My wife and I went here for her birthday, and it was indeed a treat. The atmosphere (despite dining in the cellar...LOL :) and service are wonderful, and the food is nothing less tan spectacular. We started off with an appetizer of polenta with braised mushrooms in a reduced beef sauce. The wife had the duck breast with scalloped potatoes, while I went for the gnocci with Bolognese sauce. Those, and some of the best bread I've ever tasted, was the highlight of the meal. Ah, but we must not forget dessert. She had a light, (almost) flourless chocolate cake, while I very much enjoyed, while I very enjoyed their apple strudel with vanilla ice cream. All in all a fabulous meal, and well worth the price, but I do have a serious suggestion: Nowhere in their ad(s), is a dress code mentioned, nor is the fact that reservations are required. They really should mention that in their advertisements. read more

Italian cuisine that competes with anyone , anywhere is the state including South Florida . All the pasta is homemade . Both the chef as well as the pastry chef border on genius . Wonderful service and great atmosphere for serious dining. read more

Ambiance was amazing service was fantastic and the food was fabulous. There were 4 of us and every single dish was wonderful. We will definitely return next vacation read more

5 Stars for intimate, fine dining where you may not expect it. I'm not saying Daytona Beach is devoid of good restaurants, but this is the impression you get when driving along the coast. At a certain point, you may be looking for more than pizza or fish tacos. In this case, The Cellar is a shining beacon that kindly asks you to take Daytona seriously. And after that meal- I'm listening. We called for a reservation for that same night and luckily got in, but only for seating upstairs. From the moment we walked up until we stumbled back out (in a state of food euphoria), we were impressed. The service is top notch. Friendly, knowledgable, ready to change your white cloth napkin to a black one as soon as you sit down (for those of us who tend towards darker attire- this is pretty great). The menu will make your mouth water, as will their wine lists. I went with the halibut special which included black risotto, smoked a beautiful fillet of halibut, a lemon caper sauce, mushrooms, and even a slice of smoked salmon on top of the fish. It was the special all right! Wow. What. A. Dish. Though I worried it would be too many elements, they all paired beautifully. Below the halibut was a special surprise- a sautéed tomato. It is this type of thoughtful addition that characterizes the dishes at The Cellar. Sometimes complex, always balanced. My compadre got the duck and we couldn't help but share bites between "Mmmmm"s. For the dessert we shared the Italian imported Chocolatissimo. Again, a fine dish which was warm, creamy, and addictive. It was the perfect end to a satisfying meal. If and when I'm back in Daytona, you can bet I'll be dining at The Cellar (at least once... But, heck- probably every night). read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Upstairs dining room - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

An Italian restaurant in Daytona Beach offering first class Italian food? I know, it sounds unbelievable in town riddle with lousy restaurants and an Italian cuisine of little more than Americanized pizza or a sub sandwiches. However, it's true. The Cellar really does offer first class impressive Italian, as in real Italian, the likes of which I have generally only found in Italy. I started with a special mussel appetizer. The mussels were plump, juicy, the sauce delicious and the presentation most impressive. Then, for entrée, a veal chop which came perfectly done covered with a delightful roasted fennel along with sides of asparagus, carrots. I also found the Cellar to be sparkling clean, neat, orderly and to have a charming atmosphere about it. The Cellar is wine and beer only but with a decent selection. read more

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Went with a party of 6. EVERYTHING was just so delicious. This was my second time visiting. Was not disappointed, even better this time. We had too many dishes to name. We all ordered different pastas. The bucatini carbonara was so amazing I want to go back again tonight. They all were full of flavor and delicious. I highly recommend asking the host/sommelier for a wine pairing. So much knowledge. read more

Wonderful food! Wonderful service. Everything we had for dinner was wonderful. I highly recommend the bucatini carbonara was one of the best things I have ever eaten, the filet was cooked perfectly. The Veal porcini was amazing, very tasty. Finished it with some dessert and a delightful cappuccino. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

Tried this place for the first time last night. What a find. Upscale Italian fare at its best. We had the Italian sausage ravioli and the wide noodle pesto sauce with lump crab. 2 house salads. Everything was outstanding. The salads came with a peach vinaigrette and Gorgonzola cheese. Fantastic! The homemade pasta and sauces were delicious. Service was spot on as well. I really appreciate the safety protocol they have in place. Temperature checks and sanitizer at the door. Dress code enforced. So wear your mask and don't wear flip flops, shorts or tee shirts. Definitely recommend. We will be going back real soon. read more

Delicious dinner on the lower level. Love the salad with peach vinaigrette and Gorgonzola cheese. Lamb filled pasta pillows and veal scalloping were our choices. Tiramisu for dessert! And really good wine! Love this place. read more

This was our second visit to The Cellar Restaurant, a high-end establishment set in a historic home in Daytona Beach. While some recommend this restaurant as a fine dining experience, we found it to be extremely uncomfortable. The off-putting nature of The Cellar began with my phone call where I was sternly advised about specific policies and dress codes. At the door, there was a posted warning to wait outside for the hostess (how do they know you are there? Is there a spy camera?). The overall mood of this restaurant is quiet, formal, and stern...maybe even tense. Once we got inside, it felt like we were visiting a home where an argument was going on...it made us feel unsettled. From the first greeting, the hostess felt controlling and not friendly, telling my husband sternly to take off his fedora (no hats) and then moving it off the table to the chair. And then I was told to place my purse on a hook while she watched. Very odd. Everything was quiet in the dining room and the staff must have been told not to speak much to customers as our waiter would hardly interact with us. The atmosphere is so oppressive that it really overshadows everything else. This is not an inexpensive restaurant. The dining room is nicely lit with individual table lamps and white linen tablecloths. Everything is clean and organized. The food was good, but not great for the price. The appetizer was very pleasant and enough to share. However our pasta meals for example were very small portions at $30 with no salad or extras. I understand wanting to make a place nice, but the formal and terse manner of the staff really put a damper on our experience. You feel like you aren't allowed to move without their approval, no loud conversations, and definitely no fun. read more

It's very simple. The food was fantastic. The service was exceptional. Great ambiance. I will be back to enjoy this restaurant again.

I am updating my review after finally being contacted after Hurricane Ian had knocked out their power for almost a week. Looking forward to visiting the restaurant again once they are fully operational and able to take reservations. read more

We visited the Cellar for dinner and enjoyed all of the entrées and homemade pasta dishes. We paired an entrée with a half serving of pasta as an appetizer. Our server was very friendly and helpful. Also the restaurant space is pretty amazing on its own with several Tiffany stained glass artwork showcased in the space. read more

The restaurant was awesome. A must visit. They are very strict with COVID19, but it was worth the hassel. Reservations only and we had to wait outside for the host to take us to our table. Interesting you will have to give a CC to make the reservation, which they followup the morning of the reservation. Reasonably price for the food and most of it homemade and the service/waitress was excellent. Not a lot of tables maybe 10 in the cellar 6 to 8 on the closed in porch with 3 to 4 outside on the patio. Owner was very pleasant and stopped by several times to chat. With a bottle of wine, sparkling water, unique calamari appetizer, desserts, cappuccinos and main course the bill was $174. read more

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This is a great.Italian restaurant! I like the beef Carpaccio as a starter. Then I go with one of the veal dishes, I never get to dessert!

I have been to this amazing place a few times. The food is exceptional and the service excellent. Lena (I hope I got her name right) makes the experience pleasant. Always willing to accommodate whenever possible. The ambiance is warm and cozy. The two servers work diligently to ensure quality wine, daily specials, and the finishing touches of dessert details are shared. Kudos to the chef! Homemade pastas, and perfectly seared seafood (my favorite) entrées, nicely presented. Unfortunately, I don't have pics to share. I will be back for certain and hopefully, I'll remember to take pics before I dive into my dish! read more

This place is by reservation only, which, when I called and left a message, took a few hours to hear back from someone who, when I finally spoke to her seemed indifferent as to whether or not we chose to dine with them. Looking at the menu and pricing online made it seem like it was going to be a more of a fine dining experience. While the food was absolutely phenomenal, it better be for the prices they are charging. Sadly, the atmosphere is certainly nothing to write home about. It is in what could be a cool old 1907 mansion that was home to President Warren G. Harding and his wife, but somehow, it just feels old and outdated (not in a cool way). There was some random Italian music (not necessarily background, dinner-style Italian music) playing on what seemed like a sort of boom box mounted to the wall. Our waitress was kind and reasonably attentive, but not overly knowledgeable. Overall, it definitely did not feel like a fine dining experience, but the prices were definitely fine dining prices. If you are looking for excellent food or are a bit of a history buff, it may be worth a try. I would say I'm at least glad we tried it as the meal, overpriced though it was, was delicious. read more

We went to the Cellar on a date night. It was perfect! We had the carpaccio, and stuffed peppers as an appetizer. They were both amazing. For our pasta course I had the meat ravioli in a light tomato sauce, and he had sausage with tagliatelle both were delicious and half came home with us. For dinner I had the veal with the mushroom cream sauce, he had the rack of lamb. The flavor was terrific on both! Panacotta and Apple strudel for dessert. So much food leftovers were great for lunch! Service was awesome as well! read more

Dining at The Cellar was an amazing experience! First off, yes, this restaurant is highly expensive, and the wine selections especially so. The only real negative aspect of our experience is that the reservation process was quite awful. OpenTable only takes reservations if you have 4 people or less; if you have more than 4, you have to call, and even then it seems that only one member of the staff is able to complete reservations. Making our reservation was a very difficult game of telephone tag. Beyond those two things, I cannot commend this restaurant enough. Our server, Diego, was extremely polite and knowledgeable, and when he was unsure of something, he knew who to ask. He accommodated every request my group had without question or hesitation. The food menu had great variety without feeling overwhelming. It was easy to find something appetizing without that nagging sensation that you missed out on something else. All three courses (antipasti, entree, and dessert) were excellent, though keep in mind that the portion sizes are smaller than you may expect of a typical restaurant. (See photos.) I did not personally partake in any wine, but I was told by the members of my group that the wines were thoroughly enjoyed (including the dessert wines). Lastly, the ambiance is wonderful. Very cozy, like a cottage, and decorated to very much feel like a traditional wine cellar. Fitting of the name! Overall I highly recommend this restaurant if your budget affords it and you are prepared for the effort required to make a reservation. read more

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The appearance of this restaurant is cute on the outside, but we were seated downstairs and the dining room was quite loud, cluttered and outdated. The staff was all extremely friendly and worked very hard to present an upscale experience: I had trouble hearing some of the staff because neighboring tables were quite loud. The menu was extensive and quite frankly a little bit overwhelming. I did not count but there were more entree choices than there were patrons. There were three snapper dishes alone. We started with the special, calamari, and also a portobello /Gorgonzola appetizer. While the taste of both dishes was acceptable, the plating and presentation was reminiscent of a 1970s era olive loaf. Calamari was not breaded or fried. It was squid, olives and spiralized vegetables formed into a loaf. The sauce on it was quite tasty but it was more a quid salad than calamari. The portobello appetizer again tasted delicious, probably the best thing I ate, but the plating was unappealing, a flat, dark mushroom, light on cheese and heavy on balsamic. We ordered a seafood risotto and one of the three snapper dishes. I love risotto, and was excited to see it appear three different places on the menu. But at the end of the day, the difference between risotto and rice is in the slow preparation. I received a bowl of rice with some peas and seafood. The flavor of the seafood was quite nice, but then rice was undercooked for rice, let alone risotto. Presentation was simple. The snapper was well cooked with an extremely simple side of vegetables and a flat potato pastry. It was acceptable, but forgettable. Panna cotta for dessert was delicious. I feel like this whole restaurant is due for an update. The menu should be slashed to have just a few really high quality memorable dishes rather than an overwhelming deluge of mediocre options. read more

Fantastic experience. From the staff, to the decor, to the homemade food and great wine list. Everything on point for an awesome, fine dining experience. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - a table set for a meal - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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The Cellar is a hidden gem for Daytona Beach. Upscale dining experience. Food is always fresh and menu is diverse and excellent. A great choice for any occasion. The staff is well trained and personable. Owners Lena and hubby strive for excellence and have it!! A must go! read more

You're more likely to catch a leprechaun with a pot of gold in one of Daytona's dozens of dive bars than find a quality upscale Italian restaurant but here it is. The Cellar is a great look, great food, with about as great service as you're going to find in the town where a Hog Farm is a parking lot filled with Harleys. They've even got the gal at the front with the appropriate level of disdain to make the prices, lofty by Daytona standards, play. The food was respectable Italian. Well plated, portions decent, it moves to the tried and true a bit more than cucina nuova. Service is still solid four star. A bit awkward, and I had to hunt down the waitress a time or two, especially to order, but she was well trained for the place and did a fine job once we had her foot booted long enough to hold her to the table. Beer and wine establishment. Wine list was respectable as well. Don't ask the waitress for suggestions though. A little staff education might be good. The humorless gal, with the face in perpetual scold mode, who either owns or manages the place knows her wine. Knowing how to smile might be a skill set to pick up. The dining room and the cellar are dark and elegant. Perfect for a big date night, a celebration, or a spoil yourself evening. Don't bring the young kids. (The cottage may have gingerbread walls...) read more

Great ambiance for sure! Great for a family or a date night. Food presentation was good. Our waiter did not know any information about the menu items. Wasn't familiar with the specials. Didn't make any good recommendations or give any solid answers when we asked if a dish was good or not. The food wasn't anything to brag about. It was descent. Maybe we got the wrong dishes, but still, for the price, it should taste exquisite. The chocolate mouse was very good. The carpaccio was pretty bland. read more

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If you're looking for a true gourmet dining experience, featuring delicately prepared and flavor-perfect fare, make a full stop and step into The Cellar. Housed in President Harding's former beach home that dates back over 110 years, The Cellar's menu is far from the average Italian "joint." This is elegance and "white glove" service that pegs the Perfection Meter at "10." Bravo!! read more

We went here for a special occasion and were unimpressed by everything we had. I had the gnocchi and it tasted almost exactly like chef boyardee ravioli in the can. This place is a hard pass for me. If you want amazing food go to the place right across the street (Zen Bistro). The outdoor atmosphere is enchanting and the food was incredible. (And for the fraction of the cost of The Cellar). read more

Meh. Just Meh. The history of the building was fascinating to me because I am from Ohio. The ambiance was nice. The food was OK. Just ok. Covid measures were on point. We had the calamari salad and the crab and avocado appetizers. Very small portions and just ok. Two of us had two different Veal dinners. Both were tough and stringy. Flavor was ok. One other had the meat filled ravioli, he didn't finish it. It was just ok. The last one had the special, pork shank. It was good. We shared a bottle and 1/2 of wine. The service was good. For the 4 of us to have an ok dinner, it was over $300.00! In my opinion, Too much money for ok food. Would I recommend it? No. read more

A trip back to the 1980's in a very up market good way. Food is excellent. Quiet no phone environment. (1980's) Food is excellent. Could be a touch larger on the portioning of food, it is Italian anyhow. But all in all and very nice restaurant with tremendous service. Would be a great Soprano type location. SC read more

Very disappointed from beginning, first can't book a reservation online so essentially they don't value my time. Second when I did book over the phone, when I arrived they didn't have the reservation and said it would have required a credit card. They said it's expensive as the reasoning why, my vehicle was literally worth the parking lots combined 4-5 cars and they thought $150 meal was so expensive you needed a credit card to reserve it. This place is run by people who should not be running a business. Parking lot was almost empty. Honestly was a joke in the end. read more

We had yet again another magnificent meal at The Cellar. The service is perfect. The food is completely divine. After some perfect appetizers, I had the lamb and my husband had a fish entree. Lina picked out a delicious wine for us. We had three delectable desserts. It's the best restaurant I've ever been to in my life. Its always a highlight of our Florida vacation. read more

Wonderful family dinner. Every time I eat here it is special. My daughter got the filet mignonette. It was perfect. I had theVeal Scallopini and my husband had the Red Snapper. The owners always pay attention to even the small details, so it's perfect every time you visit. Additionally it is very safe to eat there during COVID-19. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Avocado with crab salad and shrimp salad. - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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Fabulous, cozy restaurant. Great place to celebrate any special occasion. Great atmosphere and great service. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Osso Buco D'Agnelo con Risotto alle Verdure - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

An exceptional meal: setting, ambiance, service, food. The reviews, including mine, do not do justice to The Cellar. Party of 7; all meals top notch; service top notch in every aspect. This is a must stop in Daytona Beach. Truly exceptional, old world dining experience. read more

We have heard friends talk about this restaurant and we should try it . We didn't have reservations but after a short wait they were able to seat us. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The presentation of the food was great . read more

Such a quaint little place! The service and food was spectacular. We loved it and it was great to celebrate my husband's birthday. Definitely worth a visit if you love Italian food, history and a quiet setting! read more

I'd also like to add, that I talk to other restaurant owners, and there aren't many, who refuse to work with companies to do deliveries, and they take themselves off of the services or ask the services to take them down. And they don't leave rude comments to me like these guys did. Again I would avoid at all costs. Real nice reply there guys. You're not gaining any five star reviews with that attitude. read more

Probably the best restaurant I've been to in the Daytona area. Definitely the most elegant! We took my mom for her birthday and they couldn't have been more gracious! My husband had the anchovy salad and commented how fresh the anchovies were. I had the portabella mushroom with gorgonzola and would order it again. The gorgonzola was melted and gooey and the portobello mushroom was buttery, creating a perfect vehicle for the cheese. My mom had the veal and loved it. My husband raved about the lamb shank and I had the snapper served with large, succulent prawns. All prepared perfectly. The bread was warm and fresh. After dinner, we had cappuccinos and biscotti that were creamy and dreamy. Then, they even offered to help my mom carry her leftovers to her car. Just be warned, it is not an economical restaurant, but worth every penny. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Snapper with prawns - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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The inn keepers at August Seven recommended The Cellar for dinner to celebrate the hubby's birthday and I totally understand why! It's definitely the best pick of the litter! We were underdressed as we'd been perusing our way around town for the day (and all weekend for that matter), and nothing warranted a wardrobe change from beach casual. Even the "fine dining" establishments weren't all that fine! But TC called our bluff and when we arrived for our reservation, we were quite shocked by this diamond in the rough! The Cellar has a wonderful atmosphere and delicious food. Thank goodness we had an early seating and the place was empty so the burn of our sub-par appearance wasn't felt too bad. We enjoyed our meal along with the excellent service and high-tailed it outta' there! I know (without a shadow of a doubt) that The Cellar is THE best restaurant in Daytona, hands down! read more

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Awesome restaurant in Daytona Beach that never disappoints. High end for a beach area, and in a really cool historic old home. I love the Carpaccio, and the appetizer of Pheasant and rabbit sausage. The Osso bucco is another fave here. Reservations recommended. read more

Did not disappoint, My wife and I recently visited for our 48th wedding anniversary. The service was world class and our dinning experience was a gourmet bucket list meal. The pasta is heavenly and I hope they are paying Granma big bucks for the pasta. A customer had on a baseball cap and was asked by staff to remove, as this is not in any way McDonalds I applauded that request. We would recommend with out reservation read more