We heard such good things about this restaurant so we had to try. The staff was friendly the food was only fair at best. 2 people in our grp ordered the homemade ravioli with "lump crab meat" no crab meat in this dish. My spouse ordered a Salomon dinner looked delicious but way under cooked in the meatier portion. They brought fresh bread to the table 1 slice/person if you wanted more it was extra seems alittle chintzy when spending $21-25/meal Sorry not in a big rush to go back, there are a lot of other Italian restaurants to try read more

A little on the pricey side, but the food (the bread!!!) was good, and my waiter was really nice and attentive. It's a cozy little restaurant. read more

Daniela Pasta & Pastries - Saccottini di Granchio - Desserts Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I have eaten and lived with Italian all my life in Baltimore including Little Italy and in my opinion Daniels is the best in Baltimore Gnocchis, tremendous Lasagna Bolognese and Vegetale this excellent Veal,Fregula and awesome Scaloppini it doesn't get better than this little Hampden joint...plus Mrs Daniela herself came out to see how we were doing Love this place read more

Dined here on a Friday night a few days before Christmas. Quaint and cozy little family style Italian restaurant with well prepared and delicious cuisine. The menu is nice with a good variety of dishes. Appetizers and soups were really good. Wine list was average but I wouldn't judge this restaurant on that. Like all the good restaurants and eateries up here, finding parking is always a challenge. read more

every time we try this place again, something is amiss. Customer svc was aloof, had to wait around forever for pickup and there was no social distancing practiced by customers and the food after all that was just meh. read more

Alright pastries or cakes. Not the best and definitely not authentic Italian. Decent at best if you're craving something sweet

I love Italian food, so naturally I'd check out Daniela Pasta & Pastries. I was delighted to see Daniela's amazing menu and taste their homemade-style Italian food. It's a small and cramped place, so lines can be long at times. It's kind of like a hole-in-the-wall, but doesn't come with the implied run-down-ness, if that makes sense. The ravioli and lasagne are clutch, but the pastas are a little on the smaller end in terms of portions. But regardless, the options at Daniela are rather inexpensive, so it wouldn't hurt to order double the portions if you're still hungry. Just don't leave any for take out, because it just doesn't taste the same. I didn't have a chance to have any of their desserts or pastries, so I think that's what I'll do next time. read more

Family owned establishment with a very nice atmosphere and ambiance, staff is very authentic and friendly and then the Sardinian Italian cuisine, wow everything we had was exceptional ! The preparation and flavor of the Scaloppine di Vitelli al Limone was in one word WOW! We also had the Lasagna allá Bolognese, the Fettuccine allí zafferano in salsa di zucchine e gamberetti , the Lasagna Verse al Funghi , all were exceptionally prepared and presented. Highly recommend! read more

Daniela Pasta & Pastries - Tiramisu Cappuccino - Desserts Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I LOVE this place. It's authentic Italian food and the pasta is made fresh. The restaurant is family owned so you know the food is going to taste amazing. I honestly have to resist the temptation of eating here every time I'm in the area. My favorite dishes are the gnocchi and Lasagna Bolognese. read more

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I have to say that the mussels on the appetizer menu were juicy and plump. They were heavenly. The bread was wonderful. But it must have been a rough night for the chef when making the Scialatielli al Frutti di Mare. I was expecting a delicious dish, but was disappointed. There were teeny shrimp like the kind in a can. The 2 clams were chewy, the pasta was pasty. The calamari was okay as were the remaining ingredients. My dining partner had the Gnocchi di Patata. This dish was also disappointing. The mixture of tomato and pesto sauce was very good, but the gnocchi were mushy. I may give this restaurant another chance, since our server was wonderful and the atmosphere was perfect. Oh - the tiramisu was the best I've ever had. read more

My true rating is a 3.5, but since Yelp doesn't let us do half ratings, I'll round up. Atmosphere was decent, typical dining, albeit an odd selection of music. Staff was also decent, but seemed pretty indifferent all around. The food was great, fantastic gnocchi, and great chicken too. Worth it in my opinion. read more

It was my first time to Daniela and it was AMAZING. The food was delicious and our service was incredible. We asked for suggestions and received great recommendations. This restaurant is a must for any Italian food lover read more

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What a charming place with wonderful food! The homemade pasta is light and tasty, the menu is refreshingly unique, the wine list has something for all budgets, and the service is excellent. My new favorite place! read more

Had dinner here last night for the first time. The food is really good. The mussels are delicious. I love the tomato sauce! My friend had the fried seafood appetiser with anchovies, shrimp and calamari. I tasted some of his and I was very impressed. You just need to add salt according ti your taste. For my entree I had the mixed seafood in tomato sauce with linguine. I would t order it again. It wasn't bad but there are other dishes I would like to try and this dish didn't win me over. The seafood is small pieces and over cooked. I like when the seafood is just cooked, like as soon as the shrimp turn pink. My other friends ordered the crabmeat ravioli, veal scallopini, and the clam dish (forgot what it was called). My friend also ordered the Maryland crab soup but she wasn't impressed with it. The bread was good. I asked the server to bring me Parmesan cheese so I can mix it with the olive oil on the table and dip my bread in it. My friend copied what I did and he loved it! I'm looking forward to coming here again with my husband try out other dishes. read more

Wonderful! During a Zoom happy hour, I placed an order for Daniela's through GrubHub. After an hour had gone by (I thought delivery was slow due to it being a Friday night) the staff at Daniela called to check on my ETA for pickup. I then realized I had wrongly assumed that I had requested delivery and explained my mistake. I offered to pick up the order ASAP (they were nearing closing time), but one of the staff members kindly insisted on dropping off my food on their way home. This was my first experience wit Daniela, and the customer service was an absolute TEN. The food was also great and reasonably priced! I will definitely be ordering from them again. read more

Oh my.. so so wonderful!! Homemade pasta dishes are to die for!! And the sauces too. Desert and service was top notch. Thank you!! We will be back read more

Daniela's is always a treat. We were able to go twice before the pandemic and since the start of the pandemic have been able to return a few times and have gotten takeout as well. All of these experiences have been spectacular. From the reasonably priced wines imported from Tuscany to the handmade pastas and tiramisu from scratch, what's not to love? I even inquired about the potential for cooking classes and was told post-Covid this was an option. This is one of Baltimore's best hidden gems and will definitely be returning time and again. read more

Seafood Pasta was decent, but nothing incredible. I love Italian food and understand different regions have different styles, but just was not super interesting. That part of the meal gets 6/10. Got their antipasta expecting proper prociutto di parma and quality cheese and got what looked like store bought luncheon meat (bologna), cheap cheese and canned black olives. By contrast, I get the antipasta at Dipasquales for half the price and 4 to 5x the quality. Hate to be negative during tough times for businesses but this was my impression. read more

We were warmly welcomed by the two Stefanos and the rest of the staff at Daniela's. Our party of six sat in the back dining room, and we had the room to ourselves, which was very nice as we were really having a great time together. Several diners started with the Tomato Basil soup, which they proclaimed to be rich and creamy. Another person enjoyed and shared a Caesar Salad which was crisp, fresh and perfectly dressed. The entrees that we enjoyed were: Ravioli ricotta e spinaci (Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach), Involtini di pollo ai funghi porcini (Chicken breast rolled and stuffed with prosciutto and Brie cheese with porcini mushrooms in a cream sauce), served with Risotto alla Milanese, Scaloppini di vitello al limone (veal scaloppini with parsley potatoes),Salmon Grigliato (fresh grilled salmon marinated in EVOO with Italian parsley, garlic and sundried tomatoes served with a salad, and Spigola Alla Varnaccia (fresh bronzino filet baked with Varnaccia (Sardinian White Wine) served with carrots and broccoli. To finish the meal, we enjoyed cappuccinos and two had dessert of millefoglie al cioccolato (chocolate torte) and Spagnola (special dairy cream with Italian black cherries). We all left very happy and satiated. Thank you for a fun evening! read more

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This is the only Italian place my Italian friend recommends to me, he told me this is the only real place that is run by Italians and most of cheese and spices are actually from Italy. The cons is that it is kind of pricey. We tried their Lasagna Bolognese and Fettuccine Zafferano on a Sunday afternoon on their balcony, both tastes very good, especially my fettuccine. And we saw a bunch of Italian people have their family lunch inside lol. Ended up spending around 40+. However, their weekday lunch special seems to be reasonably priced (pasta around 10 bucks with salad and drink), the same items on the dinner menu are much more pricier. So we might come more often for lunch in the future. read more

Daniela Pasta & Pastries - Fettuccine Zafferano. - Desserts Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Have you heard of their 'special menu'? I hadn't until my birthday recently, when my boo surprised me with the 'special menu' dinner. This is how it goes: You call Daniela and discuss your price range, number of courses and dietary restrictions (if any-I eat everything so that was easy). Then you show up with a bottle of something delightful from the Wine Source and tell Daniela's son (you can't miss him) that you are here for the 'special dinner'. You then sit, drink yourself silly, and enjoy a 7-8 course, crazy delicious, home cooked dinner starting from antipasti to dessert, all made to order by Daniela in her kitchen upstairs. And it will cost you probably $37/person. For 8 delicious courses! AMAZING! I think I had one of the best meals of my life here. Grazie! read more

Daniela's is like magic, one day I was walking down The Avenue as I am wont to do and there it was in the old Eye Candy location. There had been no fanfare and no notice, it just appeared like a present from the Gods of Baltimore. The magical pasta/pastry fairy who lives inside is Daniela a native of Sardinia (who I believe used to work at Sotto Sopra) who speaks a little English and employs nieces/nephews/grandchildren - I'm not really sure where she gets the kids - to work the register and take orders like a team of happy elves. Lasagna, ravioli, focaccia, meatballs, pastries I've never seen before are all inside waiting for you. It's all made fresh on the premises and it all looks amazing. On my first visit I ordered the mushroom lasagna with green pasta and bechamel, meatballs and the caprese focaccia. The lasagna melts in your mouth and the flavors are so simple, so pure and so delish! Even the BF who is usually very conservative in his compliments raved about it! I mean the fact that he actually spoke words in favor of the food rather than just grunting as he shoveled food in speaks volumes. And the focaccia was out of this world with organic cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Even a few days later when I reheated it blew my mind. The meatballs were fair but unfortunately not the best I've ever had. And it was definitely priced well. We got two huge servings of lasagna, two tennis sized meatballs and a large square of foccacia for $20. I will be making it a regular go-to spot for quick dinner on busy week day nights. The rumor is that they're working on building a small dining room upstairs as well for those who wish to dine-in. Grano needs to watch out, there's a new sheriff in town! read more

Ripoff. An empty ravioli, noodles too thick, iceberg instead of romaine in the Caesar, this place is cutting corners and charging a premium. Super disappointed. read more

(3/17/14) I was looking for italian food and having experienced big and little grano, I popped into Daniela's to check it out. Firstly, I was surprised to find out the place was Sardinian not Italian. I immediately got excited because I'd watched Anthony Bourdain do an extensive excerpt on food their (apparently his wife is from there). Looking around, I was surprised at the size of the place. 3 tables (we took up 2 of them) and a counter and case with food and desserts. It was homey but I prayed no one else came in so we wouldn't have to share the place with any ourselves. Secondly, as we were greeted I asked if there was wine and was told it was a BYOB establishment. So we left and headed to the Wine Source for some adult libations and then headed back. Upon return, we happily sat down to peruse the menu. The waitress helped us pick some very nice things...we decided to do get a proper spread. Caesar and Caprese salads, a rice ball in sauce, supremely thinly cut, breaded and fried eggplant, bruschetta, 2 types of ravioli and italian sausage. Nothing we tasted wasn't an explosion in flavor, fresh tasting, and well loved by all eating. We were stuffed beyond stuffed but made room for cannolis that also didn't disappoint. Me and my compadres were intensely impressed at this entirely unassuming little place. Writing this now makes me want to bite of that eggplant again. read more

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We came here for our work holiday lunch, and although at first we were the only table, the table that came in after us got their food first. Service was definitely slow. I ordered the meat arancini as an appetizer, and the middle was still frozen when it came to the table. There were actually two balls, and the other one was warmed through thoroughly and very tasty. The Panini sandwiches took a long time and they weren't anything special. The hot pasta was tasty, but lacked seasoning. Salt was definitely needed. The lunch took too long and the service was nothing to be wowed about. read more

My wife and I come to Hampden from Annapolis to check out the antiques from time to time. Saturday was one of those days and we were a little hungry, so we started looking for a place to eat. We were on the sunny side of the street, passed up a couple of places and then came on Daniela's. Should we or not. The food looked appetizing enough, the young man at the counter was pleasant and so we decided to try it. OMG it may have been the best mushroom lasagna we have ever had!!! We then had dessert and took home 2 packages of lasagna to freeze at home and an extra dessert. We loved this place and will be ordering Christmas dinner from her. Everything was fresh, homemade and everyone we met was very friendly and helpful. We wished we lived closer. There are a couple of seats inside, some outdoor seating. It is the food you are coming for from here. read more

Well on my 15th ever review I am giving only my 3rd ever 5 star rating. This is also the first place that I have ever visited exclusively hearing about it through Yelp. The reviews for this place were great, the prices and menu seemed awesome, and it's within 2 miles of my apartment -- I didn't need much more convincing. We walked into Daniela's today (6/25) and were greeted by a young guy standing behind the counter. He hands us copies of their menu and a flier for cooking classes that they offer (which sound like a fun time). The building is very very small. There are 3 cramped indoor tables and 3 or 4 outdoor seats. They have a display case with tons of delicious looking items and a freezer filled with desserts. The decor is quaint and gives off a rustic welcoming vibe. Daniela's is more of an Italian Deli than it is a restaurant. The menu is filled with great sounding pasta dishes. My fiancee orders the caprese salad; I order the vegetable lasagna and we share a side of bruschetta. The only knock to this point, is that I originally ordered the potato ravioli, which they were out of. Typically that sort of thing would really get to me, but there were so many different dishes that I wanted to try that it wasn't that big of a deal this time. While we wait the guy behind the counter (He's roughly 22, I get the sense that his mom owns the place) tells us about some local adventure spots that he likes going to and we chat. He's super friendly and we wrote down a few of his suggestions. This adds to the welcoming atmosphere of Daniela's. After a short wait an older Italian woman brings the food in from outside (They must cook upstairs or something). The caprese salad was fantastic, as was my lasagna. The portion sizes are spot on -- not obnoxiously huge, but not small either. The price point is amazing at around $7-10/ plate. The food is fresh and really some of the most authentic Italian food I have ever had. The bruschetta was the best I've ever had. Their bruschetta was unique in that they took the bruschetta topping and ran it through a blender creating a paste which they smeared onto the bread. As we leave, I take an order of tiramasu from the dessert case (Only $2.50!). Great food, great value, great atmosphere, great customer service, Daniela's is everything that a business SHOULD be. read more

This place is authentic Italian- the REAL deal! Several times I've walked in and all conversations have been in Italian. There are two tables inside and a few outside if its a nice day. This is not the place to go with a group. Carry-out is the way to go- and your food will taste even better if you ask them not to heat it up so that you can do it yourself when you get home. I am shocked at another reviewer's bad experience, because the customer service I've encountered has been nothing but sample-offering super-friendliness. I challenge you to walk into this place and see the case full of pastas and pastries and NOT pick up something "for later" (to be devoured the second you walk in your door.) Ask for the sfogliatelle- or if that seems likes a mouthful- the flaky pastry with ricotta and orange zest. I'm drooling just thinking about it! read more

Haiku: Daniela's food is supremely authentic. I can't rave enough. read more

Aaand the owner's snarky response to my review, noting my typo in "cosa nostra" and using it to question my understanding of Italian geography (?!?) because his dad was from an island and is now a doctor using the science oven microwave blah blah blah. Yep, that's just the kind of nonsense that says good home cookin' (sic). read more

I think most of these 4 and 5 star reviews are friends and family. All food is microwaved and the cannoli is the worst I've ever had. I actually think Wegman's could make a better cannoli. First and last time there. Peace out read more

I love supporting local businesses, and was really hopeful for this place, but was a bit disappointed. I was going to give 3 stars, but after reading some other reviews and seeing the owner berating people for their reviews, I dropped it down to two. I have read a lot of reviews on yelp, and when given poor reviews, most business owners possess the maturity and professionalism to offer apologies for a poor experience. I took my sister out for her birthday, and this is the establishment she chose for us to have lunch. As soon as we walked in, I should've known to turn around and leave, but it wasn't up to me. There was a patron sitting at the middle table, and next to her on the bench was a dog. I'm pretty sure city health codes don't allow animals to be in dining establishments, and I'm allergic to dogs, so I was very put off that this was allowed to happen. My sister ordered the saccottini di spinaci and melanzane impanate. Both things that would probably be amazing if they were made fresh. However, they were pre-made and heated up in a microwave. I ordered the caprese panini, which wasn't pre-made (that I know of), but was brought in from outside without any type of cover...and it was raining that day. I get that they have very limited space, and they do what they can, but if you're going outside with people's food, put a lid on it! I heard that they are moving to a larger space, and I hope they use the criticism from these reviews to make improvements, but I will not attempt to find out. read more

I don't enjoy being a hater. I really don't. The service here is friendly, so I can't complain about that. The pastries leave much to be desired. I ordered a banana chocolate pastry of sorts. The pastry dough was flaky and filling was hard, like a piece of chocolate with banana goo in it. I ate a few pieces and threw the $4 pastry into a local garbage can. The pasta looks divine in the display case. I just think pasta dies the second it hits the microwave, probably because it does. No real need to fret I suppose, because you can take home the lasagna and heat it up the right way. This place is alright, but I'd rather go to Fazzini's, my local spot. read more

Home style Italian cooking just like you wished your mother made if only you were Italian. Delicious pastas, raviolis and lasagnas with accompanying fresh sauces. Hand cut homemade pastas too. I always get the fried eggplant if they have it. And her baked goods are to die for. And its not like there aren't any other places for great Italian food in Hampden -- Luigi's for deli and sandwiches and the 2 Grano's, big and little, for sit down dining are nearby. But for prepared carryout, Daniela's can't be beat. The place is tiny and cramped but the food here has that secret ingredient only found in mother's kitchens-- Love. You can taste the care that Daniela puts into every dish. Try it, you won't regret it. read more

If I had to pick the best Italian restaurant I've been to, this would without hesitation be my pick. Fresh ingredients, home cooked style, textures and flavors that will leave your face melting at the first bite - I've been consistently impressed with this place. When I first walked into this small, family owned restaurant / carry out, it immediately looked like a winner. With the various panini's and pasta dishes on display in the window and the pastries off to the side, my mouth was already watering before I even tried. My first visit was to simply grab a cannoli - shockingly it was on par with the famed Mike's Pastries in Boston's North End. I went all out with my friends on the second visit, and we ordered the lasagna with bolognese, ravioli, and fettucini with mushroom sauce and cannoli, neopolitan, and fruit tarts for dessert. Each of us couldn't believe the taste - literally the first bite of every dish was heaven - and we ordered a second round of dinner. When talking with the owner's son, I discovered that it's not just Italian food that makes this place unique, but the fact that the recipes and style of cooking come from a village in Sicily. Truly authentic and flavorful. Only downside is that it's not a place for large groups and the neighborhood, with all of the young bike riding troublemakers, is not desirable for eating outside. But, that certainly doesn't stop me from going out of my way to pick up the home cooked Italian dishes and desserts from here. Recommendations: sausages (better than those in Germany), fettucini with mushroom sauce for a main meal (only $7.50) and the neopolitan for dessert (the cream is absolutely astounding). This humble, family-owned place in the middle of Hampden effortlessly outshines many of the established, high-end Italian spots in New York, Boston, and Chicago. read more

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All I can say is delicious! Got prosciutto lasagna and ravioli carne, both were amazing. The guy working behind the counter was one of Daniela's sons who was extremely nice helpful (didn't deserve the smack he got from her spatula when he went upstairs for the lasagna!). He gave us pointers on how to reheat and enjoy the food that were spot on. We got a free pastry (spicolli? I think) with ricotta and orange zest inside which was the perfect finish to the meal and a really great plus on the first visit. Will definitely be back to try everything else. read more

Believe what you read here, the lasagna bolognese is spectacular, and the values are hard to match. Staff is friendly and casual -- a true family restaurant. Tiramisu was a great end to the meal. read more

Daniela Pasta & Pastries - Outdoor seating on the Avenue. - Desserts Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

What a pleasure to stumble on Daniela. Named afer its Sardinian owner, Daniela delivers a delectable deluge of delicious delicacies (the alliteration was too good to pass up)! The pasta and ravioli is all handmade and you can actually see the imprints from Daniela's fingers. Her two sons work at the restaurant as well and are very friendly and welcoming. It's also one of the few places on the Avenue that you can sit outside. Really nice on a warm evening. read more

We've now eaten there twice, including a private event that was fantastic. This is the real deal, family owned restaurant with home-made pasta and fresh fish/meat. Service is excellent, personal and helped us out with a few dietary constraints. For those in the know locally, this is one of the top restaurants in the area. Highly recommended read more

I've hung out in Hampden for years, but had never noticed this place. It's on a cute row of houses with front porches along The Ave. Go for the Sardinian dishes. I've lived in Italy for about 6 months and been there several other times, but the Sardinian dishes were new (to me), unique, and good. (They're well-identified in the menu descriptions.) The Caesar salad was pretty small, not well-dressed, and disappointing (though being able to add anchovies for only a buck is a good deal). We also had an appetizer and dessert, both of which were good. The restaurant has a cozy, homey character to it. Staff was friendly. The covered front porch would likely be great in warmer months (esp. for people-watching along 36th). read more