Pomodoro Cafe

We drove nearly 2 hours to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary here & we’re so happy we did. We had our dinner rehearsal here and it was so special! The Sea bass dish was INCREDIBLE, one of the best dishes I’ve ever had! And Steve the manager was an absolute sweetheart. OH and MUST order the Pepperoni rolls are simply amazing! 10 out of 10!

A hidden gem!! I came here years ago and totally forgot about it but recently went back and was so impressed with it. Great lunch and dinner deals and specials and the food is quite tasty. They are great with gluten free items and the gluten free pizzas are great. A little slow for service overall but a nice place to meet family and friends.

Came here for a 95th birthday party and we were serviced well, treated like royalty, and thoroughly satisfied with the meals. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience. P.S. The chef/owner is great with kids and is very personable.

The atmosphere was wonderful and the staff were very friendly. We ordered from the lunch menu, and the portions were perfect. The food was absolutely delicious. I really enjoyed it!

We enjoyed our time here. Our server Maggie was awesome. The garlic rolls were like little loaves of bread and were delicious. There were specials of the day which were reasonably priced. I'm looking forward to going back. There's plenty of parking. It's in the lot with publix. You can smell the garlic from the street! Their Bathrooms need some TLC.

Went here for a late lunch on New Year's Day and they were busy. Had their special appetizer and one of their meals. (sorry don't remember the names). And the bread, OMG! Delicious! Next time, I'm getting some pasta, LOL!🤩

Out did themselves for Valentine's. Nice meal. Super friendly service. A rose for my lady. Great place to check out if you never have.

really sweet establishment, seems like a lot of locals or older folks come here to relax out waitress was amazing (so sorry forgot her name haha) but she was super southern hospitality and talkative. food was surprisingly good???? got the ciabatta chicken which was still juicy and the fries were good! the valentino (?) pasta had amazing scallops dessert was alright, a bit sweet that came with the pasta

Pomodora is a consistently good hideaway in the NW corner of Gvl. My favorites include the various traditional veal dishes and the selection on ravioli dishers. I know their pizzas are popular and the flow of people stepping in to pick up a pizza suggests that's true, but I can't get away from the pasta choices on the menu. If anyone diving on I-75 prefers an actual meal rather than junk, you can be seated at Pomodoro, before you could reach the take out window at the nearby junk burger shops.

I really want to like Pomodoro. it's beautiful on the inside; especially after the recent renovation. And it's a restaurant I used to love. Turnover is high. For this, or who knows why, food is hit or miss. Absolutely inconsistent. Sometimes, very bland. Sometimes spicy. I've been going here for 30 years... it's a restaurant that changes depending on the staff and the management. And that changes. A lot. Even pizza is completely inconsistent. Depending on the staff there that day, they can be incredibly friendly or absolutely rude. Years go by when it's horrid. Some years are great, but even then it depends on who's working. I want to love this place. I used to. In the early 2000s I was there 2x a week. I wish they'd return to what made them good. But for now, you go there when there's no other choice. And even then, meh. I miss the Pomodoro of the past. I can't recommend the Pomodoro of the present.

Enjoy coming to this place that is located on the corner of the plaza, with plenty of parking. They have specials daily for the most part. Ie: BOGO menu items. We didn't see a special for the day we were there, however found out after we ordered that the wine was BOGO. Hanna was our waitress. Not sure if she was having an off day or moment, however it was noticeable to everyone at the table that she was short and seemed annoyed at our existence. So much so, one of the people in our group wanted to request a different waitress because it was so uncomfortable. Towards the end of our meal she suddenly became friendly. So maybe something was going on with her personal life or work life. Four stars still because we enjoy the food here. The cake was a bit dry though this time. Restrooms were clean. When we left the front team by the desserts were really friendly.

We ordered 2 entrees for takeout.. Shrimp Carbonara and Fettuccini Alfredo. The sauce on both entrees had an odd flavor, very garlicky and had a little burnt flavor. Each came with a Cesar salad, which to our dismay was covered in soggy and stale croutons. We used to love this place.. not a big fan after spending $53 and being disappointed. :(

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.

We've been at this restaurant a a couple of dozen times. Rarely is it a bad situation but we have noticed when Carmen is not there things get wiry! we walked in today we were immediately seated in the booth facing towards the front door ....sat there, sat there...., sat there, and 20 minutes later after everybody else around us had been served their water and bread we inquired what was going on. Everybody pointed at everybody else and we proceed to walk out .....at this point we will only come when Carmen's there ... he does not allow the foolery with the three waitress showing attitude!

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

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

Went on Monday, for Takeout- special- 16" large pizza $9.99. Toppings $1.00 each to add.... SO WORTH IT! Loved it!!! Thank you so much!!!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 :)

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 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

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.

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 .

It's not my first time eating there. Food is delicious. It always arrives hot and on time. We have never had any problems. The employees are very attentive. And the waitress very kind to us.

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

Wonderful date night spot! We stopped in early before the Gainesville Orchestra performance and loved this restaurant! They had our favorites, gnocchi and eggplant parmigiana, with outstanding service.

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!!!