Went here tonight with my daughter and we loved it. It's a cute smaller restaurant but just the right size. Very homey and warm with murals depicting an Italian village. Kind of cheesy but totally ok. I had the all you can eat Wednesday pasta special. You choose your pasta type, sauce type and soup or salad. I got the Mamas red sauce and Angel hair and it was great. Had the salad with house dressing. Also came with freshly baked rolls and garlic and butter on the top. Really good. They also brought out a container of bread dipping sauce which was good and tasted like it had balsamic vinegar in it. My daughter got the Chicken pasta Alfredo and said it was really good. Portions are decent. So why 4 stars? The menu clearly states the all you can eat that includes pasta and a salad all you can eat. When I asked for another salad she said it would be a separate add on charge for a second salad. Like huh? She said in a friendly way that the only thing that is all you can eat is the pasta. Definitely did not say that on the menu. Another small rub was the salad included in my daughters chicken Alfredo came with a salad. It did. But there is a choice of house dressing or Caesar dressing. She ordered Caesar they added $3.50 to the bill. All in all a good place but be careful of the pricing. read more

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I went to Pomodoro Cafe on a Saturday night for dinner with a friend. The restaurant was busy and we had to wait maybe 10 minutes for a table. When we got a table, our waiter was very nice and attentive, bringing us bread and making sure our drink orders were in. For my entree I went with the San Francesco Da Sisi, which is a capellini pasta that includes assorted roasted peppers, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes, spinach, chicken breast slices, and shrimp. The flavor was bountiful, especially with freshly grated cheese over the top. Pomodoro has so many tasty menu items that it will make it hard for you to choose. I already know what I would order next time and I can't wait to go back. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - San Francesco Da Sisi - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Great dinner specials most week nights and also super togo deals. You're offered their house made bread and thick honey balsamic dressing to dip it in before you have any soups or salads and the meal! I can't say I have tried their desserts but they always look great. My only reason for this not being 5 stars is honestly, their veal Marsala was not great. I wouldn't get the frozen super thin cutlets from here again. They were also crazy overcooked and tough for me. But now that I know not to get the veal, there are TONS of other menu options to choose from so don't let that stop you from trying them. I would just pick a different protein source! read more

Wonderful! If I could, I'd give TEN stars! Heaven. Pomodor Cafe. Ahtziry, the server, provided excellent service and was kind with a lovely smile! Cesar Salad just as delicious as always. Green, cold, crunchy romaine lettuce perfectly chopped. The shredded cheese and dressing as delicious as I remember. No need to describe the bread. I only eat bread now on a "special occasion". Today was a very special occasion. The bread melts in your mouth. Good thing it's a two hour drive from my house. You can see the steam coming off the Gnochi Madeira on the right side of the plate! The cassata was delicious. Don't leave this place without having it. Everything on the menu is delicious. Thank you Mr Carmine for a wonderful lunch! read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Pomodoro Cadfe, Gainesville Fl - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

VERY GOOD EARLY BIRD DINNER We recently visited Pomodoro Cafe, an Italian restaurant in Gainesville. Plenty of parking in a strip mall anchored by Publix. We came shortly before 5 p.m. on a weekend evening and by the time we left, most of the tables were taken by families and older couples. It appears that this is a popular restaurant among locals. Our server was friendly and checked on us throughout our meal. Beautiful murals adorn the walls and the domed ceiling. Seating is mostly booth tables with a few larger tables. There is also an outdoor terrace area. We started with Fritto Misto ($11.25). We ordered the early bird dinner special ($13.95 and served daily 11-5:30 p.m.) that includes a soup or salad and dessert. We selected the soup special - cream of mushroom soup (other choices were pasta fagioli and Tuscan minestrone). For our entrees, we ordered Parmigiano Siciliano, Tuscan Shrimp Scampi and Penne alla Ciccio. We enjoyed our dinner. The fried appetizer was a medium size order of fresh calamari and shrimp and a few zucchini sticks. The large bowl of cream of mushroom soup was delicious and was garnished with fluffy light gnocchi. The pasta dishes were generous full-size portions. The scampi had plump shrimp with a nice lemony sauce. The penne's pesto cream sauce was really rich. The parmesan trio of chicken parm (a little burnt), large meatball and spicy sausage served on spaghetti was too much food for me. There was no choice for dessert - everyone is served a small square of a light cake topped with whipped cream icing. read more

service/ambiance: you can tell this is a family-owned establishment ! very friendly staff & wonderful service. we were immediately greeted & given garlic bread (served with delicious vinaigrette sauce). we were also served with complimentary soups-- tuscan minestrone soup-- the soup broth tasted similar to chicken noodle soup broth & was good but there was just an overwhelming amount of BEANS. the other soup we tried was the clam chowder (misleading though, because it wasn't the typical clam chowder-- it was tomato based with carrots, no clams but was overall, good, refreshing & FREE!!!) appetizer: we got the fritto misto (calamari & shrimp) served with what tasted/looked like marinara sauce. good portions for the price ($~10) however, not too much flavor and the calamari wasn't as crunchy & crispy compared to others i've tried! gnocchi madiera: overall, pretty good! served with shrimp, bacon, and grilled chicken & asparagus -- the chicken & pasta was cooked well. however, my only complaint would be that the sauce was a bit too salty and creamy for my liking. fruitti di mare seafood combo: large portions ($~20) spaghetti noodles served with squid, clams, shrimp & mussels. as a seafood lover, i was very pleased! the sauce was flavorful while not too dense and paired well with the noodles & seafood. would definitely get it again :) read more

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Food and service was outstanding. Was even better than we expected. We are definitely going back next time we are in Gainesville. High recommend this restaurant. Our waiter, I think his name was Blake, was fantastic. So nice, polite and friendly. read more

It's not my first time eating there. Food is delicious. It always arrives hot and on time. We have never had any problems. The employees are very attentive. And the waitress very kind to us. read more

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Amazing place friendly staffs the chief is a great gentleman. I really appreciate the hospitality there.

Nothing to write home about, the chicken Marsala was meh, the gnocchi wasn't the best, and they put bacon in everything I don't understand the point of that. The service was amazing our server (whatever his name was) was great super funny dude. Ambiance was fluorescent suboptimal to say the least, I wouldn't recommend this because it's just not good every dish needed salt and pepper to be palpable. Bread was good super greasy and they only give you one roll it's never ending but one, that's a little ridiculous. read more

We were so excited to have a date night after being home bound for months for various reasons. We arrived before 5 pm for an early dinner, but just felt so rushed. Our entrees came out moments after our soup, so we had to decide which would have to be pushed aside and get cold. We had only had our appetizer for five minutes prior to that! Our drinks remained empty, our server was not at all attentive and she put our soup spoons directly on the table. We never put our silverware on the table. The chef checked in with diners throughout the restaurant, but not us. The man who seated us was awesome and friendly and more attentive than our server. It was a huge disappointment tonight, but maybe we were so excited about our evening together that we just hyped up this place in our minds too much. read more

Decent food but seriously on a larger bill you're charging me a credit card fee? I'm in town visiting a friend and she highly recommended this place - said she's never seen a CC fee before but your waiter said it was standard for you all. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Bill - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

THE BEST PIZZA I'VE EVER EATEN!!! The staff is sooo nice and the chef is awesome. The place itself is beautiful and elegant. If you're looking for a good place to get pizza in Gainesville, go to Pomodoro Café. read more

My favorite Italian place in Gainesville. This place has an amazing staff and always are working to make the customer enjoy the meal as much as possible. The food is to die for there and the ambiance inside brings me back to New York. read more

I recently ordered a takeout pizza from this place, and it was a huge disappointment. The pizza arrived hard and cold, making it nearly inedible. The crust was tough, and the cheese had solidified into a hard layer to pull apart. I had high hopes, but this experience was truly underwhelming. I won't be ordering take out from here again. As a place to dine in though the experience was much better and the pasta is great ! the service was very nice as-well. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I have been in Gainesville for 3 weeks and have been to this restaurant 4 times! It's really good food, service and atmosphere. I highly recommend! read more

The service was great! Food was delicious! Went before 5:30pm so I got the early dining price with appetizer and small dessert. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Food was excellent we both had veal and I thought it was overpriced but it was good. Went back one more time ok read more

We had a really nice meal at Pomodoro. I kept it simple and had the Nonna Pasta. It was very good. We arrived during happy hour and were able to partake in 2 for 1 wine specials. The restaurant was very clean. The restrooms were also well tended to. Pizza must be popular here because I saw a lot of take out pizza go out the front door. Restaurant staff/servers/cooks were observed taking appropriate measures during our time of Covid-19. read more

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Ordered a cheese pizza and a vegetable pizza with caramelized onions, roasted peppers, and broccoli. The vegetables were all quite raw, onions weren't caramelized and peppers not roasted. The sauce on the pizza lacks flavor. The crust was great though. It is a cute place with ample seating. Extremely friendly service . read more

Wonderful date night spot! We stopped in early before the Gainesville Orchestra performance and loved this restaurant! They had our favorites, gnocchi and eggplant parmigiana, with outstanding service. read more

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Great mom and pop location. More authentic than Olive Garden. Solid food choices and the owner is very nice.

Pomodoro is one of the best italian places in Gainesville. We went twice in a week and ordered the shrimp scampi, pappardelle alla bolognesa and two pizzas. Service is exceptional and flavor in every dish is authentic and leaves you more than satisfied. I also believe the prices are amazing. I'm excited to try the desserts since they are always on display and look divine. read more

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Ordered delivery from 352 and selected the "Extravaganza for Early Dining" which was to include focaccia garlic bread with choice of soup or salad, entree, and "ONE choice of chef's dessert. Well, I didn't get a choice of dessert or any dessert for that matter. The bread was fresh and the soup, while a tad heavy on the salt was still pretty good. I ordered the Gnocchi Madeira as my entree. I liked that they used nice, tiny asparagus and the bacon was well cooked but with the pool of oil on the top and the heavy, gloppy gnocchi I was left unimpressed. And did I mention there was no dessert? Based on the number of positive reviews I am willing to give the place another shot when the Covid plague is over with. read more

I am sure I am in the minority but my opinion is a negative one. The food was warm not hot I felt the eggplant was from frozen I expected from fresh. It was extremely salty to the point that I was not able to eat it. Took it home only to dump it. I personally will not be returning overpriced read more

Excellent food. Been here a few times over the past few months with my wife. We both love the great food service , and ambiance of the well designed interior. Highly recommend. read more

I always go here for a big celebration with friends and family, or if I want real Italian food. I have never had a bad experience here that I can remember. They always have good service and the owner or chef always comes by when you dine in, before covid, and check in everyone's meal and make sure everyone was satisfied. I got Pomodoro's to go yesterday and just go the mama ravioli and a cannoli. I never realized the mama ravioli is just like fried cheese ravioli. It's really good! And of course the cannoli's here are amazing. They fill the cannolis all the way, just enough chocolate. Always great to get food here. Just call them if you want a special deal though, online can be confusing. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Cannoli to go - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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I really wanted to like this place. I had seafood with the choice of white or red sauce. The meal was assembled and seems like the seafood was popped in the micro, dumped on top of pasta and a watery white Liquid on top. A bit of cheese. Absolutely no taste but rubber. My husband had chicken Alfredo and not much better. Service. Blah. Quite nice, maybe understaffed. It's a shame as the ambiance is lovely. We support local establishments and may give another try but keep the choice simple. ‍ read more

Ordered skirt steak with spaghetti marinara. Cleaned my plate. Had wedding cake desert. A bit dry. Would definitely go again.

For my birthday, I let my foodie-in-crime partner pick the celebratory place. She has great taste and I trust her. I don't really dine here so I was up for the culinary adventure. Her track record remains solid and we had yet another successful meal! We started with the Tuscan Crab Cakes and Fried Calamari! Hands down they are both the best in town and here's why: The crab cakes were not too breaded, the wonderful filling had nice chunks of crab and an amazing sauce. The calamari also had fried shrimps in it plus they fried the rosemary which was surprisingly delightful. It was perfectly seasoned. She also raves about the Skirt Steak which was divine. Perfectly cooked in an awesome sauce. Seafood Pasta was also amazing! I'm sorry for the boring and poorly written review. It's been an amazing 3 day celebration but I'm so tired. I just wanted to post something so I don't forget to write something later. I'm such a slacker with horrible ADHD. Thanks for reading. And for real, order those 4 things. OMG I almost forgot, our server Janine was FABULOUS! She really made my day extra special and did not miss a beat without being intrusive. read more

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Good food but lazy server! Our server Hannah was horrible!! If you go ask for anyone else. Other than her I love the restaurant

You really can't beat the bogodoro deal on pizzas, pastas, and calzones. Perfect when you're hosting a group of people and don't feel like cooking. I'm all in on the pesto base and if you're going for the traditional pizza sauce base, trust me and add ricotta. They scoop it on their generously. Next time you're in, make sure to check out the dessert counter. The carmel apple pie changed my life. read more

Sometimes you just want to go for coffee and dessert or you want a place you can carry on a conversation and not be overwhelmed by music and loud people. There is no place for dessert in this town until you enter Pomodoro's where one can find both. Pomodoro's has several selections to choose from. Not all cheese cake either. We have tried the Wedding Cake, the Chocolate Cake, the Flan and Cheese Cake. I can highly recommend each. So far my favorite is the Wedding cake however, if you are a Chocolate lover the Chocolate cake is hard to beat and not too dry for a really dark chocolate cake and you can't beat their prices. For today's high prices they are still reasonable priced. They are a hidden gem where dessert is concerned. They even have something they call apple pie that doesn't look like a traditional apple pie and it's good as well. They are after all an Italian restaurant so of course they have Cannolis and Tiramisu.That will just have to wait for another visit. Their wait staff is attentive and friendly. Tell me do you know of another place in town that offers you so many choices? Come check them out. I think you'll be delighted. read more

As usual, great food, great price. Crappy service today. Not good to leave someone sitting with a menu and wanting to order for 10 minutes. At lunchtime! I gotta get back to work. Then, don't stand at the next booth holding my meal while having a conversation. Drop off the food and then go talk to the customers. She could use some training. read more

We had a $5000+ catering order, and Carmine was one of the easiest, most understanding caterers I have ever come across. Delicious food, amazing service, and understanding employees. I highly recommend this place for catering or just a date night. Family owned and amazing family-like ambiance. Again, I highly recommend. read more

Good quality well executed Italian food. Servers are attentive and knowledgeable about the food. If you don't have time/energy to take the whole crew, consider the BOGOdoro, where to go are buy one get one free. read more

Overview: 5/5 I really liked this place A LOT. I've had a hard time finding good Italian places here in Gainesville. This one fits the bill and is reasonable priced. Ambiance : 5/5 It has an old Italy kind of feel inside. There was plenty of tables for small and large parties. They also have outside seating which is nice in the cooler months. Food/Drink 5/5 We went on a Tuesday and although the seafood special looked good, I opted for the stuffed chicken cannoli. The appetizer we have was the crab cake and it was one of the best I've had. I paired it with a nice red wine. The selection was limited but the quality was good. Service : 5/5 It was busy that night but the waitress took care of us. Conclusion : I would definitely go back and one I have bookmarked. read more

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Amazing spot and experience. From the cozy landscaping outside to the immersive Italian decor inside, this restaurant really transports you to Italy. I loved the ambience and the service was great. The chef himself even checked on us during the meal. The food was incredible! Very rich and flavorful, I only wish the portions were slightly bigger. read more

Great service, great food and the ambiance is very cute. The lamb ossobuco was delicious I could not stop eating read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Lamb ossobuco delicious - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Pomodor has a very cute restaurant, great for a first date where you might want something that feels fancy without costing fancy. Thanks to their lunch bogo options it has become a staple in my diet. They have a classic Italian menu and most of the food taste good and comes at a reasonable price. I gave them for stars because some of their pasta dishes can be a bit bland, BUT overall it is always a great experience! My personal favorite is their tried and true calzone ! Stuff it with toppings or get just cheese it won't matter. Their calzones are cooked to perfection and always come with their delicious marinara. If you're ever on this side of town I'd definitely recommend Pomodoro's over anything else in this area. read more

Pomodoro Cafe - Calzone ! - Italian Near Me - Gainesville, Florida