Caffé Paradiso

My Father and I went a week ago Friday and had possibly the best Black Grouper I’ve had anywhere and the whole experience was excellent! My Dad and Beth go there about once a week and usually sit in the dining room. This evening we sat at the bar and Eileen waited on us. She was very good on her own, but what took the service to the next level was the server that normally waits on them (Nick) came over to say hello and offered his assistance as well. Between him and the owner all working as a team took the whole experience over the top!

From beginning to end absolutely spectacular. The food is out of the world but the service is what makes it. Hugo’s hospitality is an art form, I truly felt like i was at someone’s home enjoying their moms cooking. Bravo!

Recommended by a friend. We sat down at 7P and they brought us waters. They took our order at 7:20, second time coming over after waters. The fried calamari was good. The lasagna was delicious 10/10. The snapper was horrible I only had two bites (dry and bland). Mediocre service.

Ordered two Caesar salads, crab pasta with garlic, bow tie pasta with marinara and Italian sausage, and of course, the calamari—all of it 10/10. Only regret? The drive home. Food was so good I didn’t want to wait. Some of the best Italian I’ve had in a while. The owners? Class acts. Highly recommend

Upscale Italian cuisine boasting a great South Tampa reputation with the locals. I dined with some friends who have been long time patrons. We enjoyed martinis and moscato. The restaurant is small with many attentive servers and wait staff. Each guest is catered to. We enjoyed appetizers like the seafood salad, caprese salad, eggplant rotini and pasta fagioli. As a main course we shared a variety of pasta dishes and the fish special. Reservations are required and it gets quite busy.

Maybe the most impressive dining experience I’ve ever had. Staff, atmosphere and food were impressive beyond words and Paolo was a gracious and humble host. I can’t wait for my next trip to Tampa!

EXCEPTIONAL!!!! All around outstanding in every way possible. No wonder this place was voted the best Italian Cuisine in Tampa! I would say, “The BEST Italian Cuisine.” …… of anywhere! Upon entering, we could smell the fresh basil from the sidewalk! We ordered the Calamari Fritti for an appetizer. It was the most tender, best tasting Calamari I’ve had yet. For the main course I had the lump crab meat with pasta and they do NOT skimp on the crab meat!!! It was so tender and moist, so fresh and deliciously sweet. The marinara is PERFECT and you can tell it’s made with fresh tomatoes and basil. It was heaven in my mouth. My boyfriend got the Rosemary Chicken with vegetable medley. The Rosemary is fresh and fragrant and the veggies are FRESH, NOT frozen and steamed!!!! Next, we indulged in the limoncello cake for dessert. Also heaven in my mouth. Perfectly soaked, perfectly balanced and perfectly creamy. After that, we had an espresso and an espresso martini! The espresso was VERY dark and strong, just what is needed after a heavy meal. The espresso Martini was slightly bitter and slightly sweet. Perfection in everything. I don’t think words can express the experience that the food gave me. This place is SUPER affordable for the quality of food! The waiter was outstanding and attentive. He even scraped off the crumbs on our table. Your water is always topped off, and never a dirty dish left on the table! I LOVE how the managers (notice how it’s plural) are always walking around interacting with the guests and helping with the tables. You can tell the employees work as a team here. We will be back with ALL of our family!!!

I had a fantastic dinner last night at Caffé Paradiso. From the moment I stepped inside, the staff was warm & welcoming. The attention to service and the quality of the meals here are second to none. Grazie Paolo!

Three of the above Food Service And ambiance Always enjoyed your restauran for many many years The best in town

Overrated! Ordered the unremarkable Mozzarella Caprese salad to start. The tomatoes looked like they came from Publix - pale in color and lacked actual taste. Again, rather unremarkable. The complimentary bread was good. All entrees are served with basic vegetable medley that could easily be mistaken for a bag of frozen mixed veggies. No substitutions for the side vegetables - NOOOO substitutions. The entree portion sizes are uber small - maybe 3 ounce proteins. The pollo parmagiana had a great red sauce - the 3oz chicken was rubbery though. The minuscule protein with a season-less vegetable medley makes this place not just overrated but over priced. Now - onto the service. I use that term loosely. Starting with the maitre de. He did not greet us - he simply pointed to a table and said - you can sit at either of those tables. What??? No, "hello"? No, "good evening"! No, "welcome"? No, "Right this way"! Oh - it gets better. No less than 4 times did a server bump into my chair. I get it is tight seating quarters with every table occupied - but 4 times??? The dismissive "pardon" seemed very disingenuous. Our server NEVER refilled our water glasses without being asked. Never. It took in excess of 5 minutes after asking for a refill to actually get more water. When we asked for more bread - it took 20 minutes for server to bring another basket. The entire evening he treated us like we were an inconvenience. Honestly - the service is so appalling - I don't get why people go here. To recap - if you are looking for uber small entree portions & crappy service in a really tight setting - this is the place for you.

We stopped at the bar for a drink before our 6:30 reservation. The bar is nice and the bartender was helpful. I opted for a lemon drop martini as it's my "go to" drink. The drink arrived looking great, but it was probably the worst lemon drop I have ever had. The drink tasted like vodka with a small hint of lemon. There was little or no simple syrup, so it was overly tart. The dining area is an open space with mostly tables as the "booths" aren't closed in, just have a bench seat. Although we were only one of 3 tables with guests, we waited 10 minutes for a server. There is a great wine list and the Sauvignon Blanc I ordered was a great pour. I settled on a Caesar salad and the veal saltimbocca. Again, we waited really long for salads to arrive. In the meantime, they did bring fresh bread. The Caesar was very good, full of flavor. Next we waited an extra really long time for our entrees. Yes, a few more tables were full, but it was still ridiculous how long we waited. If I was disappointed with the lemon drop, I was doubly disappointed in the veal dish. I love saltimbocca and this wasn't saltimbocca. No prosciutto, and no cheese, just a sauce on top. My friend also ordered the same dish and felt the same way I did. Super disappointing.

Caffe Paradiso is small, but mighty! I dined in on Friday night and was very grateful to have a reservation pre-booked because the dining area was packed tighter than a can of sardines and the line to be seated was out the door. The one negative remark of this review is that they have too many tables and not enough space, which made it difficult to maneuver around the restaurant and extra difficult to sustain conversations over all of the noise. Aside from that, I had a wonderful time. We started with the calamari to share. It was fried to perfection and came with a cup of marina sauce, which is the appropriate portion size in my opinion! I opted to have a soup and salad for my meal. I selected the pasta e fagioli; it was thick and very flavorful despite having minimal ingredients. For a salad I had the burrata; I believe this was an evening special. The burratta was served with tomato wedges and roasted beets for a fun twist on a staple dish. I had a bite of the chicken fettuccine Alfredo and can confirm it was the best in Tampa. We filled up on delicious food and left no room for dessert, but I look forward to returning and trying the dessert options soon!

This was my first time eating here. Our server was great and attentive. The menus was not a very large one which is fine, allows them to focus on the food quality. I had the pasta and lump crab meat platter. It was great and I finished every last bite. My wife had the lobster ravioli and mozzarella caprese and both were very good. We didn't order any salads but what I saw at other tables looked nice and fresh. Prices are on the higher end so keep that in mind. I gave it 4 stars because it was pretty loud there so table conversation was difficult. The tables were also a little too close where we sat which made it very difficult to navigate around the tables. We were all a little hungry so we didn't snap any photos of the food. What you see here on Yelp is pretty accurate though so no loss.

Always a great local spot. Best service, excellent food, amazing ambiance. The seafood salad was great! The bartenders will make anything you ask and their food is al dente from the first to last bite.

We went on a Friday night and the ambiance was romantic and service was very attentive. We were given complimentary bread which was hard and subpar. I ordered the Capelli D'angelo Al Granchio ($32.95) which was Angel hair pasta sauteed with lump crab, olive oil and garlic. It had a generous amount of crab meat, which was good, but the flavor profile was lackluster. My boyfriend got the Pappardelle Short Rib Special ($35? Cant remember the exact price) which I thought had better flavor but the meat didn't melt in your mouth like I thought it would. Overall, I thought the food was good just nothing to run home about. I would give the food a 3.5/5 and the service a 5/5. The dishes were expensive so I had higher expectations - If the prices were more reasonable for what I received, I would probably give it 4 stars.

After much talk from friends who are regulars, we ventured a try to looking for Paradiso. It's good but lacked an elevated culinary experience for the value. Service was attentive for a busy Friday night in the hustling, somewhat loud din of patrons feasting. Drinks from the full bar menu allowed for a good start to loosen up the conversations with friends. Food is where I felt it lost some pizzazz. I forget what my best half had, but my Branzino Tirreno had a nice piece of fish that seemed to be lost in the thick tomato capers sauce. Maybe the sauce is sitting too long or that's how they like serving it. But it masked the freshness of the fish and weighted down the otherwise lighter pasta flavor profile. Would I prefer a fresher tomato and caper combo...definitely!! Rounded out with a classic rich desert. Maybe I'm looking for a younger fresher taste that the regular crowd wants, but it was a good try and had a great time with friends. Just not my cup of sauce. Enjoy!

I'm traveling for business and this was a suggestion of a coworker to try. What a pleasant surprise. Authentic Italian food. Great atmosphere. Polite and friendly staff. Food is delicious. Presentation on point. The eggplant rolitini one of the best I've had. The fish was flaky and flavorful. Wine menu is not disappointing! I'm coming back !

This place is a must. Service is wonderful. Atmosphere is great. My husband took me here for my birthday and I was more than impressed. The chef accommodated me with one of my favorite dishes that wasn't on the menu. It's was the best I've ever had and I'm from NY. They also had an Italian Merlot wine.

Went for a family birthday dinner. The server had 0 personality and was average at best. I ordered lobster ravioli and my husband had spaghetti with white clam sauce. No appetizers, salads or desserts and our bill was over $80.00 with tip. My dinner was ok and my husband's clam sauce was bland. The only good thing about the dinner was being with my family. Super overpriced for average food.

My wife and I had an amazing dinner here last night. The setting is elegant and cozy. Perfect for a date or a larger group. The owner and staff are welcoming and very attentive. There is a full bar as well as a dining area. So you can start with a cocktail if you prefer. The wine list is extensive with a few representative bottles available by the glass. Pricing is reasonable. Parking is free. The location is BayShore Beautiful about a block and a half from the bay. We started with a special - Mozzarella with tomatoes and beets drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. Loved it. For main courses, I had another special- grouper covered in a creamy sauce with shrimp on top. It came with asparagus. Again, I loved it. Very light and flavorful with a hint of lemon. My wife had Veal Marsala. She described it as very flavorful but not too rich. It came with a vegetable medley. Also an excellent meal. We finished with a slice of limoncello cake and cappuccinos. The flavors were heavenly and we loved every part of this meal. I can't wait to come back to try some other dishes. It was also nice to have a professional waiter, Antonio, who made the experience even more special. Apologies for not taking photos. I only have one of my grouper.

Best Italian in Tampa. Never misses. Great restaurant ambience and even better food! Would definitely recommend.

Food was bland and waiters were touching me and making me uncomfortable and nothing came out quick.

Food and service great everytime. Very accommodating, love new bar renovations and great wine list!!! A Tampa staple.

Still the place tomgo. Great wine list and exceptional service. Never disappoints..

Overall the food was fine. Good service. Ambiance ok. We went with a large group and there were some dishes that stood out and some that didn't. There's many other Italian food restaurants that I prefer (Rocca, Olivia, Piccola) to name a few. 3/5 rating because I felt the food and dining experience was simply your avg Italian restaurant.

Excellent food, excellent service and the ambiance was nice and cozy. The noise level was a bit too high but through no fault of the restaurant, some of the guests just spoke too loud. I give it 5 stars. Value of money

Food is excellent! But 2 stars!! Why?? To say that I was disappointed is an understatement but I don't expect for this place to go under because my review - the chefs are excellent and they truly care about their food and presentation is on point. My abysmal and shocking disappointment lies with the server and noticed a similar trend with other servers as well. A few I could tell were cognitive and we're keenly aware of their customers needs. I noticed the customers here are loyal, extremely loyal, so loyal if you are visiting for the first few times you simply don't exist. Yes, this establishment has built the love from the local community that everyone knows each other, this isn't a bad thing, sincere kudos to the owners and management staff - you should be proud of this accomplishment. I noticed the clientele is a clear representation of South Tampa and you will see a familiar face if you pay attention, you've earned the locals respect and business. I understand that I'm not a regular at any particular place because the Tampa Bay area has a lot of great food experiences but I really want Cafe Paridiso to take notice that you have may have plateaued with your business. My night in a nutshell, a Friday night reservation, didn't take long to be seated and was seated by the host/manager warmly. Iced Water was provided promptly, excellent so far. Fun begins, 20 mins wait, server finally introduced themselves and asked for our order. (FYI - I noticed the server half-hugged many customers and made sure to tell the assistant to help them retrieve drinks/etc. whatever was needed. Made their nights it appears.) We the newbies didn't exist. Pressed on and ordered an appetizer "Mozzarella Capresa" and a "Stracciatella" soup and some Iced Teas, I swear Italian places know how to make the best Iced Tea's (well almost everything food related - :-)) they continued the Italian tradition - excellent. Ordered our meals "Capelli D'Angelo Al Granchino & Pollo Alla Siciliana. The tougher patch - The appetizer did take a little longer than expected but it was a Friday night and we let it go again- roughly 20 mins for some buffalo mozzarella and some fresh tomato with an interesting dressing that I wasn't expecting, very good but simple olive oil and balsamic could be perfect as well. It was delicious, I forgot to mention I've been out of Iced Tea awhile but the water assistant kept it flowing. Finally got a refill, then noticed the server telling the adjacent table about tonight's specials - what?? They have specials??? I love ordering off the atypical menu. They have Burrata di Mozzarella??? Seriously! Are you kidding me? This is now irritating... well, I can say it looked good from afar.. whatever. Dinner arrives... wait where is my soup? The stracciatella soup is honestly the reason why I actually came here, no it's not Ice Cream/Gelato, it's a chicken soup with spinach and egg. The night is continuing to down spiral, told the other server because our server didn't bring out the food he was too busy probably giving bro hugs to other customers. The alternate server was very nice and was apologetic. I know this review is getting long winded. Our dinner took about an hour to arrive after ordering, my soup arrived and was absolutely divine. The manager's were apologetic and did their best. The nice Friday date night was a disappointment but was delicious in every bite but Cafe Paridiso is only for locals. Newbies beware... Chef - I'm sorry your servers may be letting you down.

For a delicious Italian meal with an elevated touch, consider reserving a table to dine at Caffe Paradiso. The staff is incredibly kind, and the food is amazing! Whether you opt for a heavier pasta option or a lighter vegetable dish, freshness and tastiness will not be compromised. On a previous visit, I devoured the lobster angel hair special, complete with a decadent butter sauce. This time, I had the sea bass special with roasted vegetables. For appetizers, we enjoyed escargot and calamari. Everything is flavorful, fresh, and satisfying. They are always keeping it exciting with new specials, which never disappoint.

For sure its authentic Norther Italian, great Italian wine selection and reasonably priced Given the location all the way down MacDill it has many South Tampa regulars Food is excellent, been there 6-times, never disapointed

They were over thirty minutes late to sit our reservation. For their lateness the owner offer a plate of toast and tomatoes, he called it bruschetta. The server hit my date on the head with the dish while busing the table, he barely offered an apology. Food was subpar and unoriginal. We ordered the dinner special and it came out cold. Servers got everyone's orders backwards and forgot one. There are plenty more higher quality and original Italian places in town to check out. Try all of them before going here.

Excellent date night spot- we loved the grouper piccata special, but everything on the menu looked delicious! We also enjoyed the salmon appetizer. Service was attentive and welcoming. We'll be back.

I was with a couple who were long time diners, and knew all the history. After we devoured a burrata, I dove into a veal saltimbocca. If this is perfect so is the restaurant. It was magnificent. Very attentive service and owners. I have it on my list of to go places. Easy location.

My husband and I went here for date night the other night. Overall we thought it was pretty good but not necessarily spectacular. I ordered the scallops with pesto and angel hair pasta. I thought the scallops were cooked perfectly but could use more pesto for the amount of food served. My husband ordered the bolognese which I thought was delicious, but my husband felt was bland. We generally felt the entres were not worth the amount we spent on them. The tiramisu, however, was the game changer. It was delicious, homemade, and perfect. I would come back just for dessert! On another note, their staff was friendly and their drink list was decent.

Last night we went to Cafe Paradiso for a family birthday dinner with six of us. The restaurant has been here for years and always been highly regarded. We started with drinks and the burrata appetizer and salads and they were all wonderful and well done. My wife had the crab angel hair pasta with the red sauce and I had the lobster pasta special with scallops and crab and a garlic oil fume sauce. They were both "to die for" and the best Italian food I have ever tasted. They also make adjustments to menu entrees such as different pasta types and sauces upon request. For dessert we had the Tiramisu which was home made, classic and as good as I have ever had. The service was very friendly and attentive to all our requests. The ambiance is very personal and like being in someone's home. I would greatly recommend this hidden restaurant gem in a small strip center in South Tampa. Don't miss it.

Cannot believe it has taken me this long to write a review. The food here is exceptional, especially the pastas. Front to back of house personnel, all are outstanding and immediately make you feel like you're part of the family. We have referred many friends and family to this establishment who all agree, this restaurant is a hidden gem and THE best Italian restaurant in the Tampa area. The gnocchi, carbonara, vongole, farfelle...I could go on. All perfect. My husband and I return weekly just for the pasta. Thank you team paradiso for your consistent hospitality and delicious food!

Have been here many times over the past 20 years. Good service, and Paolo and Antonio are always wonderful. Food never disappoints.

The atmosphere was very nice and the servers were all attentive. The drinks were overpriced and not very tasty. I tried multiple drinks and none of them tasted right... So save your self some money and stick to water. The food was good but nothing to write home about. Portions were small and overall I wasn't very impressed with it.

Elegant Italian restaurant. My favorite dish was the tortellini minus peas and build your own, Angel hair Pesto. They allow you to add or subtract any items you want, so great place for groups. The service was impeccable, they are very sweet here. Ordered the tiramisu and creme brulee for dessert. both excellent.

After finding out my fav Italian restaurant had recently closed I was persuaded to come here for dinner instead. It had it's ups and downs. It was very cute and quaint and crowded. Our waiter acted over whelmed right from the beginning even though he only had a couple tables. They do have some decent italian wines here and the appetizer of sausage and polenta was absolutely deliciious. Really a nice combination of flavors and textures. Service rapidly declined from poor to invisible. Thankfully the manager/owner pitched in and saved us from sitting there without wine or food . Being on a no meat kick I ordered the quattro formaggio gnocchi. It was very good, rich, but good. The blue cheese was a little overwhelming of the other cheeses so they could have used alighter hand on that but all in all it was a good dish. Cant remember exactly what dinner companion had but I think it was a tagliattale in a red sauce and it was very good. I would return here again as the atmosphere was quaint yet lively and you could tell the owner/manager really cared. Hopefully next time I can leave a better review.

Wow as soon as I walked in I had good feeling about this place,first all the Staff welcome you with a big smile our server was amazing he made us some testy cocktails and it was delicious, we order for Strat soup that turn out amazing Decision the taste was like back home and I felt my mom made me this soup , the eggplants was good and everything was fresh for y dish I order the Bronzino fish and my husband order the filet minion both really good I really enjoyed my meal and my husband said the stake was made as he requested, for dessert we order the Moose cake wowww amazing and not Heavy I will definitely return here and I will definitely recommend this place to all of my friends and family I give this place 10/10

To preface this review I had never actually heard of Caffe Paradiso and I've lived in Tampa for 13 years, so I was a little bit wary. My parents got reservations here on OpenTable and invited us to dinner. It's located right next to Roux on MacDill, so good luck trying to find parking. We ended up valeting with Roux and walking over. Upon walking in, you'll notice the tables are so close together. Seriously, it's like they jammed as many tables together as they possibly could. You can't move around or walk comfortably between them. Once our party was all seated, our waiter came and filled up our waters and took our drink orders. They have a large wine selection and actually just got their liquor license but don't have a cocktail menu yet. You do get complimentary bread, however there's no seasoning. Your only option is straight olive oil. Every Italian restaurant I've ever been to offers some type of house-seasoning or even butter. We also had to ask multiple times for someone to refill our bread. For appetizers we got the Calamari, which was incredibly salty. I've had better Calamari at Olive Garden. For entrees, I got the special for the night which was a Squid-Ink Pasta with Mussels and Shrimp. It sounded good, but was sadly disappointing. The pasta had essentially no flavor, no sauce, and the shrimp were overcooked. My boyfriend got the Angel Hair Pasta with Lump Crab and it was slightly better but nothing to write home about. I definitely won't come back. I'm not sure how this restaurant has survived for so long. Service wasn't great either, our empty waters were never refilled and it took us forever to get the check.

Been missing out for multiple years. Live just around the corner and always passed this by. Finally made plans to stop in and what a great surprise. The place was beautifully laid out but unpretentious. Stefano and his team were amazing. Excellent service. The veal piccata and side of fra diavalo pasta was on point. $20 corkage fee was very reasonable. Great place and definitely headed back soon

Was looking for an authentic Italian place to dine in last night and after not having any reservations since our flight got to Tampa later than expected decided to give this place a call and see if they could accommodate a party of 2. The person that was talking to me on the phone was very pleasant and told us that even though is busy he could squeeze us in and if anything we would have to wait around 20 minutes to get seated. I thanked him and told him that I would be there in less than 5 minutes. We get to the restaurant and we clearly don't look like their clientele. The person up front was SO rude and barely greeted me when he saw me. I told him that we don't have a reservation and without any hesitation he says NO we don't have anything until 9:45 .......... I was going to tell him that I just spoke with him on the phone but I rather not be at a place were I'm clearly not wanted.

Celebrated my birthday last night with a large group of family and friends and the service and the food was spectacular! Amazing ambiance! From when I called to make our reservation to when we were walking out the door, we were greeted and taken care of like family! Everyone in our group agreed that the food was delicious and the drinks were amazing as well! Will definitely be coming back and will highly recommend Caffé Paradiso to others!

Nice cozy restaurant to bring your date or wife. I ordered the Seafood salad, and calamari as an app. Both were delicious especially the marinara sauce (rich & tasty) on the calamari. The seafood salad came with nice lumps of blue crab along with a well seasoned dressing. For Dinner I ordered the Marsala which was a bit different then what I'm used to. It was still decent but probably would try another dish if I went back. For desert I had the tiramisu. This was by far the best tiramisu I have had tried to date. Def recommend the tiramisu! None the less service was good and had a great time with a big group. Overall a pleasant good experience and would give it another shot if I am ever in town again.

The food is very good but they have so many tables squeezed into the room and you are sitting on top of the patrons in the next table. And on 1/14/2023 the service was very slow. It will be awhile before we will return for dinner.

One word...Delizioso! And our waiter Hugo was the best. Bonus: they were able to accommodate my two dietary restrictions...the gluten free pasta and decaf espresso both were magnifico!

Stumbled upon this gem after the beach this summer & completely fell in love with their food and ambiance. They have a great bar, fantastic service, and more importantly..delicious food!! It's our favorite restaurant in Tampa currently. Cannot wait to get back!

Extremely noisy. Service slow; food just average. Salmon very dry. Slice of dessert tiny! Would not return.

We were here to celebrate gathering with family for the first time in a long time on a Monday night- the food was good, but not worth it for the horrendous service we had. Our waiter was rude and impatient, he made us feel so uncomfortable it ruined the experience for me. From not filling water, never checking to see if we needed another drink or how our food was to just generally avoiding our table and throwing our silverware down- it was almost laughable how bad this waiter was. I tried for 10+ minutes to get his attention to refill my water and eventually ended up getting up and taking my glass to the bar to ask for another water. Super frustrating and disappointing experience given the special night it was for my group. The food was good, but I will not be returning.

Poor customer service. I had a reservation they did not honor. I came from out of town to try this place, and will not be back.

In my opinion this is the best Italian restaurant in Tampa and for that matter anywhere in Florida. Very friendly staff excellent selection of fine cuisine. Very upbeat modern environment. They have the best wines at affordable prices. Many of the staff members have been loyal trusted employees for many years and that speaks volumes for the owner. Each and every friend that I've introduced to Café para disco have told me that they love dining there.

We came here for our anniversary. We had been to a bunch of fancy restaurants lately, and we wanted something a little simpler. This place was the perfect choice. It's a quiet, local restaurant in south Tampa. The waitstaff all seem to be either family or friends. They were attentive and jovial. The wine list was reasonable. I wish they listed the vintage year, though. We had the prosciutto with melon to start. The chef sent out some bruschetta as a sort of amuse bouche. Then I had the osso buco, and my husband had the veal saltimbucco. Both were wonderful, tender meat prepared well. I wish I had had room for dessert!

C'mon SoTampa...we all want to like this place for it's proximity and friendly staff. But it's Olive Garden...minus the breadsticks...and isn't that the only reason why you go to OG?

Always a wonderful experience. Caffe Paradiso never fails to live up to expectations. My husband and I have been coming here since it opened and never been disappointed. We also started dining with one or two other couples and only heard positive reviews. With new restaurants opening daily it's no surprise why Paradiso remains a favorite.

Make your reservation immediately and stop looking through Yelp for anything else! I cannot believe I've lived here all these years and not eaten here! This place is first class, fresh, classic Italian dishes with the kind of old school white tablecloth waiter service where the confident, truly pro-servers know the menu inside and out, bus boys replace your silverware and fill your water glasses without missing a beat and the owner greets you at the door and roams the restaurant running this place like the well oiled machine that it is. This joint was jumping with happy customers and we left with smiles on our faces knowing we'd found a new staple. We had the veal picatta and farfalle with sausage and a REAL Caesar salad (NOT some bottled mix, a real one!) The food was amazing. It was so good we decided to order an extra lasagna to take home to my father in law. It looked incredible! They brought us a complimentary tiramisu for my man's bday and we beamed with every bite. Do yourself a favor and grab your favorite person or group of favs for this sexy, fun gem of a dining experience in Tampa Bay!

The freshest, most authentic Italian restaurant in Tampa Bay. Each course was excellent. Nothing better than dining at an authentic Italian restaurant served by Italians with a heavy accent! Consistent with five star service. Every person in our party enjoyed their appetizer, entree and dessert; raving reviews. The calamari was cooked perfectly. My Capellli de'Angelo Al Granchio (angel hair pasta with lumps of crab sautéed in olive oil and garlic) was so delicious that my hubby couldn't keep his fork to himself. This dessert lover actually shared my creme brûlée with two friends (large enough to do so!). Very smooth. Love the high froth on my cappuccino. The perfect evening! Worth every penny.