Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Café Roma

    3.9 (129 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Order Café Roma Takeout or Delivery

    Café Roma Photos

    CAFÉ ROMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Café Roma

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Seafood Platter
    Susy P.

    I have to say my family loves this place. The staff are always very customer service oriented and the owner is always wonderful to say hello the challenge I had this time is it took over 30 minutes to bring out my soup and then more time for our food, they forgot my fiancé soup so we told him to cancel it, the place was not that busy for a Saturday night so I can't understand what the delays were about. Finally, the reason for the three stars is the seafood and pasta did not taste fresh. My scallop tasted like bleach, the shrimp was hard. The mussels and clams were cooked nicely. I asked for my pasta to be al dente, and for the most part I would give them credit it was cooked as requested. I gave the dish 4 out of 10. My fiancé got the veal piccata with angel hair pasta. He felt it had a nice taste, properly seasoned and prepared. he gives it an eight out of 10. Well we won't give up on this place. I feel like this was just a bad night for my dining experience; however, I may give up on some dishes..

    Lobster Ravioli
    Wingyan L.

    After a long day of work, I stopped by Cafe Roma for dinner. I started my night with a Peach Martini, a fruit forward cocktail. While waiting for food, I was given a basket of bread served with butter. I would have preferred it served with olive oil, balsamic, and parmesan. For starters, I enjoyed the Gamberi Aglio Olio and Small White Pizza with Fontina Cheese. The Gamberi Aglio Olio consisted of five jumbo shrimp sautéed in a savory garlic butter and white wine sauce. The Lobster Ravioli was not what I expected to taste like. The lobster cream sauce resembled an alfredo sauce and I was not a huge fan of it.

    Complimentary Bread Starter April 6, 2023
    Joyce Y.

    So I was REALLY craving some white sauce pasta tonight, our usual go-tos for Italian are Greggorio's Trattoria or Il Pizzico. TLDR: Those places are better. It's Thursday night and we decided to check out Cafe Roma because it was closer and seemed to have good reviews. I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo pasta with chicken and David got a large Everything Pizza. For appetizers, we got the stuffed mushrooms. Oh and they also gave us cold bread with butter which I think wouldve been nice toasted or maybe with some olive oil and parmesan? Stuffed Mushrooms: No salt was used. Like at all. Didn't season the mushrooms and there were no breadcrumbs in the topping, which was also bland. Fettuccine Alfredo: Chicken was dry and some pieces were hard. Became hard to eat after a while because the sauce didn't stay creamy and luscious, it sort of solidified and just wasn't good to eat. Everything Pizza: Well one thing was this was a BIG pizza. The not good was that the cheese wasnt evenly distributed (see photos)? Like some slices straight up didn't have cheese? We liked how the crust was thin. Still wouldn't recommend. Overall, was pretty disappointed at our experience. Wait staff was just fine as others stated (they forgot our garlic bread) and didn't give off the most friendliest vibes. Ambiance was decent, it was a small ish restaurant but they were able to make it feel somewhat homey. Will stick to our usual go-tos.

    Sleeper hit seafood pasta
    Jon L.

    So I just found out our favorite Italian neighborhood joint has a chef from the long time well known Pines of Rome in Bethesda! No wonder the white pizza and osso buco are off the chain and so nostalgic ! Please skip the everyday pasta and go for the daily specials. I mean the ravioli is awesome and pesto gnocchi is absurd but roast veal, soft shell crabs and rockfish with crab are next level amazing. Burrata, fried calamari and white beans are our go to apps but please leave room for tiramisu, chocolate mousse cake and of all crazy things... my fav flan anywhere!

    Fettuccini Pescatore
    Lacey C.

    Our absolute favorite Italian place in the DMV. It's hard finding good Italian places when you're used to the options that Boston has, but I've found a place I finally love! Food is wonderful and the flavors are consistent each time you come. Exceptional service and their manager is very knowledgeable in food and wine pairings. Their wine selection is really good! It's a cozy place but definitely worth getting a little dressed up for a low-lit dinner with my love at our favorite corner table. Cafe Roma also does an excellent job with larger parties. Give this neighborhood Italian place a go, you won't regret it!

    Table setting
    Tania A.

    If you're looking for a quiet dinner out, with delicious Italian cuisine, and very friendly staff... Look no further. The menu has all the classic Italian menu items, so you are guaranteed to find something you'll love.

    a table with a menu on it
    Carolina B.

    Let me first start by saying I am from NY! I've been looking for an Italian place that serves chicken Francese. Which is my favorite Italian dish. No one has it in the DMV. Only Cafe Roma offers it under another name --Chicken Doratti. It's so good that I ask them to add the sauce to my pasta and not give me marinara. I've been coming here for two years and every time I come the food is fantastic. Tonight I invited close friends of mine and everyone raved about all their dishes. I licked all my plates clean. I'm not going to sugarcoat it! We all ate everything. Can't wait to go back. Big plus free parking up front too. You can't go wrong here. Also they make the best French martinis everrrrr!

    Chicken Parmesan
    Sara L.

    I wasnt sure what to expect based on other Yelp reviews but I was pleasantly surprised. The chicken parmesan was very good. Not out of this world but very good. The bread brought to our table was warm and fresh. My mom enjoyed her lunch special and couldn't believe the large portion for the price. The restaurant has a cute, casual feel to it. The only downside to our lunch was the service. We were one of three or four tables and there were several servers. My mom (much to my dismay) had to call ours over several times. It's good to know this place is so close to home!

    Chicken doratti

    See all

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Wingyan L.
    43
    103
    456

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maggie B.
    1
    107
    15

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sara L.
    170
    428
    1295

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lee B.
    16
    7
    0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shera S.
    104
    117
    32

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Leslie a.
    21
    195
    609

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rasheed A.
    282
    26
    29

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Great food and service. We had the chicken Parmesan and lasagna. It was delicious. Highly recommend if you want Italian food.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ronald L.
    280
    138
    20

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Food is really good especially the bread and pizza. The ambiance of the place was really nice. Service is on point and fast

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Food was alright but the Dining Room was 85+ degrees during our meal... Hope they fix the AC

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bill W.
    13
    19
    7

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Edward G.
    139
    71
    2

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of L W.
    0
    29
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Excellent food the pasta is always al dente. The roasted veal in the oven is amazing.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Café Roma

    Is there outdoor seating?

    There was outdoor seating during Covid but i believe that has stopped.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Italian 14,083 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    La Speranza  Restaurant - Pizza Bianca

    La Speranza Restaurant

    4.5(103 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    Don't be fooled by this non-descript appearance. My family…read morehad a gathering at the historic cemetery near by and chose to have lunch here after. The food was OUTSTANDING. I was a skeptic. Having traveled and dined across the globe, I did not expect homemade pasta, fresh espresso, and Neapolitan style pizza to be in Rockville MD. If you live within an hour drive, just take the trip and have lunch or dinner here. Try the espresso martini! I shared a cheese pizza with my daughter, my mother had the chicken piccata, my cousin the gnocchi, my father the chicken parm, my cousin had a caprese salad and the further seats I couldn't see. We all shared a few orders of the calamari. EVERYONE raved about how delicious their food was. I agree. Probably the best piccata I've tasted. The pizza was excellent. The tiramisu great. The pistachio gelato was perfect. I sure wish they were closer to Florida!! So good.

    Came for dinner for 3 at 6pm on a Friday and it wasn't yet busy, though it got busier after we…read morearrived. All in all a great meal, and I look forward to eating my way around the menu. The biggest hit for me was the suppli appetizer. These are absolutely delicious and vegetarian friendly! Similar to arancini but somehow even more delicious. These are a must-order. I had the pasta alla vongole and a bite of my husband's chicken parmigiana. Our friend had mushroom ravioli that she loved, but I didn't try as I don't care for mushrooms. I've been on a clams and garlic kick lately for some reason and the vongole comes with these and bonus bacon. I would have preferred the bacon a tad crispier, but that is personal preference. I'd give this dish 4* - I would get it again but after trying some others. From the one bite the chicken parmigiana was a 5*. Their marinara is very good and the linguine in both our dishes tastes freshly made. We all split the chocolate temptation dessert and I ate more of it than I expected to, it is chocolate mousse adjacent cake with ganache frosting, very light, perfectly sweet. Often I find chocolate desserts too much after a big meal but this one wasn't heavy at all. 5* My friend ordered sangria which she thought was more like a wine cooler; too sweet for her French oenophile sensibilities and a bit lighter than a sangria usually is, but I am a pleb who loves sweet drinks and I would order it. If you are a sangria purist you might not care for it. Hubs enjoyed his old fashioned but said it needed a dash more bitters to be perfect. I was driving so enjoyed a non-dirty Shirley. Prices to me are reasonable for quality and portion size; our tab ended up high because of the appetizer, drinks and dessert but if you just had pizza or pasta with soda it would be pretty affordable. I will be back to get more suppli and try other dishes!

    Photos
    La Speranza  Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    La Speranza  Restaurant
    La Speranza  Restaurant

    See all

    Il Pizzico - Spaghetti allo scoglio

    Il Pizzico

    4.3(849 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$

    What does Il Pizzico mean in English - perfection perhaps??? I know that's not what it means - but…read moreit should. This unassuming restaurant in a rather seedy strip of Rockville Pike exceeds expectations at all levels. The dining room is neutral and simple, relaxing and quiet. The service is fantastic. Honestly, there are not too many professional waiters left in the world but, the ones that remain, all work at Il Pizzico. Service is impeccable. Danny was perfect. The owner, Enzo, is charming and enlightened with his menu. When we mentioned how much we liked ramps (which Enzo had picked himself out in the woods, by the way), he went and got some pickled ramps he made for himself only (not on the menu) so we could taste. Charming. Inspired. Elegant even! My main course was ramp risotto with scallops. OMG great! The risotto was luxurious and complex and filling and surprising - all at once! I hate to throw out the word "perfect" again but this dish was in fact perfect! The rice was perfectly cooked and satisfyingly crispy at its center. Honestly, I got lost in this dish. There were other things in the risotto - onions? Scallops for sure. Green shavings (what the heck was that)? Who cares! The risotto was that good. My dish was so good that it could have been ONLY risotto and I would have loved it! The risotto was so good, in fact, that I ordered creme brulee for dessert and I don't even like creme brulee. I know this doesn't make sense and I know it doesn't paint me in a good light - but it's true. I wanted the outstanding dining experience to continue so I ordered something that I usually overlook in order to keep it going. Ok, so I do not need to say this. BUT I WILL. I highly recommend Il Pizzico. Full stop!

    Il Pizzico was such an outstanding experience. From the outside, it's tucked away in the most…read morerandom little area in Rockville, so we honestly weren't expecting much walking in, but once you step inside, it completely transforms. The restaurant is beautiful with a warm, romantic, old Italian vibe. The food was great and surprisingly reasonably priced for how nice the restaurant feels. I wouldn't say it's the most mind-blowing Italian food I've ever had, but it tasted like a truly delicious homemade Italian meal. The wine prices were also fair. On top of that, our server was incredibly attentive and friendly throughout the night. Overall, such a lovely dinner and definitely a place we'll be back to again. One note: you have 2 hour limit so just be aware you may be a little rushed!

    Photos
    Il Pizzico - Inside

    Inside

    Il Pizzico - Appetizer special - Croquettes w/cod - 2025

    Appetizer special - Croquettes w/cod - 2025

    Il Pizzico - Chocolate – Amaretto Bonet (close-up) 4.29.22

    See all

    Chocolate – Amaretto Bonet (close-up) 4.29.22

    Gemelli's Italian Market - Mortadella, rosemary ham, fresh mozz, basil, EVOO, balsamic glaze, soft roll

    Gemelli's Italian Market

    4.6(562 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Delicious and cozy pizza, subs, and other goodies. Shop their market while you wait! I love old…read moreschool places like this that you can consistently count on to be good. Feels like you've stepped back to a simpler time pre Internet! -Italiano sub was perfectly balanced and didn't get soggy on their hard Italian bread. May be the best Italian sub I've ever had- the crusty bread was a first for me! -Tacchino sub was good but would be better with some type of pickle. Felt very rich. -two cannolis hand filled to order! The filling had chocolate chips in it. The pastry shell was perfect and not too fried. We've gotten their pizza before too- def recommend! Fantastic crunch and they make their own mozzarella. We also like to get their homemade pizza dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella, ravioli, and pasta for quick weeknight dinners. Their dried pasta selection is impressive and includes gluten free pasta. They are kind, warm, and knowledgeable- I feel very taken care of when I go! Call in your order bc they don't do online ordering. Don't sleep on this gem!

    Saturday 1/24/26…read more It's been a little over 2 years since my last visit, and a re-visit was definitely due, so I'm here. I made a call in pick up order and got the chicken parm sub $11.75 and gemellis pepperoni special $24. Also, the service for ordering and picking up was quick and easy. - The chicken parm sub was solid, but the main problem was the lack of tomato sauce. - The pepperoni special was a miss for me, and that's unfortunate cause I remember it being way better last time. It's cheesy, but the lack of tomato sauce and the dough/bread being underwhelming/ weak really ruins the taste experience. Overall, it seems that Gemelli has definitely fallen off in terms of the quality & taste that I've enjoyed previously. Don't know if I'd be back, but I do know that their chicken parm and polpette subs are still worthy choices in my eyes.

    Photos
    Gemelli's Italian Market - Go Juventus

    Go Juventus

    Gemelli's Italian Market - Manzo

    Manzo

    Gemelli's Italian Market - Italian amber ale

    See all

    Italian amber ale

    Café Roma - italian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...