The Cellar never disappoints. It is a hit gem in the middle of downtown Daytona. An upscale dining experience that makes you feel like you're somewhere in Europe. The service is amazing and the food is second to none. It's a bit on the pricey end but well worth it. You also need reservations and they require a credit card when doing so. Don't let that steer you away from experiencing this wonderful little spot read more

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The predominant reason I am giving 4 stars is because the food was delicious. Unfortunately, we were left a salty taste in our mouth before we were even seated. I am an avid fine diner and have had many experiences in Italian fine dining. As a party of 8, we booked two reservations of 4 due to the limited reservations online. No problem at all. As we arrived we requested to be seated near each other, as there were 4 top tables available next to each other. The host informed us that they did not want us interacting as it would disturb the vibe. To assume that we don't understand proper etiquette was a bit insulting. As we sat in the basement, it felt like we were getting seated for a church dinner. The fake stained glass and outdated carpeting was incredibly tacky, as well as the dirty piece of paper requesting restraint from cell phone use (as pictured). Other than the strange indoor decor, and the host demeaning our party, the food did not disappoint. We enjoyed the carpaccio, pasta, veal scallopine, lamb, and chocolate desserts. Everything was delicious. I was unaware when booking that they do not have a liquor license. I came to find out when I ordered an espresso martini. The wine list was decent and I decided upon an Amarone which was the perfect compliment to dinner. Overall, it was decent due to the food, but the vibe was very strange and didn't feel upscale whatsoever. Service was fine, nothing exceptional. read more

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I've been here twice and both times was life changing. I had the pasta with the pesto sauce and lumped crab meat and it's the chefs kiss LITERALLY! read more

Firstly, to my knowledge this spot is a reservation only (no walk-in) restaurant and there is a dress code. Found this place online with good reviews for fine dining places around Daytona Beach. The location is kind of tucked away near beach street, but once you get to the location it looks very aesthetic. The staff are very attentive and nice. The interior "cellar" portion of the restaurant is very beautiful with the stained glass on the wall. The price is a little high but it's not surprising against other fancy sit down restaurants. The food was amazing, and it came out extremely quickly. We ordered the gnocchi, duck breast, and eventually a chocolate dessert. TLDR: 5/5, highly recommend. have reservation and abide by dress code. good food that comes out quick. price unsurprising but not absurd. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Duck Breast + Gnocchi alla Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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Another amazing meal at the Cellar!! My wife and I celebrated my birthday here and enjoyed the ambiance, service, and attention to detail. One of the owners, Lina, helped me pick out an outstanding wine from their well stocked cellar. We also enjoyed our conversations with her between her taking care of other guests. Her husband, Sam Moggio, is the Chef. His plates were beautifully crafted and delicious! My wife had the Halibut, which happened to be a special. I had the Veal Scallopini and the Bucatini Carbonara. Both were outstanding. I got a half order of the Bucatini Carbonara as I had other courses. Next time I'll make it a full order! It arrived hot, creamy, with the salumi, pancetta, and prosciutto adding another layer of flavor!! I have never had such an interesting and flavorful Carbonara. I could go on and on but just look at their menu and you will be drooling! This is our third experience dinning here and every time it has been excellent!!! Also, when we dine out at an above average restaurant we like to dress accordingly out of respect to the establishment and its proprietors. The dress code here insures that and we applaud them for having it. Flip flops, t shirts, and shorts have their place but it isn't at a fine dinning restaurant! RESPECT! read more

I must say this was a surprising find in Daytona because you never know when trying new things in a town you don't know that well. We went and took a chance without reservations and the owner graciously let us in and they did not disappoint. Forget the really great atmosphere, the food was totally amazing and definitely the best I have ever eaten in Daytona by far. If you want to celebrate an anniversary or any special occasion or just go eat some really great food try this place, I will go back there. I had the Elk, amazing and my wife had the Gnocchi also amazing and we are Italian!! read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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We chose an early reservation of 5pm, when the restaurant opens. We chose to sit upstairs in the "porch" instead of in the cellar. My husband wanted the lighter atmosphere. The food was outstanding. We started with the anchovy salad and the prosciutto melon and pear salad. I only ate a little of the anchovy one. It was a little underseasoned but the anchovies were not overly salty and seemed fresh. The prosciutto and melon and pear was scrumptious with the featured rose wine (Grenache). The pear was truly ripe just as it should be. The melon was soft, not hard like some places but it wasn't the best melon I've had. The portion size was generous. The Cellar requires you to order your entire meal at once, not graze, so we quickly (a bit rushed) chose our entrees. The Entrees were timed well and not brought until we had savored the salads and the bread. There was a small relaxing break between courses while our Querento Chianti was opened. This turned out to be a good choice since I got the Pesto and lump crab with paperdelle pasta and hubby got the lamb shank. The pasta was properly cooked al dente and made in house. I would have made it thinner, but I know how hard it is to work with really thin sheets so I understand the thicker choice. The creamy sauce was not too heavy and the crab was indeed lump and fresh. I only ate half. My espousa enjoyed his lamb shank, falling off the bone and nicely braised, not drowning in sauce. The risotto was very light, almost a rice and pea side, not gloopy. For dessert we got the tiramisu which was light and airy, very coffee tasting and not chocolate. (Sometimes places add a chocolate element but this was the classic style.) The atmosphere was quiet and our server was attentive without being overbearing. The person who made my reservation said she is very particular about the dress code, so we made sure to comply. Also, as you know there is a credit card required at reservation time that will be charged if you don't show up. There was one anomaly that we both wanted to mention. Although there is a sign on every table saying no cell phone usage, there was a computer is use at the next table. It seemed the proprietress was using this guest area for bookkeeping. I mean this as a constructive comment, that when you are asking your guests not to be distracted by their cell phones, we were distracted by business being done at the next table. (Photo below) This seemed inconsistent and surprising for a restaurant at this level. read more

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The location is definitely unique. It is tucked away in a wine cellar basement which gives it a cozy and intimate vibe. The limited seating and strong wine selection make it feel like a hidden spot. We started with their version of a caprese salad, which included artichoke hearts and was plated beautifully. I liked the artichoke, but the dish needed a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Decent, but I probably would not get it again. The sausage dish came sliced lengthwise and was served with risotto. Nice presentation, but the flavors were kind of boring aside from the technique. The salmon Alfredo missed the mark. It needed garlic and salt, and the portion of salmon was tiny. It felt like they used salmon shavings or scraps. I ordered the carbonara which was good but pretty forgettable. Portion sizes were really small. I actually found myself ordering Domino's not long after just to feel full. That said, service was excellent. Our server was super attentive and gave a great wine pairing recommendation that helped elevate the experience. read more

One of the best dinners I have had in many years. Every dish from salad to appetizer to entree and dessert was beautifully prepared and aesthetically pleasing . Service was on the mark with timing and attention to all of the details. Hazel proved her knowledge and experience with a pleasant but professional approach. Well done. The ambiance is quite fitting for an older historic building. Definitely will return. read more

My wife and I were looking for a nice evening dining experience. We didn't know how much of a hidden gem the cellar really is! Our server Diego was incredibly polite, attentive, and fun to talk to! Our hostess Lina (I believe is the owner) was also very polite, professional, and quite attentive to detail! And the best part, the food and wine had so much rich and tasteful flavor! We definitely recommend for a nice date night! read more

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The service was great! Excellent wine selection. Food quality wasn't up to par for a $200+ meal for a couple. The carbonara was average. The Giant shrimp and snapper was not fresh. The fish was very fishy and the shrimp was mediocre. The sauce was bland. Not a top star restaurant. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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The owner is very closed off, I spoke to her on the phone. We are from Miami and eat at the finest restaurants and she would not accommodate any changes to her menu simply with the excuse that it won't taste good, I asked to pay full price for any menu item that can be modified or simply vegetables which they have plenty of in their menu and she would not accommodate us, times have changed and she needs to get with the times. We like fine wine and don't shy away from tipping well but clearly she does not want our business. read more

kinda hoity toity place as goes the hostess and staff, not shy on prices for sure, but an excellent wine list. Food was superb, but like I said a little pricy read more

This place was great. I see a bunch of bad reviews, all of which seem to be about the dress code or "unpleasant staff". The staff were very welcoming and helpful. The food was great with a large selection to choose from. Will be going back. I can't understand how there are so many bad reviews about the dress code. What adult doesn't own a shirt with a collar. They don't even require a suit jacket, it didn't seem that strict at all. read more

Love to come to this place and is a favorite among my friends and family. We enjoy taking people here as the atmosphere is great and the food is also good. read more

I'll start with the "greeting" at the door. Now you have to use a credit card to book or you'll be charged $50pp if you don't show. Fine. You get to the door and it literally has a sign that says you have a reservation to enter. I'm fine with that. The dude at the door needs to take a minute though. He's a bit much. I also didn't appreciate that i walked up with clear mobility issues and he planned to escort us to our table downs a flight of stairs. Thank goodness we had an early reservation or what. So if you have these issues too, prepare. I told them when we booked but apparently it got lost. After that, it much more enjoyable. The server was amazing and very helpful. She was accommodating without being intrusive. The building itself was what you'd expect from a historical home...small rooms, a bit smelly, and added on in strange ways. I'd give ambiance 2/5 and service 4.5/5. They offer a menu of wines. Make sure to look because many of the bottles they showcase are half bottles. Check out the full menu. It's a nice menu. We went with a lovely montepulciano...big shock for us. It was awesome. It was a mid-grade reserva...there's only three. Now on to the food...we started with two salads. Mike for a pretty traditional salad with olives and peppers. I opted for the marinated anchovies. Can I just say why aren't we eating more anchovies in the U.S.? They are delicious. I ate this a lot while in Sicily and they are just wonderful! We shared the sausage lamb pappardelle. I haven't had the sausage sliced with the paste like that before. It was delicious. The sauce was light and refreshing. All clearly handmade. Finally we did the osso boco (aka lamb shank). It was tender as expected. Served with a veggie risotto (meh...needed more flavor) and a veggie bunch of green beans, sunchokes, and carrots. Again...needed more seasoning. The hubs ordered the peach cobbler special and 1983 sherry. Skip the sherry. It turned. The cobbler was ok but nothing to write home about. So overall, the first two courses were awesome. The rest was passable. Very little ADA options. Service was good. I'd give it 3.5 stars if possible. Can't justify 4. While the prices were fair for what you for, there were just too many other issues. read more

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Wonderful food but they require credit card guarantee on the weekend. Braised Lamb Shank is delicious as is the Red Snapper, Veal Scallopini and house salad. read more

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Made birthday dinner reservations after having reviewed all of their requirements which included no children under eight and business casual attire no flip-flops, etc. When they called to confirm they called to confirm they left on the message that men had to wear collared shirts, and so I called and said that it had not said that when I was booking it, but that I was pretty certain my son did not own a collared shirt, but that he would be dressed neatly and she's replied. I'll go ahead and cancel your reservation, and I said OK. A little slice of crazy in Daytona Beach. I think they need to update and be very clear. What all of their many requirements are, We did here once 10 years ago and it was OK but not good enough for us to ever come back but on a Tuesday night in Daytona, my husband wanted Italian and our favorite place is not open on Tuesdays so we thought we would give it another try. We ended up having a lovely welcoming experience across the bridge on Seabreeze at Anna's Trattoria. read more

Loved it. The food was awesome and the service was too. Loved everything we ordered. The wine was delicious and we honestly had a great time. read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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Enjoyed another delicious meal last night with excellent wait service. Unfortunately, the female owner was less than accommodating (rude) when we requested a quick photo of our group on the stairway. Disappointing as we are repeat customers many times over. read more

If you are serious about a reservation, what is the issue with a confirmation credit card? Be courteous and cancel. Well in advance if you need to cancel. This is a small business and every seat is important . Revenue for a small business to survive Put your self in the business owners shoes. If you owned a restaurant, would you like to have empty seats from reservations that didn't show up. ? I realize Daytona is a beach town But this is a very nice restaurant I appreciate their dress code. Food is outstanding ! If you enjoy fine dining, good wine and great service, you will not be disappointed, with this little gem of a restaurant. The best in Daytona Beach . read more

Four of us had a wonderful dinner here. All the dishes and salads were very good. The service was good. We didn't like sitting downstairs, but that was minor. We enjoyed the house made bread pudding a lot also. I would recommend this restaurant to any one looking for a good Italian restaurant in the Daytona area. read more

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The service is top notch, the food is beyond excellent, the restaurant is beautiful and always welcoming!!!! The desserts always so very fresh and so tasty!!!!!! read more

Wonderful dinner last night at The Cellar. Fabulous dinner, Great service. And it's an absolute joy to sit in a restaurant where you can have a quiet conversation . Acoustically pleasing. Other Restaurants need to get their soundproofing together. Love the setting with all the stained glass. This is a Classy place , and a favorite. read more

Fantastic place, a hidden gem in Daytona, great ambiance from the time you enter, the service is very good even though their staff is young. The food is a work of art and flavor. The wine list is extensive and you are sure to find something that will agree with your pallet read more

The meal was perfect. The salmon melted in your mouth and the roasted veggies were perfectly cooked. The ravioli was the freshest I had ever eaten. The staff couldn't have been more attentive and the intimate feeling makes it a beautiful restaurant to dine. The staff and owners were in on a little surprise for me...I got an engagement ring with my dessert!! Thank you for the entire staff for making it a most magical night. The chocolate dessert almost didn't get eaten but ...it did. Gooey goodness!!! Can't wait to come back read more

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The rigatoni pasta with shrimp and asparagus was delicious, service is very good - ambiance is very unique read more

The Cellar Restaurant - Rico Rigatoni con Gamberi e Asparagi - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

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Very disappointed. I asked to keep my appetizer and was told all the food had to be cleared at one time. I do under stand serving all at once but odd to not let me finish my carpaccio. Waitress very inexperienced. Ambience great but other than that, will not return. read more

an amazing experience all around. Restaurant was clean, we had amazing service and the meal was the best meal i have ever had! highly recommend this restaurant. cant wait to go back and try other entrees! read more

7/8/2018 - Anniversary Dinner. Have you ever dined at a President of the United States' private home? I have, at Warren G. Harding home, the 29th President of the United States. The home is now on the National Historic Registry. Dining here was very special. The Cellar restaurant is a fine dining restaurant that serves upscale Italian cuisine. We walked in to the house and were met at the bottom of the stairs by the owner, Lina Moggio. She walked us in to the Cellar and to our very intimate table. There are approximately 10-12 tables. They are spaced enough that you have your privacy. I really liked that. After looking and hearing the menu specials from our waiter, we decided to order an appetizer. We were told we had to order everything at once per Chef Moggio. That was a first but it was ok. We ordered the special appetizer which was a crab cake with pistachio crumbles. Best crab cake I've ever had; I liked that it wasn't overly seasoned. It was so beautifully plated too. I had a glass of Pinot Gris. For my entrée, I ordered the Agnolotti D'Agnelo Sardinolo, Lamb-filled half-moon pillows with fresh tomato, mint and Sardinian Pecorino cheese. All pastas are home made. It was absolutely perfect. After our meal, we decided to indulge in gelato and sorbet. We each got three scoops and they brought them with a cute little candle on it since it was a celebration. Our server was wonderful, very attentive and polite. As we were leaving I started taking pictures of the restaurant and the owner was kind enough to offer to take a picture of us. This was truly a night to remember! (My pleasures) read more

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I'm giving this 3 stars for the food, it was very tasty and had a nice presentation. After all the chef has 40 year experience in NY and Italy. I took 2 stars for..I didnt feel very welcomed. The main restaurant in in the Cellar hence the name. The building is Historical. When we arrived, ( they had just opened)we walked dwn the stairs and was greated by the owner, and was asked if we had reservations, I replied no, we walked up the stairs to a room across from the entrance where we walked in, she looked around and said "I can seat you here" and that is where we sat a..l..l....b..y....o..u..r..s..e..l..v..e..s. our entire dinner we sat in that room alone. No one else was seated in this room. LOL Well as least the service was good! LOL Would I go back? Yes the food was good. Next time I WILL call for reservations at our table in the room up the stairs ALONE! LOL read more

The Cellar Restaurant - First time to this Historic Building, "The Cellar" - Italian Near Me - Daytona Beach, Florida

We called ahead to make reservations. I had a collared shirt dark shorts and Birkenstocks, my wife was wearing a light colored dress. We were informed that they were not sure we could dine there because of the Birkenstocks. They do not allow flip flops and they couldn't figure out if nicer sandals were permitted. We were told definitely not on men. Told them ok, cya. We'll find somewhere else to go. read more

Our group visited the Cellar for an upscale dinner on our family vacation. Our group of four found it to be a nice space with great homemade pasta dishes. Our server was very friendly but some of the other staff not as pleasant. A former President used to live in the home. the restaurant is located in and it was one of the few places in Daytona with a basement in the home (where we ate). There are several Tiffany stained glass artwork located throughout the space. While there is plenty of history there, they didnt seem to keen on showing it off. We were there for an early dinner and there were just two other tables at the time. I asked the waiter to tell us a little about the space and I think the owner was actually who came over to tell us. At one point, we laughed at something and was told to quiet down. Again, two other tables at the time and they were pretty far away from us. We were dressed nice and were being respectful of the environment (not our first fine dining experience...) so was a little caught off guard by that. The food is good but don't bring any "vacation vibes" here with you. Prepare to be well-dressed and no laughing :) read more

Five stars all the way! We were looking for a place to have a nice dinner in Daytona Beach and this was an unexpected gem. I called for a reservation that you have to reserve with a credit card. It is not a large establishment so I don't blame them because inconsiderate people skip out on their reservations all the time thinking it effects no one. When i made the reservation I was told our temperature would be taken at the door. I read the reviews and people seemed to really enjoy the food but some said it was pricey. I always feel you get what you pay for and this is a prime example. To start this house is historic. President Warren G. Harding's father in law built this house for him and his wife. After our temps were taken we walked in and there was hand sanitizer available which we were encouraged to use. We were given the option of upstairs or downstairs, however, if a restaurant is named The Cellar guess what we chose? There is beautiful stained glass on the side walls and lots of wine racks filled with good stuff. Christopher was our server and he was awesome, attentive, and seemed to enjoy his job. (He even folded my napkin when I went to the bathroom) Lina the owner, came by and assisted us with a wine selection and she was spot on. She also chatted with us throughout the evening. For starters I chose the Caprese and my boyfriend got the mista salad. Both were delicious. My cheese was so fresh and all the flavors together was fab. For mains I got the veal with mushroom sauce. So tender and flavorful and the potato side and veggies were fresh. My boyfriend got the gnocchi Bolognese and he said it was the best ever. Of course I had to taste it and I have to agree. As you can see from the pictures below we truly enjoyed our meals!!! We even had room for the decadent chocolate mousse for dessert and a wonderful capuccino. I don't know if we will be back this way ever again but I sure hope we will be. If you live near here and have never been don't think just call and make a reservation and have a very wonderful dinner. You won't be disappointed. read more

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amazing food great staff pastry chef was over the top with her Walnut pear cake drizzled with chocolate. atmosphere was elegant. excellent wine list. going back many times. read more

Covid measures and precautions were some of the best I've seen. Taking temperatures at the door for both staff and guests. No walk ins available so make sure you call ahead! The food was amazing. This was our first time dining in since March and they just made it all seem like a faint memory with how safe we felt. Probably the best Italian food I've had this side of Central Florida! A must for Daytona trippers! read more

The Cellar restaurant is a must have for food not just in Daytona, but all of Florida. From the atmosphere to the food, I have never had any sort of issue with the restaurant in my years of coming here. The restaurant is catered towards fine Italian dining, and it shows with their vast selection of wines and menu full of great dishes that you could never go wrong with. The restaurant has a calming and inviting atmosphere, perfect for dates and anniversaries. Their service is also impeccable. Their servers are always attentive and doing their absolute best to ensure a positive experience for you. The food being their specialty is the star of the show. Not once has the quality or flavor ever ceased to be there. Their chefs have passion for what they make and it all shows in the food they make. If you do plan on coming to this restaurant do be aware that they require reservations and have dress code you must follow. Even with this, I cannot recommend The Cellar enough for any occasion as the experience you have is second to none anywhere else. read more

Wow. I loved the overall ambiance. It's quaint and cozy, but not awkward. The staff were all amazing. The food...SHEESH. Best carbonara I've had since being in Italy. Everything was amazing. read more

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The Cellar Restaurant dining experience is one to be had if you wish to enjoy eclectic Italian gourmet. Our entire meal from appetizers-entrees-desserts was lovingly and expertly prepared. The only flaw of our evening was the service. We were informed repeatedly that there was a large party upstairs and that our waiter was tied up serving them. With our waiter being tied up with the large party upstairs, our service lacked with other server-helpers stepping in intermittently to tend to us. We sat far too long with used plates in front us that needed to be cleared. We were reminded of the large party upstairs who was keeping the staff busy. The large party upstairs was of little interest or concern to us. It was our dining experience on our anniversary that mattered to us. read more

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Extremely rude and not accommodating. You opened a Restauant in Daytona BEACH people Are on vacation. I totally understand a dress code but no Sandals ? Get a clue and a better attitude read more