This is a nice Italian restaurant that is several steps above Olive Garden. Reservations aren't required but I can certainly see why they are recommended, and they were more than kind to us in allowing us to shift ours when our babysitter was delayed. We were seated in the back of the main room which was cold (the A/C was cranking due to the heatwave outside), loud (from people, not music). The side room was lit more invitingly and I think I would want to be there. I heard Frank Sinatra on the radio when we walked in, but within 30 minutes the place was packed and it turned into a raucous environment. We started off with garden salads with their homemade tomato basil dressing. It sounded fantastic but I quickly discovered it was loaded... absolutely loaded... with red onions. My wife bravely ate hers and the pile of onions kept growing on the side of her plate. I couldn't eat mine because of them so they took it away. They offered to remake it sans onions but I decided to hold out for my entree. My wife thought it was overdressed, but for a chopped salad such as it was I think it was fine. My veal Marsala was excellent. Every restaurant does theirs differently and here it wasn't too sweet or too garlicky. The bread on the table was crustier than an old pirate which made it difficult to eat with the table oil dip provided. However, it was perfect for sopping up the veal's sauce. My wife had Chicken Sorrento and the portion was absolutely humungous with a slick cheese shield on the top. She felt bad that my portion of veal was much smaller in comparison, but I had the last laugh as I thought her dish was just average. It all came down to the red sauce: every place tastes different and here it tasted a bit more like stewed tomatoes. (FYI: no place makes it as good as my grandmother). I am glad I ordered a non-red sauce dish, though my side of penne with only light sauce (per my request) was decent. Their dessert menu was nice but uninspiring. That's okay, as we were mostly full. Prices were fair for a white table cloth Italian restaurant, though not inexpensive. That being said, I much prefer the place in Loudonville which has more interesting entrees and comparable prices. read more

Simply outstanding! Amazing Eggplant Parmigiana. Truly wonderful chicken francese - best I ever had. Bread is fresh and warm and plentiful. The waitstaff was exceptionally attentive without being overbearing. The bartender is a master drink maker. I strongly recommend that you get a reservation as the restaurant is extremely busy - a testament to how good it is - or you not get seated. One caution- the restaurant is rather noisy and the tables are fairly close so be prepared to potentially get friendly with the guests at the next table read more

Another wonderful meal with great service! The mixed seafood was incredible. Thank you, Michael and staff!! Forest read more

Hubs and I went to Caffe Italia for our one-year anniversary dinner. We had a reservation for 4:00 PM on April 21, 2025. We were seated promptly upon arrival. Caffe Italia opens at 4:00 so I think we could have gotten a table at 4 even without a reservation. We were seated in a cozy, semi-private nook of the restaurant. We were brought fresh bread and olive oil to munch on while we looked at the menu. Our waiter, William, was on his A-game the entire evening. His service was impeccable. William took our drink order and then gave us the specials for the appetizers. There were a few options he listed from memory. We ended up ordered the stuffed mushrooms. They were stuffed with lobster, crab, and cheese, all while simmered in a delicious pink sauce. (Pro tip: save some bread for dipping in the sauce) William then offered to tell us the specials for the entrees but we didn't need them since we had picked our entrees well in advance. Chicken parm for hubs; capellini a la Dugan for me. Both entrees came with a salad. We had 4 choices of salad dressings. I picked balsamic vinaigrette, hubs had the gorgonzola cheese. He definitely made the smarter choice. The balsamic was tasty but the gorgonzola was... well... it's cheese. The chicken parm was delicious - warm and gooey and cheesy with a side of ziti. It's hard to mess up chicken parm. The capellini a la Dugan was seafood perfection. Angel hair pasta in a garlic-butter white-wine sauce with fresh spinach and lobster. There are no words to describe how heavenly the dish was. William came to check in on us mid-meal. We were happily eating our food and William said "it's always a good sign when no one is talking." I told William that I haven't had pasta that delicious since I was in Italy. We were too full for dessert but it's not an anniversary dinner without something sweet so we split the ricotta cheesecake. It was airy and fluffy and wonderful with a side of fresh whipped cream. Who makes their own whipped cream? Caffe Italia does! I had asked people at work for dining recommendations for our anniversary and all 15 people I asked said Caffe Italia. The reasoning is clear. All in all, Caffe Italia was fine dining from start to finish. read more

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Very disappointed. Extremely noisy with loud music that did not create an environment for fine dining. My entrée was disappointing. My side dish of pasta with red sauce was not palatable. Sauce even tasted a little bitter. I don't know if there's a different chef, but when I used to go to the location on Central Avenue I really enjoyed this restaurant. I was with three other guests and our reviews were consistent. read more

As much as I enjoyed Caffee Italia at its old location on Central Avenue in Albany, I love this newer version at Hamilton Square in Guilderland so much more. For one thing, it's much more spacious. Secondly, the decor is modern and lovely. And finally, the food is amazing, even better than I remember. There are some constants that should never change. The staff is welcoming as always. Darianna was the server who took my order. She was so friendly and helpful. Also, her memory is remarkable, because she was able to tell me about the long list of specials without a moments hesitation. She came back during the meal a few times to make sure I was doing okay and she was always gracious, never intrusive. I think that requires special people skills. Another person to warmly welcome the arriving dinner crowd was the hostess, Maria, who co-owns the restaurant with her siblings. It was a warm, Friday night. A perfect night to go out in the Capital District. The restaurant opened at 5pm. I got there at 5:45pm. There was still available seating and I didn't have a reservation. I picked one of the small tables with high seats. I asked for an ice coffee with Kahlua and whipped cream--not on the menu--but it looked wonderful and tasted even better. I started to eat a slice of warm bread when the food that I ordered began arriving. Don't forget to spread the bread with olive oil infused with garlic and fresh basil. It was a taste sensation. I ordered a super fresh salad and picked two of the specials. The Italian Wedding Soup was the best I've ever tasted. The order of mussels in red wine was generous in size but it was so delicious that I managed to finish all of it. What was also impressive was how well timed the entire meal was. No sooner did I finish one dish when the next was being brought out. It was explained to me that sort of timing is easier to pull off early in the evening before it gets crowded. By 7pm, more diners arrived and the place was hopping. The wait staff and bartenders greeted diners with warm smiles and never appeared to miss a beat. Would I like dessert? That's what Darianna asked me. I watched as plates of glorious desserts seemed to sail past me. They were ordered by the family at the next table. I couldn't manage dessert this time, but there's always next time. Caffe Italia has been open in Guilderland for less than a year. I'm glad I finally made it there. I had the best time and the visit exceeded all expectations. read more

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The ambience, service and food were all excellent! They weren't busy when we went early during the week and we couldn't have asked for more personal and attentive service from all the staff. It was a birthday dinner, and they all gathered at the end to sing a really beautiful version of happy birthday to my husband. Outstanding! read more

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Everything! Great, friendly staff, and the food is incredible. And they give you a Lot. My first experience was last night, I will definitely be back! read more

I've been going to Caffe Italia for a long time and was excited to try their new location. The new location is definitely bigger and can pack 15x what they did in their original location. Food quality hasn't suffered at all, portions and taste are still worth the trip. With all that being said, I found it a lot nosier than a typical place of that size. Between the music and a packed restaurant, it was difficult to hear the conversation at our table of 6. read more

The food was delicious and good portions, and my dirty martini was on point. Everybody was very friendly. My friend and I had a great time laughing and chatting and I think everybody was doing the same ting thing! It's cozy place. read more

Caffe Italia - Veal à la Marsala and chicken parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Clearly the finest Italian restaurant in the Capital Region.The staff is engaged,professional and right on top of their game.The crab cakes special appetizer was exceptional. read more

A all around! We were warmly greeted and shown to our table. The table was small and right in the middle of the dining room, but overall okay. Sergio, our server, was really great. Knowledgeable, friendly, patient. The pace of the meal was perfect. I started with the Limoncello mojito and it was delicious. Prices are a tad high, but being that everything is homemade and tastes great, it is worth it. Our appetizers arrived and both were tasty and plentiful. We ate 1/2 of each, and Sergio offered to box up the rest to go, which is what we desired. The salad was fresh and just the right size and the dressing was delicious. I didn't know the dressing I selected was an up charge and I prefer for that to be mentioned but I also didn't look on the menu about it. The entrees were out of this world. Tastes great, prepared perfectly and portions for 2 (with each)! I did get cannolis to go, but didn't take the picture. Yes, again, it's a little pricey, $155 before tip, for 2 apps, 2 entrees, and 1 mixed drink but man-oh-man, it's worth it. Closest food to being in Italy, from my view. Buon appetito! See you there! read more

Caffe Italia provides its guests with an extraordinary Italian dining experience. The dining room is spacious and the subtle colors are lovely. My husband and I dined on a Saturday evening. Reservations are a must on the weekend. My husband dined on Veal Luciana: veal, prosciutto, mozzarella, plum tomatoes and garlic. I ordered the Veal Pizzaiola: veal, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, crushed tomatoes, garlic and spices. Both were spectacular! Both were served with a tossed salad prior to the entree and a side of penne in their gravy/sauce was served with our veal dishes. Our waitress Giana provided outstanding service. This is a family run/owed business. They take great care in every aspect of their restaurant. Caffe Italia is truly an extraordinary dining experience! read more

Celebrating the wife's birthday, we gave this Albany institution a try for the first time since it moved to the burbs. Menu is Italian-American classics. Ordered the eggplant spiedini and sausage with broccoli rabe. Both were excellent and complimented nicely. For mains we went with the pasta specialties. The portions were massive and we immediately regretted ordering appetizers. Rookie mistake. In my case it was quantity over quality. My papardelle was buried under a mountain of heavy bolognese sauce made with too much cream. A few bites in and I was done. Service was friendly but needed to be more attentive. We were seated in a far corner of the dining room which did not help. Waiting too long from being seated to placing our order is a real dealbreaker for me. It was also so ridiculously loud in the dining room that it triggered a decibel warning from my watch! I can see why some people call this the best Italian restaurant in the 518. But for intimacy and quality of the food, Pastina in Delmar is still my number one. read more

I was so excited when I scored Friday night reservations. I've been wanting to try this place forever and unfortunately, I never got to try their original location. Upon arrival, we were seated in the back. I noticed right away how loud the restaurant was and did read that was an issue in previous reviews at their new location. The server greeted us with warm bread and an olive oil with tons of garlic in it - it was divine! I knew from the start I was going to order the Chicken Parm since it was my first visit because it's how I judge whether an Italian restaurant is good or not - whether they can master the classics. My boyfriend opted for the Chicken Luciana - chicken topped with proprosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes and garlic. Both dishes were delicious! They knocked it out of the park and the side of pasta was great too. I'm looking forward to going back and trying more dishes and hopefully leaving room for dessert! read more

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Amazing and quality food exceptional service, and stuff. Very nice interior I recommend café Italia to everyone.

Food was very good staff friendly always a fun time here good wine selection the only thing it gets loud but that's not a bad thing.

To start this was always one of our favorite restaurants! We went often to their old location and many times to the new one and have never been disappointed! And it's a far ride for us ! To start our server was not very good ! I order salad with my dinner with blue cheese on the side which I never received. I ordered the fish Special which was Salmon on a bed of risotto with spinach . We saw it served to someone at the bar and it looked amazing! My salmon was way over cooked and dry and cut in half and risotto was hardly there I had to have another server take it back and thy made me a new one which when it came it was fine. I ordered a glass of wine and one of the other people with us order an ice tea before our dinners even came to the table and we never received them . My Husband has always gotten the chicken Sorentto which he always loves he said it was mediocre at best ! We never saw our server again that night until she gave us the check . Unfortunately we won't be going back anytime soon ! We also wanted tiramisu which at 7pm they were out of . read more

Food and service were excellent. The space is noisy hard to hear people at your table on a busy Saturday night .. The bar area is open to the dining. They should have separated the bar and perhaps put up some acoustical tiles to decrease the sound volume. I would not go back on a weekend again only during the week if less crowded. read more

I can't believe I've never reviewed Caffe Italia. Caffe Italia is the staple of good Italian American in Albany. Small spot, you need reservations. It's intimate, can be a little loud due to the space, amazing service is guaranteed, and perfectly executed Italian american is the menu. I've been coming here as a celebratory dinner spot most of my life. I can say that no one ever leaves disappointed when I visit. I can't speak on a lot of items, because I am always going back for the Veal Louie. It is my idea of a perfect dish. I almost exclusively order veal when dining at Italian restaurants, I prefer cream sauces over tomato, and I'm a huge fan of seafood. This is my perfect meal. The Veal Louie is a dish of tender, melt in your mouth veal, topped with lobster and artichoke hearts, enveloped in a luxurious sherry cream sauce. Describing it alone has my mouth watering. It's the kind of meal where you close your eyes on that first bite because the flavors just blow you away. It's crave worthy on every level. I am convinced that you can't go wrong here on ordering anything, but take it from me, try the Veal Louie. read more

Caffe Italia - Veal Louie - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Excellent restaurant. Been going there many years . New location is great . Maria treats everybody wonderful. Highly recommend!!! read more

Loved this cozy Italian gem. Family owned and the service reflected that well. The Chicken Antica was like a very fancy chicken cordon bleu. The Veal Luciana was tender and unique. Both dishes came highly recommended and did not disappoint- the depth of flavor in the sauces was truly impressive. The icing on the lemon cake had a perfect balance of sweet to tart- it had me scraping the plate! Generous portions, home-y vibes, and a solid wine selection. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves Italian! read more

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Very pleasant atmosphere. Food is fantastic. Cuisine wonderful. A plethora of employees walking around always eager to cater to your dining needs. Fine dining. We've dined here 3 times and would recommend to everyone. read more

The staff goes above and beyond and the food is top notch. As an Italian I am very picky when I go to Italian restaurant's, Cafe Italia will not disappoint read more

Had a wonderful first visit the other night, our friend made an 8:30 pm reservation for a Friday night. That's much later than I usually eat, but we were seated right away and it was still lively in the restaurant. Speaking of lively - the one downside was it is so incredibly loud in there and was difficult to hear each other. As dinner progressed and people left it got better. We were served delicious warm bread to start as we looked over the menu. The appetizers looked great, but we went straight to entrees. We ordered the chicken parmigiana and the chicken luciana. The portions were huge! My husband never takes leftovers home and he had 1/3 of his meal still leftover. For drinks we tried the blood orange margarita and limoncello mojito, both very well balanced and refreshing. I wish we had room for dessert, maybe next time! Definitely make reservations and check this spot out! read more

Caffe Italia - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Went last Saturday with a group of 9 total with a 7:30 reservation. Place was packed and incredibly noisy. Was seated closer to 8:00. Service was slow. At one point we thought our server forgot us. The food was great. But with the noise it made it questionable for our return. read more

Four of us had dinner there last evening. Only one of the group thought the dinner was enjoyable. For the remaining guests the eggplant Parm was overcooked. One of the veal dishes was unappetizing as it was swimming in sauce and my $42 lobster and shrimp entrée was also unappetizing as it was overcooked and rubbery. The noise level in this restaurant is absurd. It was as noisy as a sports bar on Super Bowl Sunday. I'll never go back. read more

I don't upgrade my ratings often, but Caffe Italia definitely deserves a five star rating after my last experience here. On this account, I ordered the lobster and crab ravioli and it was unquestionably delightful. To flesh out, the lobster and crab were remarkably fresh and they had excellent flavor. In addition, they put actual pieces of lobster on the top of ravioli which I absolutely loved. It really made the dish stand out. Likewise, the ravioli itself was cooked perfectly and tasted homemade. Lastly, the tarragon cream sauce was magnificent and brought everything together. The sauce was creamy, rich, and gratifying. Concisely, Caffe Italia is one of the best Italian restaurants in the Capital Region. read more

Caffe Italia - Lobster and crab ravioli - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

Restaurants are, for the most part, replete with signage that pay homage to friends and family. They are usually little more than feel good sayings. As a patron, you do not expect that what you read is actually going to be true. There are those very rare exceptions of course and "Caffè Italia" is one of them. If you are interested in a small family run restaurant, this is your place. The food is extraordinary and the wine equally so. The service is excellent and the coffee, or in my case, cappuccino, was great. There is no dedicated parking lot, seats are limited and the restaurant is not in the most exclusive part of town, but the food makes up for all the minutiae. Our party of eight arrived at six and we were promptly seated and the drink order taken. My wife and I ordered the Chianti Classico Riserva, Castello Banfi. A full bodied red. Bottles of San Pellegrino were ordered for the table with only my daughter imbibing an unsweetened tea. As appetizers we ordered the Italian antipasto. It was so good we ordered another. The prosciutto was excellent. If you like Italian antipasto, this is a must have appetizer. Then came the salad - a part of the entree. Just the greens, as I like, covered in a light drizzle of Italian dressing. Just four words: Farm fresh and crispy. Next the entrees. Mine, my old standby, veal parmigiana with a side of mal tagliati. The veal was lightly breaded and cooked just right, the mozzarella covering the cutlet was thin and blended wonderfully with the fresh marinara. Honestly, the mal tagliati were not what I expected. They tasted a bit bland and required a nice dusting of parmigiano reggiano. My wife's spaghetti carbonara were excellent. I am glad she ran out of steam and left me a few hardy fork fulls. The spaghetti were al dente and piping hot and the guanciale and egg melted into the pecorino to make each bite a delight. Finally, the desert. What to have? Everything sounded so good! I chose the chocolate cake and a cappuccino, sans cinnamon, of course. The cake was still oven warm when it arrived at the table. The cappuccino was the perfect match for the chocolate splendor of the cake. The takeaways 1. Expect to walk a block or two because of the lack of parking. Think of it as an exercise for the meal. 2. A reservation is a must. 3. Try the Italian antipasto. 4. The carbonara is a must! 5. Go with the Banfi red, you cannot go wrong. 6. Coffee, is great. Choose freely. 7. Desert, pick your delight. 8. Price to portion ratio is excellent. 9. Service wonderful. 10. Atmosphere... an Italian relative's dinner table. What else can I say? Go and mangia! read more

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I don't actually have an experience to share because I was never able to get anyone to answer the phone to make a reservation . I called 6-8 during normal business hours and kept getting a recording that they were busy and to call back or stay on the line. I stayed on the line a few times and listened to awful music and no one ever came on to take my reservation. We decided to go somewhere else. It's 2025. If they are so busy, I don't know why they don't have online reservations like most restaurants. read more

6:30 reservation and seated promptly. Drinks and food arrived quickly and service started on a good note. Once we received our food no one came back over to ask if we needed anything, or if we wanted another drink until we were finished with our meals. At that point, it was too late. I had the Chicken Francaise and substituted potatoes for the pasta. Was not told there was an upcharge, and upon receiving the bill was charged $9 for a small bowl of potatoes! Seriously???! I'll give it another try and after that if the service is not up to par will be crossing this place off my list... read more

From start to finish, the hostess Maria and her service team took the utmost care of my wife and I as first time customers. They were happy to oblige us by honoring an exceptional request, which made our dining experience, first class. The place is deceptively eloquent being re-located to a "strip mall". (Address as of this post is on Western Ave - we did originally drive to their former location). Do not let the geography deter your visiting Caffe Italia. The atmosphere was buzzing, as you might expect from finer Italian dining. We had 2 Waters no lemons, no straws 2 Bottles of Montepuciano "Old Vine" Gio Barba Metallo 1 Eggplant rollatini appetizer 1 Creamy Gorg (fantastic btw), 1 Italian (salad) 1 Veal Luciana 1 Pappardelle Bolognese 1 Double Chocolate Martini for dessert Steer clear of nothing their menu has to offer. Everything exceeded expectation. The only problem we have is it is 45 miles from where we live, but....WE WILL BE BACK! Nice scene Caffe Italia! Mangia - Bon Appetit! read more

My Husband and I were fortunate enough to get a reservation the first Weekend that Caffe Italia opened in their new location. All I can say is, WOW! The ambiance, the decor, the layout are exceptional! Now let's get to the food. Without hesitation I will say that I had the best meal I have had in years! We had a party of four and started with the following apps: meatballs, shrimp cocktail and eggplant spundini ( sp?) all phenomenal. Now for the star of the show....Swordfish Francais. This was absolute perfection! The swordfish was cooked perfectly and the sauce was light but full of flavor. I opted to have it over escarole instead of pasta and it paired perfectly. The service is top notch! What more could you ask for? read more

This was my first time here and i'm honestly upset I haven't had it before this! Fresh fish, pasta, bread. Loved it and will be back. read more

Caffe Italia - Fish special - Italian Near Me - Albany, New York

I'm between two and three stars. It's just not all that special anymore. Dishes I've ordered for decades are no longer prepared in the same manner. The ubiquitous precooked penne has taken over the shrimp and broccoli fusilli. It doesn't work. Sausage with broccolini was not cooked together or made to order or sautéed in any way but rather just shared the same bowl, tasting old and boring. Cocktails were well made. Two visits at the new location and we won't return. This was an Albany institution for top notch Italian food for decades. Oh and be aware that all of the questions the waitstaff has about exactly how you would want your meal prepared translate to, "Would you like to pay an unspecified up charge for that?" We didn't fall into the trap, but we know many people that have and feel fleeced. Go elsewhere. read more

Same as many of the other reviews, the food is still excellent as expected from Cafe Italia. The new location has cramped seating arrangements to squeeze as many patrons in as possible. There is no room to move. The noise level is off the charts. Our party of five had difficulty hearing each other and all expressed we won't be back until this gets fixed. I hope the owners are reading these reviews. read more

Every time I'm in Albany I go to this restaurant and the atmosphere, food, and the service is wonderful. Make reservations before you go. Portions are huge and it's unlikely you'll be able to finish your entrée. Excellent food. read more

So good! Very busy! Very noisy! Service and food were excellent! I will definitely be back!

A true, authentic NY Italian like I remember from my NYC days. A solid 4+ star experience! Service was great. Menu was diverse and anything you wanted. Very tight tables and packed restaurant is very noisy. Good quality, traditional Italian at reasonable prices. Very nice wine list. I'd return on my next trip to Albany. read more

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I have been going to Cafe Italia now for almost 20 years at the old location. The food, service, and atmosphere has always been and enjoyable experience. I could not wait to try the new home of Cafe Italia in Guilderland formallly Tesoro's, which was another great italian restuarant.This was my birthday and what a great way to celebrate. When we arrived at Cafe Italia, it was in full service. The place was filled to the max with patrons. Our reservation was for 5:30 pm and was seated just around 6pm. (Saturday) When the table was ready we were seated and the location of our table was extremely dissapointing. We were approximately 4 feet from the entrance and guest service. The place was extremely loud and you could not hear yourself talk. People were brushing against our table while either being seated or just leaving. There was NO WIGGLE on either side of our table. My guests beverage was almost dumped into her lap. Once our drinks and app's arrived,we then place our dinner order as the waiter seemed anxious to get the order in. Our appitizer was just about finished when our main meal arrivered. Not much time to savor the delicious mussels that were served for the appitizer. By this time we were very dissapointed in our seating location, noise, and no atmosphere we came to enjoy from a great italian establishment. The sooner we ate the sooner we would be able to get out of the hectic seating loction by the entrance door and guest services. Basically the tables were so crammed together there was no way one could enjoy themselves. Our main meal was served and we were not dissapointed. I had the Veal Sorento and my guest who accompanied me had the Chicken Francese. Both were cooked to perfection. A very good choice for our dinner meal. Our thoughts at this point was to leave. But, how can I leave without having a birthday dessert. The Ricotta Cheese cake was our choice. Simply delicious. In closing, the disapointment of what "ALL" of Cafe Italia is known for was not met at this time. They are still going through growing pains so to speak. The new location is more then double in size compared to the Central Ave location. So much needs to be done so it will be enjoyable and not just a stop for dinner. read more

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