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    Caffe Rustica

    4.0 (191 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Caffe Rustica Photos

    Business Info

    CAFFE RUSTICA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Caffe Rustica

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    Salmon w/risotto
    V G.

    During a weekend stay in lake placid a local bartender recommended Caffe Rustica for dinner. It's tucked away in the corner of a grocery store parking lot. Very unassuming. Walking in you'll find that it's a very intimate setting with fewer than 15 tables split between the bar and the main dining area. We had reservations for 6:30 and were given a choice of dining in the bar or the main dining room. We opted for the dining which had just a few diners but quickly filled up. Our waiter was friendly and very attentive. We were served a basket of warm bread that was delicious and our drinks were delivered quickly. As we saw waiters chatting with various tables it was easy to tell that several of the diners were locals or regulars. We ordered a salmon and risotto and a shrimp and risotto entree. The portion size was perfect and both dishes were beautifully presented. The risotto was wonderful! In my experience I've found that not many restaurants do a great job with preparing and serving risotto. That was not the case here! It was perfect. The food, the service and the ambience were very enjoyable. We will definitely make a repeat visit next time we're in the area

    Salad
    John W.

    Not an Italian background so the menu wasn't clear to me and the waiter was limited help. No "traditional Italian options not even lasagna. Salmon was good but only 7 green beans. Could have spared 6 more. Service was mediocre and they weren't busy. I won't be back.

    Tuscan Risotto
    Jackson S.

    Wonderful food and experience. Joe waited on us and his cocktail and food recommendations all hit the mark. I'm a bourbon guy and Joe recommended the Chef's Kiss. It was delicious. We split a Caesar Salad - with anchovies, of course. Followed it with the Sweet Thai Chili Scrimp on Linguini. Dynamite. The shrimp were tasty and the blend of Thai and Italian was bang on. My wife had the Tuscan Risotto which was excellent with plentiful shrimp and scallops. Truly appreciate the Caffe accommodating us. Great service and ambience overall!

    Cavatelli Bolognese
    Elisa F.

    Just OK. We are staying nearby and got takeout. They are pretty pricey for the quality. 2 pizzas at $19 each and they're about 12" and the cavatelli bolognese was $33!! No prices online which should have been a giveaway. The pizza was good, nothing special. The cavatelli was a good sized portion but the pasta didn't taste homemade to me. Definitely more money than we expected for just OK food.

    Insalata
    Keith S.

    Just when I thought I found all the gems in Lake Placid, I am so happy to eat at this wonderful restaurant just slightly off the beaten path. I started with a special appetizer - Prosciutto and Mozerella Spiedini! I grew up with always having Spiedini at Christmas time but it was always made with veal. Turns out any kabob/cheese dish can be considered a Spiedini. I loved this appetizer for multiple reasons - creative twist on a classic, melty cheese, the arugula, and perfectly executed. Yum! I went next with the Insalata - organic greens (), almonds, pickled blueberries (holy crap!), Gorgonzola, roasted onions, and a raspberry vinaigrette. It was even better than it sounds and the pickled blueberries are the secret weapon... The finale - Chicken Parm with linguine. The linguine normally comes with a marinara but they kindly let me substitute the marinara with an olive oil/garlic thing on the linguine. So... I am always in search of a great chicken parm and this was seriously one of the best I've ever had. Chicken cooked perfect, a great marinara sauce (tasted like tomatoes and not too sweet), and a perfect (read generous but not too much) amount of mozzarella. Add the linguini and a perfect match. I'd give it a 9.5 out of 10! Note - I sat at the bar and Eden (owner/partner) was just super attentive and so friendly. This is the best restaurant in Lake Placid when you add it all up - high quality ingredients, creative homey food, a local vibe and flavor, and probably the best service you'll experience in the wonderful town!

    Pork chop
    Emily A.

    Great service and food. Best pork chop I ever had. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his Thai shrimp pasta dish. Will be back!

    Burrata and watermelon salad...a great combination of flavors and textures.

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    Great food. Despite being short handed with staff rallied and made it it a very enjoyable experience. Very impressed!

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    13 years ago

    Off the beaten path, but a great restaurant. Food was really good, service was great. Would definitely go here again

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    14 years ago

    Amazing! Fresh and delicious. We will always return when we visit lake placid and send our friends too!

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Excellent food. Friendly service. This is where the locals go regularly. Best Italian food in the area.

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    Page 5 of 5

    Caffe Rustica Reviews in Other Languages

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    Jimmy's 21 - Baked Oysters and Scallops Maschio Prosecco

    Jimmy's 21

    3.7(360 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    While staying in Lake Placid I came here for dinner on a Tuesday night, getting there around 6PM,…read morethey had a decent amount of people sat inside and on their back deck. I sat on the back deck, overlooking Mirror Lake and it was beautiful, especially in the summer evening. Menu is simple Italian with all the normal, popular Italian dishes, nothing really unique, but plenty of delicious options. I started with their meatball appetizer - They were very nice! The order comes with two huge meatballs that are very tender and nicely seasoned. The sauce was slightly light in flavor and not as thick as I would have liked, but still pretty good. Their table bread they brought out with it came with a very tasty olive oil that was seasoned with garlic and herbs. The bread was served warmed, slightly toasted and was great. Next up was their basic starter salad - this was pretty nice too. Dressing was good and veggies were fresh. My entrée was their Rigatoni Ala Vodka - This was really good. The flavors were perfect and the pasta was perfectly al dente. Overall, I thought dinner was great. Service was excellent and attentive too. Definitely would return, especially if I could sit on that back deck!!

    NICE ENOUGH PLACE Filet was good. Potatoes were thick and…read moredry. Asparagus was tiny and stringy but covered in hollandaise so who cares. Orange sponge cake was good. All in all, nothing special but ok.

    Photos
    Jimmy's 21 - Interior

    Interior

    Jimmy's 21 - Fettuccine Alfredo

    Fettuccine Alfredo

    Jimmy's 21 - Love Acqua Panna!

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    The Pickled Pig

    The Pickled Pig

    3.4(441 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Outdoor seating

    Excellent service, delicious food, and an exceptional, welcoming hostess! A+ place!! One of our…read morefavorites when visiting Lake Placid.

    I came to Lake Placid for a few days to work at a conference and on my first day I looked up places…read moreto eat and this one came up as very appealing so I walked there for lunch and was disappointed to see they were closed. I checked the times online again (Google and their website) and saw they should be open, but weren't. So, I ate elsewhere. Ultimately, I came back on my last night in town and saw they were open and I sat at the bar. The bartender (a European guy) was less than friendly, never smiled, and hardly gave any attention to me, other than to ask what I wanted. Service throughout the entire visit was extremely poor from this guy. At one point, when I ordered my burger, I asked for cherry peppers to be added to it, he simply said "no!" and walked away. I asked him if he said no and he agreed that he did. I told him to come back and I showed him the part of the menu that showed where you can get bacon and cherry peppers added to the burger and this was what I was referring to, except that I only wanted the cherry peppers...He walked away. I ultimately got the burger and as I suspected, no cherry peppers were on it. This guy was literally one of the worst servers I've ever experienced. Along this topic, I noticed that several places in town had these European servers and I asked some locals about this, seems there isn't enough locals to handle the jobs, so they hire these folks, which is fine as long as they teach them some basic customer service skills and monitor their actions to make sure they're not upsetting customers, causing poor reviews for their establishments. When it comes to the flavors - Their chili was decent. It didn't have much depth of flavor and was highly tomato sauce based, but was decent. The menu said it was award winning, which I found interesting, because what I ate didn't taste very award winning. The burger tasted pretty good! The meat was perfectly seasoned and flavorful and the temperature was spot-on. The bun was great. The toppings were also very nicely done. Their fries were excellent! I loved the crunch on the fries, they seemed like they were par-fried then finished fried to order - very nicely done! Overall, my score comes from the terrible customer service. I saw others servers giving great service to the tables, but I made the mistake of sitting at the bar and having this guy. Also, there was a blond lady, maybe the owner or manager who was busy chatting with guests who she knew most of the time I was there and was too busy to check on other guests at the bar, even though she as at the bar too. Tells me that they clearly care more about the locals and those they know rather than those who are just passing through. Maybe it's the reason for their other poor reviews, which I think is sad considering their interesting and unique menu. If they managed service the way they put together such a great menu this would easily be a 5 star place! Hope they turn things around!

    Photos
    The Pickled Pig
    The Pickled Pig
    The Pickled Pig - Poutine

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    Poutine

    Top of the Park

    Top of the Park

    4.5(441 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$$

    Ambiance: 1000/10. Top of the Park is an absolute must on any Lake Placid trip. This rooftop tapas…read morebar, perched above Players Sports Bar and Grille, has jaw-dropping views of Mirror Lake. You can choose from bar seating, indoor tables, or outdoor spots with a perfect breeze. There's even a big street-side table that's ideal for bachelorette groups or larger parties. The whole space feels elevated, cozy, and a little magical. Drinks: The cocktail menu is insanely creative and the pours are generous. Their espresso martini is one of my all-time favorites... I stop in for one every single time I'm in Lake Placid. It's that good. Food: I think about this food at least once a week. The menu is built around shareable small plates, making it the perfect pre-dinner cocktail hour spot for your travel crew. Order a couple of drinks and a few bites while you take in the lake views before your dinner reservation. My personal must-orders: the charcuterie board and the mac and cheese. Unreal. Price: It's on the pricier side, but genuinely worth every penny. For the quality, the atmosphere, and those views? Not overpriced at all.

    I'm thinking I don't have to write a review because it's pretty clear the place is a slam dunk…read morechoice -- lovely staff, delicious food and a Mirror Lake view -- but I will warn that the portions are on the smaller size and if you ask for a bit more bread with the cheese board, they will charge you five dollars without warning. Those aren't complaints, but for any "hungry guys" who like hearty portions, this place will run up your tab.

    Photos
    Top of the Park
    Top of the Park - White anchovy

    White anchovy

    Top of the Park - Red Wine + Peartini

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    Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

    Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

    3.8(958 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Best food in town. This is my 3rd restaurant this week and I'm going back again cause the food is…read morejust better than the rest. Service was great. We made waitlist reservations and they were pretty close so seating was an issue but they are really, really busy at peak times. For the place itself, I believe it's an old church? The beer is great and they have one of those dome hockey games that I'm addicted to themed to the 1980 Olympic Game of USSR vs USA. LOVE IT! . Best food and atmosphere in town!

    Conveniently located near hotels in Lake Placid. If you don't have a reservation you'll be waiting…read moreup to two hours or more as it is not a big restaurant. They do have a second floor dining area for large parties. English pub style. Food is relatively good. We are here 3 out of the 5 days we were in Lake Placid, mostly out of convenience. Service is okay, depending on who you get. They are super busy all the time and if your server isn't on point they will forget things. Their Ubu beer is the best beer there. The cranberry cider is pretty good as well. Shepards pie had very little meat/filling with a larger mashed potato ratio. Apple pie sounds great on paper but had little filling, leaving it super dry because it's baked as an individual personal pie. The whipped crème fraiche was delicious. Wings were nicely fried, crispy on outside and tender inside. Sourdough grilled cheese could've been better by using any other cheese besides Kraft singles. Clam chowder is superb. Beet salad was okay. Turkey burnt ends did not impress me and it's suppose to be their most popular dish. Chicken tenders were delicious. Fried fish was amazing! Huge piece of fish, served with tartar sauce and a side of incredible fries. Detroit style pizza is lackluster. The dough could've been cooked longer as it was underdone.

    Photos
    Lake Placid Pub & Brewery - Brew canoe sampler

    Brew canoe sampler

    Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
    Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

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    Caffe Rustica - italian - Updated May 2026

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