This was our first time at Mom Chaffe's and we will definitely be back. The food and service was great. The restaurant has an old school Italian feel which we loved. We had the long hot appetizer and smoked salmon appetizer. For our entrees my husband had the veal chop special (I don't think it was worth $53!) and I had the veal Lorenzo. I recommend making a reservation. read more

See all

Sadly very disappointed with my foos choice. Special was some kind of ravioli with veal. Ravioli very undercooked the whole thing had vinegar and cinnamon taste. Also ordered pear martini but waiter returned with news can't do. Very romantic place, should have stuck with traditional pasta. Owner should question the chef about the ravioli and shredded veal shlopped on top with non Iranian taste. read more

Mom Chaffe's Cellarette - Veal meat and ravioli - Italian Near Me - West Reading, Pennsylvania

Here to sing the praises specifically of Mom Chaffe's tortellini bolognese, which I wish they'd put on the permanent menu but which I had from the specials menu last night. A simple and hearty dish, perfectly executed, and the portion sizes are big enough that it makes great leftovers for at least one more meal at home. It's rare that MC's ever disappoints. The filetto con funghi (steak) or the lobster ravioli are among my standard choices and I highly recommend them as some of the best food in the area. Plus, in a day and age where free bread is increasingly rare, you get a whole basket of soft, sliced Italian, along with a nice pad of butter or olive oil. Entrees also come with a side salad--again, not as common as it used to be. As someone who is claustrophobic, I will say there are times when the place is busy that it gets a bit tight and dark for my tastes--hello, it's in a "cellarette," with a low ceiling that's painted black. It is what it is. And because it's a small but popular space, it's also loud. You will have to raise your voices and may strain to hear. Just keep that in mind if planning to attend with a first date or someone who is hard of hearing, or if you're wanting to have private conversation (because you will be overheard, maybe by half the restaurant). It's a cozy and even sexy spot in its own way, but it's not what I'd call intimate. Other small things of note/convenience: they do have a bar, but it's very small--maybe like 4-5 seats at most. No parking lot, and it's tucked away in a residential neighborhood, so bring your parallel parking A Game and be prepared to walk a block or two. Anyway, it's amazing. Can't wait to do it again soon. read more

Reminiscent of Italian restaurants along the 95 corridor. Nice scene, very intimate. Food is very good, as is the service. I go old school with the Rigatoni and Sausage. Excellent sauce. The Lemon Cake is delicious. One of the family favorites. read more

Our favorite go-to Italian restaurant; everyone is friendly. Food is incredible. They have the best soft shell crabs ever!!! Ambiance is cozy . read more

Mom Chaffe's always delivery a great dining experience. Meals include salad and bread. Something some places have done away with. Just wondering if they changed the sauce on the salmon from a red pepper cream sauce to a lobster flavored red pepper cream sauce? Preferred without the lobster flavor. Sorry. Everyone's meals were great. read more

Great old-school atmosphere makes you feel like you're at mom's house for a great home cooked Italian meal. Service is great and accommodating. Seating is tight, but somehow it's like getting together with the whole family around the holidays and everyone's enjoying themselves so doesn't seem bad...adds to the experience. Food is terrific! Never had anything I didn't enjoy here. Street parking can take a few minutes, but worth the effort. read more

Great for: intimidate dates, excellent Italian food, small celebrations or milestones, treating yourself and your loved ones Avoid if: claustrophobic, or if you're having clandestine conversations This is the most aesthetic restaurant in West Reading. The space and decor reminds me of an Impressionistic painting - full of charm, color, warmth and vibrancy. I was really impressed. Service was excellent. Our server was thorough and attentive. The food was amazing. For drinks, I had one of their pina colada mocktails which was delicious. We also had bread while we waited for our food to arrive (I don't know if these were free or extra). Portion sizes were generous. I ordered the Veal Lorenzo and it came with a Russian Salad and Asparagus. For desert, I had the coconut cake which was very delicious and larger than I thought. A deterrent for this place might be the size of the dining area. It is very compact and the ceilings are low. Conversations could be overheard easily. My friends and I were seated in a 'secluded' area behind the bar so we were away from other diners so we were free to talk about whatever we wanted. read more

The four of us had a nice meal here. I agree with other reviews-the tables are very close together so this might not be a great option if u want a quiet dinner. there is a potential for a lot of people in a small space which means it can be noisy. Service was good and the food was flavorful. read more

See all

I moved to Reading recently and had heard a lot about this restaurant. Let me just say it did not disappoint! I'm a big vintage enthusiast, so definitely loved the atmosphere, very classic. Super 1930s. Was by myself, so just sat at the bar. It's first come first served, but no big deal. Had a Manhattan and an appetizer, and both were excellent. Only minor issue I had with my dish was promptly fixed. Bar tender was wonderful. Reservations are a must if you want a table, especially on a weekend. Will absolutely be returning. read more

We absolutely love the food and atmosphere at Mom Chaffe's. We were there with a group of thirteen. Service and food were excellent! Well done! read more

Management & staff (Rose) were perfect! Reservations needed!! - We got real lucky & got seats Food was PERFECT! Must try the specials read more

See all

Excellent food, and excellent service. Always a great experience. Pasta was great. Proteins done perfectly, well made a cocktails. Thanks you for a great family meal. read more

Food is always fresh, presented well, tasty. So good you look forward to the leftovers!

If you love good Italian food made from scratch this is the place to enjoy it They have rotating specials that are just awesome Their regular menu is delicious I highly recommend this place and suggest you make reservations A great place to gather with friends, special occasions and dates read more

Mom Chaffe's Cellarette - italian foods - Italian Near Me - West Reading, Pennsylvania

So I had my anniversary dinner at Mom Chaffe's Thursday night. Up to now I gave them 5 stars, but I got to take a star away. In the 40 plus years of going there, the ambiance has really never changed. This is a good news/ not so good thing. Familiarity is very comforting, but the place was a little too worn out. The tables are jammed very close, which I understand being it's small. The best part was the antipasto , which was superb. Also kudos for the ravioli and lasagna. In summary, still a good place to go but don't expect intimacy. Once it fills up, the noise levelcan be pretty irritating. read more

This was our second time trying restaurant week, and we will be coming back! So impressed with everything from the ambiance of the restaurant to the diligence of the service to the quality of the food. We got the bruschetta, fried mozzarella, chicken piccata, and peanut butter pie! This is addition to salads that come with dinner and bread for the table. An incredible value for your money! Only complaint is the parking situation, but that's to be expected for a restaurant in a city. read more

See all

Always have great food at mom chaffe's. Love the atmosphere but it can be a little cramped and loud when the dining room is busy. Overall a great place to get a great meal. read more

Overall, not the best service experience, but the food is still great. What happened to this once flawless eatery? We stopped in on the way home from a funeral and were seated at a table located adjacent to the busy bar area, even though every other table was empty? Patrons and servers were constantly brushing against the back of my chair, which was incredibly annoying. Our waitress was simply going through the motions and not once cracked a smile. I felt like she was annoyed to be there and her mediocre service showed that. Drinks were meh. The Aperol Spritz I ordered was served straight up without the usual orange wedge and the red sangria was underwhelming. Ambiance was forced and awkward. If not for the delicious garlic bread, veal parm and lasagna we ordered, I would have given 2 stars. But get it together with the service aspect! A restaurant can offer the best food in the world, but if service is lacking, it doesn't make for a great all around experience. Oh and then we weren't offered dessert or coffee, had trouble tracking her down for the bill, and there was an issue with their payment system. Too. Many. Glitches = not running back! Manager sat at the bar the entire time and didn't lift a finger to assist! read more

Great atmosphere, food, classic bar, and service. Quiet, cozy, and romantic. Great date location. Definitely for grownups. read more

There are few words to describe how good the food is. Couple this with the atmosphere and this place is unbelievable! A must if visiting the Reading area. read more

For years I have heard how outstanding this place is. I have heard how the food is top notch. My husband made reservations for us tonight to celebrate Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, after tonight neither of us will be back. Parking is a bit tricky. There is no parking lot, but there is street parking. Upon arriving, I found the restaurant to have a strong "smell." We were seated shortly after our reservation. Our server was Sarah, and she did her absolute best throughout the experience. We started with the fried mozzarella which was a special. It was seasoned OK and lightly breaded. However, it was on a layer of barely warm marinara. We each ordered a meal, therefore receiving a house salad. The salad was drenched in dressing and I wound up just pushing it to the side. I love onions but there was a plethora of them on there. My husband ordered a steak - medium rare. It came out with asparagus a couple of minutes prior to mine. No offense, but all meals should be served together. His steak was raw and sent it back. He received a new one and it was still raw. It was rather unfortunate because he didn't eat except his asparagus. I had to eat alone. I ordered the lobster ravioli. The raviolis were VERY al dente. The cream sauce was flavorful but very rich. We decided to grab the check at that point, because neither of us wanted to sit there and wait. Neither of us ate much, came home, and now we both feel a bit queasy. Also, I understand, especially this time of year rodents like to enter establishments like this. However, seeing a mousetrap isn't very appealing. Besides the server, everything else was beyond underwhelming. read more

I've been coming to Mom's over a few decades. My recent visit was a delightful trip down memory lane. I had a pasta special which was so delicious. A really lovely pear martini. Great service. And the ambiance is so unique! Can't wait to return again read more

See all

Formal restaurant, great ambiance. I came on a Saturday night and they had the perfect amount of staff to keep my party served, yet not overwhelmed. I have to say anyone with small kids should use the bathroom prior. The bathroom was extremely small, I couldn't use the toilet without my knees hitting the door. Other than that factor the food was amazing & the prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend anyone in Reading PA to visit. read more

The food is excellent! The pictures of the food really, really don't do it justice at all! It's a small dinning area so the tables are a smidge closer than usual (but not weirdly closer) - think popular restaurant in a big city. It's not a bad thing at all - very intimate - it's just not expected. The outside is so unassuming that once you eat here, you're going to feel like you discovered a little hidden gem and won't believe this type of quality is found in the middle of a block of row homes. This is the kind of place you come to for a celebration or want a nicer than usual meal. It's hard to describe the ambiance but it feels casual and fancy at the same time. Parking can be hard to find so leave time to find parking - but it's worth it. The street is safe. Service was lovely. Again, fantastic food. I don't remember ever having anything that wasn't at least very, very good. read more

great italian selection of food and wines.Excellent barman.Service quite good.In terms of decor quite classical with nice old paintings in the walls.It reminds me of older restaurants in NY read more

Service was excellent Coconut shrimp appetizer was hot , crispy and delicious Salads fresh Linguini and clams great Special chicken- spinach- mozzarella meatballs with pasta wonderful Sauce was delicious Coconut cake was great Cocktails were large Wonderful experience- will be back! read more

Our first time here in 10 years. Food was delicious, drinks great. Forget why we stopped coming but we'll be back ASAP

We ate an early dinner at this classic-style Italian place. It was old-school inside and Covid restrictions have made seating limited. We got a few appetizers and pasta/steak for dinner. Because my gf got sick, we ended up getting our food to go. I will want to go back and eat in person but if you are looking for Italian, I don't think there's a better place in Reading. read more

Mom Chaffe's Cellarette - Fried Mozzarella - Italian Near Me - West Reading, Pennsylvania

Food is fine. Wish I had gotten seafood lasagna- that looked yummy. Veal Lorenzo was a bit leathery but sauce was delicious. Service was overwhelmed by our large group - slow and forgetful. Ambiance is special . Very intimate and homey. read more

Classic, epic with history and consistency! Great service and amazing food and ambiance. Celebrate a special occasions or a beautiful date night. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The food was absolutely amazing and the staff were pleasant. My husband and I stopped on the way home from checking out a house in the area and although the place was busy and we did not have reservations, they fit us in. Although small , there was a old world charm to the place. I plan to stop again in the near future. read more

Stopped during Food Week and the special menu was great! I had bruschetta, house salad, chicken piccata and chocolate peanut butter cake...all very tasty! SO much food I took half home! Cozy dining and many choices for all palates. Despite being very busy during a hot time, service was fast and friendly. read more

The food was absolutely fabulous!! I have been there, I believe three times in total and the food has always been delicious! I've had great service there as well. I highly recommend this quaint yummy Italian restaurant. read more

The food was delicious going down, got food poisoning. Up all night. The service was horrible. We waited for service longer than expected.

Everything about this place screams "romance"! Well, except for the drunk businessmen screaming. Other than that, a meal at this dimly lit restaurant, located smack dab in a small West Reading neighborhood, has all the makings for the ultimate date night. Even though I've lived in the area for nearly my whole life, I didn't even know this place EXISTED until a few years ago. And I didn't have my first meal there until last year. I've never seen an advertisement for this place. And they don't have a website. They market the old fashioned way - by word of mouth. So yeah, it took me awhile to finally hear about it, but I'm glad I did! Ok, enough backstory - you want to hear about the food. The menu is concise. A lot of Italian restaurants have massive menus with something like fifteen types of ravioli. Is that, um, really necessary? Having choices is great, but I feel it sometimes dilutes the product. I'd rather have a place focus on a few dishes and absolutely nail them. That's where Mom Chaffe's excels. On my most recent trip, my date had eggplant Parmesan, and I opted for veal. The pasta is no doubt cooked fresh everyday. My veal was a bit overdone (read: tough) but still bursting with flavor. The mushroom sauce really salvaged the dish. If you are absolutely STARVING, I wouldn't recommend this place. That is, the portions aren't huge. If you want large quantities of Italian food, stick with Buca di Beppo. But I definitely won't knock Mama Chaffe's for that. It's not the kind of place where you'd want to be seen stuffing your face "trough" style, like pigs on a farm. Make a reservation, bring your significant other or anyone you're dying to impress (i.e. first date). and enjoy! Just don't be that 54-year-old business man with his four buddies getting sloshed at 6:30 pm on a Tuesday and ruin the experience for everyone else. read more

Mom Chaffe's Cellarette - I take lots of pictures of salads. I apologize. I just think they look neat - ESPECIALLY SUPER CLOSE! - Italian Near Me - West Reading, Pennsylvania

See all

Great food every time Nice little place Staff is always friendly Casual or a little fancy is just fine read more

My girlfriend and I came here for our anniversary which was also NYE. We loved it so much we came back for a regular dinner. Both times were great! AMBIANCE: This is such a cute and quaint place that makes you feel at home immediately. The restaurant is in the basement of a townhome building so the ceilings are a bit low. It's dimly lit making it very romantic. The servers are very friendly and are always happy to tell you what the specials are. FOOD: The food here is definitely traditional Italian grandma cooked food. The tomato sauce is a bit sweet to us but that's a personal thing. The ravioli is filled with delicious cheese that you get in every bite. The lasagna is a large portion that you can save for later, a very hearty place. DESSERT: I needed a separate section for this. The cheesecake is to die for! The best cheesecake I've ever had! We've only tried the original which is served with strawberries. Each time we've had it, it melted in our mouths and we savored every bite. Love it! We look forward to visiting this place again. The pricing is up there so it wouldn't be our weekly visit but every now and then when we want to treat ourselves, this would be a top contender of places to go. read more

See all

This place was amazing! Visiting from SC and wanted some AUTHENTIC Italian. Every single dish we ordered was to die for! Will definitely be returning next time we are up to visit family! Perfect date night location! read more

See all

One of our favorite places to go for a date night. Very cozy feel, and food is always excellent. Very big portions so come hungry! read more

Mom Chaffe's Cellarette - Italian Near Me - West Reading, Pennsylvania

See all