty quick sit down dinner. It is kid friendly too! You can also call ahead and easily pick up. The veal parm is seriously the best! read more

This is our favorite restaurant in Columbus. Really. Tina's Salmon Salad is amazing and the pizza is seriously a best kept secret. One of the few restaurants where the owners regularly walk through the dining room and chat with regulars and newbies alike. And don't even get me started on the Gelato! People in Columbus love Jeni's Ice Cream, but I truly believe it's only because they haven't tried the Gelato at Caffee Davinci. If you like fast casual dining, really great Italian food, a nice environment, and a "neighborhood" feel, you can't go wrong here. read more

Really wanted to like this place. The food is pretty good considering. Not great, but better than average. Go in for a quick bite or order something to go. The house made gelatos are excellent. It's the overriding issue of eating in a cafeteria that turned me off. Service is nonexistent. You're definitely getting what you pay for. Don't even think about speaking to an employee. read more

Caffe Da Vinci has great service and good food. During the summer months, I frequent CDV for their gelatos and only once did they not have their hazelnut gelato. It's creamy and so flavorful--I die. I went a couple of days ago to pick up a chicken parm sandwich for lunch and a pint of their hazelnut gelato. The only "negative" about the gelato is that it's $8 a pint. However, it's just so good and since it's so hard to come by, I totally think it's worth it. As for their food, I tried their pastas and their sandwich. It's really just okay. I wasn't blown away by their sauces or their breads... so, I would definitely go back for their gelatos but not really for their food. read more

Visited the restaurant the evening of 12-15-18. Went with an open mind, certain expectations based on other reviews.......and? My companion and I found the place not as positive an experience as others had . First impressions were good what with the many people we observed. My meatball "thing" consisted of hard compressed meat. Little sauce and/or the peppers olives or cheese I requested. The other food item was poor and tasteless. I can tell how bad by the look on the face of my date and her body language. Most telling was her desire not to speak with someone nor to order another item. The left over sub half was no better this morning and when I sliced them open they were found to be a bit undercooked in the middle. Best recommendation? Pass read more

We had a great lunch here the other day. 4 lunch specials, very tasty, fresh and filling. We will definitely be back. Homemade spaghetti noodles were great. read more

It's ok.. Eggplant Parm and Pasta was pretty good for a fast food type restaurant. Had the Mediterranean salad which had random vegetables and egg and raisins, I forgot why I ordered it... read more

I started my own Yelp account just to review this restaurant. My friends and I stopped in for a meal the other day and I was very much impressed. I got the salmon salad and it was absolute perfection. Crispy grilled salmon with perfect center and the toppings on salad were lovely. I'll be going back for sure! read more

I've been to Caffé DaVinci a few times and each time has been AWESOME. Anyone who asks me about an affordable (higher-end) Italian restaurant is quickly referred to this place. My favorite dish is the Eggplant Parmesan, but have also tried MANY of the others dishes (which didn't fail to deliver on taste)... If you haven't been here, you need to go! If you've already been here, go again! :) read more

If I could give this place MORE stars I would!!!! I am not a fan of Italian food ever and don't eat it a lot of I can avoid it. But this place, THIS PLACE IS LIFE CHANGING! Their salads are perfect, sauces and pasta aren't too heavy and do NOT get me started on the gelato! The only complaint I have about this place is I can't stop eating it. It is so amazing and the staff is above and beyond the most phenomenal staff I've ever seen and I was in the service industry for 17yrs. BRAVO folks!!! Absolutely worth driving from any area in Ohio to dine here! read more

This is one of the best Italian comfort food restaurants I have ever eaten at. All of the classics - exactly how they should be. The chicken marsala has great flavor, Eggplant parm is perfectly crispy and soft in the best way possible, Blackened chicken with cream sauce is a great, unique dish. The Calamari are fried to perfection and the breading is perfect. The pepperoni are the small ones the curl up on the sides that you can never seem to find anywhere. The gelato and Tiramisu were great as well. I think this just became my favorite restaurant in Columbus read more

The food is delicious, especially the blackened chicken with pasta in a cream sauce. Recently, I experienced hostility by one of the servers. A tall young female who gave me hostile looks & was irritated by where I sat. Then to top that off, a patron snatched a chair from where I sat, in a hostile manner. I felt threatened and quickly left. I doubt I'll go back again. read more

We had Chicken Marsala and Eggplant Parmesan delivered. Driver was friendly and arrived a little early. Food was pretty mediocre----hoping for more like the old DaVincis restaurant which we miss. read more

Excellent meal! We stopped for a late lunch and everything was great. I had Tina's salad with salmon. The salmon was cooked perfectly-not at all overdone like most places tend to do, and the rest of my group had pizzas. Very good! We will be back. read more

The food is excellent but just had the worst/awkward customer service experience. Our waitress told us she was now going to have to bleach the table because we spilled a few drops of balsamic vinegar. So our party just brushed it off and ate our meal. Before we left we stopped by the gelato counter and I asked the waitress what a flavor was. She replied with an impatient tone, " I just told you I would explain all the flavors to you. Didnt you hear what I just said.?" Needless to say I was dumbfounded and left without purchasing gelato. This was one of my favorite italian cafe's. My family is italian and the food is delicious but I wont be returning there :-\ read more

We are regulars. Love their food and take out of town guests there. They always love it. The calamari is so good. We usually get Tina's Salmon Salad, chicken parm, blackened chicken and pasta (awesome!) and the tiramisu. read more

My wife and I stopped for lunch after a local doctors appointment. Read a number of promising reviews on Yelp and decided to come on in for a late lunch. I had a deep dish meatball individual pizza and Nita got the chicken parmigiano. Let me just say that both meals were outstanding! Great service and very cozy atmosphere. A+++ read more

I came here yesterday for an early dinner. The food is still good, but the sauce seemed to be lacking so I knocked it down a star. For the record, I had chicken parmesan and spaghetti. As I said, the food was still good. read more

This is like a Panera that serves a wide variety of Italian dishes... Great for lunch or dinner. I had the salmon insalate (salad); it was delicious. They have bread, vinegar, oil, and parmesan on a table beside the soda fountain you can bring to your table. read more

First experience at DaVinci and throughly enjoyed my meal. Went with family and they must have enjoyed it also since all plates were clean. Not fancy but adequate to accommodate 40 dine in customers. Take out line was busy also. Food was great, but you ordered al-carte style thru a cafeteria style line which was different but service was good! read more

The Tina Salmon Salad is too die for! Yes, $10 for a salad is a bit much but after tasting it - Yum!