We've frequented Cafe Fiore at least monthly for several years. Their drinks, food & service are consistently good and reasonably priced. Their performance begins with generous bowl of their trademark Garlic Knots and salads. Traditional Italian entrees do not disappoint. We love the place! read more

My husband and I were part of a larger family gathering of 11 people at cafe Fiore following the passing of a family member. While I can't speak for everyone else's experience, I can speak to my own, and I was extremely disappointed with the level of service we received. especially regarding food allergies and the zero percent effort put into finding additional information from the kitchen. When looking over the menu, I asked our waiter whether the pesto contained pine nuts because I have a tree nut allergy. He responded in an annoyed tone that he didn't know and simply told me not to order it. He didn't offer to ask the kitchen or try to find the answer, which was especially surprising considering he had just asked if anyone had questions about the menu. Since I still wanted to know if the pesto was safe, I walked up to the host stand where three employees were standing. I asked the same question, and one of the women immediately replied, "No, of course not. There are no nuts in pesto." When I asked if she was sure, she confidently said they never make it with nuts. It was clear from her reaction that she wasn't actually certain.... she simply wasn't familiar with the fact that traditional pesto often contains pine nuts. (Which is fine if you don't know but please, please ask instead of assuming!) At that point I mentioned to everyone that I carry an EpiPen because I have an allergy. Only then did she say, "Actually, let me ask the kitchen." She returned a moment later and informed me that yes, the pesto did in fact contain pine nuts. Food allergies are NOT preferences they can be life-threatening. It's alarming that staff members were willing to answer so confidently without actually verifying the information first or further more to not even have a care in the world to ask for me and told me to order something else? I hope Cafe Fiore takes this as an opportunity to better educate staff on food allergies and the importance of checking with the kitchen whenever there is any uncertainty. Instead of answering blindly. A simple question about ingredients should never be treated as an inconvenience, and guests should be able to trust that the information they're given is accurate when their health depends on it. It is not a big ask. Simply go ask the kitchen. Overall the food was just okay, the inside however seemed clean and well taken care of but I will not be returning. No meal is worth wondering whether the information you're being given is accurate. When a guest asks about an allergen, the only acceptable answer is one that has been verified with the kitchen.... not a guess. Someone else's life could depend on it. read more

I was here once before with a friend and had the salmon dinner. This time I got grilled salmon. I like the entree better because it had garlic, capers in white wine sauce and the grilled was bland. It was a good piece of salmon and I did like how it was cooked so that helped. The bartender is busy making drinks for all the tables so you can wait awhile to order. But everybody is friendly so I relaxed, sipped my wine, ate my homemade garlic knots & salad and was happy. Nice place, good food. read more

Cafe Fiore - Grilled salmon, mashed potatos - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Exceptional! From the salad and garlicky bread knots that came with the dinner to the appetizers and our entrees, perfection. A long drive for us but we would definitely take a trip just for lunch here again. read more

Cafe Fiore - Clams - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

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My dad has been raving about Cafe Fiore for years after going there for work parties, so while we were in the area, we finally had a chance to visit for dinner. We really appreciated that even during peak dinner time on a Saturday night, they were able to get our group of 3 seated with only a 20 minute wait. I can't believe how incredible the complimentary garlic knots were! Those were a standout, but truly the whole meal was delicious. We also couldn't believe how reasonably priced the whole menu was. For 2 drinks, 2 apps, and 3 entrees, our bill was under $135 before tip. You rarely see that anymore, especially at the level of quality Cafe Fiore is serving. Kudos to them, and we will gladly drive an hour again for this meal! read more

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I've been to Cafe Fiore a few times over the years, and it's left a good impression. O usually go at lunch to meet a relative or friend. I've had the Chicken Marsala from their lunch menu, which was flavorful, well balanced, and generously portioned. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. It is usually quiet during lunch so it's a good place to catch and have a good conversation. They also offer some specials according to their website including Ladies' Night on Tuesdays from 3:00 pm to closing, and Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 3:00-6:00 pm. Even though it's been a little while since my last visit, Cafe Fiore is a place I remember positively and would return to. read more

My family have been going to Cafe Fiore since they opened in 2016. While the food is great the Service has been terrible in the recent years. My husband and I were there on July 7, 2016 for lunch. We ordered, received our drinks and then the main course arrived. I asked for a spoon, it did not arrive. When our waiter came to check on us I again asked for a spoon and asked why we did not get our salad before the entree. He apologized and left. Soon afterwards our salads came in a to go box and again I asked for a spoon. Again, I did not receive one!! We left a lesser tip because of this. While driving my husband asked about the total since it seemed high for lunch. I called and spoke with the manager and she said we were charged dinner prices instead of lunch and she would give us a refund for the difference. I mailed a letter to the owner a couple of days later to inform him of the very poor service. The next week I went in to speak with the manager again to say we did not get our refund. She showed me she did the refund on 7.9.26. I also asked if the letter I mailed arrived and she said that it did not. It was mailed in Branford going to a Branford business. It has now been 3 weeks and I still have not received my refund. When I called the bank earlier they said the merchant determines when refunds are processed. Some merchants are 5 days, some 7 days and others can be 10 days. Obviously they do not want my business. There are many other great restaurants in Branford that I will be going to in the future. Cafe Fiore will NOT be one of them. Edit 7.28.26 One of the owners Val called me back after I left another message. He was extremely nice and understood why I was upset . He apologized and refunded me the difference in overcharge and Also gave me a $40 gift card! My husband and I will go back and see if the service is better than the last time. The food is really good so I would hate to have to cross it off our restaurant list read more

Hi I've been to the Hartford location and rate them a 5 star. This location was busy at lunch and did not have enough staff. We had the bartender waiting our table and working the bar. Not good! It took long for our food to come out and when it did it was cold. Not good. Bring out those that are ready and hot then bring those that are still being made. The manager needs more staff at lunch time because not once did any come over to ask how was our meal. I had to go to the bar to ask for our check. I could not even tell you about the ambiance because I was to distracted with cold food and service. Not sure if I would go back this location. Go at your own risk. You've been warned. read more

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I ordered the Fiore chicken with lobster over pappardelle. This was fantastic! Generous portions of lobster and an excellent vodka sauce. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals as well. Nice atmosphere inside the restaurant. Service was very disappointing. It took a very long time to get menus and server did not seem to value the business of our large group of 24. Also, they should have sent us more workers to support our large group. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

We get takeout quite often for our family of 5, as you get a lot for the price... or so I thought. The Fried Mozz is great and for $22-$25, can get anyone of our go-to favorite entrees- Grilled Chicken that comes with a mound of mashed potatoes, and Chicken Fiore/Genovese, both generous sizes and served with pappardelle. Entrees come with a salad (small, but okay), and garlic knots which are delicious. My children are quite picky so they just prefer plain pasta. Now, maybe I just hadnt noticed in the past, but I certainly do now - that a large side of pappardelle - plain, no sauce whatsoever, costs.... ready.... $19! and it wasn't even that large of a serving (see photo). For a few dollars more, may as well get one of the entrees and get the protein AND the pappardelle (albeit not plain). I'm just disappointed that the seemingly easiest thing to prepare and provide costs so much. Recommend either increasing the serving size to a heaping pile of pasta, or lower the price. Plain pasta should not cost this much and it's a forever reminder that I'm just going to get entrees for the adults and save $19 and make a pound of pasta at home. read more

Cafe Fiore - a 'large' side of plain pappardelle - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Food,service, ambiance well done; relaxing& comfortable, delicious All in a party of 4 enjoyed their entree& service. read more

Food is always delicious. Service is great. Restaurant is beautiful and in a great location. read more

Cafe Fiore - Beautiful ambiance of the dining room, and a side salad. - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Ordered $150 worth of carry out and they forgot an entree. Wouldn't have been a big deal but they essentially called me a liar. Had to take all food back to prove. Sucky customer service. Terrible people. Would have given zero stars if an option. Traveled around with 5 entrees because they wanted to argue and had to be proven wrong. Compensation..... a piece of tiramisu. What a joke! read more

My future son-in-law wanted to celebrate his engagement to my daughter at the restaurant where they had their first date. A week ahead of the engagement he called Cafe Fiore to make a reservation for 15 people. He explained what he was celebrating. We all showed up together at the time of the reservation and our table was not ready. Then when we were escorted to the room where we were having dinner, they pushed 5 ROUND tables together. It made for a very awkward couple of hours. The wait staff was less than friendly and it definitely put a damper on our celebration. I wanted to talk to the maitre d but my daughter begged me not to make a scene. The only thing that saved the evening was that the food was very good. Service Ambience Food read more

Today was the third time at the Branford location. Each time the meals were delicious, as good if not better than homemade. The first time here was the first time I ever ate salmon. It was delicious. Today we had veal pizzaiola. Today was a birthday celebration so all four of us ordered off the meal. The previous times was a large gathering of extended family members with a buffet and both times I found the meals were superb. read more

Don't want take out business On hold with Cafe Fiore for over 3 minutes after rude woman answered - told her I'd like to place a order for pick up. Guess they don't want my business. It's okay more local restaurants do want my business. Ciao Cafe Fiore read more

Cafe Fiore - Proof of hold time - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

extremely disappointed!! DO NOT sit in bar area for dinner, YOU WILL BE FORGOTTEN! first, ordered cranberry juice with club soda, came with no club soda, straight cranberry. I had to go to bar to get a glass of club soda to cut it dow....asked for a small cup of garlic to add to their "Parmesan knots" and they brought a second bowl of knots. it took an hour from ordering dinner before being served, yet my Eggplant Rollatini came 5 mins later and was cold, had to get up from table just to ask other servers for coffee, containers and finally the Bill...2 hours later and treated like we were bothering them... PLEASE GO ELSEWHERE!! You will be treated better!! read more

Another fabulous meal In a beautiful bar with who else but Eli!!! The kindest and most attentive bartender. Cheers or Salute!!! read more

Cafe Fiore - Eli doing what he does best! - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Cafe Fiore is a wonderful Italian restaurant with both indoor, and outside seating, with a nice bar area.They have a large lunch menu with very generous portions. We started with their signature garlic knots ( the best garlic knots I ever had). I ordered the Veal Parmesan served over pappardelle pasta. My wife ordered her favorite Chicken Fiore, chicken breast topped with spinach, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, in a pink vodka sauce. Our friends chose the Linguine with clam sauce, and the Shrimp Scampi. Everyone was very pleased with their meal, and the service. read more

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We come a couple times. Excellent service. Very professional. Bartender was spectacular and warm personality. Fabulous food, everything is so tasty. Menu is extensive and seasonal to a particularly high standard. Zuppa Di Pesce were cooked perfectly and accompanied by a wonderful red sauce. Recommend to everyone! We would like to come back here again. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Nestled, almost hidden, amidst a cluster of condominiums in Branford, Café Fiore is an unexpected gem that effortlessly defies its unconventional location. Stepping inside, you'll find yourself welcomed into a space that's tastefully designed and imbued with warmth--though I must admit, the giant Mona Lisa staring you down from the wall feels a bit like she's silently judging your menu choices. Sure, it's a little over the top, but hey, maybe she knows a thing or two about fine dining. Service at Café Fiore strikes that perfect balance: attentive without being overbearing. Our waiter was the epitome of charm and professionalism. When Kim found herself wavering between the Chicken Fiore and Eggplant Fiore, he didn't just make a suggestion; he delivered a solution with finesse: "Go with the eggplant tonight, and you'll have a reason to come back for the chicken." Clever, right? He not only settled the debate but secured a return customer. He was there when we needed him, but not so close that we couldn't have a nice conversation or keep our three-year-old entertained. Mona Lisa's watchful eyes seemed to approve from across the room. Appetizers: We started with the fried calamari and arancini. The calamari was tender, paired with an intriguing side of cold hot peppers that somehow worked. The arancini was modest in size, coated in just enough breadcrumb to keep it balanced. The rice itself could have used a little more seasoning or a touch of meat and cheese, but the rich, and what I believe to have been northern-inspired tomato sauce elevated the dish nicely. I could be wrong about the northern Italian flair, but that's the vibe I got. Main Courses: My Filet Mignon was seasoned and cooked just right, perfectly satisfying in its simplicity. It came with mashed potatoes--good, though they needed a hint of salt. Kim's Eggplant Fiore, the dish she was expertly nudged into ordering, turned out to be the star. It was cooked to perfection and topped with a luscious vodka cream sauce that hinted at northern Italian roots. Fresh spinach, tomatoes, and mozzarella added a nice touch, and while it came over pappardelle pasta, which wasn't our first choice, it did the job admirably. I swear Mona Lisa's half-smile looked a little smug at this point. Desserts: We ended with the Italian-style cheesecake--dense, rich, and very, very heavy. It was the kind of dessert that makes you pause halfway through, take a deep breath, and power on. The Chocolate Bombe was essentially chocolate mousse with a little flair, and it was every bit as indulgent as it sounds. Café Fiore delivered a night of good flavors, attentive service, and a bit of fun with the ambiance. The nods to northern Italian inspiration and the warm atmosphere made it a meal worth savoring. And if you're up for dining with Mona Lisa watching your every bite, this is your place. For anyone in Branford looking for a spot that's cozy, unpretentious, and serves up solid Italian fare, Café Fiore is worth the visit. Highly recommended. read more

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After a beautiful day on the water, we had worked up an appetite for a tantalizing lunch. Café Fiore, with its exquisite decor and luscious menu provided just the right ambience to celebrate a special milestone birthday. Service was phenomenal and the food was delicious. We were a bit surprised that nothing special was offered for one of our friend's birthdays. The restaurant was clean and beautifully decorated. They had a good size lunch crowd in both the dining area and the bar. The family style lunch we shared was delightful and included a hearty pasta fagiolli soup, two different good sized salads, and of course their signature Café Fiore eggplant dishes. Everyone had a glorious time and we are looking forward to returning soon. read more

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Disappointing Service Despite Good Food Unfortunately, the service at Cafe Fiore in Branford was genuinely awful and made what should have been a nice meal extremely uncomfortable. The staff was not friendly at all, never once asked how the food was, and repeatedly ignored basic requests. When I asked for a clean knife, I was told to keep my dirty one instead of being given a new one. We also asked for bread, which never arrived, and the replacement knife was never brought either. The overall attitude was very unpleasant and unprofessional. What made it even worse was the audacity to automatically add a 20% gratuity for a party of four without any prior notice or consent. That is completely unacceptable given the level of service. To be clear, the food itself is very good -- but service matters, and this experience was disgusting and uncomfortable. Sadly, this is the third time I've experienced this kind of rudeness here, so it's clearly not a one‑off issue. I won't be returning unless there is a serious change in how customers are treated. read more

The garlic bread is great the salad is eh my gf clam and linguine was over cooked but my lasagna was pretty good the waiter took forever to come read more

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My second bad experience at Cafe Fiore. The food is always very good, but there have been servers that have been extremely rude. A guy came over to the table that I was told is usually a bartender and when I asked about an item that is on the menu, he told me no that I was wrong and they didn't have it there. I said, maybe they don't have it anymore, but I remember that they had it at one time because I've eaten it there. He rudely told me that I didn't know what I was talking about that was probably another restaurant and said it in such a way that it was offensive. Additionally, he got argumentative, insulting, and even router when I told him that I thought he was being rude. He got more angry and belligerent. and fortunately refused to wait on us. The item I asked about was the chicken Fiore with Lobster. It is right on the menu so the fact that he told me that I was wrong and probably had it somewhere else is ridiculous. It is not the first time that we had a male server act in such an unconscionable way. The food is good, but it is probably why I don't go there too often. The servers are wild cards. I won't be running back. read more

You can always get a good meal!!! They have excellent pasta dishes. Service is also excellent!!

This is a popular and very busy spot. The wait staff seemed disinterested but probably reflected how overwhelmed they were. One of our dinners was forgotten but finally served as everyone else was finishing. Would have been nice to have had a least a free dessert for the debacle. The server seemed indifferent. That said, the food is delicious and well prepared. Would definitely return! read more

I'm visiting from Seattle where I am a culinary director. And after this experience I downloaded yelp to write my first review. First impression. Sat for over 15 without being acknowledged. Then was brought bread and water but when I said I was ready to order they said I needed to wait for my waiter. Bread was good but nothing to dip in. 12 mins later the women that sat me came over and took my appetizer. Ordered the clams. Got exactly 5 half shell clams with half cooked back on top for $15. Wouldn't have minded if it actually was cook fully through and cleaned properly. Hard to enjoy your over priced clams while you're chewing sand. Ordered lobster ravioli for dinner when they dropped the clams off. I appreciate they offer a salad to go with the meal but would have liked if they asked if I wanted it instead of just bringing it. Now it's going to waste. At this point I have been sitting over a hour. It's just me and 2 other tables (6 empty) on the baEveryone that was seated and ordered after me has their food.. the server walks by with a look on his face like he just remembered I was in his section and turned towards the kitchen. I liked the sauce. It gave me something to dip my bread in. The fresh mushrooms and tomato was nice. But for a restaurant that promotes its self as fine dinning. The ravioli is not fresh nor made in house like the server said. Disappointed. read more

My cousin & I enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Cafe Fiore after taking the Thimble Island Cruise. The food was delicious, starting with a basket full of garlic knots.. the next course was a salad, with their yummy house dressing. We both ordered a chicken dish which were both absolutely delicious,,,, both served, with what seemed like fresh pasta. Highly recommend! read more

Takeout was disgusting. Ordered Lasagna, something I thought an Italian restaurant could not mess us. Boy was I wrong. It was barely warm and must have been made a week ago. Not fresh. They left out the garlic knots and the cannoli we ordered for dessert. When we called they said come back and we'll replace the awful lasagna with a fresher one. Can you believe it? I would avoid this place unless you want to risk a hospital visit. read more

Cafe Fiore - Takeout lasagna - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

Came here for dinner early on a Saturday. The ambience inside is cozy and inviting. They also have outdoor seating. Appetizers were fair our calamari was overcooked. The entrees were tasty with good sized portions. I had linguine with clams, lots of clams. The staff were friendly. Dessert was delicious. For the price point the meal was solid. read more

It took 10 minutes to order drinks during lunchtime @ the bar. Bad energy ambiance from the employees. The Heavy set waitress working is such a bitch I couldn't believe what a horrible personality she had. They all seemed inept & not happy with their jobs. Our food to go was just okay...we didn't receive any takeout napkins or plastic utensils ... we're NEVER going back. Weird,cold, bad vibes. read more

The food is great; the service is terrible. I have been there waiting at the host/hostess stand and been ignored while the staff chats. I have been there as a single women and with a female friend and the hostess automatically tried to seat me in the bar without asking me if I wanted to sit there. I don't, the one time I sat there the server/bartender ignored me me while he lavished attention on I'all the young women sitting at the bar. Tonight, after my insistence, my friend and I got a seat in the restaurant. There was a long wait before anyone took our order, and at least a twenty minute wait after we finished our meal before someone took our check. Even then, we were charged for a drink we didn't order. I would hope, in the 21 first century, we were long past the point when women received second class service. Apparently Cafe Fiore is late to get the message. Shame on them! read more

Absolutely my favorite. Consistently food, and atmosphere. My preference is to sit in the dining room versus the bar which I feel it's a little noisy. The garlic are out of this world. The portions are always generous. This is always our preference for dinners for 2 as well as group dinners for our family. They never disappoint. read more

All of the above. Our go to restaurant for good food service and price !!!!!!!!!!!ambience is lovely and calm not noisy like some restaurants read more

I was very pleased with this restaurant and the food. I ordered chicken and shrimp in pink vodka sauce and this sauce was incredible! The entire dish was just right! I had no idea that dinner order comes with salad so it was a pleasant surprise to me. Service was good, fast, attentive and accommodating (I needed to replace my salad for it to be without the dressing and it wasn't an issue). The inside is very cosy and nice. Overall I recommend and would come back! Forgot to mention very tasty bread buns with butter, garlic and Parmesan. So good!!! read more

Cafe Fiore - Chicken and shrimp in pink vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Branford, Connecticut

My fathers took me out for dinner to Cafe Fiore, having sung its praises for awhile now, especially for the zuppa di pesce. It did not disappoint!!! It was FILLED with delicious seafood and a sauce that I could have eaten alone with a spoon as a soup and STILL have been happy! My father and I honestly kept talking about how delicious it was all night! My other father ordered the chicken marsala, which he had also had in the past and has consistently been happy with. They bring delicious, fresh baked garlic knots to the table and will replenish then all night if you wanted. My father even wanted one to take home, and our waiter came back with a container of three for us! This is just one way our waiter and the staff as a whole were kknd, attentive and helpful. The meals also come with a house salad, and while the dressing wasn't my favorite, one of my dads was able to change the dressing. This was honored no problem, so that is good for me to keep in mind for the future - which there will definitely be one as I will definitely be coming back! The restaurant itself was clean and comfortable, with a nice bar and outdoor area as well. Honestly, I was initially shocked at how crowded it was for a Tuesday, but afterwards it made sense! Overall: I can't wait to return! read more

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My first bit of advice MAKE A RESERVATION, it definitely paid off for us only waited 5 min. There was not an open table in the place until 9pm when we left....we were there on a Saturday night. Hostess and Wait staff were all friendly and pleasant. We started with clams casino, arancini and shrimp cocktail. All absolutely delicious ! Dinner was Lobster , Sole Franchise and Shrimp and Scallops. Not a lick left! Food was hot came out rather quick. In between apps and dinner we had delicious fresh rolls and garden salad. Had a chocolate martini with dessert. No complaints! Can't wait to go back. read more

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This place never disappoints. The food is fresh, hot, and delicious. I had the lobster ravioli with pink sauce, there was plenty of sauce left over to dip the fresh bread in. (Though the portion sizes are massive I had left overs). I did not taste much lobster in the ravioli, seemed it was mostly breading. The wild mushroom ravioli in tomato pesto sauce received high compliments, I enjoyed the the sauce. The Chicken marsala was fresh as well. Each entree comes with a salad and garlic rolls. read more

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Solid four star Italian dinner last night. We sat at the bar while waiting for a table after giving our names to the hostess. The bar is large and comfortable if you wanted to eat at it but we wanted a table. The Chocolate Cranberry Martini was excellent. It was so light and refreshing. The bartender did an excellent job of drizzling the chocolate syrup in the martini glass before he mixed the cocktails so when he poured it did not disturb the chocolate. If you are a regular you know that instead of bread they give you a basket of garlic rolls that have to be the best I've ever had. Garlicky, tons of grated cheese and butter. They were marvelous. Our friends dine here often so the Chicken Fiore came highly recommended so that is what I ordered. The dish is chicken cutlets sautéed with spinach, tomato slices, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella cheese on top of pappardelle pasta. It was a tasty and satisfying. Salad accompanies the meal either with a balsamic dressing or gorgonzola. My husband ordered the linguine and clams which he loved. The only miss was the clams casino. We thought they were just ok. Although a lot of photos on their site mention make reservations and I highly recommend it if you are a party of 6 or more otherwise you're out of luck. We expected it to be crowded on a Saturday night and it was but tables moved quickly. We could have sat immediately if we wanted to dine outdoors but they do not have heaters so with weather already it in the low 60s that wasn't an option for us. If you go I'd suggest on the earlier side for dinner because the parking lot is large, but it's also shared by the many condo's on premise. Except for handicap I didn't see designated condo parking versus restaurant. Unlike most restaurants since the pandemic they appear to have a lot of wait staff. We saw many different waiters, waitresses and bartenders working throughout the dining rooms. read more

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