We came in for a Valentine's Day lunch with my mom and had an absolutely wonderful experience. Our server, Ray, was incredibly helpful, offering great suggestions for wine, appetizers, and entrées. We started with the calamari with spicy peppers and salsa rossa, which was delicious, well seasoned and very generous in portion. The Caesar salad with lemon-garlic dressing and a parmigiano crisp was perfectly balanced and fresh. The cacio e pepe arancini were a delightful surprise and quickly became a favorite at the table. For entrées, the scallops with risotto were outstanding. The Chicken Bosco and Chicken Francaise were both amazing: tender, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. For dessert, my mom loved the caramel apple cannoli, which paired perfectly with her cappuccino. It was an excellent meal from start to finish, with attentive service and great food. We'll definitely be back. read more

I ordered takeout, so I can't speak to the atmosphere or service here. For the price, though, I expected better tasting food. The zuppa toscana was flavorful but arrived a bit cold, which affected the texture. (Not necessarily their fault) but it paired well with the complimentary rosemary bread. It was so soft and easily the highlight of the meal, though the butter was quite salty. The chicken Milanese was cooked well, and the arugula and tomatoes were fresh, but the sweet, Italian dressing adjacent sauce didn't work for me. My fiancé ordered the pizza which was also just okay. We topped it with balsamic drizzle which elevated it. Overall, I wasn't very impressed and will likely stick to my usual spots, like Ma Raffa's, for Italian. They also forgot the silverware I requested, which wasn't a big deal but worth mentioning. All in all, I'm sure there are better things to order from here, but I wasn't wowed by anything I tried. read more

Candela Cucina - Carne - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

It was rainy and cold so there was plenty of parking. Was not busy at all got a seat right away. Sat. Got menus and another couple was seated within 9 inches of us. Place is open and they are seated right next to us. They got served with bread and drink order before we saw our waitress. Rather upsetting The waitress kept going between our tables when there was no one on the other side of us. Ok food selection. Tasty. It was cold and they said they could not change it to heat. Left my coat on the whole meal. Nothing impressed me. read more

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5+++++ absolutely nothing to complain about. Service was outstanding. Plenty of parking. I have always loved this historic building for ambience and such a cool vibe. The food was beyond amazing and rivaled some of the restaurants that I have been to in Boston. They deliver fresh focaccia to the table that is so soft and flavorful. Large menu selection. We had beef carpaccio, octopus, cacio e pepe arancini, and crispy artichokes. All outstanding. Large cocktail list with perfectly crafted drinks. For entrees, chicken parm, chicken Oscar, cacio e pepe, lasagna, bolognese, and roasted chicken special. The entrees are large and in my opinion could feed two people. We had plenty left over to enjoy the next day. Not one bad meal. Actually, my new favorite restaurant in town now. They also have brunch. I can not wait to return. read more

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Food is excellent service is amazing and the ambience is beyond words. Would highly recommend this restaurant read more

We came here as a group of women looking for a night out. The only way to get a group of a seven was if we sat outside on the patio. It was a gorgeous patio unfortunately, the only downfall was they didn't have heaters. We still decided to suck it up because we're eager to try this restaurant. The appetizers were amazing, from the calamari to the mozzarella sticks. Everything was delicious. Not one person complained about their entrée and the drinks were made to perfection. In the end, I have been here throughout the different owners and variations of menus and this so far is my favorite. The one thing they need to reconsider is offering patio heating. We would've stayed longer probably had another round of drinks and dessert. If we weren't freezing our butts off. I highly recommend trying it out if you had not been. The service is impeccable, parking is manageable, ambiance welcoming, and food delicious. ... I also personally fancy the bathroom wallpaper. read more

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After I posted my initial review, the restaurant posted a reply on Yelp asking me to contact them by email so they could follow up. Posting a reply like that makes them look to future review readers like they care about their customers. So I sent them an email a week ago and never got a response. This makes them look like ***holes. read more

Excellent service,food, and atmosphere. Veal Parm excellent and huge portions. Chicken picatta was also excellent. Mussels diavalo excellent as well as the Tiramasu. read more

Candela Cucina - Restaurant name - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Service excellent ambience very good. Food is very good. Definitely plan on going back I noticed the buffet breakfast was ending when we got there and it looked great. My wife and I plan to go on a Sunday for the buffet breakfast. read more

Went here on a Saturday afternoon just as they were opening. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Jordan, our server, was the best. Our meals were excellent. The ambiance is absolutely beautiful. Whoever designed this space surely deserves an award of some kind. Very elegant while keeping a bit of rustic charm of the historic building with the exposed beams and brick and stone (a must see!) Our first time here, they just opened earlier this year. We will be back again for sure. read more

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Our first visit was Valentine's Day so we made sure to make a reservation. The dining room was well decorated and full to capacity. We started with the WHIPPED RICOTTA with pistachio pesto, poached pears,honey, rosemary focaccia YUM! I ordered the Shrimp con Lemone and hubby ordered the 100 layer lasagna. Flavors were spot on and perfect! Specialty cocktail was perfect. We will definitely revisit. read more

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The restaurant was lovey and the waitress was great. Unfortunately the food was not good. The soup was just broth and the chicken parm was very tough. The teramasu wa just water when I got home. 300 bill, just not worth it. Sorry read more

The pizza is really good. I like sitting at the bar because the staff and other guests are all friendly. Good place for a simple meal and dinner is good too. read more

Order properly. Get some local favorites cooked with Italian style. I had the 'when in Rome cocktail', the little necks app, and the fettuccine nero. Perfect. My Mom, who is picky, had the fried artichokes and the swordfish puttanesca. New Bedford has wonderful fresh seafood, and these folks know how to cook. We had a perfect meal, with 5 star service. To be honest, last time we visited, I ordered less wisely. And the neighboring table tonight kept sending back their wine. If you order a wine you don't like, that's your fault. Only if the wine is spoiled, which you will notice immediately, should you return wine. Also, we had a seat well inside under the atmospheric old ceiling, rather than over-exposed with a view of the parking lot. Glad we came back again and ordered well. read more

Went for second time tonite because I needed to make sure the first time wasn't a fluke. The food and service here is second to none in the area. Hands down some of the best food and service in the area. Great atmosphere as well. Will absolutely be back and it might have just replaced fathoms as my go to. read more

It was my 2nd time at this restaurant. The atmosphere walking in, very clean and friendly. We were seated right away. The appetizers came out quickly. Calamari Rhode Island style. I ordered fresh tuna and it was delicious and I ordered a nice bottle of wine. They kept the glasses full. The waitress's that looked like twins, were awesome. Thank you for the great time.. read more

The best restaurant in the city. If it's too expensive for your budget, go during 2-5pm happy hour. The lobster pasta was insanely good.

I love this restaurant! They have delicious Italian food and they offer a lot of variety too! I've had the eggplant Parmesan and my husband had the chicken Parmesan on one night. I've also had the Chicken Oscar, which was amazing! There's so much food that we had to take our food home. Even their leftovers are delectable! Great service too! Everybody working there was friendly, kind and right on top of things. Ambiance was comfortable, lovely and welcoming! read more

What a great experience trying the new place! The food was delicious, the drinks were so good (love the lemonades here!), and our waiter was amazing! I would highly recommend this place for a date night! read more

Candela Cucina - bread pudding - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

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Everything was beyond delicious, we started with the calamari which was some of the best I've had and the chicken parm was very good. Staff is very kind and attentive read more

Candela Cucina - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Horribly disappointed. There were 8 customers at the bar; two staff members one who said he was the bar manager Scott. We were never offered a refill of our nonalcoholic beverages. No one ever asked how our food was after it was served. The chicken parm was had chicken that was tough I guess the thought was extra cheese and sauce would help. It didn't. the ziti was mushy and over cooked. The potatoes on the second dish were instant. We sat with our partially eaten dishes for a half hour before we were asked if we were ready for the check. Worse meal and service we ever had in New Bedford read more

amazing! excellent recommendations for both food and drinks. the whipped ricotta appetizer - WOW - i could have just that for my meal!

The food was quite good and service was great for such a new place. There are some kinks to work out (maybe don't need to check on us so much and getting the right size drink orders in) but this will definitely be somewhere to go back to. The tables are very close together but it's really nice looking inside. Perfect for a fun night out with friends or a date night! read more

Candela Cucina - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

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This place was AMAZING. We loved everything that we ordered! We started with the zucchini fries (10/10 and the sauce was also 10/10) I ordered the shrimp limone pasta - lots of detailed and cut up shrimp and house made ricotta pasta My aunt ordered the swordfish We loved both! Then the star of the show - DESSERT we got the Italian donuts and pistachio ice cream (made in house) and split them and put the ice cream on top of the donut. This is a MUST TRY !! AMAZING ! Beyond the excellent food , the actual restaurant itself is beautiful!!! We had lunch here but it would be a wonderful place for a date night. Last but not least , our server , Ray - probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. He had great suggestions and made the experience at this restaurant even better. We will be back , possibly even again tonight read more

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Beautiful atmosphere and the food was outstanding. I had an issue with my chicken Marsala and they handled it with the utmost professionalism. I will be back and will recommend this restaurant to my friends. read more

Food and wine were wonderful. The staff were attentive, friendly and funny. Shout out to Scott! Whipped ricotta was fluffy with a hint of sweetness, tender and yummy giant meatball, the clams were my favorite--plump, juicy, great broth! Comfy, cozy, beautiful. Overall a great experience. read more

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this is advertised as upper scale dining but the cocktails are shot poured which is very tacky not too mention glassware is ridiculously small only decent classy glass I saw was the wine glass. They use a old fashion champagne glass for some cocktails like in black and white movies about 3 ounces maybe. Food was very good service could have been better long waits for attention. read more

I dine at Candela's Restaurant last night, very nice inside. I ordered eggplant parmigiana and was so disappointed!! The eggplant was not cooked well, still hard, there was little sauce or cheese! Will not ordered Eggplant Parmigiana there again!!! read more

What an amazing restaurant! The charm, the food ... Caesar Salad and of course pasta that you dream about. This will most likely be our new go-to restaurant. Only snag was we ordered a bottle of wine and the vintage was not what we received. No discount, end of story. read more

Our first visit to Candela and we can't wait to go back! Food delicious- so many great choices. We split the whipped ricotta appetizer- soooo good. I had Osso Buco- delicious and huge. Husband had a steak. Too full for dessert. Our table was in the main room- very nice. Tables close to each other but not too. (I was eyeing what our neighbors were eating and thinking about our next visit.) Our server Rebecca was TOPS!!!! SHe made great wine and food suggestions when we had questions. She is a gem. read more

Once again, excellent food excellent service. Atmosphere pleasantly pleasing. My wife and I consider Candela Cucina to be the best restaurant in New Bedford A+++++ read more

What an incredible meal. The space is beautifully decorated with incredible attention to detail. After reading the menu 100 times because everything looked so good I landed on the fettuccine nero and a butterfly martini. The martini was delicious, the flavor combinations worked so well together. It was a tad sweet for me, but perfect for a single drink. I would have it again in a heartbeat. The fettuccine was superb, squid ink pasta served with huge pieces of lobster claw meat and so much calamari. The tomatoes in the dish really stood out to me. You got a kick from the Calabrian chili and would then finish with the sweetness of the tomato. I told everyone I know about this dish. I couldn't stop my meal there so I ordered the tiramisu. Tiramisu is my favorite dessert, I'd order it 9/10 over anything offered. Candela's version has nixed the lady fingers for sponge cake made in house. I was wary at first but I had to stop myself from eating the entire (HUGE) slice I was served. It was delicious. The thing that really topped my meal here off was my server. He was very attentive and kind. He gave me suggestions when I was searching the menu and overall was just a very pleasant human to be around. I was dining solo as I was in town for work and I felt as though he was friendly enough to keep me engaged but didn't hover like some servers have in the past when I've dined solo. I look forward to returning to New Bedford for work in a few more weeks and dining here again! Though I can imagine this place will become so popular reservations will be difficult to come by. read more

Such a cool spot. The food is excellent and the ambiance is top notch, cozy, intimate. Server was quick and friendly as well. This is a great place to visit before or after a visit to the Whaling museum. read more

We visited Candela this evening. The environment is so nice, and it was an outstanding evening. From appetizers to entrees and dessert. The Hostess, Ashley was welcoming and a joy :) and our waiter Raymond was outstanding. We loved our food and refills on our drinks appeared before we even had to ask. We were pleasantly surprised by how warm and friendly the attentive Manager was as well. Looking forward to going back and we literally just left there! My only wish.... I wish they had Zuppa Toscana on the menu read more

Candela Cucina - Calamari - Italian Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

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Fantastic and delicious meals! Service is outstanding- ask for Danielle simply the best!

Amazing family friendly Sunday brunch with amazing fresh options for everyone can't wait to go back service is always great

First time trying this place! It was absolutely wonderful! First off easy and great parking. Secondly the interior was so nicely decorated, think chic date night vibes. The seating was comfortable and the wallpaper was so playful yet classy. We had the littlenecks in a white sauce with fresh focaccia bread. The clams were fresh and well seasoned. I got the chicken Marsala not only was it delicious but t nicely plated. My brother got the scallops in a risotto and they were perfectly seared. Everything was priced right and portions were perfect. I wish I found this place sooner, but we will definitely be back! read more

Back in February 2026 we (2) went there for lunch at 11:30 greeted at inside entrance and brought to a table with 4 chairs since we had winter coats the hostess put menus on the table took our cocktail order made them served them with warm fresh bread/soft butter. A waiterintroduced himself we ordered 2 Chicken Parmesan and the rest was a complete delightful experience !! Now today Monday April 27, 2026 we both arrived at 11:30 greeted, seated, a young man came to table, took our drink order plus we ordered 2 Chicken Parmesan meals. He went into the kitchen and we saw him again at about 12 noon when he delivered our meals and said he cooked them ! Then we saw a real waiter arrive as he waited on a table immediately . Our "waiter" finally brought bread/ butter . Next I flagged him down asking for the check, paid the bill with a TIP and left the sad experience behind forever !!! Oh by the way hardly any cheese on the Chicken and the ends on both were Burnt. Bob D. read more

My wife decided she wanted to try their Sunday Brunch, so off we went! I will say this, I usually don't like Brunch, cause they usually put lot of items that really aren't that good, but they make it seem like your getting your money's Worth! Not the Case here, They offered a build your own Omelette to start off, and it was excellent, and from there it was much of the same, good food all around, and well prepared! And this place is Beautiful, as it has been redone recently! I left feeling very satisfied, and that's not how I usually feel from other Brunches I've been to! But the whole experience was so Good I booked Resv., to go back later in the week, I'll let you know about that, But I'm expecting more of the Same!!! read more

Food was very good and the service was as well. Ambiance was very inviting. Would definitely go back.