What a wonderful experience! This is a small intimate restaurant with an open kitchen. The staff is attentive and very welcoming and friendly. BYOB makes an outstanding food experience more affordable. We started with a rich flavourful cream of crab soup. Then had fried calamari which was tender and excellently crispy with two very tasty dipping sauces. The salad was very fresh and crisp with tomatoes that were not anemic like most restaurants. We had the lobster ravioli with a vodka rosé sauce yum... and chicken Afumicato with a brandy rosé sauce, the smoked cheese in this dish really put it over the top! We finished the meal with creme brûlée. The portion sizes are generous which makes Moonlight Café not only a great date night but also an awesome value! We are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

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Amazing Italian dining in the most unlike location. Would highly recommend but be sure to make a reservation

Visited last week. I believe there was only one server working and the restaurant was packed, but she did an incredible job! The arancini was a little cold in the center and the bruschetta wasn't my favorite, but everything else was great. While the bruschetta wasn't my favorite, it was exactly was it was described on the menu. I was skeptical ordering it because it's not what I'm used to and what I prefer, but it was not bad by any means. The bolognese and sausage manicotti special were both incredible. The started salad with the house dressing were fresh and delicious. The creme brûlée and the other fail special dessert we ordered were also great. Everything came out very timely, especially with how busy it was. Everyone was friendly and it had a great atmosphere. read more

While there is no shortage of pizza and sub shops in the area, if you're on the hunt for true Italian cuisine, the options are slim pickings. Luckily, there's Moonlight Cafe. Small, but interesting place where you can see the cooks preparing your meal just several feet from your table. Great menu of Italian classics including an array of pasta dishes, appetizers, and more. Veal parmigiana and the pasta primavera are some of our go-to favorites, but you honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

The crab dip is to die for... seriously though food is good and the staff is very friendly. I would definitely go again!

I expected to Love my dinner, based on reviews. I'm staying in the area, so looking for a good local joint. I ordered the Primavera over spaghetti. Wow, how disappointing. The sauce tasted like vinegar, and the veggies were anemic looking (pale, not bright and fresh). Wondering if they were marinated rather than fresh? That would account for the vinegar taste. Yuck is all I can say....The staff were friendly, if that counts. read more

Bring your own bottle is allowed They have glasses and a cork screw This is great! Signature crabcakes! The Bolenase sauce over spagetti was seasoned with fresh herbs read more

We bought takeout twice during our stay at the nearby state park. The servings are huge! We got 4 dinners out of two takeout orders. I had spaghetti Bolognese, which was excellent. I also had the spicy sausage with broccoli over penne, also excellent. My husband had saltimbocca and pronounced himself very happy. The restaurant is tiny, but they have a great takeout system. You call your order in and they tell you precisely when it will be ready - none of that 30 minutes or 45 minutes stuff - they give you an exact time and it is hot and ready to go when you get there. You actually pick takeout orders up via the drive through, which is really swell. read more

We went here with my family it was nice but service was slow and the waiters weren't fond of the fact my family was bigger (6 people). The restaurant is on the smaller side too. The food was a bit overpriced. But it was good food! read more

Moonlight cafe is such a quaint place! It's a little hidden gem in Dover Pa:) Marco the owner is very friendly and the service is always on point. Tried this new appetizer and love that they are accommodating with changes. Great job and come by and have some amazing food! read more

Moonlight Café - Italian Near Me - Dover, Pennsylvania

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We stumbled upon this cafe while traveling from Gettysburg back to Philadelphia while on vacation. The locals in the area said it's a must and they were right! We are foodies from Sonoma County California and this place is awesome! Ask for Jenna for the best service ever! Dover, Pennsylvania is a hidden gem! read more

Moonlight Café - Hidden gem! - Italian Near Me - Dover, Pennsylvania

A hidden gem we didn't know existed. Everything was great. Their sauce is packed with flavor and just sweet enough. I'm looking forward to going back multiple times. read more

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Never dissatisfied. OBSESSED with the red sauce and every dish I've eaten has been quite tasty. If you don't like noise, crowds, or authentic Italian, don't go here. The place is teeny tiny with a few tables, limited parking, and, if you come during dinner hours, there will almost always be a wait... But it's worth it! Unique dining experience. Very friendly staff. BYOB and I'm like 99% sure that they now accept credit cards! YES PEOPLE, THEY TAKE PLASTIC! read more

We have been to Moonlight many times and have never had one bad experience. The staff is always excellent, the place is very cozy and the food is always off the charts excellent. read more

Unassuming as it was but the parking lot was full of cars when we arrived for an early dinner on a Saturday night. While in York for a car show, a local had recommended Moonlight Cafe. Suspicious at first when he said all the locals go there, we had to try it. We were not disappointed. I'll get to our meals in a moment but first the staff. The tiny restaurant was full when we got there. We were recognized and seated quickly at the last remaining table. Anyone inside has a view of the kitchen. Busy as it was, both servers and chefs were handling it all easily like a well oiled machine, one that is capable of smiling. It wasn't just us as every table was handled professionally and efficiently. The bread was warm, salad crisp and fresh. I had one of the specials, shrimp and scallops over rigatoni. The rigatoni was stuffed, like a ravioli, an unexpected surprise. The sauce was one of their standards, a raspberry champagne light cream sauce which was yummy. The scallops were delicate and fresh as was the shrimp, and both cooked to perfection. The menu features many old favorites such as the chicken parmigiana my husband enjoyed. This lovely little gem was a short drive from our hotel in York but a world away from the chain restaurants we were surrounded by in that part of town. One final note: this is BYOB, but wine glasses are available. read more

We got a late start yesterday and decided that we would stick to just the Antique Mall in Dover and not trek on to York, PA That being said we found a GREAT little spot for dining right in Dover. It's the Starlight Cafe. It looks like a hole in the wall surrounded by used car lots....but it's a real sleeper with fabulous food. It's very small and I read that it's often crowded. Try it for lunch and arrive early or late. Then you won't have to wait. It opens at 11 AM and I bet you there's a good chance you won't have to wait if you're right there around 11 AM - 11:15 AM We arrived today for lunch at about 1:30 PM And walked right in and were seated. The restaurant was only about half full. Looks like there's only about 12 tables there. Let me tell you it's worth the trek ... I ordered a sandwich called a fillet mignon club... Never had anything like before... It was fabulous. My wife had eggplant parmigiana sandwich which she also felt was excellent. We'll be back. read more

The good: BYOB, Gluten-free options and prices are a bit lower than the typical decent Italian restaurant. Sauces are homemade. Salads were very fresh and came standard with your entree. It's a very casual restaurant and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. My husband liked his lasagna. We should have ordered the vodka sauce that was highly recommended. The service was very friendly. The bad: The parking lot is tiny. I don't enjoy the atmosphere inside. The dining room is crowded, brightly-lit and you can see directly into the kitchen (which can be cool, but the lighting and noise make it not cool). My crab cake was just OK. It had apples and cheese in it, but it tasted like apple pie to me. Overall, if you are looking for better than a chain restaurant for Italian dishes, go here. But, it isn't a romantic spot. It's a local hangout. Don't make my mistake and order the vodka sauce. read more

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One of the BEST ITALIAN MEALS EVER Everything is homemade. We enjoyed soup, salad and delicious entrees We were a little worried when we saw the outside of the building but lesson learned, never judge a book by it's cover. read more

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Love this place! Delicious pastas and appetizers! In love with their vodka rose! Only wish the place were larger! Delish! read more

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The food is excellent! It is very popular so seating is tight and close but well worth it for the food.

We have been eating here for years and something with the sauces magically changed recently. Anyone else notice?

I love this place, anything in the vodka sauce is amazing! I love the tortellini and lobster ravioli. Very nice or a diner date, and the service is good. Although the price is higher than local restaurants, in my opinion the quality of the food is also higher. read more

This place is small but quaint. The food is incredible. They have a menu to fit all requests and they cook right there for you to see. The team is super friendly and it's BYOB so be sure to bring your favorite drink. This is a must try and we will definitely return. read more

It's a nice little spot for a great dinner date. The food is absolutely delicious! Staff is knowledgeable on the menu/food and very polite. This is the best Italian place in town! read more

Great food and really clean kitchen! Diverse menu with decent prices! Kitchen looks exceptionally clean and organized, and the food is outstanding. They are a small establishment, so seating is tight and during their busiest hours they might not have seating remaining but the do take out and the food is just as good then! read more

Family business. Coxy inside. Authentic and family oriented. Best Italian food in York county! BYOB

Love this place. Service always good. The best Eggplant Parmesan I have ever had. Their house salad that comes with your meal is a bit tiny, but the main course is sooo good. It is enough to take home for another meal. $19 read more

My gauge for the best Italian Restaurants is the gnocchi. This restaurant had amazing gnocchi in vodka sauce that rivals the best gnocchi I've ever had!!! The other 3 people in our party had amazing entrees as well! Order the house balsamic on your salad! Mangia!!!!! read more

Moonlight Cafe is the one place my wife and I can always agree on. Every dish made fresh, no cutting corners. Multiple times we discover friends and family make the same choice. Not the place to order, eat and run. It's just something special to eat here! read more

So, my takeaway is to stick to their regular menu. My husband always orders off the menu, I always try and be adventurous and order a special. I am always under - wowed and his is always fabulous. Prices are reasonable, portions are large and service is good. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. I was so excited to try this. It looked amazing. I was not greeted until after the order of customers that arrived after me had their orders taken. I ordered the Mediterranean Salmon. It was way overpriced. But I wasn't worried about that if it was worth it. I waited about a half hour as I watched the people that arrived after me finishing up their meals before I decided enough was enough. No ventilation so all you can smell is whatever they are burning off the grill. Horrible customer service. I am in PA for work and been here about 4 months. I don't eat at chains and I like to check out new places. This was the worst experience I have had in PA. I recommend going elsewhere. read more

This is a very tricky place for me to review. I really want to love this place as it is a small family own Italian restaurant and BYOB. The fist time I went there I was not feeling to great before I went there and the very close seating did not help my cause at all. This was not a good experience but I wanted to give another chance since it was mostly not their fault. Trip #2 I got a special and it was good! One could maybe even say very good! But it did not make up how the service just rubbed me the wrong way. We had a table for 4 and no large tables were available. They did however have 3 different tables for 2 that were not occupied and 2 were right next to each other. They made us wait 15-20 minutes before seating us and those 3 tables were not filled the whole time. So basically if you are getting food to go 5 stars. If you are eating there, service is not great and you will get to know strangers pretty quickly with how close you are to others. read more

Food is good. Unfortunately a very small inside seating area. Takeout is great. Service is adequate

My wife and I decided to try Moonlight Cafe on advice from her co-workers. It is a very unique restaurant. Very small, very tight, probably holding no more than 25 people and BYOB. The service was good. I had handmade meatball lasagna that was okay and my wife had chicken and shrimp champagne. She got that for the vegetables. Due to long COVID tasting food is an issue but the texture was good. We got my son spaghetti bolognese. He said it was tasteless and not that good. I give Moonlight Cafe three stars because my wife said she might like to try something else. read more

Dined here in the past but the restaurant is under new ownership. Small dining area with limited seating (less than 30 seats). No reservations after 5pm. Went in just prior to 5pm with a party of four and was told the wait was 30-45 minutes. Happy to wait as there was an open 2 top and another 2 top already eating. After waiting 30 minutes a party of 2 walks in and is immediately seated at the open 2 top. The hostess that seated them then walks out an informs up we are going to have to wait another 45 minutes to and hour to be seated with no apology or offer for the inconvenience. We asked for further explanation to why our wait time more than doubled and received a smug "Sorry but accidents happen." from a staff member. The fact two hostesses can't effectively communicate that there are waiting parties in such a small restaurant is a problem coupled with the unwillingness to try to make right when they admitted to making a mistake is a huge red flag for a restaurant with new owners. read more

Stumbled across this gem for Valentine's Day last year. Totally blown away by the quality of food and service. A perfectly sized space for a great dining experience!! Scratch made menu items, perfectly made espresso drinks and just a feeling of welcome as soon as you step foot through the door! GO EARLY!!! Though it's totally worth the wait!!! Simple and straightforward, everything that we have had on the menu we thoroughly enjoyed!! Check this place out!! Only thing missing is the liquor license, but bring your own bottle and they'll hook you up! read more

We just left the place, our first time over , my husband had a long hair in his lasagna, he is too polite to complain. When talked to the waitress, she was sarcastic. I am not impressed at all. Never will go back, and won't recommend read more

I grew up in Dillsburg and Moonlight Cafe has always been a hidden gem. They have authentic Italian food that I crave when I haven't visited for an extended period of time. My favorite dish is chicken afumicato-- and if you're hungry enough the moonlight bruschetta appetizer is unique and worth the extra calories. It is BYO and has limited seating-- I recommend getting there before or after the dinner rush to avoid waiting to sit. The food is prepared fresh and the kitchen is open and can be seen from where you are sitting. The ambiance is very cozy and you can tell the restaurant is family oriented. If you're ever in the area it's worth a stop you won't regret it !! read more

My wife and I were driving by on Saturday afternoon starving and stopped by this place. We are not from the area so we were not sure where to eat. At first I was reluctant but my wife insisted as she saw it had good reviews. Boy was I wrong! I am very picky with my Italian cuisine but the moment I sat down I could tell this place was legit. I was watching the chef cook before we ordered and he gained my confidence immediately. I ordered the veal parmigiana and Italian wedding soup. Veal is a very difficult item to order in a restaurant because most places don't know what they are doing but this veal melted in your mouth. The sauce is perfect, not too sweat and the Italian wedding soup was authentic. My only complaint would be that, now it's Sunday, the next day and my wife and I are craving this place for dinner but we have to wait till Tuesday as they are closed Sunday and Monday. We will gladly drive 1 hour to eat this place as often as we can! You locals are so lucky! read more

The best Italian restaurant in York county. It's very limited seating inside and you will have to wait for a seat during the busy dinner time. We try to go in off hours and usually get seated right away. The food is outstanding. I usually avoid Italian restaurants due to growing up in an Italian house hold and having homemade sauces and pastas growing up (most don't satisfy). All the sauces and pastas here are delicious and the meatballs are to die for. I highly recommend the Moon light cafe, you won't be disappointed. read more