We recently had dinner at Sal's Caffe Italia and really enjoyed our experience. The interior is so warm and charming, with a cozy, old-school Italian feel. You can tell this place has been part of the community for a long time. I loved seeing the photos of the owners and family on the walls--it adds such a personal touch and makes the restaurant feel special. We started with the Caesar salad and bruschetta, and both were delicious. For our main course, we shared the spaghetti and meatballs. The portion was generous, perfect for sharing, and the flavors were exactly what you hope for from a family-run Italian restaurant. For dessert, we shared the cheesecake, which was a great way to end the meal. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. The outdoor seating area looked very charming as well, but it was a hot evening, so we opted to sit inside. Overall, a lovely dinner in a welcoming atmosphere. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Sal's is an adorable Italian restaurant located on the Charlottesville pedestrian mall. They offer dining inside and outside. The inside felt like an intimate New York restaurant. Portions are large enough to share, which is exactly what a couple seated next to us did for their appetizer and meal. Otherwise, you likely will be taking home what's left on your plate. Happy hour offers $3 off house cocktails, $8 glass of house wine, and $13 for a half carafe of house wine. Great deals! The staff are friendly and helpful. read more

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10/10 service 10/10 atmosphere 100/10 food Easily the best spot at the downtown mall. Get the meatballs when you go! read more

We found this fine establishment on Yelp and we are so happy we did. The store is in the beautiful Main Street Mall area of Charlottesville, which is lovely, but can be a parking challenge if members of your party have mobility issues. I got out of the car and walked to the store to scope it out before the others got out. The owner was sitting outside and super helpful in assisting me with parking recommendations. In fact, he walked all the way back to the car with me and helped us find handicapped parking nearby! Who does that?? He was SO nice! His son was also working at the restaurant where the walls are lined with many family photos. As another reviewer wrote, it was like dining in the home of an Italian family. I started my dinner with a Cappelletti Spritz, which was delicious, and I guess my glass had a hole in it because I had to get a second one! (wink-wink) Dinner was preceded by a basket of delicious Italian bread. I like a little bread with my butter!! My husband ordered a 12" pizza and everybody at the table had to have a taste of it. It was huge for 12 inches! One member of our party ordered the stuffed manicotti and the portion was so generous that she has dinner for another night. Two of us ordered Chicken Finazzo (Finazzo being the family name) which is a cross between chicken parm, piccata, and marsala. The chicken is pounded and lightly breaded. It is drenched in a white wine sauce with mushrooms and covered with melted mozzarella cheese. It comes with a side of sauced spaghetti. This entree' is absolutely excellent and I all-but licked the plate! Don't miss this lovely, quaint restaurant if you are in the area. They also have a massive patio area in the center of the mall if the weather is cooperative. read more

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Mushroom ravioli was excellent, pink sauce was lacking substance. First Bourbon drink was served in martini glass no ice; second one was served properly and was much better. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Mushroom ravioli - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Great lasagna, friendly staff served great food. Nice atmosphere. What more do you want?

We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Sal's Caffe Italia. The food was delicious, the wine was perfect--but what truly made the night special was the staff. From the moment we sat down, they made sure we were taken care of, genuinely cared that we loved everything, and treated us like locals they'd known forever rather than tourists passing through. That kind of hospitality is rare and unforgettable. We can't wait to come back. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We use to live in Italy for years, this place brought us back! Real pizza and Aperol spritz, carbonara was perfect! The staff was so wonderful and helpful and we were treated like part of their family! Joellen F and Modesto were fabulous and we will keep coming back. Super cute inside and offers outside area to people watch which is relaxing and comfortable. Their Espresso martini is the best we have had since Italy! Thank you for superb service and absolutely real Italian food.... read more

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This was the first restaurant I ever went to in Cville after moving in for school so it definitely has a fond place in my heart. My go to order is the pink lady pasta as a specialty cocktail. The rotate their drink menu so there's always something new to try. The pasta here is great and a big enough portion to take some home most of the time. The staff here are a mix of students and full time servers which is nice. Everyone is very personable and attentive. The host here is always so nice. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Probably the best pasta I've ever had in my life. Great atmosphere, service, and food. I will certainly have to come back. I also appreciated how willing they were to adapt an order to your preference (ie. changing the type of noodle or adding things). Really wonderful all the way around!! read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - FRIED MOZZARELLA - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Good, tasty food and we ate outdoors on a warm September evening. They had a salmon fish and gluten free pasta was an option for me that was available. Mushroom and cheese ravioli for my dinner partner. Waitress helpful. In the outdoor Main Street walking 'mall'. Near bookstores. Nice meal! read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Sal's has an outdoor eating area. - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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Dropped in for a solo dinner on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. everything-- the mocktail, salad (with anchovies!) , chicken marsala and pasta-- was terrific. the decor is lovely with lots of family photos on the walls. i wish the service had been a bit slower- barely had time to finish one course before the next one arrived. but will definitely come back with the wife. for another enjoyable meal. read more

Disappointing. Heard so much about Sal's and was excited to see they have a big menu with lots of options, including for vegetarians, because I was craving cheesy creamy saucy satisfying carby pasta. We ordered the Pesto Genovese and the Pasta Adriana (rigatoni in their Pink Lady sauce). I also requested the dishes to be extra saucy. We were told our takeout order would be ready in 20 minutes - however, 35 minutes later, we were still waiting for the food. Finally, after receiving our meal, we headed home to enjoy it. However, the pasta was not saucy at all, the sauce was super thin and not creamy and falling off the noodles. Veggies were few and far between, which would have been fine, except for the complete lack of flavor in both sauces. I was super disappointed. Very poor experience and we will not be returning to Sal's. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

I LOVE Sal's! It's so nostalgic for me so I have to give them 5 stars - the food tastes just as good as it did years ago and everything was perfect. We came in tonight and had some garlic bread to start. It was absolutely delicious, very very good bread, perfectly baked. The oil and vinegar is also really good. Our server was really nice and helped me decide between the Emma Rosa (one of my favs, it's shrimp and crab in a blush sauce) and a pesto cream pasta. I went with the latter and was not disappointed! The food was very fresh and everyone at our table kept commenting how good it smelled in there. My boyfriend also commented how "perfect the temperature is" which was kinda strange, but also made sense - the mix of the incredible smell, the low warm lighting and the temperature was so perfect we felt like we were in someone's house. So cozy. Our waitress was also super nice and did a fabulous job. The food is expensive, but it's worth it. I will be back! read more

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First time stopping by at Sal's Caffe Italia. The service was great and the staff was friendly. We enjoyed the eggplant parmesan, it was crispy and baked to perfection. The homemade marinara was rich with flavors, not too salty, and the pasta was not overcooked read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Eggplant Parmegiana - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

We went to Sal's Caffe Italia on our way to very good friends memorial service. The whole evening was amazing from beginning to end. Our waitress was very helpful in helping us pick our dinners. Joellen picked our wine, great choice. Joseph and Joellen spent time talking with us after dinner. We were the last ones to leave. We will be going back for sure and have told friends what an amazing delicious restaurant. Ted & Annette read more

Stopped in on a cold and rainy February night following my daughter's swim meet at UVA. The staff was welcoming. The environment was cozy and comfortable. We had a little bit of a wait as it was Saturday night, but we spent our time at a little used bookstore across the way. Upon seating we were served delicious warm bread, and our waitress brought out some very good, strong cocktails. My daughter, myself and her friend loved everything we had. The food was excellent and we will definitely come back should we find ourselves in the area again! read more

Solid and centerline. On a warm Friday eve, with hundreds walking by on a busy 'Friday's after Five' in C'ville, there's little better than sitting outside, served by a convivial and energetic waiter, eating en plein. And there are but two people eating indoors in the restaurant. And truth told, I doubt I'd seek Sal's for those seats. The food is solid, built on stable decades of relied-upon Italian meals. The pizza is good, the lychee sangria a brief schizoid identity break, skip. The bolognese is solid, filling, a happy comfort of a dish, if not a holy-cow, what beasts were assembled to make this. Eat out. At Sal's. In proper weather, and in plain sight read more

I've never met anyone as beautiful and amazing as Bella. I believe that the word "Bella" which means "beautiful" in Italian must have been named after her. She is also very good serving me pasta. I wish she would feed it to me by hand. read more

Got the pasta Adriana with pink lady sauce and it was honestly extremely bland. The mushrooms felt pretty tasteless and there was barely any sauce on it. My friend got the mushroom ravioli in pink sauce and it was also a pretty small portion for more than $20 per plate pretax! read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Sal's is one of my "Go To" spots in Charlottesville . The food is excellent and plenty of it. The staff is very friendly and efficient. I really enjoyed my visit. read more

This place is good. My husband got the Alfredo and said it was the best Alfredo he has ever had. My pesto was pretty good, and the bread was amazing. Only thing I would say is for the price, the portions are somewhat small. The ambiance is really nice if you eat outside, there was a guy playing the trumpet which added to the vibe. read more

Best place around in Charlottesville. Came back both nights we were here. Damn impressive! Everything.

Great food and ambience and drinks! We got served by Teddy and his service was exemplary! He was the best waiter/bartender I had in the area. It was was his first time week and his service and drinks were top notch! Ask for him when you go to Sal's! read more

It was good, straight down the middle. One thing to note is that they really rush you through your meal, trying to take plates when you are done, bringing out entrées when still eating appetizers. Very large outdoor seating area. The food was good, nothing really stood out, and service was brisk and friendly. read more

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Ate outside and what a treat it was. The weather was perfect and the Paramount let out a large group and the wait staff responded accordingly. Actually was kinda fun watching them work! My service was great. Wish I knew the waitress name and I would give her a shout out! I had the clams and they were cooked perfectly and a generous portion. Not rubbery and with just a hint of salt, they were served over noodles that were slightly Ala dente. Nice to have well prepared food. The house red was a nice compliment to the pasta. I tried several appetizers and each were fresh and tasty. The pizza had a terrific sauce with ample amount of cheese with a medium thick type crust. My grand daughter had a Shirley Temple and she gave it a 10. High praise from a 11 year old! read more

Sal's is another Charlottesville staple. Tucked away in the downtown mall, this small cute home style Italian spot has been pleasing since 1985! The ambiance of the restaurant is homey and is the perfect spot for a date. We ordered the Pink Lady pasta which is pappardelle pasta in an alfredo and house tomato blend. The food was SO GOOD, and honestly all the credit goes to the sauce! They've perfected their recipe and it tastes just as amazing upon every visit. It does get super packed on weekends, so be sure to call in or arrive super early! read more

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I have been here several times and always leave fairly pleased. My favorite dish is their gnocchi. They give generous portions so there is always some to take home. The mussels were not served with bread which was disappointing and the sauce left something to be desired. But the bruschetta (not pictured) was delicious. I got this GIANT sangria $18, and I thought it would get me quite drunk since my tolerance is very low. It did not so I recommend finding another drink with less sugar and more alcohol if that is your thing. They have a large menu for all ages to be pleased and their outdoor dining is prime location. Since it is in the middle of the downtown parking is the usuals, market or water street is your best bet. All and all I say give it a shot - definitely try the gnocchi! read more

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I can not give Sal's Caffe high enough praise! We enjoyed delicious hand-tossed pizza, and were impressed by the fantastic selection of wine to make the perfect pairing! The owners are passionate about sharing their love for their authentic Italian cuisine, and that can be felt from the moment you enter the door! I can't wait to go back! read more

Delicious! Great service, yummy food and well made drinks. Definitely a place to visit.

So the food and service were very good. I recommend and would return next time I'm in the area. But not what prompted a review. Someone in our party spilled something on his shirt and one of the staff gave him a shout wipe. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Shout wipe and go - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

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The food, service, and ambiance were all outstanding. Definitely eating here again! From the starters to the complimentary bread to the tasty desserts - recommending this restaurant to all of our friends. read more

Had a lovely meal there earlier this week. Chicken Finazzo and a side of rigatoni. Large portions and tasty fare. Great service from our waitress as well. We'll be back! read more

Perfect meal Gnocci and calamari amazing!!!! Local wine Merlot from Lovingston was perfect read more

Decor nice, service good, food marginal. Sunday gravy and meatballs is a complete miss. Over cooked pasta with a chef boyardee hue and taste. Couldn't finish it. White pizza good, but needed one more minute in the oven. Caesar salad needs a little more acid and straining the oil laden anchovies would help things along. Extra points for crisp and cold romaine. Valpolicella Ripasso was wonderful for the price. Appropriate glass. This restaurant has a huge upside with a little more attention. PSA to all Italian restaurants: Parboiling pasta should be outlawed and Sunday gravy served on a Sunday should be homemade. read more

I just returned from a trip to Charlottsville, Va. and so glad I stopped in to eat at Sal's Caffe. Try the Finazzo Chicken and Chicken Picatti it is the best I have ever had. The open seating is delightful and the staff is so efficient and friendly. Inside is a terrific and beautiful bar seating and great for when it gets chilly. Can't wait to tell my children what a great time I had in Charlottsville and eating at Sal's was a treat for sure! read more

Delicious manicotti and mushroom ravioli. Service was excellent. Quaint and clean restaurant. We highly recommend. This is our favorite Italian restaurant in Charlottesville. read more

I have dined here twice now and have been happy with both my meals. It isn't the best Italian food I've ever eaten but it certainly gets the job done. Personally, I love the caesar salad. It is a generous portion and is well dressed - one of the better caesar's I have had in my life. The first time I ate here for dinner, I ordered the lobster ravioli. It was fine. I didn't love it but it was good. The pasta dough is definitely homemade which is a positive. The most recent time I've eaten here, I ordered the pasta bolognese and it was not that great, but again just fine. What keeps me going back here is the quick service and the yummy caesar salad. They also have great outdoor seating. read more

Amazing food. Hands-down the best Caesar salad I have ever had. We visited Charlottesville for two days and both nights we ate at this establishment. The ambience was beautiful. We ate outdoors under the umbrellas. The weather was wonderful. The macaroni was cooked to perfection the first night we had, a Caprese salad Caesar salad pasta Bolognese the meat was delicious. Season to perfection. The wine was good. The service was good on the first night. We ate entirely too much bread, which was our own doing but thoroughly enjoyable. We came back the next night, unfortunately the Weight staff had switched, it was not crowded. However, our waitress did not take our order or even get us water for 20 minutes. We had to flag down the hostess to get us drinks. They spilled water all over my husband an apology, of course. The service wasn't that great on the second night but the food was overall and outstandingdelectable meal you can't go wrong. The location is pristine. Seems to be family owned when we come back to Charlottesville. This will be our favorite go to place. read more

Sal's Caffe Italia - Outdoor cafe - Italian Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Great food! The spaghetti and meatballs were delicious! Great service! All servers courteously and promptly assisted us. Great location! Downtown on a blocked off street to people watch, sightsee and shop. read more