Food was tasty. Loved the pizza. The hummus platter was also good. Service was attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Atmosphere in wine bar was ok. Didn't get to see the upstairs. The wine bar was louder but it's a wine bar...so.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would go again. Sauce had a nice flavor. It's located in a good part of town with plenty of parking. The small pizza was pretty decent size and when I went to pay, I was surprised it wasn't more. Very happy with the prices. The tiramisu was ok, not a big coffee flavor, a little in the sweet side, but better than most. read more

Calvino's - Small pizza - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Excellent food, excellent service, some unique dishes. Love the clams and linguine. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great location.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Decided to go back during a busy time for the restaurant to test them on quality and taste - order the same as last time All Meat Pizza - they were pretty packed - was a bit noisy and busy bodies rushing around - restaurant was still very well maintained clean floors - excellent - people dining were all happy and content - excellent - visually I noticed all staff was watching people and kitchen being attentive to overall experience - nice - was greeted with a bunch of hellos and smiles immediately - nice - checked in on order immediately - knew I had 10-15 mins left; confirmed by staff who checked - excellent - product delivered with a smile and a thank you - excellent - pizza was a bit more cooked then the last time didn't distract from over all taste just a wee bit chewier - picky but toppings weren't placed on the pizza with "care" like the last time when less busy - consistency matters to me - bacon a bit over cooked but still held flavor overall, rest of ingredients ham, sausage were just as juicy as last time - slightly less cheese then last time - a bit less sauce as last time - again consistency matters - so overall I'd say they passed the test whether busy or slow Calvino's to me is still the place to beat for Pizza in Toledo you won't be disappointed - Bon Appetite!! read more

Calvino's - Me happily waiting and watching for my second go around-yummy!!! - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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Went there Saturday with family and friends. What a great night! Two of us had the lasagna and it was incredible. This isn't the usual lasagna. It's similar to what you know, but different! I bet it had 10 layers. The sauce was definitely made in-house. Not too sweet, not too bitter/sour. The one thing that's different with Calvino's is I couldn't detect or find any ricotta cheese, and I didn't miss it. It was a very generous portion, and it was perfectly cooked. No dry pasta or burned edges. I opted to add some Italian sausage which was the perfect addition. The other person who ordered this added sausage and ground beef and said that his was perfect. Either way, you can't go wrong! Another person at our table ordered the butternut squash ravioli. She was kind enough to let me try a piece and it was absolutely amazing! She ordered it with the olive oil and garlic sauce, which was the perfect pairing. This was as good or better than the butternut squash ravioli at Martini's in Columbus. The pasta had great texture (definitely fresh pasta) and the filling wasn't gluey in any way (this filling can have a tendency for textural issues). I'm definitely ordering it on my next visit! Someone ordered the chicken and pesto sandwich and raved about it. The last person at the table ordered the linguine with olive oil, garlic and mushrooms and again, it was perfection. All entrees were served with bread (ahhhh, those great little nuggets of fresh baked bread, drizzled in butter and sprinkled with cheese...) and a really nice, fresh salad. I would bet that the dressings are all homemade too! From past experience I can attest to the stromboli being outstanding (get the Godfather!)! The pizzas going by the table looked pretty amazing too, but I've not had their pizza. Appearances can be deceiving, but from the looks of the pies and quantity of people ordering them, they have to be pretty great too. Calvino's does not have a full bar, but they do have an extensive wine selection and some nice beers to choose from. If everyone at the table is ordering wine, go for the bottle as it will save you money. They have some really nice, inexpensive wines that pair very well with pasta - you won't break the bank on wine (but you could...)! All in all, it was a great night! The bill for the two of us came to $55.00 (that's including the tip)! The service was great, the food was outstanding - the best Italian meal I've had in Toledo, hands down. read more

We have been dining at Calvino's for over 25 years. Our children now bring their family's to dine. The menu has not changed much but it doesn't need too. The Strombolis, specialized pizzas, salads, and sandwiches are great. Wine bar adds a nice experience too. read more

Friendly service. Good food. Small restaurant with daily specials. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Quiet and clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect for a get together lunch or dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Depending on who you ask, Toledo style pizza can mean a lot of different things. What I've come to realize is, for the most part, pizza is just plain good in Toledo, and comes in a million different varieties. With that said, Calvino's does pizza in their own very specific way, with a light doughy, chewy crust, and a heavy hand on distinct toppings. And that crust really speaks to Calvino's commitment to carbohydrates. From the homemade pasta to the garlic bread, if it has flour in it, it's delicious. Salads? Sure, they have them, but they are not worth your time. Instead, dig into the special calzone of the week, or just ask your friendly server what pie she recommends. All are good, but some are even better than others. I'm specifically thinking of the "OTHER" White Pie, which is stupid good. The atmosphere is odd, a little rough around the edges, and very Toledo. In fact, everything about Calvino's speaks to a great night out in T-Town. Just come hungry, and bring your insulin. read more

Calvino's - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

This is a charming Italian restaurant in the Cricket West Shopping/Entertainment Plaza. We had reservations and were promptly seated on the first floor. Be aware that there is balcony seating upstairs (didn't notice an elevator, so just fyi in case stairs are an issue). Our server was very professional. It was a busy Saturday evening and looked like there was a party reserved upstairs. My friend and I both ordered pizza and planned on taking leftovers home. We both enjoyed our meals and had a nice time in the bustling classy ambience. read more

We've been here a couple of times Stromboli and fettuccine Alfredo are always good and [[HIGHLIGHT]]nice atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Went to Calvino's for my husbands birthday. He had never been and I was excited to show him delicious Italian food! [[HIGHLIGHT]]To my surprise, there was a party upstairs whom were loud and arguing. There was no music to softly drown them out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]If we didn't hear the crowd upstairs it was the employees hanging out at the bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our food came out well seasoned, but then cold. I'm sure our server could have made it more pleasant. Unfortunately, she couldn't hold a conversation that didn't include a polite way of saying "what else do you want". Such a disappointment. I came in 10 years ago and had the greatest experience. Maybe I'll wait another 10 years to see if they can improve. read more

I'd heard some good things about Calvino's and, as such, we were interested in giving it a try. The last time we wanted to stop, they had not yet re-opened the dining room. They, in fact, did re-open it in early February, making it available as a dinner stop on our latest jaunt to Toledo. Located in a little Shopping Square on Central Ave. near Secor, it is convenient though the storefront (and the building in general) seemed a little tired. There are two levels for dining. The lower level is certainly the main dining area. That space was a bit crowded by COVID-restricted standards, so we were seated in the upper dining area. This area was probably partially deconstructed due to the restrictions, but it felt a little like an event room that had been cleared out and the tables temporarily re-arranged. It just looked a little plain and the arrangement seemed on the verge of being unintentional. It did not reflect the character of the place as well as it could have. Normally these things don't strike me unless they're extreme, but I noticed this time. In the end, it was not a big deal as the meal experience was quite positive. Our server, did a very good job. In fact, we were marveling at her efficiency given that she was up and down the stairs all night attending to tables in both dining areas. My only small complaint was that she never offered to refill my coffee (and, to be fair, I did not ask), but I suspect that had to do with her having to run up and down the stairs (I think the coffee pot was downstairs). The menu was decidedly Italian with Pizza and Pasta at the fore. We started with a small Tomato Basil Bread, which was a perfect opener. The cheese was not overwhelming and the bread was nicely toasted, with an accompanying dipping sauce. For her main, my wife got a large Roasted Vegetable Salad. Using "salad" might be a misnomer, because it was really a plate of grilled vegetables, mainly eggplant, zucchini, red peppers and pine nuts. But this was what my wife was expecting based on the menu description, and she was quite pleased. I had a small taste and agreed that it was nicely done. She took a good bit of it home for another meal. I had the Gyro Stromboli, which struck me as a little unusual. Gyro meat is one of my favorites, and the amount used in this preparation was a decent portion. The taste was unsurprisingly dominated by the dough, but fortunately this was very good. It was done well and tzatziki dipping sauce was a nice touch. I also had enough of my serving left over to bring home for another meal. With food, drinks (water and one coffee), tax and tip, our final bill was $39.00. At $19.50 per person, this was a reasonably good value considering the quality of the fare, the service and the fact that we squeezed second meals from each of our two servings. We'll look forward to coming back to try the pizza. read more

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Our first time and last time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]First of all, the place was so cold that we ate with our coats on.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As far as the food, my house salad had one small ring of banana pepper, two small rings of black olive and two slices of really bad tomato. My entree was linguine with garlic and olive oil. There was absolutely zero garlic flavor, I believe they use garlic from a jar instead of fresh garlic...very sad! My girlfriends tzatziki ( yes, i googled spelling) chicken salad was a disappointment. The chicken was rubbery and had no flavor. Maybe they have good pizza...lets hope so! Guess I should have known better, considering we were only the second table seated on a Saturday nigh at 7pm. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Service and atmosphere were average at best.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We were back in town on vacation and knew we had to get back here! Took a couple of friends along this time! Had the same as last year and loved it! Mya W. was our server. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great place![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent flavors. See you next visit to Toledo! read more

Went to the Calvino's on Central Avenue tonight to have some dinner with some relatives this evening. It was generally a solid experience, but in my linguine pasta, there were itsy little pieces of penne. This really disturbed me. The sauce linguine ratio is absolutely atrocious just a site you must see. Also, the amount of Parmesan they put on there is just sad. I've linked a picture below please check it out. Our server was quite odd, but she was nice. It took about an hour to get my food so so so slow. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place look likes it's from about 1965.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The stairs on the way up are extremely vertical and steep my dear old grandma had a near fall on the way down.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It was so bad. Don't bring the old here. I wish you all the best of luck getting food here stay away. read more

Calvino's - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

I met some friends for lunch at Calvino's. I had gazpacho and the Caesar salad, very fresh and authentic. Focaccia bread was served. The are a variety of additional ingredients to add to the salad for a modest charge. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place has a nice, local restaurant ambience.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This is an intimate restaurant with limited seating, so reservations are strongly recommended.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We received great service from our server and the manager. read more

The server was super friendly, the service was quick, and the food was phenomenal! I've been hearing great reviews from friends and had to try it for myself. It did not disappoint! The restaurant itself is also a lovely place. read more

One of my new favorite spots. These guys do accept reservations. Their restaurant is a pretty cool vibe, the staff was nice the whole time. Our waitress was insanely good. Probably one of the best I've had in awhile she answered all questions and gave good advice on what to eat there. They have a very good complimentary bread I asked for a side of marinara and it was very good came out to the table still pretty hot. They are known for their Stromboli and it's incredible get it served w/ their garlic butter as it's amazing. My one and only complaint was they don't have any draft beer it's only bottled. Other than that highly recommend this spot. I will be back. read more

Calvino's - Club Stromboli. - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

What an awesome weeknight date! This place is one of our favorites. Wonderful pizza, courteous staff, great bargain.... We need more places like Calvino's read more

The best pizza you will find in Toledo. As well stromboli's and all their breads, incredible. In my office, we picked out pizza places each week, and concluded this is the best, you will not go wrong with Calvino's. If you are looking for an authentic Italian pizza, this is the place to go to. read more

I really enjoy the food and atmosphere at Calvino's but last night was just not their best, or really even their average. We went after the UT basketball game. We ordered pizza and chicken kabobs. For us, dipping the kabob meat and veggies in hummus is why we order them as it is included with the meal. However, when our food came out there was no hummus. When I asked, I was told, "We don't have any." That was the wrong time to tell us that. We were too hungry to send it back and ate it. It was good, just no hummus. They also had a beer displayed on every table and when I ordered that we also found out they were out of it as well. We will be back, I'm sure. Just hoping for a little better effort. read more

A favorite since I was a little kid! Really glad they have gluten free crust now. We got a bottle of wine but were disappointed that we weren't offered to taste it first; we ended up not liking the bottle very much which we could've determined if they'd let us do a standard tasting. Other than that it was a good experience! read more

I ordered the gyro stroboli.The bread was good,but I swear that there was only about 6 little 1 inch pieces of gyro meat on the whole stromboli.1 inch square and about a 1/16 of a inch thick.Waas more like a cheesy bread stromboli.VERY DISSAPOINTED.Cost $13 dollars.Was a carryout order and was not going to waste my time returning it.They have some good reviews but it must be for the wine and pizza,because this gyro sandwhich has almost no gyro meat on it.Will not return to this place.I see now on the reviews that their salads have alot to be desired also.So I am guessing they must make good cheesy bread and hummus.[[HIGHLIGHT]]Not worth the money along with the atmosphere is not too great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]I would avoid this place.Unless you want to spend 13 dollars on a 2 dollar cheesy stromboli.I found the meat.Go to wild wings and things on secor and alexis.Order the gyro sandwich for 7 dollars.20 times more gyro meat,seasoned perfectly and great sauce for half the money. read more

We were in town for a basketball game and looking for places to eat. Most places in the area did not have high Yelp reviews but we found Calvino's. The restaurant is within a plaza and has two floors. We made reservations but we were early and still got seated. We were seated upstairs and the stairs were very steep walking up. The upstairs was an open room with a drink station in the back. Ground floor seating as well with bathrooms. Bathrooms were single stall and a bit yucky. This place is like a quaint little place with good food. Our waitress was great and attentive. We all went with the small 8 inch pizzas. Lots of pizza toppings and options such as normal crust or thin crust. I wanted pasta but the prices were a lot higher than the pizza. The pizza was still good and if you are really hungry then you can easily finish the small. Bread with butter and parmesan cheese are complimentary and amazing! read more

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We heard a lot of good things about this Italian place so we gave it a shot! We both ordered Alfredo, I got chicken and my boyfriend had just a regular alfredo. We've had better Alfredo's at other places. We ordered the cheese bread to start and honestly the free bread they give you taste better so I would skip that. Overall a decent place, I would try it again, I would just try some other entrees. read more

We love Calvino's and have had excellent pizza the last several times we have had it. Tonight, however the pizza was marginal at best. We ordered a cheese pizza, the other white pizza and the mediterranean. All 3 pizzas lacked sauce and were very dry. It's like all 3 pizzas were made with no sauce. The mediterranean besides being dry had way too much spinach on it. The spinach was so over powering you couldn't taste anything else- it was gross. All 5 of us agreed that the 3 pizzas were not good. Hoping tonight was just an off night. read more

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We arrived in Toledo late in the evening and just wanted a good takeout dinner to eat with our family in our hotel room. I chose Calvino's based on close proximity to our hotel and the positive Yelp reviews. I reviewed the online menu and called my order in. The food was hot, ready and waiting when I arrived at the restaurant about 30 min later. The portions were enormous. Excellent value. The chicken kabobs were huge with large chunks of chicken and vegetables. So good. The vegetable salad is actually a plate of really great hot roasted vegetables. We also had the ravioli and linguine dishes. Added on meatballs in marinara (8 of them, but they were small) and also a "small" order of little bread bites. It was huge and tasty! Such an interesting variety of food. I wanted to keep eating but there was so much food. I also bought a nice bottle of Chianti there for $11. (Don't forget a corkscrew if you are taking it back into your hotel room. Oops! :-) It's unlikely we will return to Toledo as we were passing through on a road trip, but I recommend it to anyone looking for a tasty and hearty meal. read more

Mushroom and pepperoni pizza the best dang pizza ever. Get the 12 ". But if you have a family get a large or two 12". The herb fries are out of this world. Gotta go back for more. I was delayed but even so when I got there everything was great. read more

The best! Just great tasting pizza. Pizzas are simple and typical pizzas you may find anywhere but the flavor is on point. They're a lot of toppings to choose from or you can pick a menu pizza as well. The pizzas come fresh and crispy! Really recommend, quick service. read more

I don't know how I didn't know about this place until just recently. I drive by it all the time but have never paid attention. We were wanting pizza the other night but wanted something new and ended up ordering from here. The pan pizza and house bread were amazing. Very flavorful and delicious overall. Also ordered the cheese bread but that wasn't anything to write home about. Can't wait to go back again and add this to our favorite local pizza places. read more

Great experience my first visit. Our waitress Maddie was exceptional. Always on time with refills and checking back just often enough. Friendly and helpful helping us decide what to order. The food was great. Stromboli was given high marks. They have amazing chicken fingers. No kidding. Definitely want to go back. We were not in the mood that night for pizza but it is obvious that it's a specialty that customers come for, like the stromboli. read more

Calvino's has a lot of things going for it... LASAGNA: For my money, Calvino's has the best lasagna in town. You get a nice sized portion and it's topped with plenty of mozzarella cheese that's been cooked to golden brown perfection. The marinara sauce is just a little spicy, AND, it's tangy at the same time. Like Gino's/Amie's pizza sauce, Calvino's marinara is a little on the sweeter side. (If you don't like this kind of sauce, they'll top the lasagna with any of their other sauces.) The pesto was OK, but not nearly as good as Ciao's. I haven't eaten much of the Alfredo, but my son loves it on fettuccine. STROMBOLI: Does Calvino's have Stromboli? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear defecate in the woods? (Is the bear Catholic? Does the Pope...?). HELL YEAH THEY HAVE STROMBOLI!! I've (over)eaten a ton of this stuff and it's always been great. You won't get bored either, because Calvino's has about 10 varieties to choose from. PIZZA: The pizza crust is of medium thickness. It's fluffy and crispy at the same time. The finished pies are pretty darn good. Nice variety of specialty pizza, as well. It's not the best pizza in town, IMO, but it's still well worth the calories! Good service: Our waitresses and hostesses have always been super friendly, fast and accurate. The kitchen's fast, too. Good location: Calvino's is easy to reach from any part of town. It's located pretty much in the dead center of the Toledo metro area (in Cricket West). Good atmosphere: I like the feel of the place; I like eating upstairs in the loft. The decor is understated, casual and kind of hip, nothing fancy, mind you, but it's a pleasant place to eat. It's noisy enough that you can take your kids there and not worry that they might disturb anybody. Oenophiles take note: down stairs is a wine bar. I'd probably be thrilled if I knew more about wine. To sum it up, nobody is going to mistake Calvino's for Seven Hills or Marea, but, eat here anyhow. read more

Calvino's - Lasagna with marinara.  That's a deep dish, by the way. Best in town. - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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This was most probably some of the worst Italian food and food in general I have had in recent memory. I hate leaving 1-star reviews but this restaurant unfortunately warrants it. There was only 1 server for the entire restaurant on a busy Friday night, so understandably service was slow. The server was kind and working her hardest. We heard great things about the Stromboli, so 2 of us went for the special Stromboli, which was Buffalo chicken (that's all the sign said - no description). The others went for Alfredo pasta with chicken. We also got a side of chicken tenders and fries. While waiting we were given "table bread" which was okay. Tons of parm - and butter. Pretty tough and lacked seasoning (butter isn't a seasoning) but tided us over. The food took a good 30-45 minutes to come out, so we were expecting pretty good made to order food. That isn't what we experienced. The Buffalo chicken Stromboli was quite possibly the most odd tasting combination of flavors I've ever experienced. It had dry chicken with very minimal Buffalo sauce, and we think blue cheese. But... Who puts pickles in a Stromboli?! The pickles weren't even good. It was absolutely terrible. I tried to like it, I really did...but there was no redemption. The person who took the food to our table said the Buffalo chicken Stromboli was their favorite. I really hope they find the help they need. The ravioli came out ice cold in the middle. It isn't hard to boil frozen ravioli. It takes 4 minutes. In the 45 minutes we waited, they couldn't even do that. The Alfredo sauce was like school paste. The chicken was alright. The fettuccine was also alright. The chicken tenders were like from a public school lunch, and the fries were unseasoned. The ranch was watered down and flavorless. We left with a stomachache, having eaten less than half of our meals. Overall, for the prices ($30-40 per couple) this restaurant sadly needs a lot of help. I've had significantly better food in nearby hospitals. Maybe this was a one-off, but I won't be back to find out if that's the case. I hate leaving reviews like this, but it was such a poor experience that I really feel people should know what they're getting themselves into. read more

Best Italian cuisine in Toledo. The food is always fresh and service is friendly. The cucumber salad is delicious as is the lasagna, pizza, kabobs... The list goes on. I have never had a bad meal at this place. Whether it's just a quiet drink at the bar or dinner with friends, Calvino's is never a disappointment. Wine selection is vast and prices are on point. read more

Calvino's - Cucumber Salad (side), house Cab and complimentary garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

Great experience. I asked if the chicken is baked or fried and Loved it when they said "we dont have a frier". That is the place we want to eat! Really good good! read more

Great wine selection. Food is ok. Service is hit or miss. Place local which I like but can be clique sometimes.

PLEASE drain the pasta. I had linguine and it was floating in water merging w/the sauce. 2nd time. Drain the pasta, drain it well. read more

Excellent food by a devoted and fabulous chef Tina. The staff are awesome and the wine is fine. Thanks for an awesome meal.

I've been a frequent patron of this restaurant and bar for years, both for lunch and dinner, since it is so close to my home, work and friends. In recent months, we unfortunately believe the food quality has slipped quite a bit. Perhaps there's a new chef, but I wish the Italian menu offerings were prepared and seasoned as they were previously. I never liked climbing up and down those steep stairs for meals, (especially after a cocktail or two!), and the most recent visits have convinced me the food is no longer worth the climb--sadly. (Submitted late Oct. 2023) read more

The best little Italian spot in Toledo! I've been multiple times and the food does not disappoint. The pasta and pizza are delicious, along with their deserts which the special updates monthly. Go check this place out!! read more

Don't let my two stars discourage you from trying Calvino's; you've never had good pizza this place is just fine. I grew up in Northeast Pennsylvania (google "Old Forge Pizza" if you like documentaries) where I had access to both Brooklyn style and Old Forge style so the "middle-school cafeteria style" that most of the country is happy with is garbich to me. McPizza. The first thing I did when I went inside was to look for the kitchen so I could see if they had a real pizza oven or one of those stupid conveyor belt Pizza Hut contraptions. When the hostess saw my disappointment I explained that you cannot get a good crust with their type of oven but she assured me that everyone loves the pizza. As it turned out, the crust was the least of my disappointments. The sauce is cheap over-seasoned tomato paste and the cheese is tasteless. Pro tip: When looking at Yelp photos, if the cheese is beautiful with brown spots it's almost guaranteed to be tasteless. If someone ever writes a "Pizza For Dummies" book on page one it'll say that overcooked cheese looks great but tastes like almost nothing. The garlic bread is decent. The place was clean and nicely decorated. Prices are reasonable. The hostess was welcoming and friendly and my pizza was ready in under 15 minutes. read more

Calvino's - Beautiful brown spots = overcooked tasteless cheese. - Italian Near Me - Toledo, Ohio

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