My team recommended this place while I was in town and they did not disappoint. Whether you live here, driving through or visiting make it a point to stop by. Ambiance: cute, cozy and intimate lighting which is perfect date night vibe and there were still some bigger parties accommodated. Arrived and it was packed and still not very noisy. Service: Nick was awesome! Knowledgeable, friendly and personable. There's a level of pride in the work that he does that screams unreasonable hospitality (IYKYK) and paced my courses out beautifully. Wine recommendation was on point and attention to others didn't lapse. All tables felt his presence. Food: House salad was easily the best red wine vinaigrette that I've ever had. The garlic was the perfect kick. Scallops appetizer were sweet and perfectly cooked through and the spinach/basil cream sauce that was under and surrounded the dish was amazing (and I don't or at least didn't think I liked basil!). For dinner I hate the halibut and mushroom risotto which was cooked to perfection. The risotto does have onions which I missed and didn't care for but they took care and offered me a separate bed which I thought was incredibly nice. For dessert I had the chocolate cake which was delicious. Coffee/espresso hints and perfect texture of cake to filling. I will be back for sure! read more

Papardelle was delicious! Our server Nick gave us excellent service. Lovely ambiance, nice decor, mood lighting

The service and food were excellent. Would make it my stop next time in the area. Highly recommend the spaghetti and meatballs.

I looooove this place. Best Italian in Appleton! We got the caprese salad special which was amazing. So fresh, I could have had three orders. I didn't take a picture of my pasta but got the red sauce rigatoni which is always my favorite. Rich, creamy, with al dente pasta and fresh mozzarella. Service was great and food came very quick. They now charge for bread which is disappointing when it used to be free. Regardless can't go wrong with anything here, so good! read more

Carmella's - Salad special - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Fabulous find in the Appleton area for wonderful Italian food. It is unassuming as it is located in a strip mall next to the Appleton mall and Kirkland's. Intimate with candles on the tables, and romantic ambiance. Lots of families and couples dining. I highly recommend their stacked version of caprese salad with prosciutto or basil (you choose) and lovely cheese raviolis. Great feel to the place, and the service was fantastic from the waitress to the maitre de (who even found me a table with an outlet as my phone was almost dead). Highly recommended in the Appleton area for a great Italian dining experience. read more

When visiting Appleton this is one place we never miss. Just like the last time it's hard to describe just how good the experience is here. Classy interior, really friendly and attentive staff and food that is out of this world. For a special dinner, Carmella's is my go to in Appleton. read more

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First and foremost, I believe that Carmella's is the best restaurant in Appleton. I say this despite having lived in Hawaii for 4 years and eating at 5-star restaurants in Honolulu and Ko Olina. When I mention my favorite restaurants, I immediately talk about Carmella's in Appleton, Wisconsin. My family and I have been coming to Carmella's for about a decade now. Simon, the host, knows us all by name and I love walking in and being greeted and reconnecting with him. The waiters and waitresses are top notch; the service is excellent, and they always get our orders correct. The food at Carmella's is incredible! I love that all of the food is locally sourced, it gives the food great flavor and supports the local community. There is a great variety of dishes and is accommodating for all types of dietary restrictions. read more

Carmella's - Rigatoni pasta with white wine and a double serving of veggies. - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Beautiful dinner at Carmella's. Excellent service and timed out perfectly. We started with a bread service, Manila clams in a garlic white wine sauce and a lovely beef carpaccio with arugula salad. 10/10. We then split chicken Francese and a housemade ravioli with shrimp. Rounded everything out with some great red wine. Highly recommend! read more

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Each service of our meal was fantastic Highly recommended Save room desserts! Wait staff member Nick was constantly helping us with recommendations-we loved our time with him We will be back! read more

I drive far out of my way to come here, they have the best service and delicious food. I love the indoor dining area and the outside is very comfortable even in the cooler months of spring/fall. The halibut is always cooked to perfection and they are always willing to customize the dishes per your preference. It's a wonderful place tucked in a strip mall. read more

Carmella's - Alaskan Halibut and Wild Mushroom Risotto - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Every visit is amazing. Food is always delicious, service amazing and a great feel in the room.

Friendly staff, with personal attention from management. Excellent selections, tasty.

I love this place. We visited from out of town. The salmon was lovely, cooked perfectly. Frankie the waiter was very very good at his job. The manager is skilled, we could see that although we had no problems. Dessert was sublime! read more

Carmella's - Scottish Salmon - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

I drove 3 hours to have dinner with my daughter who works in the area It was her suggestion to dine here. I could not have be more impressed with her recommendation. Service, food, and attention to detail are outstanding. We had bruschetta, carpaccio, scallops and risotto, and veal saltimbocca. Everything was outstanding. read more

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I can't stop thinking about this place! It was amazing!! The food was delicious! The atmosphere is lovely. The service was great! We will be back in a heartbeat. read more

Carmella's - Crema Brulata - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

I was traveling for work and decided to belly up to bar. I ordered the chicken linguine with a white wine sauce. I was not feeling wine sauce and asked if they could do a lemon butter. They said easy switch and it was SUPER delicious!!! This was not heavy but taste was out of this world ! I also could not resist getting a cannoli to go. Great decision! I would visit again in a heartbeat. read more

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Always great, always good food, drinks, great service, Usually bring my employees for dinner and they appreciate it.

Carmella's is fantastic! I go here all the time for special occasions and the food is nothing short of superb. The calamari appetizer is fantastic, love the butter sauce. The Saltimboca is my favorite entree, it really is so rich in flavor and tastes a amazing. You can't go wrong with any dish you get here. They're all so fantastic! Update 1/10/23: Went here when home over the holiday and just WOW. Every time I stop in I'm greeted with the most comforting Italian food. Had the daily special pasta (a pecorino Parmesan sauce) and it was just to die for. Had this paired with the Chicken Saltimbocca , Cesar salad, and a tiramisu dessert. Carmella's is hands down the best restaurant in Appleton and the prices are very doable for the portions and quality. Can't wait to stop back the next time I'm in the Appleton area read more

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Always enjoy when I am in Appleton area. Food is fresh and the service excellent. It's a very nice space.

Good food and pretty quick service. All the staff were very friendly and made multiple stops at our table during the meal to check in.

Great food and great atmosphere, had the Veal saltimbocca was great. Veal was very tender.

We were pleasantly surprised to find Carmella's after a particularly harrowing experience at a nearby supper club. I won't tell you the full name of the other place but the initials are D & J's. (you can read my separate review for them on Yelp also) At Carmella's my partner and I felt as if we were dining in one of those chill and cozy bistros you find all over LA and Portland. The staff were super friendly and are still adhering to some semblance of caution due to the not-quite-over-yet COVID pandemic. Our visit to Wisconsin is only for a few more days but we will definitely be back and we will bring locals with us in the hopes they will be back as well. read more

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Delish! So good and friendly staff. Bread was warm and fresh, salad perfect and tart, and the pasta! Wild mushroom parpadelle?! Perfect

Carmella's the is the perfect destination for a great lunch or dinner. We've been coming to Carmella's since they opened and are very happy that we were able to make reservations for our party of three. Carmella's always has great service, and they didn't disappoint during these COVID times. Tables have been removed to make them more distanced from each other, there is no waiting in the entry way, and all staff are wearing masks. We enjoyed the pan-fried fresh mozzarella, our favorite appetizer and the garden salad. The bread with dipping oil is delicious, though good to note that this used to be complimentary, but they now charge for this. It is worth the money! The rigatoni with white wine sauce is always my go-to choice for a warm and light pasta dish. My husband ordered the seasonal preparation of the Filet Mignon and it was outstanding. My daughter tried something new to her, Chicken Francese. For dessert we tried the seasonal Crème Brûlée, which was salted caramel and of course, my favorite, the Tiramisu. Carmella's is one of the best restaurants in Appleton and by far the best Italian food in town. read more

Carmella's - Rigatoni with white wine sauce - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Dinner date night with my boyfriend, wanted to try somewhere new. We had mixed feelings about this place. The waitress was very friendly and we loved the aesthetics! (The waitress is the reason why we are rating this three stars instead of two). The food was alright and was a bit too pricey for us for this quality. The bread was extra which was pretty good! But you don't get much and the oil they give you on the side left a weird feeling/taste in our mouths. I got the ricotta ravioli, it was pretty good, the ravioli were huge but didn't have very much in them, quantity of the ravioli was less than I was hoping as well. My boyfriend got some shrimp linguine or something, I can't quite remember what it was. He said the shrimp was alright, not great but not bad. And couldn't eat the noodles, didn't like the taste at all. Wasn't horrible but I think we will try a different place:) read more

Carmella's - Ricotta Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

What to say about here - lots of dining space but I would plan on a reservation. The host was nice enough to sneak us in but after that there was at least a 40 minute wait (Friday night rush hour). The staff was very friendly, could have been a little more attentive as the service was quite slow - however I did notice they triple sat our server and she was very busy. The food was delicious and came out very hot. read more

Carmella's - Rigatoni with meatballs and tomato cream sauce - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

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I love good italian and travel extensively or work and this restraint is as good as Italian restaurants get. Service is always amazing as is the food. Fantastic appetizers, entrees, and deserts not to mention the best Tawnys I've ever had. I continue to look for a better place and have yet to find one yet. read more

Carmella's used to be a treat for my family, but the last couple of times the food has been deeply mediocre, especially for the prices they charge. Out of a party of six, everyone was disappointed in some shape or form with their food. We've decided that we can make better Italian food at home, and will not be returning. read more

Never ate there. Heard it was expensive, but quaint. Will try in the future. Would like more menu options besides bistro selections

Great ambiance. This is a really good restaurant with a nice menu. Good for lunch, great for dinner.

Dinner was just as good as I expected it to be! I've been meaning to go here for a couple of months, and I finally went. 7pm (ish) on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was full with a short (10 minute) wait. The calamari appetizer was amazing- not over cooked, very tender, with great seasoning. Also had the Napoleon salad which is not listed on the menu. I didn't realize it had pork on it- wish I would have known that. But it was still very good. Interesting how they cooked the prosciutto! Our entrees with both very good. Personally, I think my risotto was a little bit undercooked for my liking- was still too crunchy. We finished with dessert. The chocolate like was okay. I was expecting a more intense chocolate flavor- it reminded me of a box chocolate cake. I would have preferred more of the raspberry sauce because it was delicious... so tart and YUM! The vanilla gelato was good too. read more

Carmella's - Carmella's chocolate cake and Vanilla gelato - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

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My daughter and I had an amazing evening here! Didn't have a reservation on a Saturday night, as we were just passing through town - host was very nice about it and found us a table. He was so sweet and our waitress was amazing. The food was some of the best I've had in a long time! I was a bit worried when we pulled up and saw the building, as it's in a strip mall - but don't let that scare you, once inside, you can't tell and the whole place is warm and inviting. 100% recommend this place for a fancy date night or even a more casual fine dining. read more

Carmella's - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Very good. Will be back again. Very relaxed feel. Outdoor patio looked really nice but I didn't venture out. The service was seamless and having not been there before my waiters recommendations were much appreciated. Loved the cheese and meat little bits side menu, the bread that came with it was really good. Excited to try the other dishes. Excellent date spot. read more

A cute little place in a strip mall near the mall in Appleton. Wasn't expecting such a nice place for the location but was pleasantly surprised. Staff was exceptionally friendly and very helpful. Menu is good with vegetarian options. My dish was delicious Will be back. read more

Carmella's - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Food 6/5: it was superb hands down. I only leave the house to find food this was and will be a valid reason to spend your money/leave the house. The representation of the food was also so cool. It was colorful and tasted just as bold as it looked. Such talent behind those walls. Service 5/5: they raised the standard for me when it comes to waiting/bartending. They're polite, respectful and very understanding. This is rare. Ambience 5/5: one of my favorite parts of the restaurant it really sets the tone as I was leaving people were pouring in. And even seeing everyone talking and laughing It wasn't overbearing even in the slightest. The owners really have a gem read more

Food is simply amazing Service is top notch! Call ahead to sit right down with your reservation. You feel like family here and the ambiance makes it a wonderful experience! Oh... Did I say the food is amazing! Scratch made everything... gnocchi is to die for! And the Asiago cream they make... always the first choice for a special treat! read more

Very nice place, the atmosphere is great!! The food is delicious and the drinks are fair

Omgggg soooo good!!! Their fresh pasta is amazing. That papperdelli with gorgonzola cream sauce and wild mushrooms might be the best pasta dish I have ever eaten. And our waitress was awesome! Highly recommend! read more

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The best Italian I have had. The chicken Marsala has an amazing sauce and the wait staff was very pleasant. A nice assortment of wines you won't find everywhere else. read more

Carmella's - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - Appleton, Wisconsin

Great food and service. My niece and I stopped in for dinner before a PAC show of Beetlejuice. It was a great experience and we will definitely be back. read more