Great staff, great food and generally the best place in Lake Placid with reasonable prices. Highly recommended

We were in Lake Placid for a few days just before Thanksgiving during the Pandemic. Main Street wasn't entirely open for business and rather quiet. On a previous visit to Lake Placid, we tried to dine at Cafe Rustica and learned that reservations were a must and unfortunately we were unable to be seated. This time, we did make a reservation and were able to secure a seating. The restaurant followed the Covid19 rules by spacing the tables apart, making us feel safe and comfortable. The staff were pleasant and attentive. This is not a byob and if you do bring your own, we were told there would be a $25 corking fee. We had the Chicken Saltimbocca (the photo), and the Braised Short Rib over mashed potatoes. Both entrees were delicious. read more

Caffe Rustica - Chicken Saltimbocca - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

A Hidden Gem Spectacular food! Great service. Comfortable seacting. The best restaurant my wife and I ever ate at and we have eaten at the best restaurants in the united states. ​ read more

Little charming Italian restaurant with potential. I was content with the service and was content with the mediocre food until I did make aware that my cocktail was terrible and undrinkable. Waiter didn't acknowledge, so here is the real review. Meatballs were grainy and dry...recommend a better mix of meats to bring out more flavor or maybe more breadcrumbs. The bolognese was a bit salty and the pasta was a touch undercook so a bit gummy. The maple thyme whiskey sour was not anything you would expect a sour would be. It had no creaminess or any sweet/sour flavor profile. No trace of the maple and the whiskey seemed cheap and would get a better drink at a college bar. read more

See all

The best place for a dinner in Lake Placid Delicious food and nice service Really enjoyed! read more

Caffe Rustica - Winter sangria - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

See all

We heard about Caffe Rustica from two of our foodie friends (one local), so it wasn't exactly a shot in a dark when we picked it up as a gathering place for our friend's birthday. Our expectations for food were set sky high, and, boy, we were not disappointed. On top of that we got an excellent service in times of COVID when most of the restaurant staff is acting confused, scared and spaced out. We had a large group that included 9 very active kids of different ages that were not super quiet. Despite of that everyone made us feel at home and welcome. Ok, enough with writing - just tale a look at the food (photos are included with the review). read more

See all

This was a nice surprise. Excellent table service and the food was quiet good. Prices weren't as pricey as I would expect. read more

Caffe Rustica - Chicken Mediterranean - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

See all

A very warm comfortable restaurant. Obviously a local favorite. Staff seemed to know a lot of the customers by name. We all enjoyed our entrees. Definitely make a reservation to enjoy dinner when in town. read more

Service top notch, professional and even entertaining. Italian type menu goes well beyond the neighborhood Italian dinner. I had a pork chop that was superbly executed, my wife had a veal pasta dish that was simply awesome. Again extremely well executed. I would assert it's best Italian food since I was last in Milan. I would find it hard to believe there is better in these here parts. read more

A true hidden gem! I can't recommend this place enough. Wife and I stopped in for dinner Wednesday night. The wait staff was amazing. Super friendly and attentive. The food did not disappoint. Flavorful, well cooked, and well presented. We had the Insalata, Melanzane Arrabiata, Cesar salad, Veal Saltimbocca, and Tiramisu for dessert. Will definitely be back next time we're in town. read more

Food was delicious but we sat in the room by the bar. I have a fish allergy & was bothered by the cooking of fish. Very expensive meal . Ask to sit in the dining room so no odors will ruin your dinner. read more

Cozy little place. Great Italian dishes. Wonderful service. Eden runs a tight, well disciplined staff. read more

Very thing was excellent! Excellent food, service, atmosphere! We've been coming to Cafe Rustic for over 20 years when vacationing in Lake Placid. It remains one of our favorite places to dine! Love that they also have gluten free options! read more

My 300th review! And a very special one at that. This place is an institution of the highest quality. You wouldn't think so given its unorthodox location (it's "nestled" in a somewhat barren shopping center--anyone in the mood for some Price Chopper for dessert?), but Caffe Rustica is all class and all yum. Everyone who works here goes above and beyond in the customer service arena and their product has been solid at the very least for over a decade (probably more like 15 years if my memory serves me). If you're in Lake Placid and are willing to eat somewhere that's *not* on Main Street, you need to come here. My family has been coming to Caffe Rustica since it only operated out of one storefront (it expanded maybe seven years ago to two) and ever since we discovered it, it has been our favorite by a *long* shot. So when we came here on Friday night, I was curious to see how it had held up over the years. My last time here had been in 2010, so the gap was considerable. As you can see from my rating, it's still the best. AND: they now take reservations, making them one of the only places in Lake Placid to do so. It's packed all night every night (weekends in particular), so please go the reservation route. Though Caffe Rustica markets itself as more of a Mediterranean spot, I think it fits more into the Italian category. And like any good Italian spot, they've got a fantastic wine selection here (which we took advantage of). Unlike a lot of Italian (and Mediterranean, for that matter) spots, they've got some seriously great cocktails as well. I got what they call a "New Fashioned" which is made with wild blueberries, bourbon, lemon juice, a few other things, and is topped off with pilsner. Though I was a bit wary of the pilsner addition, it's not overpowering in any way. Just adds some effervescence to the drink. My bf got the drink special of the night, which was a daiquiri made with a super fresh, super yummy strawberry puree. Part of the reason my family loves Caffe Rustica so much is the uber personal service here (more on that later), but the food makes it a must-visit year after year. I've honestly never had a bad dish here. I can praise their pizzas and their salads equally (the Caesar, Tropicale and the Insalata are all fantastic) but for this review, I'll talk about my most recent experience. We first started with bread, which was as fresh and piping hot as it gets. Two different servers actually tried to give us a loaf, which would have been a-ok with our table. Though I'm more of a small plates girl, Caffe Rustica is definitely more of an entree-style place, so we all did our own things in terms of food. Stuffed Mushrooms w/ homemade fennel sausage, red peppers, parmesan, roasted red pepper coulis (A) Oh man, I haven't had great stuffed mushrooms in a while and these really hit the spot. Homemade fennel sausage at a good Italian place is pretty hard to beat--sticking some of that goodness in a mushroom just takes it up a notch. The last few stuffed mushrooms dishes I've had were quite overwhelming so this in comparison was special. The red pepper coulis looks a bit like tomato sauce but pairs even better with the flavors of the dish than tomato sauce would--more rustic/earthy with a hint of spice. Yum. Special Swordfish dish w/ mashed potatoes and asparagus (A) I try not to eat swordfish much due to the mercury content but on special occasions, it's perfectly safe. This was a beautifully-cooked piece of fish, and one that I finished with pride. The mashed potatoes were a worthy side dish, and this is coming from someone who claims to always put mashed potatoes on the bottom of the potato totem pole. I also tried my bf's strip steak (nightly special) which was incredibly delicious. And this is coming from someone who avoids red meat. Perhaps I need to reconsider my life choices. The one "issue" with Caffe Rustica is its kitchen. I put "issue" in quotes because the kitchen is exposed in the restaurant and everyone working in it is delightful. It can become an issue, though, when there are a number of large parties at primetime. Especially if you are not a member of one of those large parties. Though our bread, appetizers and drinks came out quite quickly, we ended up waiting at least an hour for our entrees. Our waitress, who is also the head bartender at Caffe Rustica, was profusely apologetic and gave us each a complimentary glass of wine for our patience. I honestly think we came at the exact wrong time and got unlucky with all of those big tables around us. So the service was still fantastic--the kitchen just got backed up. This is definitely one of the more expensive meals you can get in Lake Placid (I'd say $$ is misleading) but from my vantage point, it's worth it. You're probably thinking: "of course she'd say that--her parents are clearly paying". And you'd be right. But I'd shell out for this experience too. read more

See all

Absolutely delicious food and great experience. Wonderful service and best Negroni I've had in a long time!

Horrible welcome. Ignored at front desk. Given worst table in the house in front of kitchen door when the place was 1/4 full with no reservations. Server switched our table. No problem! After that: Excellent food. Encrusted tuna steaks. Veal stew. Tres leches desert awesome! $80 person: cocktail, entree, dessert, and tip. A good but not outstanding evening. read more

Not big on leaving reviews. However was just loving the experience with dinner at the bar when I learned the owner was the actual bartender. Definitely impressed. Very personable. Stress free dining experience. Wouldn't dinner anywhere else. Oh yeah the food was top tier as well! read more

Small quant restaurant. Luckily it was early on a Monday night so even though we didn't have a reservation we were able to get a table. Shared the special field mix salad with pear and goat cheese. Delicious. Shared the homemade cappenelli with Bolognese sauce. Delicious. Prices seemed high. $14 for a house Cabernet seemed steep. read more

Service was a little slow and I am assuming it was due to a shortage of staff working for the Holiday. Overall, the food was good even though the service was slow. Ambiance was comfortable and I would explore further menu options when there isn't a major holiday on the calendar. read more

hands down the best restaurant in Lake Placid. We were visiting from the city for a couple nights and tried a good amount of restaurants during our stay. This was the only one that really stood out. The wait was horrible even with reservations but they're really trying to limit capacity so no complaints. We had the appetizer special: clams and mussels in white sauce to start and I had the monkfish special with risotto. YUM. They need to add the monkfish to their menu because I would go back just for that item. DELISH. The waitress was awesome and friendly and the tiramisu was superb. Love the open kitchen. You can see that all the kitchen staff took great care in food prep and always kept their masks fully on. love! read more

Caffe Rustica Read our review guidelines Choose a star rating on a scale of 1 to 5 Good Saved Food Service Ambiance Date of visit: 4.20.24 6-7pm. We live in the local area and as our go to restaurant was unexpectedly closed we decided to try Caffe Rustica. So my wife and I arrived without reservations and were told that they expected more people to arrive, but they did have a table for us. The greeter, who did not introduce herself, asked us to wait and after about 5 minutes were escorted to a table for two. The greeters appearance and demeanor needs improvement. Needs more appropriate attire and greeting verbiage. Ambience was very nice, but a little too dark for us as the menu was hard to read. A couple who arrived minutes later, and sat at the table next to us, used their cell phones light. Our server arrived in a timely manner, who did not introduce herself, and we ordered 2 Manhattans, straight up and also our menu selections. I had asked to server to take her time, no rush. The salads arrived along with warm bread, vinegar and oil. very good. - no drinks yet. Finally our drinks arrived after almost finishing our salad. The Manhattans arrived in a non-traditional glasses - not appropriate! We tasted the drinks and they absolutely terrible. Almost straight whiskey. When the server arrived I told her that they were not drinkable. We ordered red wine, which was great. Our meals, Melanzana Arrabiata & Sweet Thai Chile Shrimp were excellent. Had two expresso coffees and cheese cake. Again excellent. Our server, Heather L., was excellent. Attentive and well dressed. I observed another server, male, 40-50, who looked slovenly because of his attire just came out of the dryer! Overall, I rate this restaurant an 8 out of 10. We would try it again. read more

This charming little restaurant is a gem. It is attractive and charming, with a low noise level - you can actually speak with your dinner companions without shouting! Our server, Hannah, was cheerful and efficient, able to answer questions about the menu. Our party of 4 tried several appetizers- crab cakes, goat cheese and beet salad, Caesar salad - and all were pronounced excellent. The swordfish special was delectable- perfectly seasoned, tender and accompanied by a lovely risotto and fresh vegetables. The veal stew and shrimp diavolo were also really good. Would I recommend this restaurant? YES! I hope to go again soon! read more

Booked a reservation for about 11 people a few Fridays ago. Food was great, good service. I wish I remember our server's name because he provided good service and we didn't feel rushed at all. Wine was ok, but everything else was great! I would recommend if you're in the area. read more

Solid 4 stars. Had the bolognese sauce and it was solid. The homemade pasta they served with it was nice. Also had a special pasta with house made sausage and a Marsala sauce which was good. The pizza was just OK, wood fired but they needed to rotate it 1/2 way thru, burnt on one side and underdone on the other. Great wine list. The summer gin fizz cocktail was great. read more

The most delicious Italian food in Lake Placid. Everything is fresh and the desserts were creative and yummy. read more

Caffe Rustica - Salsiccia Orecchiette - Italian Near Me - Lake Placid, New York

Food was outstanding, menu was complete . Service was great, performed by friendly and efficient servers. Ambiance was very nice. Typical of fine Italian restaurants. Owner was very involved in the business , functioning as hostess, bartender and overall outstanding ambassador. read more

Dinner tonight was excellent. For appetizers we had prosciutto spedini and the goat cheese beet salad. The spedini was very good with warm, melted mozzarella and slightly salty prosciutto. My wife loved the beet salad with warm goat cheese. She had the trout special entrée and loved it. I had the cavatelli Bolognese and also enjoyed it thoroughly. Service was also excellent with great conversation and background from our server Joe, we will be back! read more

The food here is absolutely delicious! Every dish is bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. The staff is friendly and attentive, making for a wonderful dining experience. read more

Great find,attentive wait staff, menu was exciting and excellent Italian food, definitely on our list when visiting Lake Placid again

Absolutely amazing service. Impeccable food and ambiance. Will be there every time when visiting Lake placid

Consistency is the hallmark of a great property and Cafe Rustica never fails to offer great food, great service and local flair! This is our go to in lake placid even though their are other similar level bistros we always return for their beef cheeks and papadela, house wood burning pizzas, Thai shrimp with orzo and homemade desserts!!! Staff is always accommodating friendly and attentive . Bar has daily specialty cocktails and a great wine list. Back room can get a bit noisy with their larger tables. Plenty of parking and easy access. Reservations highly recommended. Sorry no pictures phone was dead but trust me you will not be disappointed!!!! read more

Picked up two half cooked pizzas one "meatball" one pepperoni. There were maybe 10 crumbles and I mean very little crumbles of meatball... not even slices of meatball.... And very little pepperoni on my husband's pizza. Not sure why so incredibly skimpy. Pizza dough was super doughy and undercooked so we threw most of it out. This was our second time with a terrible meal. the former owner Kevin was a skilled CIA educated chef...this doesn't come even a little close. read more

I was a little nervous about the location by a grocery store but we loved this restaurant!! The patio is quiet and planted beautifully so it has a garden feel. The staff was very gracious, the cocktails were delicious as was our meal!! read more

Very nice family feel warm cozy it is small need reservations. Every one was very friendly and they were under staffed. It they worked there but off to please u. I was very happy. Prosciutto wrapped mozz was awesome. And we shared Caesar salad. Was very good. We got pizza mine was burnt on bottom I would def suggest. Getting something other than pizza. read more

We love Caffee Rustica! Love the food, drinks, and staff! It's a must stop when in Lake Placid

I really loved this place from the first moment I entered its doors when the scents wafted over me. I opted to sit at the bar and was glad I did since Eden was excellent, one of the best servers I have ever had. She was smart, respectful and efficient. She helped me make my selections by offering good advice. The meal started with some excellent warm bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. The pizzas on the menu sounded great but I went elsewhere with my choices. For an appetizer I ordered the prosciutto spedini where the mozzarella was warm and served over a small bed of greens and more balsamic. Excellent. For my entrée I thought briefly about the Thai chili shrimp over linguini but opted for the house specialty, Salsiccia Orechiette. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the red sauce was fresh and the sausage tasty. Another hit. I couldn't finish all that so I declined dessert (which included a cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake). I did order a cocktail special ($15) with Grey Goose Orange which was refreshing. (They also listed a Manhattan made with Basil Hayden Dark Rye, my usual go to.) read more

Fantastic food & service. Emily gave us great recommendations. The staff work exceptionally as a cohesive team!! Veal stew with pappardelle & cavatelli bolognese were so rich with flavor without overpowering sauces!! read more

Undoubably 4.5-5 stars and by far the best meal we've had in Lake Placid. If you are tiring of bar food or the somewhat touristy and similar restaurants I call the "three sisters on Main Street" -- Luna, Jimmy's 21, and The Black Bear--consider a 10 minute drive from Main Street to Caffe Rustica. Clearly run by a foody, every morsel was delicious. The melanzane arrabiata, orchiette with homemade sausage and arugula, and the seared scallops were all five star preparations. The bread, appetizers, salads and tiramsu were as good as it gets. The only disappointment was the Bellini which would have benefitted from more peach puree. Service was tops and the prices reflected the location. This is a small place so you probably want reservations. But all-in-all a near five star meal. read more

Busy restaurant in a shopping center whose large outdoor parking lot has at least a half dozen charging stations. Substantial number of outdoor tables and that's where we sat. Lovely flowers/bushes/lights alongside our table, so we took photos of ourselves. I skipped the appetizers in lieu of the bread and butter basket. My wife ordered a salad, which was big enough for both of us, and the sweet and thoughtful waitress (Heather) brought out an extra plate, even without being asked. Unfortunately, there was an issue with the salad, so it had to be returned and my wife ordered the Caprese "salad" instead (sliced tomatoes and mozzarella cheese). For entrees, she ordered the shrimp scampi over an English pea risotto and I ordered the chicken Mediterranean - both scrumptiously delicious. My wife ordered a lemonade and I ordered a chianti classico (it wasn't Ruffino, but some brand I never heard of that was just as good). I had asked whether they fill the glass to the top and the waitress replied they do a "standard pour," which I looked up and learned that, for a restaurant, is 5 oz. (which turned out to be just enough for me). We were full and skipped dessert. It's pricey, about $100 without tip, so about $120. read more

Everywhere else was so busy, with a long wait time, so we picked out Caffe Rustica because it was further away from the center area. And I was surprised that it was rather upscale. The food and service were good, although my salmon was a bit overcooked after being asked if medium rare was fine with me. Actually, I preferred it that way, but unfortunately it was more on the medium side. I gave 4 stars, more for the service than the food, which was otherwise fine but not outstanding. read more