Hidden gem alert! I've waited a long time to review these guys out of pure greediness, and I figured it was time to show Caffe Rustica some love! A bit of the beaten path (in the Price Chopper plaza), but don't be fooled by the extra 3 minute drive! This place is worth it. Delicious drinks, amazing food, and the friendliest wait staff in town await. Whether you're looking for a laid back pizza and beer night, or a fancy italian dinner, this place has options for anyone. I usually wait to hear what the specials are before deciding on dinner, although the lasagna is my favorite! Other favorites on the menu include the meatballs, steak, and of course the pizza! read more

Caffe Rustica - Meatball appetizer, perfect start to any meal! - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

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I have always loved Cafe Rustica. The food is fresh and real. Super high quality ingredients and great service. Last night we had takeout. I was hoping it didn't taste cold or stale and I was not disappointed. Just as outstanding as eat in dining. I had beet salad (my favorite) and cavatelli bolognese. My guests has crab cakes, a Mediterranean salad and sweet Thai chili shrimp. Everyone was very pleased. This would be 5 stars except for the fact that the cavatelli bolognese did not contain cavatelli. It was shells. Since cavatelli has a completely different texture and flavor, I wasn't thrilled about that. But it wouldn't stop me from going back the next chance I get. read more

Caffe Rustica - Shells. Not cavatelli. - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

Cafe Rustica had a nice atmosphere and the waitstaff was very pleasant. Unfortunately, the food was not very good and also very overpriced. The risotto was a reheated clump in the middle of the plate. Real Risotto done right should not stay in a formed clump. Peas were not tender; definitely reheated. 5 shrimp around the outer edge. Scampi sauce was ok, not very lemony. For $36. Crab cake appetizer was $26 for 2 cakes a little bigger than half-dollars. Flavor was ok, but not made with lump crab. I make my own lump crab cakes and this was not it. My significant other was not happy with his meal either. Disappointing evening. Not sure who is leaving the rave reviews. Maybe friends and family. I'm sure they make something good. Maybe the pizza...? But for this price point, I should not be getting reheated risotto with a side of shrimp. read more

My soon-to-be wife and I are regulars now to the Lake Placid area, but still looking for those great dining experiences. We saw some great reviews about Caffe Rustica so we decided to give it a shot. The place seemed nice. Great atmosphere and the staff were pleasant. It's unfortunate the food didn't live up to that same expectation. I've had enough macaroni (yes, we call it macaroni) to know the difference between fresh and boxed. I was excited to see they had fresh cavetilli. I asked the server if they were truly fresh. He said yes. I asked if they were made there and he said no but very local. That was good enough for me to give it a shot. We started with crab cakes. $26 for two sad looking pieces of garbage. No other way to describe it. The plate was garnished with gross wilted lettuce clearly in an effort to fill up the plate. The cakes tasted like wet cotton. Just gross. No hint of crab. My plate came out and I could tell almost immediately I was lied to. The pasta was clearly boxed and the bolognase was gross. I had three bites and that was about it. Never finished it and didn't get it boxed. I am not one to send things back because I fear the chef backlash. You get one shot with me. I paid the bill and then asked to speak to the manger. I was surprised to hear the manger was also our server which anyone would see as a red flag. I expressed my complete disgust with our experience. He was very polite and took the feedback but I have to wonder how that can happen when there were so many good reviews. A little over $100 for three plates of garbage. Embarrassing. read more

Absolutely amazing... From the extremely friendly welcome to the delicious food this place is a gem. We started with the cheese & cured meat platter.....OMG we loved it Then my husband had the mushroom ravioli & I had the eggplant with penne. Both were outstanding. I wish I could come here weekly, next time were in LP this will be our go to spot. read more

Caffe Rustica - Cheese platter at Caffe Rustica .... Delish!!! - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

After being highly recommended, my husband and I dined here tonight with our toddler. We attempted a walk in last night but they were booked with reservations (we figured like most places in Lake Placid they didn't take reservations). They kindly put us on the books for tonight, knowing we had our 2 year old with us. We arrived on time and realized they didn't have high chairs, no big deal, they sat us on a bench with an edge. Our daughter was active but polite (saying hi to everyone who passed). She didn't run around or cry. From the moment we sat down we could tell our server was frustrated with us. I am aware kids at restaurants can be stressful so we tried to be kind but we received nothing back. She was very cold and unwelcoming. I listened to her kindly ask a neighboring table how their food was and waited to be asked how ours was or if I'd like another glass of wine. This didn't happen. She said nothing when she dropped the check at our table. I am so disappointed. Other than the service, the experience was nice. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere is beautiful. We had the meatball appetizer, cavatelli bolognese and shrimp risotto. read more

If you are worried that a place is in a strip Mall next to Price chopper Don't worry...the food is fantastic and the service is just as good and friendly. Go to This Restaurant !! read more

Amazing food....excellent staff..,.a must when we come to Lake placid! Please don't miss it!

We had the pleasure of dining in over the weekend, and was very impressed! The staff was friendly, well informed and attentive. They also made us all feel very safe while dining during these uncertain times. We tried just about everything on the menu and I am so happy we did! The goat cheese, salads, carrot cake, Thai shrimp, shrimp scampi, Bolognese, spicy meatballs - literally everything was amazing. We're so excited to go back! read more

Amazing. Coming from nyc our standards about Italian food are quite high. Food was impeccable - especially the beef cheek pasta. The salads were also delicious, loved the beet one. Bolognese also was excellent. Everything was so good that we ordered two nights in a row. Service was great as they remembered us from the night before and took care of us will. We will be back, thank you. read more

This was a hidden gem (in a Price Chopper plaza) that I would recommend to anyone. The pizza and bolognese were delicious and the service was wonderful. It felt like many of the guests were regulars and locals. I'll definitely be back! read more

Caffe Rustica - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

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The food was DELICIOUS!! One of the best steaks I've ever had. Our server was nice and efficient as well on a busy Friday night. Only weird thing is that it's in a strip mall - but that doesn't take away from the seriously good food and atmosphere on the inside! read more

Don't waste your money here. Visited Lake Placid for my Honeymoon and found what I thought would be a delicious meal at this restaurant. For the price I expected exceptional food. Boy was I disappointed when I received my dry salmon. None of the food had any flavor. Nikki Brooklyn NY read more

Lobster Bisque, Ravioli, Goat/Beet Salad amazing! We reserve a dinner at Caffe Rustica every time we visit Lake Placid and are always thrilled with the authentic Italian meal, staff and service. Must try if u have never been! read more

The new chef is FANTASTIC! We have always loved coming here, and it just keeps getting better! Great wine selections. Ordered the pan seared goat cheese to start, then a pizza and the chicken saltimbocca- outstanding. Can't wait to come back!! Thank you Caffe Rustica read more

Good pizza, fantastic salad and excellent service. Everything tasted fresh, and all 4 pizzas that we tried were well done and freshly baked in the wood fired oven. Service is prompt and eager to please. The atmosphere was casual but clean and contemporary. The wine selection looked good although we did not try any. Good value for money as well. We will definitely be coming back!! read more

Caffe Rustica - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

Scott is so professional and his staff is so welcoming. The food is to die for!! I recommend veal cheeks and a bottle a red. My wife loved it! read more

Husband and Wife team which makes me happy. Inside nice, clean, warm and inviting. Wish we had found this place sooner; as you look at my other review we had a terrible pizza experience the night before. This totally made up for it. Fresh pie made when ordered. If you're visiting Lake Placid or Whiteface Mountain, it's worth the drive for some good eats. #eeeats read more

Great service! We really enjoyed our meal here - the mussels were DELICIOUS and the portion was huge for an appetizer. My boyfriend got the scallops and I had the veal medallions with mushrooms over linguine and the sauce was amazing! Our server was great and so kind. They have plenty of outdoor garden patio seating for those uncomfortable sitting indoors during covid times. Will be back on future trips to lake placid read more

Food was amazing - we had tremendous service from Eden and got to engage with the kitchen staff directly which was amazing. We had goat cheese and meatballs for our appetizers and orichette and arrabiata for meals - it was absolutely phenomenal. It's a little hard to find for non-locals (off the road a bit, right next to Price Chopper) but totally worth it. We would absolutely recommend this place and come back again. Thank you! read more

As a context, my wife and I ate at Caffe Rustica several years ago when the CIA trained head chef, Kevin, was in charge. That experience was one of the most memorable we've ever experienced in LP from the appetizer round through the main course. The staff at that time was also attentive, friendly, and patient. One of my favorite memories was the appetizer meatballs which were served in a rich, flavorful marinara of which we couldn't get enough. We actually asked for seconds just to dip our bread. Amazing! After that experience, we couldn't wait to return, but the restaurant wasn't open when we returned to LP in 2020. Fast forward to last week on the day of my birthday. We returned to Caffe Rustica in anticipation of another amazing dining experience. How times they have changed! To begin, upon our arrival, the staff attempted to seat us at a 2-person table within 2 feet of another couple. Not only was this inconsistent with our request for a special table for my birthday, but violates COVID distancing restrictions anywhere but Florida. We were then re-seated in a larger room, but were reminded that we had only 90 minutes to finish our dinner. This was only the first of many 'speed it up and get on your way' reminders we received during our evening. Our waiter, Joe, was friendly, but clearly was pushing us to finish each course as quickly as possible so they could fill the table ASAP. This included his serving of our salads prior to our ordered appetizers, a sequencing that we've never experienced. At one point, my wife expressed being upset at our waiter's pushing us to complete our meal. To his credit, he seemed to calm down and let us finish subsequent courses in a reasonable timeframe. Now for the food. We asked about the head chef and were informed that the ownership had changed since our last visit. Although Kevin was no longer the head chef, the waiter assured us the current head chef was experienced (over 40 years cooking) and that the menu hadn't changed. With all due respect, this meal wasn't even close! The meatballs we had anticipated were now small, dry, and served on a bed of pancetta with little to no sauce. Given our prior experience and anticipation, this was very disappointing. My wife, who is a gourmet Italian chef, actually commented that the meatballs tasted store bought and needed sauce. The salads were serviceable, but the entrees were very good with nicely cooked veal scaloppini and mushroom ravioli. By the end of the meal, Joe said the stopwatch was off as another group had cancelled their reservation and offered us desert. However, by that time, we were so disappointed with so many aspects of the meal and our service that we couldn't wait to leave. At this point, we hope Caffe Rustica is able to correct some of issues we experienced. However, in the absence of the prior head chef and significant changes in the menu, we will not likely return in the near future. read more

My boyfriend and I were spending Thanksgiving in the area and decided to dine here the night before the holiday on the suggestion of our AirBNB host. The ambiance is cozy, seats about 20ish so on the smaller side. We started with the pan roasted goat cheese with beet salad and fresh herbs which was absolutely delicious. We had chicken saltimbocca and veal scaloppini for dinner. One of the best Italian dishes we've had. Highly recommend!! Our waitress was polite enough but not very attentive. At one point she was sitting at bar talking with staff. read more

Very disappointed. Town is very busy. We called 2 days ago and made reservations. We were told they would see us then. Arrived at the restaurant and no record of the reservation. Unfortunately the hostess did not seem to care. read more

This place is a diamond in the rough. Wonderful food and service. A chance to see where the people who live in or around Lake Placid and love good food go to eat. Eden is a co-owner and a charming and stellar business woman. A great time, great food, great people. (M and M) ;) read more

Excellent food and staff! Clean and relaxed setting. Plenty of parking. Always consistent! A Lake Placid favorite.

This place is tucked away in a plaza- reservations recommended since it is small. Staff are very nice as is service. They bring out warm crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which is delicious. We got the spicy meatball appetizer which was tasty but slightly cold. The highlight of the meal was a roasted goat cheese and beet salad. We got two small pizzas between 3 of us which was a good amount but I would rate average in taste, but we live in Buffalo where pizza is prime! My reason for not giving it five stars is the time it took to eat- we were there two hours (way too long for salad and pizza) with lots of time in between each course. read more

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Our bartender was amazing, I wish I could remember her name but she was a dark haired girl, served us Sunday night on 10/9. Very friendly and tentative with her guests. She took her time with the wine list and was very knowledgeable of the food menu. The rest of the stuff we ran into with also extremely friendly. On top of that the food was amazing, I had chicken saltimbocca and it was phenomenal. I'm not from here so unfortunately I won't be back for a while, but 10/10 recommend. read more

5 star experience. Shrimp risotto was outstanding as well as blueberry salad. Don't judge the book by it's cover!

Went there tonight with my brother and sister in law. We were visiting Lake Placid; they from the Hudson Valley and me from Houston. They had been before and wanted to take me out for a good dinner. My sister in law thought she had made reservations at 7 but the restaurant called her at 6:15 and said we were late. She was told if we weren't there in a few minutes then we couldn't have dinner due to our table being reserved for a later time. Me sister in law said we would be there in 5 minutes. We did get there in 5 minutes and were told as soon as we walked in the restaurant that we had an hour to eat since the table was reserved for a later time. We were going to have appetizers, dinner and bottles of wine but ended up just having dinner. What an insult to be told we had an hour to eat dinner. There were empty tables in the restaurant. Never will we dine and spend money at Cafe Rustic when in the Lake Placid area! read more

Really good Italian food. We order from here every time we are in Lake Placid and have never been disappointed. Also a cozy place with a very nice outdoor area read more

Grateful that this location was right next to a Price Chopper, as that's where we ended up going. Needed food to go for six people on a Saturday night. It was about 5:30, no one was seated at the bar, half of the tables were filled if that. No wait for a table, but told we could not order food to go. We took the $100+ we would have spent there next door. They lost on not only food to go but the group of us getting drinks while we waited. Will never even try to go again. What a massive customer service failure. read more

Stopped here while on vacation based on the positive reviews, but we were definitely disappointed. First it was hard to find because it is buried deep in a shopping center without any clear sign from the street. Second, we called to make reservations, told we didn't need them for a party of two, and then arrived to find a 30 min wait. Service was aloof. All of the above faults could have been overlooked if only the food was good. We ordered a salad which was wilted and tasteless. Pasta was also flavorless. read more

We had been in Lake Placid for 3 days. There is almost nothing to eat in Lake Placid (unless you like "pool food" and being surrounded by children) We were becoming desperate. After some research we found Caffe Rustica. THANK GOD. Go here. It may save your trip. Super easy to find. It is in a sort of strip mall but don't let that keep you from checking it out. It's the only decent thing we found to eat in Lake Placid. Seriously. It's delicious. read more

What a delightful experience we had. We ordered the insalata to start, which is a huge salad definitely enough for 2 people. It had roasted pears (yum!!) and other toppings that all complimented each other well. My boyfriend is not a huge salad eater and loved it. We both split the pizza of the day which had chicken and broccolini on it. It was thin, crunchy had delicious sauce and we were both very impressed with the the combination of flavors. When they offer to put fresh Parmesan over the pizza, get it!! We also ordered the braised short ribs which was a huge dish that we were able to both split. The meat was extremely tender, all you needed was a fork, the mashed potatoes were fresh and chunky and the broccolini (so much better then your average broccoli) was fresh too. We were both extremely satisfied with our food and with the exceptional service. I would highly recommend this place for a special occasion or just to have a nice dinner. Yes it's pricey but so so worth it. We will definitely be back! read more

I chose this place based on the other reviews and it was a HUGE letdown. First of all, the decor belongs in a retirement community rec room. Then the prices were a bit of a shock. The wine by the glass was closer to vinegar then vineyard. The salads were a delicious reprieve from the initial impressions, but then our main courses came and I was aghast. $30 for rubbery scallops and undercooked potatoes?! Other dishes were over $20 for pasta dishes that were either terribly bland and tasteless or immediately induced record-setting heartburn. I don't know if it was just an off night, but I won't be returning. There's no way a strip mall restaurant should aspire to such fine dining. $200 to look at a supermarket? No thank you. read more

In the Lake Placid area this weekend and was excited to support local restaurant - Caffe Rustica for take out order. With 3 small children it is difficult to eat indoors and due to Covid precautions have been supporting locals through take out. Reached out to Caffe Rustica to try their Scallops special and was told for "in-house guests only". I asked if they could ask for exception from Management due to personally choosing to not eat indoors at this moment with infant and was still told no! Very disappointed in the response received. read more

THE BIGGEST HIDDEN GEM IN LAKE PLACID. I loved this place. The only reason we found it was that someone in our party knew the owner. The restaurant is away from the beaten path - and is a place that the locals seems to know about. Well if you are visiting, you must try this place. The food is very fresh and not "weighed down" or oily at all. Very fresh fare with ingredients not overwhelming at all. You can taste all the fresh herbs and ingredients in every dish. The restaurant itself is very cozy. Very good ambiance, great art, and the feeling of it is very warm. This is a perfect place for a great meal in a wonderful town. The staff is MORE than accommodating and they were very friendly and fun! We enjoyed them as much as they enjoyed us! This is a must try when going to Lake Placid - you will want to make the short trip to this great find! Cheers! read more

We had a table for 7 reserved. Four adults and three kids. Our reservation was for 5:30. When making the reservation and when they called to confirm, we were NOT told there was a strict time limit on the table of 1.5 hours. We were extremely rushed. I didn't even have a chance to finish my drink when someone came up at 7:02 and told us to wrap things up because they need to seat the next party. We didn't even get to order tea or coffee. Yes the food was good but when I am going to a nice dinner, I also want to relax and enjoy myself. This is not how you do business or get repeat customers. I will not be coming back nor will I be recommending this place to anyone. read more

Disappointing Staff We were recently in your restaurant, on a Saturday evening around 7:30. One person in the party is a vegetarian, and there were NO options other than a salad. We asked if we could make a change to a PIZZA. Not a complicated dish. The only non-meat dish was a "white" pizza, which was not something I was willing to have. Without asking the kitchen staff we were informed "they really don't like to make changes", yet we were clear that there were no other options. I would be less disappointed if they at least asked. Since there is an open kitchen, we could clearly see the staff and they were standing around talking. I know that being a vegetarian can be demanding for restaurants, but Italian restaurants are usually vegetable-strong. I find it hard to believe that if asked they would refuse. But I was refused without asking the kitchen. read more

Given that this restaurant is somewhat out of town in a slightly depressing shopping plaza with the local Price Chopper supermarket (I don't want to exaggerate -- it's 5 - 10 mins out of town towards Saranac Lake...), I didn't have high hopes for this restaurant. However, it mostly exceeded expectations (and being in that shopping plaza did confer one advantage -- ample parking, a perennial problem in downtown Lake Placid...). The ambience was nicer than the location in a shopping plaza would lead one to expect. The Ceasar salad was okay, but the pasta dishes were tasty and large -- just right after a day of skiing. The pizzas I saw at other tables looked good. The service was very friendly. However, I must note that it took an ungodly long time for our salad to be served. How long can a salad take to make? I actually had to say something to the waitress. To their credit, the pasta followed swiftly on the heels of the salad. On a multi-day stay in Lake Placid, I would eat here again, though it doesn't have the draw for me that, say, The Cowboy does. Would have given it 3.5 stars if the system allowed. read more