Found this restaurant on Yelp on our way back to Toronto from Niagara Falls. Parking was paid but easy to find and plentiful. This place has such a cute interior! It was definitely catering to girls night out. We started with the crispy polenta fries - these were the clear winner of the night. It came with a marinara and aioli sauce, and was perfectly crispy, salty, and flavorful. I wish there was a bigger version of this because it could have easily been a meal substitute. The Arugula salad was also well-balanced and bright - a food combination of sweet, salty, peppery, and crunchy. We got the potato Bianco pizza - would not recommend this. It was very bland and burnt on the bottom. I wish we had tried a different pizza because they looked good! We also had the Short Rib Rigatoni. The flavors of this pasta were stellar! I would highly recommend getting this - the pasta was cooked perfectly, the sauce was very flavorful, and there was a generous serving of short rib. We lastly finished off with the Tiramisu, which was tasty, but not a traditional "tiramisu" flavor. I'd come back again to try some of their other pizzas and pastas. Drinks were pretty good, too! read more

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The Rosemary & Parmesan home fries are LIFE CHANGING. I would come back just for those. They do something like slightly smash the potatoes to get more edges maybe? It results in a beautiful textured crunch all around with a soft inside in the homefries. Very nicely seasoned as well. The brunch cocktails were light and yummy - I myself like more spirit forward complex cocktails and I was not disappointed. Had brunch with a small group of girlfriends here Caro was well accommodated for the group. We had reservations at 10:30 am but it didn't seem like we needed them. It did start getting busy closer to lunch. The atmosphere/attire is very casual and laid back while having a top quality brunch. There's a small paid parking lot a street over from the restaurant. read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Porchetta Benny - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Excellent! Never have had a bad meal here. Food is fresh, delicious and the service is great!

Today's brunch was at Caro Restaurant, a quaint place located at Ottawa and Main, Hamilton. In a group of 4, I was the only one who haven't been to this place. To start with, we ordered coffee, and to my amazement, they brought us 2 French Press coffee maker! I was delighted! Our server was very pleasant and went over the day's special. She was knowledgeable and pleasant. I ordered the Porchetta Benny-- grilled focaccia | Hollandaise | half rosemary & parmesan home fries and half arugula salad. It was very good! Their home fries were not your typical fries. From my observation, they were lightly smashed cooked whole potatoes broken into random pieces and deep fried to brown crisp perfection! They were unique and oh so crunchy!! The fact that they offered half fries and half salad instead of "either or" was a bonus! Everyone at our table was extremely pleased with what they've ordered. This place will be a repeat in my gastronomy book! Well done! read more

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Really enjoyed this place, I got the fried chicken pizza (the Omar) and the shrimp and spaghetti and enjoyed both very much. I love the sweet and savoury taste of the fried chicken on the pizza and the pasta had a perfect amount of sauce and delicious shrimp. The portions were smaller than I thought but I finished feeling a good amount of full so I'm not complaining. (Shared amongst two people) read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Shrimp and spaghetti | The Omar pizza - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

The food was very good highly recommend met the owner very down-to-earth great guy great service! Highly recommend!

Food: They kindly substituted in spaghetti in my carbonara. My partner got the shrimp and spaghetti. I couldn't get enough of the pasta - so creamy and delicious! Polenta Fries: many others raved about it, but I was disappointed. Flavour was way too salty. I also expected my fries to have more.. crunch? And more finger-sized so I could hold my fries. But they were gigantic in width, so the outside crunch was lost in the mushy interior. The sauce though, was delicious. Service: sat at the bar. I was confused because the no server came by. Gave our orders to the bartender, then got our food via a different server. Bartender was incredibly friendly and checked on us multiple times. Overall would recommend! read more

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Delicious food. Small portions but good for the soul. Would recommend. Great service too!

So disappointed with this place. From the moment we sat down, we were bombarded with fruit flies. They were everywhere. We moved tables to avoid them, but they just followed along. The wait staff apologized saying they were cleaning everything and they were just overwhelmed. Had I not ordered already I would have left. Thumbs down for cleanliness. read more

Anyhow, parking in Hamilton is dirt cheap. I still can't believe I paid like 50 cents or a dollar, make it rain baby - I have the money lols. Most restaurants in Hamilton aren't fancy, at least there weren't many back when I was a student. The interior design of this restaurant is pretty neat, they have a green wall and tiny center pieces on each table. Basically this is a pasta place. I think the prices are considered expensive based on where it's located (nothing nearby) and service (took forever for food to come). Calamari I was surprised that the pieces were so thin, and did not like the overall texture. While it was crunchy (like how calamari should be), it felt kind of grainy. Not sure why they drenched the dish with olive oil at the bottom, that seems to be the pairing if the calamari was not served fried. Tuscani rigatoni This dish was alright. Lots of sauces and the pasta was cooked to al dente. My personal preference is to have the pasta softer, but I know the right way is to have it made al dente. Pappardelle It's my first time trying pappardelle, but they are broad pasta noodles that are also very flat. My friend found this dish very bland and liked the rigatoni more. She only ordered it because the word 'truffle' was in the description lols. read more

Service is always good, okay portion size and I have yet to ever have a bad dish but some have been just okay (3/5 or so) in my experience. Always a nice vibe and atmosphere when it isn't crowded. read more

An absolute gem! Pizza and pasta, all done in house, all done with care. Prices are great, service is great, food is great. 100 percent would recommend, so happy to find places like this In hamilton. read more

This places great! Amazing pizza. Wonderful service. Great place to take the whole family.

A group of us came on a Tuesday night with a reservation. The restaurant got pretty busy and almost full. I shared the arugula salad and the lasagna. The portion size for the lasagna is on the larger side. I think the food overall was good. The arugula salad was topped with blue cheese, which was delicious, but it felt too heavy on the salt. The lasagna on the other hand felt like it needed a little more flavour. Service was great. The staff are knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Very good food! I had the Fettuccine primavera and my husband had the carbonara. My family had pizza and loved it. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. read more

Delicious fresh food, we tried several different dishes and liked each one more than the last! Calamari, palenta fries, Pizza, gnudi & the specialty drinks *chefs kiss* read more

Hamilton is my hometown; when I visit there are no shortage of excellent, well-established Italian establishments. We stumbled upon this new entrant in a formerly non-descript building at Ottawa & Main, and... I have a new favourite in town! I say this after visiting some of those well-established places during my week-long visit. I now live on the west coast - not exactly a food desert when it comes to great restaurants - so I feel like I know a thing or two about a good meal. We visited Caro as a group of old friends from all over, but there was consensus on how fantastic each dish, every bite had been. Fresh ingredients, great vino, and attentive service despite a packed house. It restaurants like this one that make me think about moving back to my birthplace. read more

First time visiting Caro and I have nothing but good words to share! Our waitress was very kind, informed us of all their specials and was very knowledgeable about the meals. We started out with the Brussels & Porchetta, which was Delicious!I got the Garganelli Carbonara, it was portioned very well, and my boyfriend got the Caro Lasagna- also portioned out well. He eats a lot and took some of it home, just to help with portion sizes. Will definitely be returning to try some more dishes! read more

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Caro is a charming and cozy spot in the east end of Hamilton. We dined there on a Friday night that was busy but the staff managed to sit us within a reasonable amount of time and provide great service. The pasta and pizza options have something for every taste. The food was delicious and the atmosphere incredible. Can't wait to return for brunch! read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Dinner at Caro for four was really good. Service was excellent with laid back knowledgeable staff. Appetizers were flavourful and the mains (Carbonara, Spaghetti & meat ball, and Rigatoni) were enjoyed by everyone. The best cappuccino I have had in a long time. The wine list is quite limited but I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Merlot we chose. It paired with dinner and was reasonably priced. The desert menu is rather sparse but seemed to be enjoyed by those ordering an after dinner sweet. Tables are not crowded in giving diners some room without feeling like you are eavesdropping on other tables conversations. Really love the view onto the street corner and bright clean atmosphere inside. Check it out; really worth the visit! read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Great pizza, like the best! Great gluten free pizza as well! The wait can be long sometimes, but it is worth the wait!

The restaurant is cozy and cute. Expect to wait a bit for a table as it is very busy. Food was amazing and the cocktails are fresh and inventive. Serving staff are friendly. Will definitely be coming here again!! read more

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Outstanding and a favourite for many years! A must! Great food and service and great room worked excellent. Loved it

Place is small and located not far from industrial sector of Hamilton. They don't take reservations so be prepared to wait if you're coming in on a Saturday night. Food was good but nothing memorable. - fried calamari was fine and like anywhere else - polenta fries weren't crispy felt more like eating bread Mains for pasta dishes were good but not particularly tasty. Service was attentive and friendly which was probably the best thing about this place. read more

Not the worst but far from the best. Primary concern is that they seem to suffer from TTS (too trendy syndrome) and IBD (involuntary bullshit disorder). To wit: Why has Kale never been popular until recently. Answer - because it tastes like shit. So Caro has embraced their TTS with a Kale Caesar Salad - combing trendiness and BS on one plate. The Kale reeks for itself. The Caesar misnomer consists of what appears to be a de-constructed Caesar dressing, as in deconstruction in anticipation of disposal. Has barely a passing reference to a Caesar dressing. I would suggest "Kale Sauce" insted. For their $15 !!!! BLT you get a choice of bacon or cheese? No, I can't explain it either. Then the use bitter Arugula instead of any one of the dozens of more suitable lettuce varieties. And they top it all off with Romesco - a tomato-based sauce that originated from Tarragona, Catalonia. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to be eaten with fish. Marijhuana might be legal now, but care must be taken to avoid the "muchies effect" when designing menu dishes. This is how monstrosities like the Sardines and Kraft Dinner Donut Sandwich come about. And likely why we see a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich with can be had with cheese instead of bacon. Just a crazy thought, but why not call one a BLT, and the other Cheese Sandwich? Can I order the Grilled Ahi Tuna with a pork chop instead of tuna? The rest of the menu seems pallatable, and as a bonus you can always "ADD CHICKEN $8.00". I suggest ordering a Negroni and "adding chicken". You will get a nice cocktail and, hopefully, a non-idiotically desecrated piece of fowl. Maybe a new trend to Caro to invent - Chicken Sashimi. And of course, Chicken Sushi - which is obviously raw chicken on a hand formed lump of boiled spleen and oatmeal. Yum! read more

We were looking for a great casual bite to eat and we found it. Fantastic fun friendly staff. Simple and easy menu. 2 of us had pizza and it was great and 2 of us had pasta one Carbonara the other Alfredo.... they were awesome. Great Gelato and real French press coffee. I'd definitely recommend read more

Ok Caros is sooooo good. I've been here many times and have never been disappointed. They use fresh ingredients and charge at a reasonable price point. They also have the most bomb diggity brunch including CANNOLI WAFFLES!! Amazing. read more

The best thing I had at this restaurant was their Tiramisu dessert. I had the Rigatoni as my main and it wasn't anything special or worth mentioning. My boyfriend had the lasagna and also felt that the flavour profile could have been enhanced. However, the proportion was fair and the overall the experience was worth it. The service was decent but would we come back again? Possibly if we were craving dessert. read more

Visiting Hamilton and stopped in while walking Ottawa St. This is a "must stop" at restaurant. The food and atmosphere is wonderful. Try the grilled calamari with garlic and capers "mmmmmm" Will come back read more

Wandered in here the other night with my mom. We were able to get a table and had a great time! The food was fantastic. We shared a salad, which they happily split into two plates and each had a pizza. The pizzas were amazing! Awesome flavours and we both really liked the crust. We ended up having left overs. Wine was great too! I live in the neighbourhood and plan on making this a regular spot in the future! read more

Went in for lunch and everything was fantastic. The arugula salad, pasta primavera and the very tender and generous chicken parmesan (I had a taste of what my friend was eating) were all seasoned just right. It all tasted so healthy - not something I usually think of or even care about when I go for Italian food. Then we had a cannoli for dessert which, with the creamy filling, strawberry, whipped cream and nutella should have been too sweet but, again, just right! I'm certain know what they're doing in the kitchen. Nice place, great staff! So I've had better espressos, but I'm sure to return for dinner sometime. read more

This restaurant popped up in our search while looking for a low-key Italian restaurant to make our bellies happy. And this place did it so. Everything was amazing ambience, food and service. Definitely recommend if you are ever in Hamilton. read more

Our favourite local spot! The food is spot on, every single time. The new patio is a great addition! Our faves are the polenta fries (we've had them every visit, they are always incredible and you can save the dipping sauce for your pizza crusts!) and the Omar pizza. read more

Caro Restaurant and Bar - Crispy Polenta Fries and 3 magical dips! - Italian Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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I ordered for the first time last night, and was blown away. I'm celiac, and I have to be extremely careful where I eat, but I took a chance on a smaller restaurant last night, and was SO surprised. Not only did they not get me sick, their gluten free pizza crust is THE BEST gluten free pizza crust I've EVER had. It was fluffy and chewy, instead of being a thin slab of cardboard burnt to a crisp. Definitely my go-to from now on. Kaitlyn ran our food out to our car literally the exact minute she said she would, and gave us a little bottle of hand sanitizer spray (this review is being written during the COVID19 pandemic) for free. In my bid to support local businesses, I'll be ordering from them at least once a week, during this time of economic hardship. read more

Quality food- check. Delicious cocktails- check. Reasonable prices- check. Awesome servers- check. This place has it all! This small "first come, first serve" restaurant on Ottawa St is worth the wait. You won't be disappointment! I recommend trying the Caro Bread. read more

Excellent food & service! First time here, they accommodated a party of 2 on a Saturday night within 20 minutes. They were organized and pleasant. Server was friendly and efficient. The food was fantastic and not outrageously priced. Small menu but good range of choices. Pizza & pasta & salad. Drink menu was small too but nice choices. I highly recommend Caro. read more

Love this place. Service and food is always awesome- never feel rushed, always feel special. The only thing is that I wish reservations were possible. read more

Nice food, I would order again, a little cold, so the food was not at its optimal. Love the pizza and the rigatoni were great too.

Ventured in to the newly opened Caro. Have heard wonderful things and was a little afraid of getting my hopes up. There were 4 of us, we ordered a Margherita Pizza, a Pepperoni Pizza, polenta fries, a beet caprese, Caro bread and roasted parsnip ravioli. My mouth is still watering at the memory. Everything from a pot of tea to the salad, everything put on the table was excellent! The dishes were beautifully plated and tasted better. Service was friendly and efficient. Strongly recommend that you go for yourself and eat! We ordered from the appetizer menu, so, portions were appetizers sized as expected, and priced accordingly. All in all, extremely good value. Can't wait to try Brunch! read more

We went to the James St location. The service and drinks were excellent. We ordered the caprese salad and the bread to start which was delicious! However when our mains came out, we all agreed there was an overuse of garlic. We all got pasta, and each dish had an overwhelming taste of garlic- it really overpowered all the other flavours that could have been delicious. I love garlic but that was too much!! Overall it was a good experience and I would probably go back, but I might try a pizza instead! read more