Caffé Molise

I’ve had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant on numerous occasions, and each visit has been nothing short of a delightful experience. Every meal is a memorable culinary journey, enriched by exceptional flavors and warm ambiance. I often share these moments with friends, where impeccable food meets even better company—and it never disappoints. With consistently exquisite cuisine and top-tier service, this gem truly stands out as one of the city’s finest. A must-visit for anyone who appreciates quality dining.

This place was phenomenal, from the atmosphere to the service to the food. We got seated at the outside area and it was so pleasant. The food was phenomenal, we ordered bruschetta as an appetizer and oh my goodness it was finger licking good, I will recommend ordering it. The dishes are a little pricey but worth it. The only thing that didn’t impress us were the cocktails, they came in small glasses and I would say they weren’t worth the price, other than that everything else was great. Definitely a place to go check out!

We ate at Cafe Molise for our anniversary. It was perfect! The food and drinks were delicious! My favorite cocktail was The After Sun. The service was perfect. They were attentive, but not constantly up in your business. We ate outside, which was beautiful. It was clean and had a relaxing vibe.

Really good food and a really good atmosphere! The staff were extremely friendly and worked quickly to service our large party. Pork with fig sauce was amazing! I will return if I am in the area!

Delicious! Came here for my anniversary dinner celebration with my partner. The drinks, appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert were absolutely luscious. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience. Yes, it took a little bit of time for the food to come out, but that's how you know that this was cooked properly and fresh. It wasn't rushed, and because of it, the food flavors were on point. We're definitely coming back again.

Caffé Molise is a great spot downtown with delicious offerings. The atmosphere of the restaurant in its old building is unique and very cool both inside and out. Service is top notch with staff being friendly, and attentive. The perfect amount of options to select from. The Ravioli con Zucca was delicious as was the Gnocchi with Meatballs added. Would highly recommend if you are looking for great Italian food in SLC. If going for dinner, I highly advise making a reservation!

AMAZING!!!! I can see why we could only get reservations for an early dinner. The place is probably always booked. Italian food at its best!! Amazing dishes that all sound so amazing. I wanted the whole menu! Definitely recommend this place.

The food here is excellent, and the portions are huge! I highly recommend the Bruschetta appetizer—it’s absolutely delicious. The pasta dishes, Scampi Alla Diavola and Penne Di Caprino, were both fantastic. The Tiramisu was good as well. We even had to take food home, and it was enough for another meal! The atmosphere is really nice, with high ceilings and plenty of natural light from the large windows. However, service was a bit slow—we were the first customers of the day and had to wait almost 15 minutes before our order was taken. That said, our server was very nice and friendly. Overall, a great dining experience with amazing food. Would definitely return!

First time here. We started at BTG wine bar and then headed upstairs to Caffe Molise. This restaurant was beautifully decorated. The food is inspired by the Molise region of Italy. I ordered the Involtini di Pollo. Boneless breast of chicken rolled and filled with prosciutto, sun-dried tomatoes, Asiago cheese. I paired it with a nice South African wine that I brought to the restaurant. Corkage was $20 I'll be back

*this review is for 12/21* It was a fairly quiet night for them and we were seated in a more secluded area which we preferred. I will say that it was a bit on the chillier side so I'm glad I was wearing a sweater. The ambiance is nice and welcoming. The Spinaci salad was good yet small. The started bread was good, too. The ravioli ai funghi was not bad but the penne di caprino was better. The portion size of the pastas were pretty big so I took a lot of my leftovers with me. We added chicken to both pasta dishes for more protein so it got a bit pricey. It was on the more expensive side since the food was not impeccable. It was decent and I would recommend to people visiting or for a date night.

Very nice location and decoration. Live jazz Friday nice is def a plus, perfect for a date. Everything we ordered tastes good. Especially the Orecchiette, very flavorful and perfect spice level. For dessert we got tiramisu, flavor is gentle but rich, interesting combining with chocolate sauce which it does complement it nicely. Service is good, they are all very busy throughout the night but understandable.

This restaurant has an amazing atmosphere. It is located in a historic building and it's like stepping back in time. Sitting at the original bar is a great experience. The bartender, Maysie is super friendly and fast. The food is so flavorful and well priced. I had 2 glasses of Chianti with a Caesar (yes with anchovies) and the Shrimp scampi... all this for $60 with tip! Highly recommend.

Caffe Molise doesn't jump right out at you from the outside, but inside, it was a huge multi-story restaurant with Great service, Great food, and Great drinks. If you're into Triple G's, then this may be for you. It's within walking distance of several Downtown SLC hotels. We had a party of about 10 and were seated in the upstairs area which was quite big! The service was excellent with the primary server taking orders and lots of others filling drinks and clearing plates and all that jazz! Everyone enjoyed their meals and many took my lead and loved the Banana Old Fashioned! It was a great balance of old fashioned goodness and banana flavoring. Yum! The New York Sour was ok... I think the red wine addition took away the sour parts, which is what I was going for. I had the Scampi alla Diavola which was served with house made fettuccini. It came with a lot of shrimp and the sauce had a kick to it where you can still shovel it into your pasta-hole without pause, but you could feel and taste the spiciness. Excellent dish! I'd recommend this place to anyone looking to have a nice, yet casual dinner in downtown Salt Lake City!

We really enjoyed our meal in this old historic building in downtown Salt Lake. We ordered the scallop appetizer which was really delicious, light and just right for two people. The spicy shrimp pasta I ordered was really yummy, just the right amount of heat. The service was friendly and was very knowledgeable about both menu and the history of the building which was really cool. This is a lovely Italian spot, great date night and they have a wine bar downstairs!

I absolutely ADORED Caffe Molise. It felt like we were transported out of Utah, especially with the aesthetic interior and classical music in the background. Arrive for your reservation early, as there is a paid (but fairly small) parking lot behind the restaurant. You may need to park on the street and walk a bit. We ordered one entree per person, and the server asked if we wanted to share because they said the portions were pretty large. I would say the pasta dishes probably have a lot more food than the non-pasta dishes. I finished most of my dish, but we all took leftovers home. This is a great place if you want to have a nicer dining experience and some pretty good food. It is a family-friendly place, and when we were there there was a large birthday celebration. Overall, I do want to go back and tell more people about this place!

My parents, my husband, and I went for lunch after church one Sunday, while my parents were here visiting. I had always heard great things about Caffe Molise, so I had wanted to try it out. It didn't disappoint. The decor was really simple and cute. It wasn't too busy when we got there, so it was easy to have a conversation. We all got different dishes and everything was delicious. My mom was a little disappointed, as she was hoping to have a dish they had when they lived in Italy. The dishes were close, but not quite what she had hoped they would have. She still enjoyed her dish. The service was great from start to finish! Will definitely be back!

This place is pretty hyped up so I had high expectations. While the food was pretty good some of the dishes could be improved. The house salad that comes with the entree was just plain spring mix with sprinkled cheese on top. My mom and I were not fans and we both usually love a good house salad! Maybe they're just trying too hard to be upscale italian? A tomato or carrot would have been nice and lose the cheese! Also, the veggies on the side of my chicken were basically all raw. Just charred a tiny bit. I chewed one piece of broccoli and had to spit it out. My dad got the spaghetti and complained there wasn't enough sauce. I tasted it later and thought it was pretty good! My husband loved his dish - Chicken Marsala. I got the involtini de pollo... and I was satisfied. I do think the chicken dishes would be better with pasta versus the mashed potatoes. One of the highlights for me was the bruschetta misto appetizer. I read about it from another reviewer and I thought it was great! Overall, a nice place for dinner but on the pricier side. I enjoyed coming here once for the experience inside the historic building downtown. The ambiance is very nice and classy. The service was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive.

I've tried this place more than twice when I came to visit SLC and it never disappoints. It will become a regular stop from now on every time I visit SLC. That's how much I liked this place

Bought the family here for an early mother's day, and it just wasn't good. We've come here plenty in the past, starting from the old location, and in terms of ambiance, it's definitely always been pretty nice and cozy, with okayish service, but the food has gotten pretty subpar. We ordered 16 dishes between the 14 of us, and the Bruschetta Misto might have been the best thing. I liked how fresh the ingredients tasted. From then on it was a mess, the server asked if we wanted the bread, then didn't bring any out. All of the entrees that came out were lukewarm, not hot at all. I don't know about you but cool meat sauce is just not appetizing. On top of that all the sauces were pretty watery, the consistency just not thick like it used to be. Then I'm terms of toppings, the meat ratio was abysmal. The Sugo I had been eating at Molise for close to 8 years now, and it's gotten laughable how there's hardly any meat in the "meat sauce." There are plenty of better options for Italian food in the valley now, I won't be back.

Great service, atmosphere, nice wine selection. The sauce on filet with mushrooms, was heavy handed, overpowered with truffle oil or garlic or both.

Beautiful old building with unique history. Service exceptional by the gentleman that helped us and all the busers. The food was absolutely delicious! We ordered an appetizer (Pomodori e Mozzarella) which was ice cold and fantastic. I got the lasagne (Traditional meat lasagne - layers of pasta, Italian sausage, seasoned beef, ricotta, Asiago and marinara), and my husband the Bistecca (Beef tenderloin marinated in our secret recipe. Served grilled with a wild mushroom and truffle cream sauce.) Both came with side salads and bread rolls. We shared the hazelnut mousse cake for dessert. Every single dish was perfection. We loved every bite and cannot wait to return.

The meal was absolutely exquisite! Everything tasted so great. The service was very attentive and were informative on their menu. The inside is elegant and beautifully designed. This is a historic building that is occupied by great company. The ambiance was peaceful and serene. I ate here for lunch but would love to come back for dinner time.

Went here with a party of 18 individuals and here's the following: Service: Was great. We had an awesome waitress Fritzie (I think) but she gave us great recommendations and handled our party wonderfully. All meals came out timely and hot. Food: OMG definitely try the scallops! The dish was so fulfilling and tasteful, seasoned perfectly. Warning: their pepper is spicy, so don't go overboard lol The meal came with a Josie salad, I upgraded to a Caesar salad (forgot pic) but it was good too! Drinks: The wine was good. However I didn't like the Champagne Problems, wasn't all that I thought it would be , but it was just okay.

Great food as usual. My second time here. The experience is complete. Great attention to details. Well balanced Italian menu. Great restaurant atmosphere as well.

I was in town for a work event and our Admin recommended this place. They took reservations for 20 of us which was hard to come by, but that didn't impact the quality of our food or service. It was all amazing. We also had butternut squash ravioli and scallops as appetizers and they were excellent as well. Great place in downtown SLC that everyone must try!

Atmosphere and service was amazing but the food was very lackluster. I got the pork chop with fig compote. The fig compote was excellent and would've paired well with the pork chop but the pork chop was very dry and bland. One of, if not the worst I've ever had. The tiramisu was lovely though.

Hostess was really rude when we called to make a reservation. Acted like she didn't want us there. I won't be coming here ever again due to her hostility. Crazy!

I got the penne di caprini with chicken. The pasta also has goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes. It was a very delicious! A lot of food, a huge portion. Nice waiters and super cute and decorated nicely on the inside. Expensive but nice!

The food tasted good especially the pappardelle but it was on the pricy side for pasta. The gluten free pasta is an extra $6 that isn't listed on the menu! I would recommend going for lunch since the prices are much more reasonable and food is good. I loved the design of the restaurant and service was good.

If you like Italian food this is the place for you! This restaurant is so cute and cozy! We were seated on the main level but there is a ton of seating so if you have a big party they can accommodate you! The food was really good! I don't know authentic Italian food, that well so I didn't really know what to order but it was a lot of fun to try something new! The waiters also gave great recommendations. They very nice and always passed by to fill up your water! This restaurant is a little more on the expensive side but it's great for a special date night!

First off, this is a place that's been on my list for looooonnnnng time. And oh were my expectations met and then some! First, the ambiance/vibe... 10/10. It's chic, it's vintage, it's cozy, it's romantic. The service is exactly how I like it, helpful and mindful yet lets you enjoy the evening. Now the food. I had a hard time deciding what to order because EVERYTHING on the menu had my mouth watering. I landed on the Gnocchi di Patate. Every single bite was heavenly. The tomato cream sauce the gnocchi was dressed with was the perfect balance of cream and tomato and was so light. The pine nuts added a lovely texture to the meal which elevated it so much! I wanted to drink the leftover sauce. So yummy.

Fun holiday date night with my husband! Haven't been here in so long, that this was our first time at their newer location. I had a lovely Malbec to drink with the house salad and pork tenderloin as my entree. I can't have dairy so they subbed out the dressing on my salad and gave me pasta instead of mashed potatoes. The server took great care of my dietary needs! My husband had the holiday mocktail to drink, Caesar salad and mushroom ravioli as his entree. For dessert I got the pear cognac and orange sorbet and my husband got the mint chip gelato and an espresso. We had a wonderful time celebrating an evening out! Will definitely try to eat here more often!!

Food is mediocre at best and grossly overpriced for the quality. $27 for this overcooked pasta... Go to Osteria Amore for far better and cheaper Italian food. Service and ambiance were good. There is no dedicated parking so you either need to pay at the lot next to the building or park on the street.

An amazing ambiance with wonderful food and exceptional service. Value for the money here is almost unbeatable. We did not have a single complaint about food, service, or pricing. Would absolutely dine again if in the area.

I felt like it was time to update my review, since Caffe Molise moved locations and my previous review was based on where they were before. I'm happy to report that the food is still as remarkable as I remember it to be. The ambience is still upscale and lovely, although it's now in an older building with some cool architecture. The dining areas are in separate rooms of the building, not one wide open space. Parking is available across the street in a paid lot and reservations are highly recommended.

What an adorable place with so much character! My friends and I love coming here for drinks and desserts but their food looks so good too. We have always been treated well by the staff.

A friendly restaurant and wine bar in downtown Salt Lake City. Here with a large group for business. Despite our large group, service was great and friendly. We ordered appetizers to share including bruschetta and tomatoes w mozzarella. Mains are generous - I couldn't finish my pollo Marsala. Mains come w salad and vegetables. Several people had various pasta dishes - again generous w plenty of protein on the pasta. Top it off w cheesecake for a satisfying meal.

Great location for a restaurant, gorgeous interior decor, good ambiance. The food was good, but lacked a "wow" factor to match the setting. Was surprised by a service faux pas: entrees were brought out and the server waited for us to move our salad plates out of the way so they could place the entrees, and then they departed without removing the used plates. Would rate as 3.5 stars.

The search for the best Italian restaurant in SLC shall continue. It's def not this place. Caffe Molise is in an old brick building in downtown SLC. I remember years ago seeing the windows pulsating with colored lights as a party club. It's a great place for a restaurant. However, inside, it was not warm enough to delayer. I noticed a lot of patrons wearing their coats still. My young waiter was cool, but green. As he described the specials, he went so fast with no passion, that I had to ask twice to repeat the 4 items. I chose the scallops special. It came out within 5 minutes (pre-cooked?)...exactly with my glass of wine..., and looked like an appetizer, but was $23. Scallops (5 small) with Pineapple, Orange-Mint Sauce. It had a side of arugula salad on the same small plate. It was tasty. However, I added some balsamic vinegar on the arugula for more flavor. Waiter asked if I would like bread...yes...a small roll was served. The table had oil and vinegar. No salt, pepper, or parm. I decided to go with the Bistecca..."Beef tenderloin marinated in our secret recipe. Served grilled with a wild mushroom and truffle cream sauce." It came with "Piatti are served with green salad, starch and vegetable sides." Several starch choices. I went with the angel-hair pasta with garlic and Parmesan. Since I just had arugula salad with my appetizer, I changed my salad side to Cream of Tomato soup, one of the other choices. However, was charged an additional $2.50. The soup was tasty, but had some "heat" to it. I think it was the croutons. Very noticeable peppery hotness. I don't remember my waiter saying Spicy Cream of Tomato Soup. Next was the entree. On the menu, there is no mention on the size of the tenderloin steak. My vision/assumption was a 8-10 oz portion. It was more like 4-5 oz. I ordered Medium Rare. It was Med Well. Small. Dry. Tasteless. Def not a "marinated secret recipe". Unless, the secret is there is no secret recipe. The angel hair pasta was a small mound of dry pasta. After each bite, I got a rush of heat in my stomach. Very spicy. After careful examination, I could see lots of chili pepper flakes. The heat/spice did not go well with steak with truffle cream sauce. Overpowered all other flavors. I had heartburn as I left. The "vegetable side" was a selection of small pieces of broccoli, cauliflower, and shallot,but mostly broccoli. There was one piece that was abnormally long stemmed. Sigh. Dessert menu is mostly basic standard boring desserts...tiramisu, cheesecake, bread pudding, gelatto, etc. Eventually, my waiter came back, I ordered the Hazelnut Mousse Cake to-go..."Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse layered between a shortbread crust and dark chocolate ganache topping." Looked boring, but tasted very good. For the prices they charge, I expected higher standards and better food. Def won't go back. Appetizer, dinner, drinks, and dessert for one...$123 without gratuity.

1 of 2 places in Utah where I enjoyed the food. The staff were friendly & the architecture was beautiful.

My wife and I met at "The Bay" dance club just over 30 years ago and we returned back for the first time for dinner at the lovely restaurant that now occupies this historic building. It was magical and brought back so many memories! They had a lovely Jazz ensemble playing that evening that really added to the ambiance but they started after 7 almost at the end of our dining experience unfortunately so we only enjoyed a few minutes We really enjoyed the Polenta con Funghi app along with a beet salad special that was very nice presentation and fresh flavors For Entrees I ordered the short rib special and was blown away by the deep and rich flavors of the Balsamic and wine sauce complementing the large and very tender rib. The heirloom carrots had very subtle flavor notes and were a bit undercooked to really enjoy My wife ordered the Involtini di Pollo and while she savored the sauce and filling the chicken breast was too dry and tough to really enjoy the dish. We brought this to our servers attention and she offered a free dessert. We ended our experience with their cheese cake, standard fare with nice flavors but a bit too sweet for my taste Overall and enjoyable experience, we look forward to visiting again for the nostalgia as well as the food and experience at this lovely restaurant.

The appetizers were decent. The bread was a Dutch crunch. Not traditional Italian, but it was fresh and I enjoyed it. Caprese had good tomatoes, the mozzarella wasn't fresh made or anything and the balsamic was unfortunately sweet, probably one of the commercial reductions. The olive oil was better than I expected. For the main, I got shrimp far diavolo. The shrimp were unremarkable, slightly overcooked and rubbery. The fettuccine was undercooked, but would have been acceptable or even good had they executed on the mantacare. Unfortunately this was some flyover middle America bullshit where the noodles were dumped on the plate, sauce slopped on top and it was served with zero fucks given. Flavors for the sauce were good. Garlic and spice balance was on point, and again their olive oil was a win. For desert I had a slice of chocolate cake. The strawberry half on top was the best part. The cake was ok, but nothing remarkable. What made the meal was a Napa Valley cab sauv. Service was excellent and moved quickly, especially considering we were a party of 30. The ambiance was nice enough. I appreciated that it didn't feel over decorated. We were upstairs on the 3rd floor which has enormously high ceilings. While not intimate, it wasn't as echoey as I expected. Overall, a decent place if you're looking for a large group.

Great restaurant! The food and service were both excellent! My server, Jake, was great he was very attentive and had a fun personality. I ordered the pappardelle al sugo and it was delicious. The pasta is homemade and sauce was rich and meaty. I wanted to order dessert but was too full . I would recommend stopping by for lunch or dinner when you are in Salt Lake City and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Try the Pappardelle al Sugo. Just try it. Promise. Housemade pasta, delicious sauce and cheese on top. We shared our entrees and my friends decided mine was the best. Because I couldn't decide between the Pappardelle and the Butternut Squash Ravioli, I asked our server, Ayden, to select and surprise me. Speaking of our server, the service and attention, as well as attention to detail, we perfect. Thanks so much!

Great service experience, atmosphere, food, and service. We didn't make a reservation but it was a weeknight so they accommodated us. all of our food was delish, drinks were tasty, and service was on par. Would highly recommend.

Beautiful building, great for large parties and delicious food. A large group of us dined here while visiting SLC. We had delicious food, everyone loved their meals (sorry I cooks t capture all 20+ plates). I'd highly recommend the ravioli, they were packed with flavor! I had the filet and it was excellent! Some of my colleagues had the sea bass special and raved about it. Service was great too considering there were several large parties dining. I'd highly recommend for dinner if you're in town for a conference.

My boyfriend took me here for a romantic date night. The ambiance is romantic, I wish there was light Italian music playing that would have made it more special. Our waitress was attentive going over the menu. This place is pricey so be prepared for that. We had the bistecca which was perfectly cooked and had a great mushroom sauce. I wish the veggies were prepared more intentionally than just steamed with some seasoning. Additionally when you're paying so much for an emtree, I thinking having more veggies is always welcomed. My bf ordered the short rib and it was tender but again was served with 3-4 brocollini which wasn't as filling when there is just one roll and greens with light dressing served before it. I had a good experience here. This isn't a restaurant I'm dying to go again though, but good for a small special occasion.

Food: 8/10 I enjoy trying new dishes when coming here. I tend to get their pasta dishes but was feeling like branching out and trying something new. The night I went they had this delicious pork chop dish. It was very tasty & filling. Service 10/10 We had a lovely waitress, super nice & attentive. She was very warm and had a great attitude. Ambiance 8/10

Very cute restaurant and little bar. We went for a late lunch, service was nice but a little slow. Food was good, polenta app was the star of the show! Nothing to complain about just not the best Italian I've had in my life. Need to try more Italian in the area to compare.

The service was awesome! Everyone had a smile. The food was delicious. The ambiance is really cool...with old charm.

Top notch. Fantastic service at the bar (Lola and sidekick). Great recommendation on wine. Had a great Italian white for $8 and then a house Sangiovese for $10. Very reasonable and on the mark. Had the Orecchiette al Salsiccia (spicy sausage pasta), with the med salad to start, per Lola's recommendation, excellent! This restaurant has very nice ambience, no snobbery and a solid product. I'll be back often! Very satisfied

I was here for a wedding and the appetizers were delicious! Staff is super friendly. I really liked their white bean dip and eggplant meatballs. The penne pasta was alright-a bit bland. But their cheesecake is great

The entire staff was outstanding. Friendly and professional. Server, Christene, could not have been nicer. Hot food was hot and cold food was cold. Very fresh ingredients. Loved the ambiance and it was clean.

Came as a local recommendation and it did not disappoint. The cocktails were amazing and the pasta was perfecto!

The dessert was delicious, however I wasn't too impressed with the meal. I got a scallop special. The sauce it came with was not the best for a seafood item. It overpowered the scallop. It was good, but should have been on a piece of chicken. A third of the plate was taken over by a handful of arugula. It wasn't a salad, just a hand full of arugula. It had no place being there. Also the rolls were stale. It was a great environment, but it's not somewhere I am trying to eat at again anytime soon.

Can I have something that taste good please? The compote went terribly with the pork tenderloin. The whole plate was sitting on a pool of fig compote. It's all I could taste which is not a good thing. The service was okay. I'd like my water refills to at least be cold. The place at least looks nice... I guess. MORE TO BE SAID AFTER J RECEIVED THE BILL! They charge for giving birthday cake that YOU provided PER person they are serving. Outrageous. Also don't get the Caesar salad unless you feel like burning away an additional 8 dollars. For what Caesar dressing and half a slice of bread worth of croutons???? No. You are mainly paying for the atmosphere here, not the food. GOODBYE MOLISE!!!

very good food, ambiance was perfect, a little pricey but a very nice experience! it's a little dark inside but it fits the vibe! the service was great.