I've been a loyal Pomodoro customer for almost twenty years now. I'm a good customer and a very generous tipper. But I have no plans to return to Pomodoro any time soon. My friend and I ordered a Pollo Mediterraneo Salad and a Caesar Salad from Pomodoro through BiteSquad yesterday. I've never had any problem with the food from Pomodoro before, so I saw no reason to inspect my meal before I took my first few bites. I wish I had. I had already taken a few bites of the salad when my friend started to cut up the chicken in her salad. It wasn't just a little pink in the middle, it was practically raw. Sure enough, as I started to cut the chicken in my own salad, it was the same. Raw. We called and spoke to the manager, Jake. His response was underwhelming, to say the least. He said that he could prepare another salad if BiteSquad could deliver it to us, but we would need to pursue a refund/credit, etc., through BiteSquad. Are you kidding me? BiteSquad was only responsible for delivering the food, not the improper (and unsanitary!) preparation of it. Food that is unsanitary reflects upon the kitchen that made it, not the service that delivered it. Jake didn't seem to be all that concerned about the fact that his kitchen served up raw chicken, and his offer to prepare another salad wasn't all that convincing (or appetizing) to either of us. Sure enough, I felt ill for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Ordering a salad from one of my (formerly) favorite spots in town shouldn't turn into this sort of drama -- let alone GI problems. From now on, if I'm craving Italian food, I'll go to Piesano's. They're not my top pick in town, but I've never gotten sick from their food, either. I hope you enjoyed twenty years of my money, Pomodoro, because you'll never get another dime from me. read more

Make you own pizza or pick a gourmet pizza for a better deal. Median is excellent for leftovers. This is a family spot.

All of the food that the 6 of us ate was very, very good. The prices are reasonable and portion size is good. I took one star away because service was extremely slow and our pitcher of sangria was so watered down and weak that we couldn't even taste any wine. read more

Visited twice in the last month. On both occasions the food was excellent and portions ample. Service varied from exceptional on the first visit to adequate on the second. I would recommend this place highly but beware of hidden charges. On the second visit one of our party ordered Caesar salad for his salad choice and Bolognese sauce on his pasta. Turned out both of those were up charges(2.50 each) even though not noted as so on the menu. Returned the following day to see if this needed correction and was told by the day manager that it is not noted on the menu but the server should have informed us of the up charges. I told her that we were not informed by the server. No effort was made to rectify this error, poor customer service in my opinion. It would have been simple to provide a 5.00 gift card which would have satisfied us and also got us to return to use the card. Be careful here. read more

What a great surprise. We stopped on our way to Georgia and every bite was delicious. Great service and outstanding food

I was extremely disappointed with the food. They didn't give me food I paid for, then when I called to speak to the manager Leone, I was put on hold and never received a call back. The chicken was bland and rubbery. I didn't eat what food I actually got and am now out $30. I will avoid this restaurant from now on as the food quality and customer service have reached an all time low. Update: To the manager's credit I did receive a callback. He was very nice on the phone and offered me a dessert on the house next visit. I will be extra careful and only order the ravioli from now on. read more

I'm a fan. Aged balsamic and fresh bread when you sit down. Reasonably priced. Good service. Nice patio area. All the items I've ordered taste of high quality ingredients. My go to (non-downtown) spot in gainesville. Great lunch specials too. read more

Dinner with friends is always a good time. We were seated after a short wait. There was some confusion with the seating staff. She told us there was a wait, but less than 2 mins. later we were promptly seated at our table. The bread with the reduction sauce is pretty good. It would be so much better if the bread was warm. The table shared a calamari appetizer. These were light and flaky. Very good. But no tentacles and I kind of know I am getting real calamari and not pig butt when I see the tentacles on the plate. I assume I had pig butt and it was good. We were a party of 5 and 3 ordered the calzone. I tried one of them, the taste was good but the inside was so cold she had to ask for them to warm it up again. It made no sense because the outside was warm and the cheese inside was melted but it was cold inside. Strange. I had the alfredo sauce w/ penne pasta and an order of meatballs. The meatballs were good but the alfredo was missing something. It was also watery and not thick. The waiter tried to make up for the cold calzone by giving us a free desert. We appreciated it. We had the chocolate cake and the two timing cheesecake. The chocolate cake was the better of the two. The food was not bad, but it can be improved on. I gave them 3 stars because I don't want to kill their ratings. I understand this is Alachua and not Rome, but there is potential here. Pomodoro Cafe could do better. Just saying! read more

Ahhh what good food. The honey balsamic dressing with fresh baked bread is the best. When you enter the decore transports you to Italy. read more

We tried this place again but it's still pretty inconsistent. The first time the service was really slow and the food was just mediocre. This time the service was a bit better, but the food had slipped to cold and tasteless. At least when one compares it to the other pizzerias and Italian restaurants in Gainesville. Ordered the Parmigiano Favor (arrived as cold meat and a clump of pasta) Veal Piccata (tasteless) and the Blackened Shrimp Alfredo (gooey). Our deserts then arrived in "to go" containers with no offer of coffee or tea -- and we figured it was time to leave.... They seem to do their best and try hard, but with the high noise level and the inconsistent quality, we'll stick to our favorites on the other side of town. read more

This place is a hidden Gainesville Pizza Secret... They have some of the best huge pizza's in town and do buy one get one free carry out. So you can get two MASSIVE Specialty Pizzas for less than $20. I'm not sure if they have the best Pizza in town but it's in the top 3 and definitely the best deal. read more

First time in there. Atmosphere nice, food was okay i thought. I started feeling ill during dessert. Nauseous and sudden headache. My husband and i both did not finish food. Something tasted off . Still did not worry or even think about something wrong with the food. Headed home an 30 min later, both of us were very ill. Diarrhea. Extreme Headache, nauseated. To add to all this, as we left restaurant owner was coughing. Ugh, will not go back read more

Wonderful family atmosphere italian dinner. Food was excellent, the garlic rolls before and the house made dressing are such a treat! Casual dinner with delicious food. All the employees were incredibly kind! Great happy hour on beer and wine - wine is 2 for 1 - and they even have happy hour on fridays. Would definitely go again and recommend! read more

This is the finest restaurant in Gainesville! The food is hand made. The sauce was truly worthy of being called Italian. It was truly a romantic place to spend with the wife. I fell in love with the vibe the music the food and the appreciation of fine Italian food! read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Pizza of the best kind - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

the bread was super dry, the soups were very oily and had barely any flavor. the chicken marsala tasted only like wine which is normally not a bad thing and i love being able to taste it but it made it impossible to eat. the bolognaise wasn't too bad despite the fact that sauce had so much heavy cream it was pink which isn't a bolonaise. the fritto misto appetizer was horrible. The zucchini was supposed to be fried and it was just slabs of soft zucchini and then the calamari texture was stringy and almost impossible to chew. the sauce they served with it was covered in red pepper flakes which made the sauce quite spicy i like spice so i didn't mind but anyone who isn't a fan will want to spoon that off. read more

Normally I like Pomodoro' Cafe. however the last visit I got some food poisoning. I thought the spinach in my gnocchi tasted a bit off, but I still ate it looks. the calamari was on point, and the soup of the day (tomato bisque) was delicious. The veal was ok, only because I normally do not like the taste of sweet chills in my dish. Except for that one experience, I think Pomodoro Cafe is the second best Italian restaurant in Gainesville. read more

See all

I used to enjoy this place rather often. Recently, I found a coupon on GCM offering a 1 topping pizza for $5 at lunch. So, I asked a couple of fellow employees to check it out during lunch. When we arrived, we showed the coupon to the waitress and she confirmed the offer. When we were finished, the bill came back at over $15+ for the pizza (instead of the $5 offer). When we asked the Manager about it, he said the GCM coupon was wrong and so was his wait staff and he refused to accept the coupon. He claimed the coupon only applied to take-out orders although it didn't say that anywhere on the coupon. I can't refer anyone to visit this establishment if this is their practice. I really felt burned over lunch when we were expecting a good deal. Lesson learned and I won't be back. read more

Perfect Italian place to eat. Pasta excellent, wine perfect and deserts delicious I really recommend. The ambient is very nice read more

See all

Pomodoro is a bit of a mixed bag for me. They're owned by the same folks who run Nero's on 34th (they also used to own Rigatelli's in the mall, but that place closed and was replaced by Romano's Macaroni Grille. Score. The very last time I ate there, Rigatelli's was on the deathbed for sure), but they're clearly supposed to be the "higher-end" of the pair. And they would be if their food was consistent, but it's not. Sometimes it's delicious--the chicken-breast pizza comes immediately to mind, and their prime rib is a good dish--and sometimes it's really not, as is the case with the calamari. No matter what dish it's in, it's consistently bland, rubbery and flavorless. I totally understand and appreciate that calamari is a tricky food to cook, but surely it's not supposed to be transformed into rubber bands. The sauce is too flavorless for the kitchen staff to slop it all over the veal/chicken parmesans the way they do. Maybe traditional Italian cooking relies on the flavor of the tomatoes, but when you're not in Italy and primarily working with the canned stuff, someone needs to have the common sense to add spices. Geez. If you have a weak stomach, this restaurant may give it a nice swift kick. My husband ordered a cedar plank salmon special stuffed with cream cheese and capers that left him prone in the booth within seconds of his first bite and sent him trotting to the restroom two minutes later (he didn't return for some time). Ha, so THAT'S why it was special. It was on its last gasp. Strangely enough, he still eats here willingly. Should you try it? Maybe if you're in the area staying at the Best Western, or you live on 39th and don't want to trek out to Romano's in the mall or Carrabba's on 34th. Would I recommend making a trip here? No. Three stars because I have had some truly good experiences here. Fortunately they were on someone else's nickel. read more

I just had a small salad. It was fabulous!the portion was just right for me to have for lunch with a piece of bread! A nice location before hitting the road since it is right by I-75. read more

NEW REVIEW: I have been a fan of Pomodoro's for a long time (~5 years) but they have been losing their edge lately. Their portions are not what they used to be when Marco was the head-chef and their prices are increasing. This is why I have decided to drop them from a 5 Star to a 3 Star. I think the owner, Paolo, still cares deeply for his business and his clients but the guys in the kitchen are now being led by someone related to the Soup Nazi..... No soup fo' U!!! I have left my old review here (see below) because at one point I was a raving fan... Now I go whenever other options are not available. OLD REVIEW: This place absolutely rocks! The food is excellent, the servers are great, the owner and head-chef take time to walk to your table and say hello. We have visited Pomodoro's Cafe at least once a month for the better part of two years.. It is that good! We've had just about every plate on their Menu.... I can't say I was disappointed by any of them. Their Flan (custard) and Chocolate Cake is out-of-sight.... Anyway, my family loves this place. read more

Best Chicken Alfredo that I've had that wasn't in Little Italy. I will definitely try to come back if I'm ever in Gainesville again. read more

The lasagna is GREAT! Very. Well prepared on the best Italian traditions. The Seafood Medley was also well prepared each seafood on the platter was cooked to perfection. Have Jake for your waiter fora great dining experience. read more

Have grown up going to this family-friendly restaurant, and it is by far my favorite Italian restaurant in town! The food is consistently good. Amazing BOGO deals for take-out. Very affordable, good-quality food and friendly service. I love the Bistecca salad with carrot ginger dressing. Most of the salad dressings are homemade and so delicious! Also love the linguine viareggina with white sauce, and all of their homemade soups and desserts! read more

Just off US 75 on 39th, 30 minutes before closing, and in our first 2 hours in Gainesville we steped into this delightful Italian Restaurant, hungry and tired from driving hours south from Atlanta. What a wonderful, lucky find! Table service by the experienced waitress was exceptional, the food's favor superb AND we took home tomorrow's meals at a very reasonable price. My son and gf have returned there several times, always with satisfactorily results. The waitress, 4 years in Gainesville herself, said it was the best Italian food in town. read more

Chef comes out to see how food is. I tell him pizza is good, bread is fine. I start to tell him fettuccine Alfredo sauce is so so and he cuts me off rudely and walks away. What I wanted to tell him is it was the worst Alfredo sauce I have ever had by a long shot. I would not have left this review except he was so rude, why ask how the food is at all if you don't care?? read more

Not sure if they're changed their floor & kitchen managers over the last year, but pretty much everything has improved-- service, especially. Would still love to see the extended menu abbreviated w/ the chewy calamari & a few other non-greats gone, but this place is definitely on the upswing. My pork chop meal, which I ate just 1/3 of after the hot, flavorful minestrone soup, was excellent. And the pizza is always tops. read more

See all

Had wonderful food for over two years. New owner and the food after 3 tries is terrible. Picture a line cook as the master chef. Watery tasteless sauces - and smelly salmon. read more

Stopped in a bit after lunch. Got some amazing food and fast service. I got the cheese ravioli and it seriously looked and tasted homemade, including the marinara sauce! Delicious! My mom got a chicken sandwich with fries which she assured me was just as yummy! The bread and oil/vinegar sauce they serve is amazing, with just a bit of a kick! We each got soup which was to die for! Amazing! We'll be coming back next time we pass through the area. This place is at the end of the publix shopping center. read more

The chicken parm was bad. It looked like a cheap thin chicken patty that was breaded, covered with mozzarella and an uninspired tomato sauce. Stay far away from this dish and anything that uses the same tomato sauce. read more

We really like Pomodoro's. When you walk in, the smell makes your mouth water. Food is consistently good and reasonably priced. I like the open kitchen setup. Their weekday specials are excellent. Staff is well trained and goes out of their way. Salads are fresh. Bread is warm and yummy. Portions are huge so you can take home half. My guilty pleasure is their penna ala vodka (very rich) and the Tirimisu is the best there is. Menu is a little more creative than than most Italian restaurants (a good thing) and food is authentic. It's a casual restaurant where you can just drop in on a Wednesday night for a nice meal. It's comfortable, with lots of booths, and outdoor seating for warmer weather. Vibe is good and it's a pretty busy place most nights. No distracting TVs. We eat there regularly. read more

The service was great, the servers were very attentive, and the ambiance was beautiful! I recommend this restaurant to anyone whose stomach has a heart for Italian food. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

You step from a Publix shopping center parking lot into Southern Italy and it is a beautiful journey. We were seated immediately. First, a fresh hot loaf of Garlic Bread witha Balsamic Reduction was brought to the table. It was terribly hard not to eat the entire loaf, even before our Salads arrived. The Side Salads were crisp, cold and fresh, served with their house Honey Balsamic Vinegrette Dressing Next, we had cups of the Pasta Fagioli Soups. What a delicious concoction of white beans, bacon and pastina in a tasty chicken broth. For my entrée I selected the Maiale Ripieno which was lean, boneless pork loin stuffed with roasted peppers, fresh spinach, feta cheese, and pine nuts laced with a rosemary and mushroom sauce. It was served with grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. My dinner partner had Mamma's Lasagna which was layers of pasta, meat sauce, mozzarella, ricotta and romano cheese. It was accompanied with sliced, grilled zucchini and squash. DELICIOUS! read more

fantastic - delicious - best italian food in gvl by far. nothing will disappoint you. read more

I should have checked the price before I purchased. It just amazed me that fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, a bread bowl and some soup came out to $20. So expensive. This should have cost $12 at the most read more

Definitely not authentic Italian food, equivalent to Olive Garden. Their pizza in one better ones in the area. Wait staff has been ok the few times I have gone in except the last time. Waitress seemed put out by us being there. At one point we did not see her for 15 minutes. She finally came back to see how things were and seemed irritated we asked her for another round of drinks. read more

Awesome Everytime I've been here.. great fresh food. Friendly staff. Take out offers buy one get one on pizzas loved the cheese Philly pizza. Indoor and outdoor seating. Nice atmosphere for friends and family. A+ from a picky eater. :) read more

Still my go to place for biz. My previous review still stands. But I have to add that the funghi pizza continues to divine! So is the tiramisu. We've been doing pizza take out more these days, but it's every bit as good as sit down read more

This used to be our favorite place to eat when I was a grad student in Gainesville. We would go once a week for date night and loved it. Even celebrated our first married Valentine's Day here. Great quality of food, more than fair prices and incredible consistent quality experience. This is a fancier mom-and-pop style restaurant and the owner is always there. Stopped by for lunch after 7 years of being gone and it's still as good as I remember! How many places can you say that about? read more

This place has awful pizza. It taste like plastic and just has a strange taste. I'd recommend any other pizza place except this! They also tried to charge me for Parmesan. The only good thing about this place is that you can get a free large pizza when you purchase one which means you have leftovers for days. read more