How does this place have only 1 review?! It seems like everybody who lives in the east rock area has eaten here before. This is actually the first place my husband and I ever ate at in New Haven. We walked in thinking we would get pizza (they have a banner on the wall advertising such) and found a nice Italian restaurant on the inside (no pizza to be found). We ended up leaving very satisfied with the great service and great food at a reasonable price for all that you get. We also just had Valentine's Day dinner here and enjoyed every single item on the price fixe menu. It was so tasty from the salad to the dessert! We will definitely be back. read more

We live a block away from Caffe Bravo and we LOVE it! My husband is Italian so he's pretty picky about Italian food, but he says Caffe Bravo is the best Italian in New Haven. We dine-in regularly and do take-out more often. The Gnocchi Sorrentina is delicious, as is the Cavatelli with Sausage. The service and atmosphere are also great and the wine is reasonably priced, given the quality of the food. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent food and wait staff. Only downside is that the atmosphere is a bit stuffy. For a small place, though, they handle large parties really well. Wish they were open later. Even though the atmosphere isn't for dinner, the food is and I'd take people there all the time for a quick, good Italian meal. Could use better chairs. They get uncomfortable if you're sitting and talking and drinking for a while. read more

LOVE this place. over 10 years ago, my family and i lived just across the street. my sister and i, in HS at the time, would literally scrounge up all the change we could find to buy and share one order of penne ala vodka about once a week. it was SOOOO good! just last year, i returned for the first time since we moved all those years ago, and WOW was it different. in the best way. it went from a casual cafe feel to a more elegant (but still cozy) atmosphere. and the food was just as good as i remember! our server was a doll, and very helpful in recommending dishes to suit our taste. the wine was tasty and plentiful and each one of my girlfriends absolutely LOVED their dishes from the tilapia to the home-made gnocchi to the desserts! i'm actually headed there tonight for date night and i can't wait to share this little gem with my fiance and our friends :) read more

We were very pleased with the food and service during Restaurant Week 2015. In fact, we liked it so much that we went twice. For what we paid, the quality of food and service far exceeded our expectations. read more

The worst part of this experience was the service. We were a party of two, early in the evening on a Monday, and though the restaurant was no where near full it took all our efforts to flag down our waitress each time we needed something. First we sat for 20 mins before anyone came to take our order, then we waited nearly 30 mins for our food, and finally it took another 20 minutes to get them to take our payment after getting the check! On top of that, the food was overpriced and the flavor was fairly bland. I had the pasta with vodka sauce (add chicken), the amount of pasta was generous but the chicken and sauce were scant and both desperately needed more salt. My friend got the gnocchi with ribs and she said the meat was tough and gristly. I really wanted to like this place because it's a favorite amongst friends, but I was very disappointed. When the best thing about a restaurant is the free bread basket you know it's a low point. read more

This is one of my most favorite Italian restaurants in New Haven. It deserves a 5-star rating for the food, drinks, décor, and overall dining experience. Their dinners take time to prepare but once they come you'll understand why: attention-to-detail. The staff and owner are extremely welcoming. It's the perfect neighborhood Italian ristorante. Very classy, with an upscale clientele. read more

Loved this place! I live right down the street and I can't believe it took me so long to come here. The food is fantastic and the outdoor seating was perfect for our 4 person date night. I am definitely coming back! read more

My favorite neighborhood italian restaurant. I go there weekly for lunch and occassionally for dinner and they never disappoint for what I am looking for. Ever changing varied lunch specials such as veal stew over pasta, grilled seafood with a grain salad, grilled scallops with pesto sauce over pasta etc. The soups are very good too. Yes if you get soup and a lunch special plus coffee you are over $20 for lunch, but you have had a well cooked deliciious meal that can be your main meal of the day. Those grey haired folks you see there at lunch aren't dumb! read more

This is an excellent Italian restaurant, certainly one of New Haven's quieter places to eat. I've only tried two of the pasta dishes, which were both very good. Very nice ambiance and good service, but a bit on the pricey side, even for New Haven. read more

We hosted a private party for ~50 people and Caffe Bravo was the perfect venue!! Mark, the owner/manager, was a pleasure to work with. He was super organized and very on top of things- from planning the day, to setting the menu, making a seating chart, pacing the party and ensuring everything ran smoothly. He even made personalized menu cards for each place setting- such attention to detail! No request was too big or small, and Mark went out of his way to accommodate special menu offerings and requests, even ordering a personalized cake for the party and tri-colored/rainbow cookies for the kids in addition to other dessert pastries. Everything was fresh and delicious, and our guests raved about the food, particularly the Toscana pizza, calamari, pappardelle con porcini pasta, pollo alla bravo, branzino marechiara and vitello saltimbocca --and it's important to note that our families are Italian and from NY, aka a very tough crowd to please! The service was excellent and the staff was super attentive and accommodating throughout the entire party. The outside patio was a great bonus; it gave guests the perfect opportunity to move about and mix and mingle in between courses, and the kids just loved being able to play outside too. In sum, awesome food + great service = a wonderful party! A HUGE thank you to Mark and all the Caffe Bravo staff!! ~Lauren & Angelo read more

On our east coast college tour we discovered this absolutely charming Italian restaurant. The service was fabulous, food was excellent and overall great environment. I recommend this place to locals and travelers alike!!! read more

I came in Tuesday, yesterday, for lunch. I had the most amazing special: Spanish octopus with puréed chick peas and an arugula salad. It was delicious!! The octopus was tender and seasoned just right. I could eat the puréed chick pea by itself if I had to. I would eat this dish everyday if I could. I am sticking to my recommendation of this restaurant. Look for the picture of this dish. I'm not able to attach it to this post. read more

Caffe Bravo - Octopus with puréed chick peas and an arugula salad. Excellent!! - Italian Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Very cute Family restaurant we stopped here on our way to NYC. Great pizza and very good service. Sat in the patio. Really good espresso

Excellent food and service at a very fair price. The home made pasta is fabulous. Specials well thought out and presented.

I've been here about five times and have always had the best experience. Amazing food and friendly and attentive wait staff! It doesn't get much better than this. We recently went to the Mother's Day brunch, which offered the full menu along with a special brunch menu. It was wonderful! read more

Great lunch with very fresh ingredients prepared well and served in a friendly atmosphere. Portion size was generous for me, but the pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was not too heavy. Just delicious. read more

This is a nice local Italian place that is usually pretty busy. Sometimes the wait is a bit long for a table and for food. They have indoor and nice outdoor seating options. The food is pretty good and vegetarian friendly. I've had a bunch of different pastas there which were all good. read more

Awesome outdoor patio with even better food. Penne alla vodka was amazing and the staff is very friendly as well.

Great time with friends. Good food and super staff and drink choices. Would recommend to anyone who wants casual dining

A little gem in the middle of a neighborhood where many locals eat. Food was delicious, attentive service. Nice outdoor dining area.

the service sucks. usually i review for the food only, but the waitresses were so inconsiderate and apathetic. caters to a very specific crowd of white, businessperson patrons. would not come back since the food was not spectacular either. read more

I came here for lunch during restaurant week. The location was a little hard to get too if you don't have a car (I uber here) and its definitely worth coming here for the food. It was really packed for a weekday lunch crowd so I was really surprised. Most of the customers were working professionals. I liked that for restaurant week, their menu was extensive and generous. I tried their roasted beets with goat cheese. It wasn't what I expected (hence I took away a star), I don't think the beets were roasted, it felt like it came out of a can/jar? I ordered the skirt steak, medium rare for my main and that was spot on. The meat was seasoned perfectly, medium rare. The roasted vegetables that came along with it had a great texture and crunch (not like soggy steamed colorless veg). The veg was seasoned well and I really enjoyed my skirt steak. My friends had different dishes: Branzino, Salmon, Lamb, Gnocci and they enjoyed their mains too. Dessert was awesome, we could choose any dessert from their pretty long list and the serving size was a little larger than average. Tiramisu, Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Tarufato and the Chocolate Lava cake was good. I think the 'lava' bit could be more lava-like. Service was great, they were quick and efficient. I would definitely come here more often if it wasn't hard to get to. read more

One of my New Haven favorites! The food is consistent and always fresh and delicious. My husband ordered the filet mignon the last time we were there and he keeps telling everyone that it was the best he has ever had. John, Kathleen and the entire crew always make us feel welcome. The drinks are generous too! read more

All we've tried is the pizza. It was mediocre -- nothing dreadful, but no reason to go out of our way for it.

Wow! This place is fantastic.. It was just remodeled and looks great inside while keeping it's traditional charm. The wait staff is super friendly and the food is delicious. There is everything from delicious appetizers to pizza to amazing specials. The wine selections is great and is very affordable. I highly recommend this place to all. It's a diamond in the rough of all the Italian restaurants in New Haven! read more

The Eggplant Parmesan was way to salty, but the other dishes I've tried are very good.

We stumbled upon Caffe Bravo after a recent appointment in New Haven. It was a cool evening so we dined outside and other than some local noise from the local bus route, we enjoyed it a great deal. The food and service were excellent and the price was very reasonable. The bread and bruschetta selection was a welcome start to the dinner. I had the Pollo Marsala and my wife had the Clams and pasta. We both enjoyed it and we will return again. read more

I am gluten free and truly enjoy their pasta dishes after not being able to eat pasta for many years!

I've been going to Bravo since they opened. I've never had anything there that wasn't delicious, from panini to full dinners. Try the fettuccini bolognese, it's my favorite and the best I've ever had. read more

Excellent authentic Italian food. Great bread & olive oil, crostini, and house salad come with each Entree. Have had numerous meals here and never had bad service or a dissatisfying meal. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal, at a reasonable price, with a good atmosphere. read more

What a disappointment! I got the linguine with red and greens peppers, onion and chicken. And it was flavorless to say the least. The ingredients seemed to be very low quality, the chicken dry, the peppers boiled. There was nothing holding this dish together. My husband got the chicken/goat cheese/pesto/sun dried tomato panini, it was ok. read more

Caffe Bravo is delicious! I find the establishment unpretentious and the food to be very fresh. The service is great! They are prompt, but not pushy. You feel like you can take your time and enjoy a great meal! read more

We have been going to Caffe Bravo for years. Always excellent, consistent, and plenty of wonderful choices. For starters the Toscana pizza is the best pizza in all of New Haven! My favorite pasta is the Linguine Tutto Mare. The The staff is attentive and warm. My favorite place in all of Connecticut! read more

Always have a wonderful meal here. The owners and wait staff are incredibly accommodating and pleasant. The food is consistently good no matter what I've ordered. A wonderful new Haven option. read more

I visited this restaurant, during Restaurant week...first time and we found the food to be very good. The service was very good and the owner, John, was on hand, very personable and welcoming, as was his son, at the front. First time visit, will not be the last. read more

Drove up from Bridgeport for lunch with some guys on Tuesday.Really nice Italian restaurant on Orange Street.Started off with great bread basket,and ordered penne puttanesca for my entrée.Everything was fresh.Nice sized lunch portion.Waitress, were very professional.Topped off lunch with a glass of Chianti,and an espresso with Sambuca.My friend,s introduced me to the owner.real gentleman.Great overall experience,will be back with my father. read more

Good food, though it feels a little overpriced. The food is definitely the highlight of the establishment, but the service and atmosphere aren't too bad. read more

One of New Haven's best kept secrets. Charming, authentic Italian restaurant, conveniently nestled in the East Rock neighborhood. After two visits you're a regular, and the waitstaff and owner remember your name .....and your favorites. There are creative and delicious specials daily, which often incorporate seasonal treats. The regular menu includes gourmet pizzas, arugula salad and fabulous calamari....grilled or fried, as well as unusual and delicate veal, salmon, chicken and perhaps the best bolognese you ever tasted.. The wine list is excellent. Try it... you'll love it! read more

My boyfriend and I wanted to try somewhere new so we met at Caffe Bravo for drinks and dinner after work on Tuesday night. We got there around 5:45 and wanted to relax and have a couple drinks before dinner because it was still early. The place was empty. We sat down and ordered a drink. We had taken a sip of our FIRST drink when the waitress came over and asked us what we wanted to order for dinner. We told her that we had not looked at the menu yet and we wanted to relax and have a couple drinks first and would order dinner in a little while. She proceeded to tell us that we could not order a second drink until we ordered dinner. No one is going to tell me when and what I need to order. We left there and went to another restaurant where we spent about $100 on drinks and dinner. Needless to say, we will not be going back there and will not recommend it to anyone. read more