Cafe Italia is nestled in the heart of south Fort Myers. Located in the public shopping center before the Sanibel bridge. A small, authentic, Italian restaurant serving lunch and dinner run by a tiny family. The air is filled with the sounds of accordions and Italian music. The prices are very reasonable for the quality! Everything That is prepared here is made to order. Quiet little place. VERY GOOD FOOD read more

Cafe Italia - a woman reading a menu - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Truly an Italian restaurant! Well diversified menu, impeccable service from Vincenzo, with portions and quality that were impeccable. We ordered two sandwiches for lunch, which included home-made Italian flat bread, home-made mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers and pesto. It was a sight to behold and a taste sensation! The sampler dessert try was just the right amount for two people after a hearty lunch. read more

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Very rare you stumble across a gem like this one. Don't let the quaint store front fool you - this place is a 10! We started with a great Cabernet (house recommendation) and salads. Amazing Caesar and insulata Caprese. Dinner was the lobster ravioli and the spinach and ricotta crepes. Denise and Miguel (chef) are our new BFFs. We will be back!! read more

Cafe Italia - Lobster Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

My wife and I had a great experience with Cafe Italia. The Caesar dressing was homemade and the focaccia croutons were on point. I had chicken parm, the portion was huge. The chicken had a good flavor but the red sauce was next level. My wife ordered gnocchi and was equally impressed. The chef/owner was polite and attentive, love to see the husband wife combo work so well!!! read more

Cafe Italia - two plates of food on a table - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

4 1/2 Stars We enjoyed our lunch very much we look forward to our next visit. This is how Italian food should be. Our 1st visit next time will try meatballs which is my test of true Italian read more

The best staff and the best Italian food in fort myers hands down! Everything I've had is wonderful! Pork sandwich for lunch is the best thing on the menu!! Any of their gnocchi is little pillows of heaven! read more

Very friendly and family owned and working together like home. The food was so delicious it was like being in Europe. Not a fancy place but clean and orderly and smells good too. I just can't wait to return. The menu was so interesting......, what was this and what is that. Scrumptious. The prices are reasonable and the service was excellent read more

Thought this was pretty average Italian food. Caprese salad used arugula instead of basil, and the homemade mozzarella wasn't the best. Pickup took over an hour, and the place wasn't super busy, so they seem understaffed in the kitchen. Gnocchi Ripieni al Asiago seemed too small and lacking in flavor (apart from cream and salt) to justify the $20 price tag. read more

We just moved to Sanibel on Monday and found this cute cafe while shopping. The food is AMAZING and the service is excellent. It's a family pen businesses, husband is an real Italian ( the wife told me). We like it so much and we went back on Wednesday. read more

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This was a five star place for me. However, if everything must be perfect - maybe go else where. This is a family owned small place with decadent food. And it is worth the wait. The food is to dye for and the service is genuine and carrying. It was a Saturday night and the po lace was busy. We came at 7pm no reservations and got sat at the last available table right away. Ordered Caesar salad and two pastas. Just a sec, I am getting to it. Caesar came relatively quick so we were excited about our pastas. It took a minute so while we are waiting I'll tell you what we ordered. It was a Mushroom Ravioli with Mascarpone cheese and nuts and something and gnocchi. They were out of gnocchi. So I picked Eggplant Parmesan. Ok, they ravioli was out of this world and the eggplant Parmesan was one of the best I've ever had. We are going there for lunch tomorrow. Only because Sunday, today they were closed. I would try everything on the menu read more

My favorite Italian food in Ft. Myers! We ordered the penne and stuffed gnocchi. The penne was great, but wow -- the gnocchi was out of this world!! I can't stop thinking about it! I appreciated the toned-down but elegant atmosphere of Cafe Italia. The complimentary baguette with olive tapenade was yummy and made for a nice starter. The service was great, as was all the food. Apart from the gnocchi, I highly recommend the tiramisu. It is light as air and peppered with a generous amount of shaved chocolate. I've found a new Ft. Myers staple! read more

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Omg. What an experience. The food was awesome and the service was exceptional. In from out of town and would definitely recommend

Great Food, Service, and Value!! We ordered NYE catering for 9 people to pick up as were staying on Ft Myers Beach. The food was AMAZING and high quality! Everyone was super happy with the dinner and the service was great. We would recommend the Caprese Crostini's (to die for), Eggplant Parmesan (less breaded than traditional, but we enjoyed more this way), Chicken Marsala, and Tiramisu Cake. read more

Cafe Italia - a table full of food and drinks - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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If you haven't tried this little gem of a restaurant, now is time! I absolutely LOVE their porchetta (pork) sandwich. It is mouthwatering with slow cooked pork, sun dried tomatoes (homemade), carmelized onion, roasted lemon rind, pesto, and fresh shaved Parmesan cheese. All on a delicious roll. It truly is better than any sandwich I have had on my adventures in Italy. PLEASE support this local business! read more

Cafe Italia - Take Out Perfection! - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

I do not like my chicken thick and not browned a little bit. It was kind of tough. Also not enough cheese on chicken parmigiana. Only parmigiana and not mozzarella. Picatta did not have much flavor. Not my style of Italian I guess. Bread dip tasted too much like olives for me. read more

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Dined there last night party of 7. Husband is the chef and wife works the front. The food was exceptional. Truly. Everyone raved about their selections. read more

Overpriced and not impressed by food. Found this spot while visiting town. Had positive reviews and was close by our location. Unfortunately, the food did not come close to matching the price point. Chicken parm was average and chicken lacked seasoning. All and all, very average food. read more

Cafe Italia boxes way above its weight class. A wonderful family-owned restaurant, Cafe Italia features authentic Italian cuisine including excellent pasta as well as lighter fare. The wine list is terrific too. This is absolutely my favorite place to eat in the area and I look forward to returning many more times! read more

Very good food. The crepe with the sausage is excellent if you want a rich dish. Great prices. Great food. read more

What a fantastic jewel of a place in an unassuming shopping center strip! It took us forever to order because everything sounded fabulous. I had a caprese salad that was incredibly tasty -- ripe red tomatoes, homemade mozzarella cheese accented with basil and balsamic dressings. I also had a small pizza, a simple cheese and sauce edition, that was crunchy and tasty. Hubby had a house salad with a simple homemade dressing and lasagna that was so good he cleaned his plate, even after helping me polish off my caprese salad. The service was fast and friendly. The restaurant also sells gelato and pastries that I feel sure are amazing, but alas, we were too full to sample them. Highly recommend giving the chain restaurants a miss and visiting this wonderful little place! read more

Cafe Italia - Fabulous salads! - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

These folks are still putting out the best Italian food in south fort Myers. Give them a call and it will be ready. A true family owned and operated business that needs customers now as always. read more

Wonderful experience!! The stuffed gnocchi and wild mushroom ravioli were out of this world! Service was outstanding, we were celebrating a birthday and they surprised us with dessert. Will definitely come back next time we are in the area. read more

Cafe Italia - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

Amazing!! Everything was freshly made. Definitely would come here again. Chef was willing to customize anything you want.

MAKE a reservation! I wish my group was able to eat here. We walked over from a nearby hotel with a group of 5 and we're unable to be seated an hour from close. We were disappointed as my friend who checked them out online saw the amazing reviews, I can't say anything about the food but it all looking amazing and I wish we would have been able to dine in. The only reason I'm writing a review is because I wish there was something to say they get quite full as we would have called earlier. I was also slightly disappointed with how the waitress treated us to let us know we were unable to be seated, although I understand they were VERY busy. read more

Food was legit! So flavorful and fresh. Never mind their wine selection was off the chain. It might not look like much from outside the restaurant but you are getting a 5 star restaurant quality meal from a mom and pop establishment - Chef is the owner and his wife served us. They were both so kind and attentive. I'm in Ft. Myers for a visit and will likely go back for another meal before I leave. read more

Absolutely the best Italian food my husband and I have ever had. It would be a mistake to not eat here. The chef is 100% Italian and knows his way around the kitchen. We have eaten at Michelin star rated restaurants that weren't as good as this gem. Thank you so much for the amazing meal!! read more

My family and I were on vacation in Fort Meyers and stopped by here to have a late lunch. We were blown away by the hospitality, menu, and the most important thing which is the food. We ordered the caprese salad which was amazing and had fresh mozzarella. For entrees, from the normal menu we got the gnocchi, stuffed shells and lasagna. We also got something from their "regional" menu which is like a specialty menu. Everything ordered was way beyond our expectation and I recommend finishing off the wonderful meal with dessert. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars. Guess we have to drive 3 hours more often to come! read more

Just had a great dinner. I had the penne spinach shroon gorganzola.. totally killer! My wife had the chicken marsala... the chiken was sooo soft. The marsala was savory sweet... very good. We also had the bruschetta. It had a very deep rich flavor that i have never tasted before. We even ordered the canoli rum cake to take home and my wife also ordered take out for Italian wedding soup for lunch tomorrow. read more

We found this place right by our hotel and decided to try it out. It was so amazing. The bruschetta was to die for. Our pasta we got was amazing. Also the homemade bread was bomb. We are planning another trip before we head home read more

Cafe Italia - Penne con spinaci funghi e gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Sanibel, Florida

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Just called to place a to go order on a Friday night because we loved everything we read and saw. However, the lady who answered the phone said "We can't do to go tonight, we are really busy" WHAT?? I've never heard of such a thing in the restaurant business. This is crazy tell me it will be an hour wait or longer, but to just say no and turn away business. This is just poor business. I'm it saying don't eat there, the food looks delicious, but you better be prepared to go sit down to eat and not need it to go. read more

Omg hand down one of the best meals I've had! From start to finish... every dish and the service was great! The owner/ chef I believe is from Italy and he knows how to cook. We started with a Caesar salad. It was perfect with homemade croutons and dressing. Then I got the spaghetti and meatballs and it was the best sauce and meatballs I've ever tasted. I mean it was amazing. My hubby got the meatball sub and it hand fresh homemade mozzarella that was so creamy and melted in your mouth. Then to top it off was the cannoli... wow! The shell was crunchy and flavorful and the filling was finger licking off the plate good. I would highly recommend this place and I'm trying to figure out how to get back there during this trip. read more

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Yum! Yum! And yum! The only suggestion we have is they need a bigger place! We came for lunch based on the yelp reviews and were very pleased! The calzone was amazing with delicious crust. The lasagna and meatball sub were are enjoyed tremendously! The delicious cannolli for dessert was fantastic. If you have not visited this place, you are making a mistake! I only wished we lived here, we would be back!! read more

Great local small Italian restaurant, our 1st visit. It was very good family run. We enjoyed the food and will go back to give a better assessment in the future, our only problem, we have to travel a log distance to get to this storefront restaurant in a mall. read more

We traveled to Sanibel from Pennsylvania and decided to get Italian food. This place is extremely close to the bridge and has excellent food. Our family all ordered the made-from-scratch crepe dishes and loved them. The ingredients were all fresh and delicious. This place is a must-go if you are anywhere near Fort Myers. The restaurant is very welcoming and the service was great. Fabulous! read more

Delicious, stop here every year when we arrive before heading over the Causeway and it is always good. The service is great. Everything is fresh and homemade here, even the mozzarella. read more

My favorite Italian Restaurant!! The food is prepared by chef Michael Romano with lots of attention to details. Everything is fresh, house made & absolutely mouth watering! Truly authentic Italian food. My personal favorite are the crepes with ricotta & spinach. I love it so much that I crave the flavor & have to go back for more! Service is always personal. We love Vincenzo who waits the tables & is also chef Romano's son. Make sure you have dessert !! My favorite is the triple taste of 3 of his small pastries served delightfully with just the right touches. Have to leave it at that as my taste buds are revving up & I might even be starting to drool!! Make sure to put Cafe Italia on your "must try" list! You are sure to be pleasantly surprised!! read more

Very friendly and the Food is wonderful! We stop there every time we visit Ft. Myers.

This place ales the best porcetta sandwich I ever had. This is a clean, well managed restaurant.

Delicious, fresh food! The bread was freshly made and amazing. Highly recommend. Don't let the location fool you, it is authentic Italian

This small cafe was located close to the La Quinta where we were staying, it had so many good reviews we went for an early dinner. Tiny and authentic maybe 7 tables most for two, quite a lot of take out. We shared a salad and lasagna, both excellent. Local Italians came in to hang out with the chef, a really great little spot with excellent food and authentic atmosphere! read more