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    Chef Paolino Cafe

    3.8 (134 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Chef Paolino Cafe Photos

    CHEF PAOLINO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Chef Paolino Cafe

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    Heidi F.

    This place is always better than the last trip so I needed to update my review. I still get the seafood pasta dish and somehow it's just gotten better! Do yourself a favor and upgrade to the Greek salad. Also eat in, it's a nice low key vibe!

    Deluxe Cheesesteak with Provolone Cheese
    Jeff J.

    I've been on a personal cheesesteak tour trying to find the best cheesesteak, and literally this was a 10/10! An affordable combo and it tasted so good! Bread was fresh, meat was tender and felt like actual shaved beef, heavy handed on the cheese, and the flavor was perfect. The service was lovely, I order a Caesar salad too that was divine. Will certainly be going back and telling all my friends and family about it. i might even dine in because the vibe was super chill in there. I want to tell the world but literally I'm so scared that they're going to become the next viral restaurant on local tik tok and the prices will raise and I'm going to have to wait longer to get my food. Literally I just have to enjoy them while I can so I certainly will be back!

    Vodka penne with chicken
    Tiffany B.

    Food smells amazing when you walk in and it has a family feeling. Unfortunately the food was under seasoned and bland. Freshest bite was the garlic knots.

    Eggplant parmigiana sub
    Jason A.

    I think Chef Pasolino Cafe has some of the best Italian food in Catonsville, and definitely the best pizza place. First, their pizza is delicious and their topics are fantastic (seriously, try the Italian sausage on pizza and you'll never get it anywhere else). They have excellent salads with romaine lettuce that is always fresh and the chicken is juicey and cooked fresh! I love their subs. The Veal parm and Eggplant parm subs are my favorite, but others are tasty too. Unlike other Italian fast causal places in Catonsville, this place uses fresh veal parm in their subs and I love that. Their bread is also fresh. Their Alfredo sauce is delicious and cooked to order, and they have the very best garlic knots I've had outside of NYC. Again, overall, this place is fantastic.

    Seating

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    Photo of Greg S.
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    1 year ago

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    2 months ago

    Great food at great prices, very family and friendly atmosphere. Ample parking. Staff is very cordial and helpful.

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Awesome service and food everytime. I love the mista verde salad and garlic knots. Slices are always a hit for my toddler.

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    1 year ago

    Absolutely.Loved the food here, but definitely visit again.Very clean family oriented The food is delicious!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Good foods, nice people, family own not a franchise it is a must for all pizza lovers

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food- super service- right price! Salads are the best! Great for a family night out as there is little waiting for the food.

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    6 years ago

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    Photo of Harold A.
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    3 years ago

    The pizza tasted pretty good. Hardly any flop at all. Maybe char it a little more if definitely eat this again if I was in the area

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Pizza was meh. Not enough topping, toppings to of questionable quality, crust ok but no flavor. I've had worse, but it should be much better

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Always amazing food and the service is always with a smile. The garlic knots are to die for! You must order.

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Had the shrimp scampi lunch speial served over spaghetti. Top gun Italian restaurant in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    We love the food at Chef Paolino's. Great portions and excellent service. I would highly recommend if you want some great Italian food.

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    14 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    Scittino's Italian Market Place

    Scittino's Italian Market Place

    3.8
    (268 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Came here to get a pizza for dinner. Now I have passed this place plenty of times and decided to…read moregive it a try. Upon entering, you walk into a full service, but small, market specializing in Italian grocery items. The ambiance was homey, perfect for a small neighborhood specialty grocery. They also have a deli counter, meat counter, hot food bar, and Italian dessert section, to name a few. They also have pizza kits to take home to make your own and pasta and other food items prepared and ready to go in the refrigerated section. The pizza counter is located in the rear of the store. They also sold other items such as sandwiches. We were greeted by a pleasant young man and ordered our Italian sausage and pepperoni pizza. Scittino's has seating to enjoy your pizza in store or outside. Our order was ready in no time. We opted to take ours to go. The pizza was fresh with a great yeasty crust. The toppings were good and ample, the tomatoes sauce fresh with just enough cheese to pull it all together. The pizza was really good. All in all, another pizza spot to add to our growing list in the area.

    The sandwiches and pizza here are elite and they have some things you can get from the market…read more(pasta, fresh meatballs, etc.). If you are ordering from the restaurant I wouldn't recommend ordering ahead of time so it does take a while for it to be ready.

    Photos
    Indoor seating
    Indoor seating
    Scittino's Italian Market Place
    Sign advertising the 20" cold cut

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    Sign advertising the 20" cold cut
    Trattoria Amore

    Trattoria Amore

    3.8
    (154 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $

    Classic red sauce Italian is the main staple at Trattoria Amore. We did a take-away of a couple…read morepasta dishes and meatball sliders... spoiler, the sliders are a meatball sub cut into four portions. It's not traditional, but great comfort food! The meatballs were well seasoned and complimented by the flavorful red sauce. The tortellini tricolor in tomato cream sauce was savory and paired well with the tangy sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes. Cheers!

    2.16.23 This…read morerestaurant is located in Dorsey's Search Village Center. They offer daily manager's specials and also on Monday and Tuesday's. Catering is also available. They offer lunch and dinner size for their entrees. Lunch is served until 3pm. All dinner entrees are served with pasta, garlic, or regular bread. A side salad can be added to any dinner for $1.99. Orders are placed at the counter and you are given a number to place at your table. Orders are brought out to you. My hubby and I came in for dinner and ordered a large pepperoni and mushroom pizza. It took about 15 minutes to make. A little longer than I would have expected since we were the only ones dining in. I did see a few people doing carryout. The pizza looked ginormous, but we managed to eat three slices each with two slices to take home. The pizza was crunchy, but I didn't think it was anything special. I actually prefer our usual pizza spots over Trattoria. On our way leaving, we were acknowledged and thanked, which was nice, but we're unlikely to return.

    Photos
    2.15.23
    2.15.23
    Mozzarella sticks
    Mozzarella sticks
    2.15.23

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    2.15.23
    Eataliano Market & Deli

    Eataliano Market & Deli

    4.1
    (234 reviews)
    5.7 mi
    $$

    "Tell me what you miss most," Ava Fremont, a witness to a murder, signs and expresses to Detective…read moreFrank Shaw, who recently lost his hearing, in Director Brad Anderson's 2024 film, The Silent Hour. "My daughter, S A M," Shaw signs back, "playing guitar," as he makes hand motions. "Being able to hear that." "You don't need to. Every spring, I go to the Boston Pops." "Why?" Frank asks disconsolately. "To watch...the feeling...the musicians...to see their joy. It's enough. To see that, to share it." Watching Ava recapture physically not just the performance in her retelling but the appreciation from both musicians and concert-goers alike, Frank starts to rediscover hope, even as he and Ava try to stay alive from the killers hunting them. The appetizers, entrees, and desserts from Eataliano Market & Deli, located at 5325 Phelps Luck Drive in Columbia, Maryland, prompt similarly unexpected overflows of culinary memories and joy. Upon our first visit of what we hope will be many, my wife and I placed the following takeout order: 1 order of Baked Meatballs 2 orders of Garlic Bread 1 ten-inch Empire Pie (I requested no ricotta or extra virgin olive oil) 1 order of Rigatoni Meatballs alla Vodka 1 order of Spaghetti with Homemade Meat Sauce 1 slice of Limoncello Mascarpone Cake 1 slice of Pistachio Cheesecake The garlic bread and pistachio cheesecake alone conjured spectacular reminisces. The pizza is the best we've had in Maryland, although my wife regretted my choice of no ricotta; and we would gladly reorder our pasta dishes if we didn't have many more entrees that we want to try.

    HIDDEN GEM!!!! I…read morestumbled across this place while visiting Columbia, MD. I was craving a good cheesesteak, so I did what any responsible foodie would do--I consulted Google. This place kept popping up, so I figured the internet couldn't be wrong... at least not this time. The restaurant is tucked away in what feels like a residential area, making it a true hidden gem. The parking situation, however, deserves its own reality show. Spaces are limited, and getting in and out of the parking lot felt like I was participating in an advanced driving course. The establishment offers nice seating, but don't expect a formal dining experience. You place your order at the counter and then find your own seat. When we arrived, the place was packed with people ordering and eating. That's usually a good sign, and at that point I knew we had either found the jackpot or everyone in Columbia had the exact same cheesesteak craving. Because of the crowd, ordering took a little while. The dining area was also in need of some attention--we ended up cleaning our own table before sitting down. The food took longer than expected to arrive, but as soon as I took the first bite, all was forgiven. We ordered two cheesesteaks and a personal pepperoni pizza. The cheesesteaks were absolutely loaded with perfectly grilled meat, topped with grilled onions and peppers, all served on a warm, soft hoagie roll. Every bite was packed with flavor and required at least a few extra napkins. The personal pepperoni pizza was also excellent. I'd describe it as a traditional thin-crust pizza with the perfect balance of sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. No ingredient was trying to steal the spotlight--it was a well-rehearsed pizza ensemble. As I said from the beginning, this place is a hidden gem. The food alone is worth the trip. The only reason I gave it 4 out of 5 stars instead of 5 is because of the challenging parking situation and the dining area's cleanliness and service. Fix those two issues, and this place might just become my new definition of a cheesesteak pilgrimage destination

    Photos
    March 2023
    March 2023
    The Real Philly Cheesesteak
    The Real Philly Cheesesteak
    Eataliano Market & Deli

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    Stella Notte

    Stella Notte

    3.7
    (212 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    We love eating here for a date-night dinner. The food and service are usually excellent. We always…read moreleave with a full stomach. Lots of options on the menu at a reasonable price. Dishes seem to be clearly explained on the menu. Most recent visit, I ordered the Stella Note pizza with the cheese bread as an appetizer. The table also gets bread. Heather was our server, and they were wonderful. After our entrees, they'll bring out a dessert sample platter so guests can see the dessert options before ordering. It's purely to look at and not taste. The restaurant has a whimsical atmosphere with dark, sultry lighting and fake vines and string lights draped across the walls and ceiling. From a distance I thought they might be dusty, but up-close they appeared surprisingly well-maintained and clean. I really appreciate that, as dirty/dusty props hanging over my meal are a major turn-off for me. The place overall, seemed very clean and tables set up neatly ready for customers to sit down. The main flag for me is the building itself. There are several uneven points in the flooring to trip over - even some ramps. The dim lighting can make things difficult to notice. Finding the restrooms was confusing even though there were small signs because it was dark. The route via the signs also seemed to lead through the drink area where cups are kept. I feel like that's not very common for restaurants to have you walk through so it made me question if I was going the right way. The ladies' restroom had small tight stalls. I didn't notice any accessible stalls or restrooms. To be fair, it is possible I missed them due to the low lighting. Overall, I would give the food and service 5 stars. The building itself is the reason i have to give an overall 4-star rating. I appreciate how strongly the restaurant remains loyal to its whimsical ambiance while still serving tasty dishes. Eating there reminds me of the cozy 90s sitcom settings for example from Friends or Sabrina the Teenage Witch. At the same time, we are now in 2026 and I think accessibility and ease of navigation are important considerations for customers. The restaurant serves well for me personally, but it may not be as comfortable or accessible for every guest that dines-in.

    We made a reservation for eight people. I don't usually choose Italian food, but this was my…read moredaughter's graduation celebration and she wanted Italian cuisine. The ambience was wonderful -- warm atmosphere, birdhouses with mock birds, and even a tree inside, which was a nice touch. Everyone enjoyed their meals except for my wife. Her river shrimp had a very unpleasant taste, and she couldn't eat them. The staff handled it well and quickly replaced the dish with chicken. Our waitress provided excellent service and checked on us often. Their napkins are made of high‑quality paper, which I really appreciate. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner very much and had a great celebration.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Fettuccine alfredo with shrimp
    Fettuccine alfredo with shrimp
    Dinning area

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    Dinning area
    Rathskeller

    Rathskeller

    4.4
    (333 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    My wife and I have dined at the Rathskeller a few times now and we will definitely return; we even…read morebrought friends for their first experience. We started with Potato Cakes with crème fraiche, they had a nice crunch, a tender interior with subtle flavor. I'd never had them with crème fraiche, it was a nice change and the mild tanginess with the creamy texture complimented the Cakes well. I ordered the Main Street with Weisswurst, a Pretzel and plain Spätzle. It was my first, the veal's flavor is understated in comparison to Bratwurst or Knackwurst (not on the menu) and was a pleasant changeup. The Pretzel was little disappointing while it was a decent pretzel, it lacked the crisp crust and distinctive flavor I expected. As evident by the rating while worthy of note, it's not a game changer. I'd ordered a large plain Spätzle, which was two regular portions, but was served Spätzle with cheese I tasted it and it wasn't my thing, which is not to say it was bad, I just don't care for cheese in dishes like that. Our server swapped one cheese for plain (my wife had happily stolen the other) and enjoyed the replacement. I found that the grilled onions gave it a nice homey flavor. Mistakes happen and it turned out to be a win in the end. We shared a couple of desserts and by far, my favorite was the Black Forest Cupcake. It's on the large side, they might be able to cut on the weighty crème icing, the chocolate cake and soaked cherries were a delight. The cherries are a significant improvement over the Marchinos I had before, if only there were more. Rathskeller can get a little loud, as it is a relatively small space with hard surfaces so voices reflect, it wasn't packed this afternoon, so it wasn't an issue. Waitstaff dresses very casually, it pleasant and fairly attentive.

    Ratskeller is exactly what you hope to find when you're craving a true German beer hall experience…read more If you're looking for great beer, authentic German food, and a fantastic atmosphere, this is the place. The food is hearty, flavorful, and everything you want from traditional German cuisine. The beer selection is excellent, and the lively atmosphere makes it easy to settle in and enjoy yourself. One word of advice: come hungry. The portions are huge, and you'll definitely get your money's worth. Whether you're stopping in for a quick pint or a full meal, Ratskeller delivers a memorable experience.

    Photos
    Downstairs Bar
    Downstairs Bar
    Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
    Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
    Roasted Broccoli

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    Roasted Broccoli
    Tino's Italian Bistro

    Tino's Italian Bistro

    3.7
    (357 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $$

    Good Italian food, nice service, nice live music…read more Friends had told us of the musician playing at Tino's Italian Bistro on a Wednesday in Dec 2025, and we've enjoyed Tino's food before, so we headed over. It's a pretty big place with a bar and booths on the left, and another area of booths on the right. We were greeted and seated quickly by the hosts, and as we asked, we landed near the performer in the area to the right. The place was busy around 6pm, and friendly server quickly got menus for us, and within a few minutes, we had our drinks: a lovely $13 Maple Walnut Old Fashioned, fiery intense Makers Mark sweetened a little by maple syrup and focussed with walnut bitters. And a bright $13 Pom Pom Fizz, earthy gin with pomegranate juice, prosecco, and i think some lime juice. Both were well crafted , balanced, and refreshing. They started us with a sliced long narrow loaf of hot filone bread, with one of our Italian favorites, warm pinzimonio dipping oil: fresh aromatic olive oil with a pinch of mixed rich parmesan crumbles, zingy red-pepper flakes, and savory green herbs. It is tempting to make our whole meal of this! We had the $19 salmon & spinach in oil & garlic, from Tino's "lighter fare" menu. This was a huge filet, tender inside with a lovely deep crosshatch char on the surface. Quite perfect! And we asked for a customized $14 sandwich: Tino's offers a steak & cheese on chewy crusty hoagie roll, and we asked for added sautéed green peppers, with the generous cheese, sliced red onion and tomato, and lettuce on the side. The generous thin-sliced beef was tender and sweet cooked just right. The tasty lightly-seasoned fries were piping hot, and soft inside. We were perfectly satisfied with our light meal, and we managed to take a good amount home for later. The skilled musician, Bruce Casteel, played 5 to 7pm, a warm selection of familiar acoustic jazz, easy and fun to listen to. We'll return both for this musician and for the wide menu of flavorful food. You drive into the strip mall on Centre Park Dr just north of Old Annapolis Rd (MD-108), then turn left like you are going to the convenience store and keep driving around to the ample parking lot for Tino's. You can also easily get here off MD-100 at Executive Park Dr, winding via the non-highwqy Columbia 100 Parkway to Centre Park Dr.

    Prices are way to high for the quality. Just as expensive as Maggianos but they don't charge for…read moreextra bread. Never a good sign when a restaurant charges for extra bread and oil.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Fresh bread with olive oil for our table.
    Fresh bread with olive oil for our table.
    They served generous portions, and we took a lot home!

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    They served generous portions, and we took a lot home!

    Chef Paolino Cafe - italian - Updated August 2026

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