We really enjoy coming here for their creative dinner ideas and farm to table atmosphere. Food here is always great. Staff is attentive. Solid choice for lunch or dinner. read more

Giving this an one star, because you cannot give zero. My boyfriend and I gave this place a second chance--did not work out. Ordered a martini--the glass came barely full with no sidecar. Chicken piccata had a confusing flavor profile; the limoncello tasted like lemonade concentrate--contradicted with the capers. The chicken? Flavorless. My boyfriend's chicken parmigiana just as terrible; the sauce had no flavor. (If you know real Italian dining, you would know that the sauce is EVERYTHING) the apple pie dessert came lukewarm/almost cold. The pastry is rubbery and chewy, the ice cream not creamy at all. All can be excused if everything was reasonably priced, but all items on the menu are unbelievably expensive. Massive disappointment. Don't know what the hype is all about except maybe the locals have absolute no taste. read more

I had the ramen dish and it was awesome. I even had it to go and they separated the ingredients than needed to be kept warm from those that needed to stay cool until I ate it. It is attention to details like this that really impressed me. Take out that was gourmet and not soggy. A few weeks later my daughter and I went to the restaurant and ate to check consistency and once again we were not disappointed . If you find yourself in south county give this place a try and you will be impressed. Also the owner came by our table and we had a nice conversation about their farm to table. I was truly impressed. read more

Located in a hole-in-the-wall shopping center, Celestial Cafe is a very pleasant surprise. Love the bacon pork sliders! Very good. Also had the fish and chips. It wasn't overpowered by the batter which some places can do. The chips were actual potato chips and not French fries and they were done in-house. The beer selection is excellent and my friend, Linda D. had her favorite while I had mine. Overall, a good experience and I would not know Exeter would have a very good dining experience. read more

Very good lunch spot. I was staying too far away to try them for dinner every night that I was in town, but now I have my go-to restaurant in Exeter! I was in town with a coworker for some training and after the trainer gave the typical lunch options - "thairs a Sobway, you pass a peetezah pahlah are two, chineese. yawr lunch hour is yaws" (she's from New Hampshire), we ended up stopping in here. My training partner commented, "Ahm not sure about the naime, man," (he's from Texas). But we stopped in anyway. He had one of the burgers, but I don't recall which one as I was too busy enjoying their "Nana's Grilled Chicken" sandwich - grilled chicken, sweet red pepper pesto, mozzarella, mixed greens, and a balsamic reduction all piled onto a roll and just right for lunch. That was Tuesday. We headed back on Wednesday. And Thursday. (lunch and dinner) Each day we had something different - fish specials, soups, apps - we couldn't get enough of the food, you see. I particularly like the rabbit appetizer, the name of which escapes me, but the taste doesn't. The Celestial Cafe may be a bit more expensive than the other "ahfahrings in the genrel areah" but it's "werth evry dahm, man, werth evry dahm..." read more

Celestial Cafe is one of the best restaurants in South County. It is remarkable not only for its food, but for speed and flexibility of the cooking staff in preparing it. Many restaurants have large menus composed of dishes that sound delicious, but have one item you can't stand. The chefs at Celestial take such changes in stride. The waitstaff will often suggest alternatives as substitutes. So you don't just remove items from a dish, the chefs will substitute items and the waitstaff will recommend changes to you upon request. The food is swiftly prepared even when the place is hopping. I have had a complex breakfast prepared just for me in a small area just off the bar while an entire baby shower group was filling the main dining hall having lunch. No unreasonable delays, no excuses, just simple timely service. Celestial does a Saturday brunch with a wonderful selection backed by local organic produce. My personal favorite is working my way down the list of amazing French Toast recipes. You can find everything from coconut rum to a homemade strawberry/blueberry compote that was so delicious I wanted to lick the plate. I have trouble prying my friends away from shrimp seafood omelettes. Celestial is handicap accessible, the waitstaff is courteous, friendly, and very professional. Brandon, one of the owners and the head chef often visits the patrons to check on their dining experience. Celestial also has a large well-stocked bar, and the Saturday night dinner crowd will find a happy place with a pleasant atmosphere. And if you get the chance, try the chips - homemade and warm with their special sauce. They are served any time of day. I don't believe in giving a five star review for a place I've only eaten in once. Celestial earns it every time I go there - and I go a lot. read more

Yummy. Jambalaya is awesome. Will only get that when we go there. Pretty expensive though. I feel like the prices keep rising which is a minus. Service is great and the chef/owner is very friendly. read more

Upping them to 4 stars. Having been back a few times in recent weeks for light meals at the bar and drinks, the additional star reflects the consistently yummy food, and a vast improvement in bartenders. The last few times in, we've had the pleasure of being taken care of by Tori, who was sweet, knowledgeable and fun. She makes us feel welcome, which is a huge change from that grumpy one that used to tend bar. Kudos to you Celestial! Keep it up. read more

Just had the best time here. We were Celebrating my sisters birthday and it was perfect. Mark was amazing and helpful and funny. Food was seriously outstanding. Amazing selection for all of us. My husband got the filet and I seafood risotto. We had 2 vegans with us and they had so many options. Their dishes looked amazing. I wish we lived closer. We will be back and hope to get Mark if he is not traveling. read more

As far as my family is concerned, this place is a hidden treasure. We went for lunch on a Tuesday (very few customers). The service was prompt, friendly, and professional. The food was very good. I had a fried-cod sandwich, which was crispy outside and soft and buttery inside. My father-in-law had fish and chips (basically the same meal but without a bun). My daughter had grilled cheese, which was very good--grated cheese on artisan bread. My son had BBQ chicken, which was tasty if a bit generic. Overall the food was fresh, used many local ingredients, and was thoughtfully cooked. We'll definitely go back. A note about how I rate: It seems to me that people mean very different things by the stars they give in a review. Here's what I mean: 5 stars means that a place is exceptional in some way, special even among very good peers; 4 stars means that the place is very good in every relevant category but not outstanding or exceptional; 3 stars means adequate--a place I would go to again but not great; 2 stars means unacceptable--a place I would not go again because it is seriously deficient in some way; 1 star is horrible, that the place was not only unacceptable in some way but that it was exceptionally, unforgivably bad. In every case my rating is comparing the place reviewed to similar places-- thus an outstanding diner gets a 5 even though on an absolute scale its food might not be as good as that at a gourmet restaurant. read more

Awesomeness! Unfortunately or fortunately you can tell when chef Brendan is in the house. Creative menu and complete execution make this a great place to sample as many dishes as you can. I suggest going with a few friends and trying a bunch of apps. Great local foods-beef, shell fish, and veggies! I highly suggest the the beef satay app. read more

This is the best place in south county to eat. Bar none. All the ingredients are locally sourced, professionally prepared, and absolutely delicious. Service had always been good the six times I've been. The brunch is the best brunch I've had in the southern part of the state. I figured you'd have to travel to providence to have a breakfast that held a candle to theirs. The prices are a tad high, but that probably reflects the quality and the high cost of local ingredients. Try it at least twice. Once for din din, and once for Sunday brunch. If I'm wrong you can kick me in the junk. read more

This was my third visit to Celestial Cafe - the food has been consistently excellent. We have eaten at most of the restaurants in the area and I believe that the recipes and execution here are superior to any other (with the exception of the seafood at Matunuck Oyster Bar). It is indeed surprising to find such gourmet food and cocktail menus in an out-of-the-way strip mall, but here you have it. We sat at the bar and were immediately greeted by warm, attentive, talented bartenders. The pesto calamari was fresh, perfectly cooked, and a surprising, delicious take on the RI staple. The duck breast was perfectly cooked with a pink center and crispy skin and the potatoes, compote, and crisped kale was a delightful complement. My wife's Thai peanut shrimp was "superb" with just the right amount of spice. We also enjoyed several cocktails - all of which contained fresh juices, unique liqueurs, and gourmet bitters - perfect execution! What a hidden gem! read more

Went last evening for the first time. After reading the menu online, I was anticipating an interesting experience. Unfortunately, the food was ordinary. The cheese board appetizer looked like it was put together from lunchables! The burger was rubbery, the house made chips were tasteless and the chicken peach marsala was just ok. The real issue was the horrible service. Our waiter clearly forgot about us. An hour in, we finally got up from the table and tracked him down. The food arrived about 10 minutes later and had been microwaved to warm it up. It was blistering hot and almost inedible. read more

We went to this place last week, the food was OK , nice bar the service wasn't as professional, but they tried their best. I would go again and sit at the bar. Yeah give it a try... read more

Absolutely fantastic food, service and atmosphere. Great place to go for any type of dinning. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I love how they have a farm dinner each month. Always new flavors and everything is so farm fresh. A GEM of a restaurant! read more

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Heard about this from a local business and so glad we went. Fabulous dinner. Great service and casual decor made it very nice. Already signed up for the July Farm Dinner. Exceptional creativity makes for amazing tastes that really please a diner that is usually a bit disappointed with restaurant food - not the case here - every bite was so pleasing. read more

Have been here many times. Sat at the bar to eat dinner 5:00 PM Sunday 12-22-19. There was 2 other women sitting at the bar. Restaurant was not busy yet. We are not alcohol consumers, we ordered the brussel sprout app, a rare filet mignon and a salad with scallops. waited forever for food. When we got the food, filet mignon wasn't close to rare, we had to go get a knife, women at the bar was, I do not know what she was doing. Salad and scallops were rubbery. Seems like both meals sat under the lights way to long. Spent $100.00 plus tip Christmas time I guess. When we were leaving the women at he door ask us if everything was okay? At this point did try to speak briefly to someone. I took a card to call speak with management who has my phone number and has chosen not to contact me. It is now Jan 9 - 2020 read more

I was in the middle of nowhere Exeter when my cousin and I came upon this place. It's definitely a godsend for picky eaters like me if you're down there. They use a bunch of local ingredients from the local farms in the surrounding area and state. We started with the Baked Brie w/ Berries served with in house tortilla chips and the Pesto Calamari. Both tasted delicious BUT: Brie could have been baked longer, more fruit, and tortilla chips weren't fried long enough. The Pesto Calamari was a little too sweet and soggy for my liking but my cousin enjoyed it. I ordered a Southwest Salad for my entree w/ blackened Shrimp (very good suggestion by the waitress) which wasn't on the menu. My biggest complaint here would be the avocado. PLEASE, don't use unripe avocado, it can make or break a meal. I will be back at a more convenient time for them to earn that fifth star ;) read more

Great innovative menu, loved the fried brussell sprouts appetizer. We had a full dinner, peach marsala chicken, with an asian twist and chicken picatta, Wife loved her bananas foster dessert and my key lime pie was light and tasty. Service was excellent,,,, very prompt and helpful. Liked fact that check was payment were processed in timely manner,,, A pet pieve of mine Liked open kitchen concept, gives sense of cleanliness. Didn't like the fact that we could hear the televisions in bar area from our table in the main dining room though. Also a little turned off by seeing bathroom cleaning tools and supplies in restroom. Excellent bar area though to meet friends in this out of way area, Wife gives restuarant five stars.... read more

Another great meal. We are in the area for the Regional 1 Soccer Championship and recommended our group eat at Celestial Cafe. Katey and the crew did not disappoint us. EVERYTHING we ate was OUTSTANDING... The jambalaya, the Brie, scallops, crab cake, the BLT, carrot cake, bread pudding and more. Definitely a place you need to visit. read more

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The food was so fresh and good. I can't even believe that this place has been around for 15 years and this was my first visit. The conversation for the ride home was when are we going back. Going to try the farmers dinner next time. read more

Very nice place in Exeter. Went with my husband for dinner. Had dinner at the bar which was quite spacious. Bartenders were attentive very nice helpful with questions regarding entrees. Ginger calamari was quite tasteful not salty. Eggplant parmigiana was fair no fault of anyone it did have panko breadcrumbs perhaps too much as it had a strange texture. Jambalaya my husband thought was plentiful but average in taste. In any event between decent cocktails and very nice people we will be back. read more

Awful service, and when brought up to the manager, he insulted me personally, and told me they squeezed me in and they didn't have to take and seat my party, even though I had made reservations that they excepted. The host was awful, and verbally assaulting. read more

Bring a book! Service was very slow. Two tables of four were served promptly and had continuous attention. Two tables of two waited extended time for any service. read more

Went to the July Farm Dinner on Friday night. Arrived at 7pm and it was a little busier than last time. Took the parents along as well. Another great Farm DInner. Our only complaint would be that my wife had vegetable skewers as part of her course and one was pretty burnt which she handed back. They brought her another one but that one was hardly cooked at all. Other than that we had a great time. A mixed drink was also offered this time with the Farm Dinner. A house-made limoncello with some bourbon and seltzer. Tasted great! Will be coming back for more! read more

Wonder service and great food! Chef came out after we all finished dinner and ask if we have any question about the food! He genuinely cares the quality of the food. On the house molten lava chocolate cake for dessert for our birthday guy! We all had a wonder night here! Definitely will come back. The Eggplant Tower is to die for! read more

One of the best dinners we've ever had. We started out with a pitcher of white sangria, which was $30, but ended up giving us over four glasses of sangria each! We had the Brussels bites appetizer with the creole aioli, and that was totally delicious. My fiancé got the flank steak special - which has a ginger teriyaki marinade, and I had the delicious eggplant towers, a vegetarian entree with eggplant, cheese ravioli, and a delicious red and green pesto cream sauce. The standout of the evening was the dessert - we split the chocolate banana foster bread pudding with the restaurant's homemade gelato. Fabulous! Our server's name was Matt and he was a joy. Very knowledgable and easy going, but very professional. We were at the table, trying to watch in the kitchen, and another server even came over and said he noticed us looking around and could he get us anything? As he poured more water for us. Great service. We will definitely be going back and I even asked if they catered as I would consider them for our wedding! A++++ read more

Celestial Cafe - The best dessert we've ever had -the chocolate banana foster bread pudding with their homemade vanilla gelato. Amazing!! - New American Near Me - Exeter, Rhode Island

Only giving 2 stars because the service was awful. The waiter was rude and we felt more like a bother than a paying customer. The food was great though! read more

Great food great people. Def be back. Farm to table food. Was a very intricate menu. Loved it.

Drinks? You bet. Food? Not so much. This place is good for getting together as a group around the bar and they have a great mango martini home made that is just the right after-work drink. Really nice gathering area since they opened the new bar wing on the right side of the restaurant. Their finger food is decent (try the hummus pizza) if you're sitting around the bar. I've come here for lunch a number of times and have been pretty disappointed. I have had a decent meal or two, but it's just too inconsistent week after week. This being one of the only sit down restaurants for business lunches for miles, this would have been a great convenient place to come. read more

DECONSTRUCTED LEMON TART and BAKED ALASKA were enough of a test of temptation to make us definitely return. We wanted more! The waitress was super helpful and friendly. The owner/chef stopped at our table to chat and explain the farm to table concept of this diamond in the rough. We plan to return for one of the September 14,15,16 or 17 dinners for $40.00 which includes locally grown specials from appetizers to desserts. Reservations are suggested for these sell out dinners. So call now; you will NOT be disappointed. read more

Celestial Cafe - New American Near Me - Exeter, Rhode Island

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Just got back from New Years Eve dining. We must have been the last seating as the restaurant was almost empty when we left. I had been there before but it was my husband's first time at the restaurant. Tonight I would say that the food was 4* but the service 2*. We started with the seared ahi appetizer. It was just ok. My husband remarked that we have gotten better from a chain steak restaurant that we like. Our entrees, the Thai shrimp with noodles and shrimp/scallop piccata were both excellent. We finished off our meal with a shared banana bread foster. My husband was pleasantly surprised that, though sweet, the gelato kept the dish from being overly cloying. The biggest disappointment of the evening was our server. I don't recall her name but she would stop by maybe every 15 minutes. We were seated for quite a while before she stopped by the first time. My husband commented on it right away but I suggested giving her some slack as it was a busy evening. I had finished my drink before our entrees arrived but was never given the chance to order another until I was finished with my meal. My husband's water glass was empty for 20 minutes before we saw her and could ask for more. Even when the restaurant was almost empty and she didn't appear to have any other tables she didn't stop by. The food here is very good and we will definitely be back as it is a gem in the "backwoods" of Exeter but I hope I never get the same server again. read more

Food is amazing! One of the few places where the dine in service is just as great as the takeout. Always fresh, always delicious.

Enjoyed our 2nd Easter brunch at the Celestial Cafe. The staff and their creations were excellent and we look forward to going back when we can. read more

Went here today for lunch (with my sister, visiting from CT) and everything was delicious - always is! Brandon - the owner/chef - is so talented and clearly takes pride in what he creates. He came out to check on all of the tables....such a special place - glad it's so close to my home! Today we enjoyed a bunch of appetizers - the sweet potato wontons are a party for your mouth! ...you MUST try them! Everything is local and fresh! read more

The food is fresh and delicious without being pretentious. The menu satisfies the tastes of all ages - even two teenagers. The service was excellent from the time we arrived with warm greetings by the hostess to our very helpful waiter and the chef/owner who checked in on our table twice. With a lovely and relaxing atmosphere, it remains one of our favorite places to dine as a family. We highly recommend it! read more

My husband and I have been here twice before. Love the food, its never really packed, we have met the owner and his mom. All good. Fathers day came, my daughter had to work and our son is a United States Soldier so i we decided to make the trip from Connecticut to the Celestial Cafe. Called first and was told they were open till 9:00pm. Arrived at 8:00pm. Hostess was about to seat us when a boy from the kitchen walked up and told her the kitchen was closed. WHAT????? Walked out and rechecked the website. It said open till 9:00. Decided to call. A boy answered and i told him the problem. Told him that we drove from CT to eat her. Was told " we open and close at the owners digression. If you really want to eat here make a reservation". WOW!!!!!!! NEVER going back read more

I hosted 12 family members today at Celestial and it was excellent in every way. The lunch menu has such variety: the teenagers had delicious burgers and ribs (Sophie said they were great). Pam said the fish sandwich was the best she ever had!) Chicken picatta and barbecue pizza (with very thin crust made from a wrap I think) each had a little touch of originality. We were in the new room, which is beautiful and our personable waitress Paige so helpful and efficient. Celestial has been my favorite restaurant for years, and it never fails me! Sally K. read more

I got the vegan Thai noodles and brussel sprouts and was very impressed! Can't wait to try more of the menu.