Pomodoro Cafe

This restaurant was a highlight of our trip. My fiance had reservations when we pulled up and saw a 9.99 pizza sign but she was wowed when we got our food. First off, the staff was amazing and our waiter was superb. The food is Amazingly priced and is the best deal I've seen in many years. The garlic bread is phenomenal, the house salad was great, and the entrees were both perfection. I thought with food that cheap it's probably going to be average at best. Their food was 5 star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in taste and is better than the $100 a plate restaurants I have eaten at. The food was so good, I googled them to see if it was a chain because I wanted one back home. What I found out is exactly why it's so good. It's a family run business focused on great food at great prices . Gainesville is very lucky to have such great Italian food and at such great prices. I will make sure I deviate by here anytime I'm remotely close. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💯❤️

First of all, cozy and warm feeling, but didn't feel out of place with jeans and a tee shirt on. Very welcoming from the host to the server. The bread was delightful, especially with the balsamic reduction! We didn't have to wait long at all for our food. We got the fried mozzarella for an appetizer which was perfect! My daughter got Hawaiian pizza, which was crisp and cheesy!! and I got the salmon and shrimp. It was absolutely fantastic, not overly salty or over acidic, and the chunks of garlic were a great touch! The salmon melted in my mouth. Overall it was great, fast service and a meal to remember! Thanks to the staff at Pomodoro Cafe! We will be back!

The restaurant is cozy. Well decorated. Very clean. The atmosphere is more casual and romantic. I prefer the lights to be a little dimmer but can't plays everyone. The paintings on the walls look absolutely amazing. Today we tried the chef special deal pomegardi. It was dipped an egg and fried with a lemon battery sauce. The veal is tender and delightful. I've heard not to have lemon but that's just my taste. And my wife got these 12 oz sirloin with spaghetti as bush. Any Italian restaurant. The spaghetti marinara has no seasoning. They place the herbs on top but that's just the desired taste. The steak was a little tough and the requested to be medium well and it looks more well than medium. Well you did have a delightful flavor and it was a great cut of steak. These minestrone soup was different than anyone starting I've ever had. It was a little on the cold side but it had a great taste. My wife had the side salad with the homemade vinegar dressing. She said it was delightful. I didn't care for it because it was vinegar-based. The bread is different and never have had it before on. It's more of a nutty bread but it was wonderful. I liked it. I enjoyed it and my wife puts some honey vinegar sauce on hers and she enjoyed it either or don't like universe so would not enjoy. And we got a complimentary bottle of wine. Oh no, I'll give it a 4.8

One of my favorite places to eat. Food is all excellent, and service is also very nice. They have great dessert selections, too!

Recently visited Pomodoro's with some friends for a ladies night. We had a very good experience overall! Our server was very attentive and patient with our dining decisions. We enjoyed the bottles of wine that we chose (Montepulciano) as well as the appetizer (fritto misto). The calamari and shrimp were fried perfectly and very tender. We each got a caesar salad which tasted fresh and light (some of the salads needed a little extra parmesan). The spaghetti and clams dish was very tasty and the clams were very fresh. My friends enjoyed their dishes as well (pasta valentino, gnocchi rose, ravioli florentina). We split a couple desserts as well and highly recommend the apple pie/crumble dessert! The cannoli cake was a little dense but had good flavor. It was a nice evening and we will definitely consider having another ladies night here!

Neat little place, excellent atmosphere, friendly staff although not the quickest service for our large party. A touch overpriced but portions were good. House salad had a tasty dressing but just very basic iceberg and w standard ingredients. Table bread was good but dense. Garlic knots were sinfully delicious in a lot of butter, best I've ever had. Bruschetta was weak, would be better with smaller toasts but more of them. Grilled lamb chops were perfectly done, but the potatoes and green beans on the side were pretty basic. Seafood linguine was very good and fresh. Fried calamari was flavorless. Veal Marsala was disappointing.

I absolutely love this place. The food is wonderful. We have been frequenting this place since 2007. Last visit we had the Monday Special, Steak Diane. It was delicious! We also take advantage of the BOGOs.

I have recently discovered this gem. It's a really nice place to sit and eat, and the food is magnifica. My favorite is the chicken and shrimp carbonara. Service is always friendly, and the prices are very reasonable.

The Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara has become such a favorite we literally fight over who gets to order it (because heaven forbid if we both order it lol!) We recently tried the peanut butter chocolate cake and it was to die for!

We have been getting takeout pizzas from pomodoro For years, we ate here in the restaurant years ago.Boy, were we missing really good food!! Pomodoro has now gone to top of my list as my number one italian spot in gainesville!! Everything from the service from our amazing server Lock, yes that is her name..lol. To the appetizer, the bread that they bring out was hot, with some amazing drizzle reduction sauce.They give you with the bread. And my chef special, the sea bass was amazing.We definitely will become back more to sit in.Not just order pizza for carry out anymore And the owner originally had a pizza place in my hometown back in connecticut in my mall and that's why I love their pizza so much!! You get that feel of italy all over the wall in the restaurant.They're a beautiful artwork on every wall.

This place is so cute and they do different specials every day both dine in and to go specials. Cute ambiance, friendly service.

Stopped in with a few of my family and had just appetizers. We had the meatballs with marinara and cheese, which were amazingly delicious light and fluffy and very tasty. We also had the crabcakes which were in a sauce with pinenuts, which was also very tasty and we also had the bruschetta, which was also amazing. The restaurant is very what I would call out of the way, romantic with scenery paint it on the wall and very Italian. When you walk in the door, the smell is amazing and if you weren't already hungry, you would definitely get hungry smelling that garlic in the bread and the pizza spaghetti it was wonderful. The servers were also very friendly and I wish we could've stayed a bit longer and had bigger meals. I would definitely eat here and make this my hang out if I live near by.

Lovely place! Very well organized! Just a tiny wait and we were seated. The place was packed, and many people were picking up to go orders. I had mammas lasagna and my friend had the mixed grill. The salad was delicious and fresh, the soup was excellent. He ate every bite! Their bread is amazing, baked by someone who knows how to make bread without the tough exterior. The dessert case was full of decadent morsels. We were too full to try it, but we will be back. I can't say enough about this lovely restaurant. The wait staff was excellent!

The food here was delicious and the portions are perfect! I got the early dining special which was a great price for all the food it comes with. The little slice of cake was a great addition. The balsamic dressing is so good with the soft warm bread and was great on the salad as well! The service was excellent and the ambiance is adorable and gives the feel that you're in Italy! There aren't many Italian options in the area but this is a great one

One of our favorite Italian places in Gainesville. We were able to speak to the owners in Italian and their passion for bringing quality food is obvious in every dish!

Great food, good service. When ordering for takeout we got the wrong order once, but it was easily fixed and they threw in a free dessert.

Everything went well. We had a brief wait, which after eating there we found out why, food was excellent. Our server was Guerrmo aka William or Bill, he was awesome. Chef Dicandia came out and visited our table to check on service and food. He is very involved. The Cafe was busy yet staff was attentive and efficient. Patron noise was minimal which gave the restaurant a nice ambiance. Could have a conversation without raising your voice. All in all highly recommend Pomodoro Cafe

What a find. In town visiting grandson and decided Italian for dinner. Noticed they had gnocchi on the menu(my absolute favorite)The gnocchi were light and fluffy sauce very flavorful. Husband had spaghetti and clams excellent grandson had chicken Parm. He said he was going to bring his roommates back for dinner. Server was on point. Very attentive. Quaint and very clean. Will definitely return on my next visit.

Great Food and service loved the manager made my son's day . we appreciate the experience. Will definitely be back when we're in the area..

The half pressed sub lunch special is AMAZING. Fries are great as well. The porch needs updating but there is no smoking there.

Such a nice restaurant! If you go during peak dinner times, be prepared to have to wait a little for your food, but it's worth waiting for! This was our second visit and it's was delicious both times! I recommend the Ravioli Fiorentina (pictured), the sauce was really good.

Sometimes you just want to go for coffee and dessert or you want a place you can carry on a conversation and not be overwhelmed by music and loud people. There is no place for dessert in this town until you enter Pomodoro's where one can find both. Pomodoro's has several selections to choose from. Not all cheese cake either. We have tried the Wedding Cake, the Chocolate Cake, the Flan and Cheese Cake. I can highly recommend each. So far my favorite is the Wedding cake however, if you are a Chocolate lover the Chocolate cake is hard to beat and not too dry for a really dark chocolate cake and you can't beat their prices. For today's high prices they are still reasonable priced. They are a hidden gem where dessert is concerned. They even have something they call apple pie that doesn't look like a traditional apple pie and it's good as well. They are after all an Italian restaurant so of course they have Cannolis and Tiramisu.That will just have to wait for another visit. Their wait staff is attentive and friendly. Tell me do you know of another place in town that offers you so many choices? Come check them out. I think you'll be delighted.

A. To start, I had the chicken and rice soup that comes with the entrée, the taste is good but I barely found any rice in it, mostly liquid when they poured it in the bowl, I had to move aside some pieces of chicken that gave the soup some flavor but were not fit for consumption. The soup gets an average mark due to excesive liquid and not the substance, they do need to improve on this item. B. The Branzino Pizzaiola is a Sea Bass fillet, served in a tomato sauce, with mussles, clams, mushrooms....delicious seafood platter. C. Waitres checked regularly to see if we needed something. Very good service. D. We asked for capuchino coffee, double shot, but we could not drink it as it just tasted like hot milk and not coffee. E. Italian style decor, soft music plays in the backgrouund makes for a perfect dinner date. E. Overall we are regular customers here. We have visited the place over a dozen times. We keep coming back for the main courses. Some things are hit and miss.

Decided to stop in after class, my first visit. At first I felt invisible because they sat 4 people before they even seen me, I was alone at it's Valentine's Day. Haha, anyway after finally being seated, I ordered a Calzone w/2 toppings and a sweet tea. The tea was surprisingly good, sweet tea is always a toss up, but it was pretty good. The bread they brought out to eat while waiting on the meal was good, warm and buttery. The Calzone was HUGE, very good, highly recommend! The atmosphere was nice, very clean, no carpet is a definitely a plus. I'll never understand why restaurants have carpet, all I can think of is how much ground in food is in it. The sever, Hannah was fabulous. It was very busy, as it was a Holiday, my favorite (the day I got divorced, yah me)! Anyways, IMO it's worth the stop and give it a try, I'm sure I'll be returning sometime soon.

service/ambiance: you can tell this is a family-owned establishment ! very friendly staff & wonderful service. we were immediately greeted & given garlic bread (served with delicious vinaigrette sauce). we were also served with complimentary soups-- tuscan minestrone soup-- the soup broth tasted similar to chicken noodle soup broth & was good but there was just an overwhelming amount of BEANS. the other soup we tried was the clam chowder (misleading though, because it wasn't the typical clam chowder-- it was tomato based with carrots, no clams but was overall, good, refreshing & FREE!!!) appetizer: we got the fritto misto (calamari & shrimp) served with what tasted/looked like marinara sauce. good portions for the price ($~10) however, not too much flavor and the calamari wasn't as crunchy & crispy compared to others i've tried! gnocchi madiera: overall, pretty good! served with shrimp, bacon, and grilled chicken & asparagus -- the chicken & pasta was cooked well. however, my only complaint would be that the sauce was a bit too salty and creamy for my liking. fruitti di mare seafood combo: large portions ($~20) spaghetti noodles served with squid, clams, shrimp & mussels. as a seafood lover, i was very pleased! the sauce was flavorful while not too dense and paired well with the noodles & seafood. would definitely get it again :)

We had an awesome meal enjoyed a heart pasta dish with salmon and scallops in a vodka sauce with sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms. Terrific appetizer of hummus with steak and pine nuts, gnocchi early bird special, and veal Marsala. We love the bread and balsamic oil drizzle. Their desserts top notch!! The chef is always there checking on everything!

Nothing to write home about, the chicken Marsala was meh, the gnocchi wasn't the best, and they put bacon in everything I don't understand the point of that. The service was amazing our server (whatever his name was) was great super funny dude. Ambiance was fluorescent suboptimal to say the least, I wouldn't recommend this because it's just not good every dish needed salt and pepper to be palpable. Bread was good super greasy and they only give you one roll it's never ending but one, that's a little ridiculous.

We were seated almost immediately (after being asked if we had a reservation) and had service IMMEDIATELY! This kid was on the ball!! We got our drinks, appetizer, soup and salad and we've only been here 15-20 mins max! Great service!! Only complaint? I'm very allergic to shrimp and when the waiter asked if we wanted the calamari for an appetizer, of course we said yes. Unbeknownst to us both, there were fried shrimp included on that plate (thank God I caught myself before eating it!!) and 2 wedges of fried zucchini. Next time, I'll know! The fresh bread was thoroughly enjoyed by my husband who even went so far as to resort to dipping it in the marinara sauce that accompanied the darned calamari! Dinner just came out now and both dishes look delicious!! My husband is halfway done with his Veal parmesan already and I haven't cut into my skirt steak yet...more in a few minutes (lol). Okay...while the skirt steak was a lil overcooked and tough, also topped with something super sweet, but after taking each bite with some fettuccine and sauce, the spicy from the sauce kind of evened out the sticky sweet topping of the steak (thank heavens!). My husband isn't used to fresh pasta, sauce or Veal, so it took him a lil while to get accustomed to the new flavors on his palate, but once he did, he cleaned his plate! Dessert is coming in the form of tiramisu for me since I ate very little prior to the main course and still have a little bit of room! Taking the rest of the side of whipped cream (Which I can't have anyways), small bite of tiramisu and what's left of our bread home to my dog. I know, she's weird, but if we show up empty-handed, we might as well not go home at all! In closing, Pomodoro Cafe is an... Excellent cozy place for dinner... Probably a great lunch spot too... Has EXCELLENT servers for sure! (Especially ours, Benny) Try them out! (Now I wished I'd gotten the Osso Buco listed under the chef's special...always wanted to try it! Next time, next time!)

My favorite Italian place in Gainesville. This place has an amazing staff and always are working to make the customer enjoy the meal as much as possible. The food is to die for there and the ambiance inside brings me back to New York.

VERY GOOD EARLY BIRD DINNER We recently visited Pomodoro Cafe, an Italian restaurant in Gainesville. Plenty of parking in a strip mall anchored by Publix. We came shortly before 5 p.m. on a weekend evening and by the time we left, most of the tables were taken by families and older couples. It appears that this is a popular restaurant among locals. Our server was friendly and checked on us throughout our meal. Beautiful murals adorn the walls and the domed ceiling. Seating is mostly booth tables with a few larger tables. There is also an outdoor terrace area. We started with Fritto Misto ($11.25). We ordered the early bird dinner special ($13.95 and served daily 11-5:30 p.m.) that includes a soup or salad and dessert. We selected the soup special - cream of mushroom soup (other choices were pasta fagioli and Tuscan minestrone). For our entrees, we ordered Parmigiano Siciliano, Tuscan Shrimp Scampi and Penne alla Ciccio. We enjoyed our dinner. The fried appetizer was a medium size order of fresh calamari and shrimp and a few zucchini sticks. The large bowl of cream of mushroom soup was delicious and was garnished with fluffy light gnocchi. The pasta dishes were generous full-size portions. The scampi had plump shrimp with a nice lemony sauce. The penne's pesto cream sauce was really rich. The parmesan trio of chicken parm (a little burnt), large meatball and spicy sausage served on spaghetti was too much food for me. There was no choice for dessert - everyone is served a small square of a light cake topped with whipped cream icing.

I have been in Gainesville for 3 weeks and have been to this restaurant 4 times! It's really good food, service and atmosphere. I highly recommend!

Ordered a cheese pizza and a vegetable pizza with caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and broccoli. The vegetables were all quite raw, onions weren't caramelized and peppers not roasted. The sauce on the pizza lacks flavor. The crust was great though. It is a cute place with ample seating. Extremely friendly service .

Food and service was outstanding. Was even better than we expected. We are definitely going back next time we are in Gainesville. High recommend this restaurant. Our waiter, I think his name was Blake, was fantastic. So nice, polite and friendly.

THE BEST PIZZA I'VE EVER EATEN!!! The staff is sooo nice and the chef is awesome. The place itself is beautiful and elegant. If you're looking for a good place to get pizza in Gainesville, go to Pomodoro Café.

Amazing place friendly staffs the chief is a great gentleman. I really appreciate the hospitality there.

Date night at Pomodoro Café in Gainesville, my first time back since my college years over 15 years ago. Entering, you feel the classic Italian cafe's sappy decor. First off, as you are seated, you can't miss the Desserts. I recommend this place for a decadent dessert! On a diet? Forget dinner, but don't miss dessert. We sat in an inside booth, but they have a patio and fan/heated outdoor dining. The menu is full of options and overwhelmed with words versus worthwhile pictures. Complimentary bread, I won't complain. We decide on one of the Pomodoro Fish Italian special and a Calzone for dinner. Service seemed a bit slow, but the servings were large, and the food was satisfactory. The dessert was the star tonight! I appreciate full-service dining, and after 15 years of not visiting, my takeaway was that the whole experience would have probably been just as good or better via take-out. The staff seemed self-occupied for a Sunday 7:30 dinner time and did not add to the overall dining experience (only a couple of tables occupied, one large family party).

I recently ordered a takeout pizza from this place, and it was a huge disappointment. The pizza arrived hard and cold, making it nearly inedible. The crust was tough, and the cheese had solidified into a hard layer to pull apart. I had high hopes, but this experience was truly underwhelming. I won't be ordering take out from here again. As a place to dine in though the experience was much better and the pasta is great ! the service was very nice as-well.

Had heard good things for quite some time about this place but didn't get the chance to check it out until now! We came for lunch and they have an extensive lunch menu (not posted on their website) and the food was delicious. The service was fast and everything was great. The shrimp on my salad were the best shrimp I've had in a long time. They do a lot of takeout deals so we will be back to give those a shot!

Great mom and pop location. More authentic than Olive Garden. Solid food choices and the owner is very nice.

The service was great! Food was delicious! Went before 5:30pm so I got the early dining price with appetizer and small dessert.

Great dinner specials most week nights and also super togo deals. You're offered their house made bread and thick honey balsamic dressing to dip it in before you have any soups or salads and the meal! I can't say I have tried their desserts but they always look great. My only reason for this not being 5 stars is honestly, their veal Marsala was not great. I wouldn't get the frozen super thin cutlets from here again. They were also crazy overcooked and tough for me. But now that I know not to get the veal, there are TONS of other menu options to choose from so don't let that stop you from trying them. I would just pick a different protein source!

Amazing spot and experience. From the cozy landscaping outside to the immersive Italian decor inside, this restaurant really transports you to Italy. I loved the ambience and the service was great. The chef himself even checked on us during the meal. The food was incredible! Very rich and flavorful, I only wish the portions were slightly bigger.

You really can't beat the bogodoro deal on pizzas, pastas, and calzones. Perfect when you're hosting a group of people and don't feel like cooking. I'm all in on the pesto base and if you're going for the traditional pizza sauce base, trust me and add ricotta. They scoop it on their generously. Next time you're in, make sure to check out the dessert counter. The carmel apple pie changed my life.

Went here tonight with my daughter and we loved it. It's a cute smaller restaurant but just the right size. Very homey and warm with murals depicting an Italian village. Kind of cheesy but totally ok. I had the all you can eat Wednesday pasta special. You choose your pasta type, sauce type and soup or salad. I got the Mamas red sauce and Angel hair and it was great. Had the salad with house dressing. Also came with freshly baked rolls and garlic and butter on the top. Really good. They also brought out a container of bread dipping sauce which was good and tasted like it had balsamic vinegar in it. My daughter got the Chicken pasta Alfredo and said it was really good. Portions are decent. So why 4 stars? The menu clearly states the all you can eat that includes pasta and a salad all you can eat. When I asked for another salad she said it would be a separate add on charge for a second salad. Like huh? She said in a friendly way that the only thing that is all you can eat is the pasta. Definitely did not say that on the menu. Another small rub was the salad included in my daughters chicken Alfredo came with a salad. It did. But there is a choice of house dressing or Caesar dressing. She ordered Caesar they added $3.50 to the bill. All in all a good place but be careful of the pricing.

I am sure I am in the minority but my opinion is a negative one. The food was warm not hot I felt the eggplant was from frozen I expected from fresh. It was extremely salty to the point that I was not able to eat it. Took it home only to dump it. I personally will not be returning overpriced

I went to Pomodoro Cafe on a Saturday night for dinner with a friend. The restaurant was busy and we had to wait maybe 10 minutes for a table. When we got a table, our waiter was very nice and attentive, bringing us bread and making sure our drink orders were in. For my entree I went with the San Francesco Da Sisi, which is a capellini pasta that includes assorted roasted peppers, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, spinach, chicken breast slices, and shrimp. The flavor was bountiful, especially with freshly grated cheese over the top. Pomodoro has so many tasty menu items that it will make it hard for you to choose. I already know what I would order next time and I can't wait to go back.

Food is always great whether it is lunch or dinner. I've always had good service whether it's for take-out or eat in. Ambiance reminds me of eating in Mama's kitchen. I have not had an opportunity to eat on the patio which looks nice. I've never had dessert here, but the case looks soooo yummy!!!

Good food but lazy server! Our server Hannah was horrible!! If you go ask for anyone else. Other than her I love the restaurant

Wonderful! If I could, I'd give TEN stars! Heaven. Pomodor Cafe. Ahtziry, the server, provided excellent service and was kind with a lovely smile! Cesar Salad just as delicious as always. Green, cold, crunchy romaine lettuce perfectly chopped. The shredded cheese and dressing as delicious as I remember. No need to describe the bread. I only eat bread now on a "special occasion". Today was a very special occasion. The bread melts in your mouth. Good thing it's a two hour drive from my house. You can see the steam coming off the Gnochi Madeira on the right side of the plate! The cassata was delicious. Don't leave this place without having it. Everything on the menu is delicious. Thank you Mr Carmine for a wonderful lunch!

Ordered skirt steak with spaghetti marinara. Cleaned my plate. Had wedding cake desert. A bit dry. Would definitely go again.

What a great place! Food, service (thanks, Bill) cleanliness and atmosphere were just what we want in a nice Italian place. Hostess seated us in a perfect spot. Prices good to excellent.

I really wanted to like this place. I had seafood with the choice of white or red sauce. The meal was assembled and seems like the seafood was popped in the micro, dumped on top of pasta and a watery white Liquid on top. A bit of cheese. Absolutely no taste but rubber. My husband had chicken Alfredo and not much better. Service. Blah. Quite nice, maybe understaffed. It's a shame as the ambiance is lovely. We support local establishments and may give another try but keep the choice simple. ‍

We had a $5000+ catering order, and Carmine was one of the easiest, most understanding caterers I have ever come across. Delicious food, amazing service, and understanding employees. I highly recommend this place for catering or just a date night. Family owned and amazing family-like ambiance. Again, I highly recommend.

Decent food but seriously on a larger bill you're charging me a credit card fee? I'm in town visiting a friend and she highly recommended this place - said she's never seen a CC fee before but your waiter said it was standard for you all.

Good quality well executed Italian food. Servers are attentive and knowledgeable about the food. If you don't have time/energy to take the whole crew, consider the BOGOdoro, where to go are buy one get one free.

Chef Carmine and his entire staff are well trained and pleasant which into todays environment is becoming rare.The food is excellent and the atmosphere is inviting.The Salads especially the anti pasta has become a favorite since it's so hot outside.Refreshing and delicious.

Food was excellent we both had veal and I thought it was overpriced but it was good. Went back one more time ok