It's been a while since I've been here and the food was delicious! Sad to say it will close by the end of the year, so make reservations and go! Reservations can be made online through open table and it's extremely easy to book. Side note, your entire party will need to be there before you are seated. The restaurant is cozy and inviting, located on Frankfort Avenue. They have a full drink menu and plenty of wine to choose from. They also offered several specials when we dined there. We opted for the bruschetta topped with mozzarella and served with tomato basil drip. Then the fresh bread arrived and my goodness was it good. It was fluffy with a crunchy exterior, perfect for dipping into the sauce of our entrees. They have lots of pasta options, including a build your own pasta with a choose of noodles, sauce and meat. I was torn between the piccata or Marsala, but wanted something fresh and bright - the piccata did not disappoint. the chicken was moist, the capers were huge and the sauce was bright and tart. I would definitely order it again. I've already made reservations to go back in December! read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Chicken Piccata - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

If you're looking for a place that makes you feel like you've accidentally stumbled into an Italian nonna's kitchen--minus the guilt of sneaking extra lasagna--di Fabio Casapela is your spot. From the moment we walked in, the service was so warm and genuine. Now, let's talk about the food because holy cannoli--it was chef's kiss worthy. We started with escargot, which was excellent. Then came the caprese pasta with grilled shrimp. Imagine tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and shrimp having a delicious little party on your plate. The lasagna and manicotti, bathed in pink sauce so rich and creamy, made me question my life choices up to that point. Of course, this Italian feast needed wine worthy of the gods--Chianti, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc all played their parts beautifully, like the perfect musical trio backing an epic food opera. If you want authentic flavors, a staff that treats you like family, and the kind of meal that makes you want to book a one-way ticket to Italy (or at least come back here next weekend), di Fabio Casapela is your new happy place. Mangia, mangia! read more

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This restaurant hit all the marks when I returned there tonight after not going there for several years. The ambiance was excellent with the pleasant music of standards. The staff were competent and attentive. The food portions were very generous and good. Mocktails were not on the menu but when I asked I found out the bartender could make nearly all the cocktails mocktails. I got the lemon drop martini as a mocktail and it was outstanding, the best thing that I had. The coffee was also excellent. Yesterday, I went to a fancier restaurant and this restaurant was better. read more

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We really loved this restaurant and are so sad that it's closed now. The smalls as soon as you walked into this place was so nice. The staff were also so nice too. We really hope another wonderful place opens up in this place. read more

We went there last night and we usually like it. We got the mushroom appetizer and it's not worth the money. $8 for 4 mushrooms. The salads were ok. What disappointed me was they don't serve capers and olive oil. What Italian restaurant doesn't serve olive oil? Isn't that a regular staple? The capers would have enhanced the dish. I asked for baked fettuccini and got the regular dish but didn't want to argue with the waitress. The waitress tried to be slick and charge me $12 for added shrimp when it should have been less. Then she tried to charge me $14 to have the shrimp blackened. She was hoping I didn't catch it but I did. So, because of the lack of oil, capers, dishonesty, will not return. read more

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I love this restaurant and their delicious food, but it was a disappointment tonight. 10 of us for a birthday - reservation at 5pm - drinks and dinner only - took over 3 hours. We waited for 2 hours after we got our cocktails and wine. Water refilled once in all that time. 25% gratuity added to the bill. I understand adding a gratuity and that it wasn't the server's fault that it took hours to get our food, but there was no checking in with us and no refills of water after the initial drinks and refills. It was disappointing. read more

Great Italian spot. Mostly street parking. Friendly hostess and wait staff. Wine $8-10 glass. Cocktails $10-15. The Bruschetta is a great appetizer. read more

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Had a birthday celebration here for 9 people - we had called to make a reservation and they had a space for us in the back room when we arrived. Delicious food - stuffed mushrooms, garlic bread app, fettuccini with pink sauce and chicken, chicken parmagiano, salmon with vegetables, spaghetti with marinara, tiramisu, cioccolata martini - except my nephew didn't like the meatball and the marsala in the chicken marsala was way too rich for my sister. Had a great time, can't wait to go back. read more

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The food is always amazing. I don't know how they make zucchini and squash taste so amazing! Service is always great, they take care of my allergies. Tonight we even enjoyed a few laughs thanks to the books on the shelf they had next to our table. read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Create your own pasta, the veggies are the best in town! - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Authentic Italian Family Style cuisine. Really enjoyed the experience, the busy family decor, and the food. Walked through kitchen to our table. The bread was delicious read more

I've been wanting to try Difabio's for a while and finally made it last night. Although, the interior ambiance what I was expecting, it was fine. It is really small and tables are pretty cramped. It's also really dark and they could use some better dim lighting. I dined with my family and we ordered two appetizers, which included garlic bread and calamari. The bread was good and the calamari had a really good flavor. For our meals, we ordered the lasagna, chicken Alfredo, salmon and kid's ravioli. The chicken was probably the best. Didn't try the lasagna, but it looked good. The salmon was a bit dry and not what I was expecting for garlic aioli. I wish I could give 3.5 stars because the service was really good, but overall I wasn't impressed with the food. read more

Met up with a friend for a 6 PM weekday dinner and had a wonderful first time visit to this restaurant. Really looking forward to a return visit to try more menu items based on how fantastic the food tasted and I also appreciated being able to customize my order. We had the escargot appetizer which was baked with pesto butter in a small skillet and served with warm bread and accompanied by a great glass of Pinot Noir. My entree was campanella pasta with marinara sauce and the portions were sized right, although it was so delicious that it would be easy to overeat. The restaurant is in a cozy property of a repurposed house with plenty of nearby street parking and a small parking lot. The interior was fairly dark after having been outside in blinding July sunlight, so it felt a bit other worldly. There is also the option to sit on the front porch patio area, but it was a bit humid on the day we visited. Service was great with periodic visits to our table to check on us, but not overly intrusive. Plan to return often and soon. read more

DiFabios is my favorite Italian restaurant. There are many other Italian restaurants in Louisville but DiFabios nailed it. The Lasagna is aways amazing and staff exceptional. read more

Awesome food!! Rustic Italian. Love their red wi e salad dressing g, lasagne, calamari - it's all good! Highly recommend!

It's been awhile since I last ate at Difabio's. I'd forgotten how tasty and affordable their food is. I can't think of another restaurant offering vegetarian stuffed mushrooms. The escargot was familiar as I've had them the French way. The pesto sauce was a delightful change. Salads were made with fresh, crunchy lettuces and dressed perfectly. Meat lasagna had dense layers of perfectly seasoned meat sauce, cheese and pasta. Chicken piccata had just the right amount of tart, salty flavors from lemon, capers and mushrooms in a white wine sauce along side angel hair pasta. All followed by tiramisu made by layering very light, fluffy ricotta over coffee drenched lady fingers and crowned with a dusting of cocoa powder. Difabio's is a gem hidden in plain sight of other Frankfort Avenue Italian restaurants. It should be your next dining experience. read more

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First time visiting DiFabios. We decided to eat here after seeing how many gluten free options were available as one of us has celiac disease. It was so nice to have the server acknowledge the allergy and actually take it seriously. It's a small, but cozy environment with friendly staff and fair prices. We had the Gf chicken Alfredo on penne and Shrimp scampi. The chicken and shrimp were cooked perfectly. Only minor complaint was the Alfredo sauce was a little thicker than I prefer and needed salt. We could not tell that the pasta was gf. The service was excellent. read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Chicken Alfredo gluten free - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Talk about flavor overload! This place packs that punch. Haven't had Italian this great in a while. Bread even toasted perfectly with garlic butter and merlot wine at the absolute delicious temperature. Service was friendly and highly efficient. Some how ourreservation didn't go through(hold) but they still accommodate us without a skip! Perfect for a special date night or and outing with friends. Very reasonably price for top not flavor and service! read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Chicken Piccata - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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This is our go to Italian spot. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures but we tend to both enjoy a cocktail, bruschetta and a variety of pasta dishes along with tiramisu. I tend to order cream based chicken pastas and add in capers and veggies. He usually does a marinara sauce often with meatballs but also frequently orders a seafood pasta. We've never had a bad experience here. The ambiance is cute. It's particularly cozy on a chilly day. My only complaint is the tables are a little close together. Service is always good. read more

Fantastic food! Great atmosphere. They took great care of two folks who had never been there before. Caleb did a great job walking us thru the menu. The lasagna was phenomenal. read more

This is one of my favorite Itilian restaurants in Louisville! I have only ordered tak out from here but each tjme it's been delicious! I got the calamari, baked manicotti, and the cheese ravioli. Even in a take out container, the calamari was crispy and delicous. It came with 2 different sauces. My favorite by far was the manicotti. The restaurant wrapped it in foil and placed it in the to go container. After getting it home, it was still steam fresh and wasn't soggy! I definitely plan to revisit this restaurant! read more

Food was average, service was impeccable. atmosphere was homey , but romantic at the same time.

The only bad meal I had on my trip to Louisville. Food was hospital-like quality, and the ambiance left something to be desired. There are so many good restaurants in Louisville - don't fall prey to the cozy charm of this hole in the wall - the food will disappoint. read more

This unassuming Italian eatery has been on our list to try for awhile since we have a passion for pasta. Reservations were easy to make online and highly suggested since seating capacity looks to be a challenge. As it turns out parking was a bigger challenge since there is a lot going on in this section of Frankfort Avenue. We found our appetizer of bruchsetta underwhelming and small. A big thumbs up for the Caesar salad. Romaine was fresh and the dressing so good I wanted to lick the bowl. Our entrees of lasagna and manicotti were decent yet nothing that gave it a wow factor. What was a big positive was the welcoming staff and perfectly timed food delivery. Thankfully plates were cleared along the way since the small table would not accommodate much. Oh and the bourbon peach sangria was awesome! read more

Last night- PERFECT WEATHER for eating on the deck. Food was better than ever. The calamari, was light and crisp- addictive. Server was busy, but the setting was perfect- glad we were there. It's a must go to location. He did a great job taking care of us and others. read more

We came here for dinner this weekend with a large party to eat, drink, and talk about movies before the Oscars. The stand out of the visit was the service. The server was very good with our group of 11 people. They take orders on an electronic tablet, and before we even started placing our orders, she was able to assign groups for the separate checks. It made things move a little more smoothly, I think. She took our orders, going around the table, and because the group was so large she went back and double checked everything before sending the order back. That was a good move and it avoided a couple mistakes before the food was made. Our water was always full and somehow in a crowded space, I was never knocked or dripped on. The service really made it for me. The food was fine. I don't eat a lot of Italian food, it just isn't high on my list of wants. And also calories. But everything I had was ok. I got the calamari and a half house salad. Since I treated these starters as my meal, the size of the dishes are pretty good. The calamari came topped with banana peppers and tomatoes. A little too much of them for my liking, but that is a personal preference. It also comes with 2 dipping sauces: a marinara type and a more sweet and sour type. I really liked that second one. The salad was also ok. I am not the biggest fan of iceberg lettuce, but I really wanted something green to eat. It comes with some different toppings that interested me, and went well together. Overall we had a nice time here. If I could give half stars, I would bump the rating up to 3.5 stars. If you are looking for a decently priced Italian meal with good service, you can get that here. Waitress was wonderful, though. read more

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Food was good. For price the portions were a little small but other than that overall was a good experience

If you aren't willing to tip 25% plus, do not go here. Was followed out of the restaurant by the front of house person demanding why I did not leave a larger tip. Food is decent but it takes a really long time to come out. read more

I really enjoyed coming here. I'm determined to try every chicken parm in the city, there service was great. Everything ordered was hot and fast, and tasted FRESH! We went closer to closing and didn't feel rushed. I will be back, such a warm welcoming vibe as well. A gem. read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

First visit about 18 months ago, we had a reservation and were promptly seated by a waiter.Small inside and only a few tables, low lighting, and nice decor. We ordered bread (we didn't know they bring some out) but the bread ordered was light and airy almost steamed seeming and delicious in their red sauce. We shared a large dish of chicken Marsala and it was top notch. Eager to return. On two subsequent visits we have had a spacey waitress who seems drunk/high or both, who comes and goes and forgets to bring drinks, bread, etc til way too much time has gone by. We were embarrassed our 2nd visit as we'd brought our couple friends. 2nd visit food was still very good. We decided it was simply an 'off night' but our 3rd visit we had similar poor service, huge time lags, etc. We haven't returned, despite liking the food and prices. read more

We started off with the Bruschetta which was good and cocktails. The cocktails were okay but definitely not great. The bread we got with the meal was hot and garlicky so that was great. For dinner I got the Manicotti and it was okay, lots of cheese which made it better but still not great. Management said we had a bad waitress and they let her go during our meal is why it took 45 minutes to get our meal so they gave us free dessert. Why would they tell us they let our waitress go during our meal as a reason why? It's like they were telling us we got her fired even though we didn't say a single bad thing about service while we were there. I don't know. Anyway, the cannolis were okay, first time I had them with cherries mixed in. I guess if you're comparing the pasta to a fast food pasta place and not a restaurant then it's okay, but this wasn't fast food in any respect. At least the price was reflecting the quality. read more

Liked it! We spent around $130 but we got everything! 1 app, 2 entrees, a bottle of wine, 1 dessert and 2 coffees w frangelica. The filet Fabio was really good but I think the star was the tortellini on top! My hubby said the veal piccata was tasty. The tiramisu was one of the best I ever had. We thoroughly enjoyed the small intimacy of this place but if it was really crowded it might be a bit claustrophobic. There is outside seating on the porch also. read more

DiFabio's Casapela - Fabio fillet - Italian Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

My wife and I went here on a cold Valentines eve night for dinner. First thing has nothing to do with this place itself but it's kind of tucked off into the corner so I got a big black truck that I drive I drove in a little spot it says parking there's no parking in that parking lot there were two cars in there so then I had to reverse my truck try to get out of there and go find parking somewhere. I had to park over on some back street somewhere which is fine so I walked to the restaurant in the ice storm that was all over the place trying not to fall. I was successful I did not fall. When I walked into the place I forgot my mask because we're still in this pandemic so I asked a guy hey you got a mask he brought me a mask he was super cool he's one of the reasons why I'm bothering his place up from a three to a four is the customer service so I go in and your wife sit down nice little table the atmosphere is very nice it's very small in there they have good music playing like Italian music old-school Frank Sinatra type of stuff. Waiter was on it got his water there was bread he was cool as could be. Had a little basketball game on in the corner had just really romantic feel to it. The bread comes out it's kind of unique it's nothing great just Kaina crusty old bread need a little work to be honest I got chicken Parm wife got lasagna both came out unfortunately were extremely dry almost burnt like But we got some extra sauce on the side say hey buddy can I get some extra sauce he said sure thing he brought it out it made the meal much better it didn't make it so dry so that extra sauce is definitely where it's at. My chicken Parm pretty good not gonna lie you know you need an extra sauce my wife liked her lasagna once again need the extra sauce so I'm going on food and will get the food at three but will give us place at four because it looks really nice on the inside and it's good little small business and the waiter was on point and I liked him a lot I'll I'll give this place another shot and see how their food as I want to try the chicken fettuccine read more

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The food and service here is stellar! The chicken parmagian is delicious, stuffed mushrooms and bruschetta are great. Caesar salad is perfect. I also built my own pasta with creamy pesto, shrimp, garlic and mushroom and it was amazing. The shrimp are very good and everything is cooked perfectly, not overdone. Our server, Brett, was knowledgeable and so friendly. read more

DaFabio's we found by accident. I had passed this place a million times and thought it was just a crappy pizza place. One of my students let me know that she worked there and that the food was fabulous. I waited a few quarters to allow her to graduate, before going. I have not been let down since. If you want amazing Italian, this is your place! Yesterday was my birthday and this is our go to for special occasions or just a bad day where we need a great meal. I'm working my way down the menu. I love the chicken picatta, the chicken Alfredo and chicken with creamy pesto. Honestly, I just really enjoy their chicken which is not something I can normally say. My husband loves that they have tortillini and creamy pesto and or pesto on the menu that is actually pesto. If I can make myself order something different, I want to try the manicotti & the lasagna. The lemon drop cocktail will make you smile through your pucker and the garlic bread with cheese is absolutely amazing. What am I saying, their bread is excellent all on its own, but even better with the baked goat cheese appetizer. Be prepared to take home half of your meal, so you can sample the fresh chocolate cherry cannolis. Not your standard filling, but no nasty citron either. I can't say enough about Di Fabio's except make sure you have a reservation as seating goes quick read more

We love Defabio's for the consistently incredible food- the escargot, Cesar salads, chicken picatta, Jon's great martinis, any of the pasta dishes are always spot-on! love the retro music with the great american song book and cool feel of the dining room. the only reason to not give 5 stars is the wait staff have gotten less consistent in service on last 2 visits. Errors were corrected immediately however, will continue to visit in the future. read more

It's okay. Somewhat limited food and drink options, but what we had was mostly quality. Small inside with tables on top of each other; most clientele seemed to be regulars. The environment seemed to be aspiring to be intimate, but the staff attire and attitude was surprisingly relaxed. Overall, it was fine, and it was nice to be able to reserve a table ahead of time on a Saturday evening read more

Great place! Service was super friendly. Everything we had was good. We especially loved the breadsticks with marinara app

Hot garlic bread is complimentary. It comes with garlic butter. It didn't matter that the butter was really hard because the bread was so hot that it melted the butter almost instantaneously. For dinner I ordered a pasta dish: the Angel hair pasta and pesto sauce with chicken. It was really delicious. The pesto that I've had at other places tends to be too salty. That was not the case here. The chicken had a light, crispy, tasty coating that added another layer of flavor to the dish. Another thing that I liked was the lightness of the dish. Many times pasta dishes have a tendancy to be really heavy, but neither one of our meals was like this. The Cannoli for dessert consisted of 3 warm fried pastry shells that were filled with sweet ricotta cheese that is mixed with dark chocolate chips, maraschino cherries & almond extract. While it tasted ok, it did not "float my boat" like I anticipated. This is not to bely its exquisite taste. I just had a different expectation and the taste and texture of the dessert did not fulfill my expectation. This restaurant was a cool find and I really loved its romantic atmosphere. Though it is a bit pricey, I'd love to try more dishes read more

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Good spot - tasty pasta, and I'm not a pasta guy. Had the pesto shrimp and wife had the chicken parmesan. I liked hers better. I had read some reviews about poor service but our server, who was covering the hostess stand and entire front patio/porch on a Saturday night, was fantastic. Wife loved the place. I liked it, but wish there was more variety on the menu because, as I said, I'm not a pasta guy. read more

Don't like to write negative reviews, but I was shocked by this place. We got tortellini, which tasted cheap and fake, and chicken Marsala, which was largely flavorless. We got the check and left without finishing our meals. Our server was kind, but I definitely wouldn't go back read more