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    Tomato Cafe

    3.9 (143 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Buffets, Pizza
    Open 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Tomato Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Tomato Cafe Photos

    TOMATO CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Tomato Cafe

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    Green chile Alfredo
    Christopher A.

    The salad bar here is nice. Unfortunately there are not enough salad bars in this town so the bar is low. The pizza is sometimes good but sometimes it can be sitting out for a while. The green chile Alfredo is actually the best thing they got as well as their soups that they rotate. This place isn't fancy at all even though they have a wine menu. It's clean and the service is nice. I just wish the pizza was a little better.

    Jim T.

    Gracious, good morning on this wonderful Wednesday in central New Mexico. The boys from the VA Creative Writing Group went to the Tomato Cafe for lunch, and boy, did we enjoy it. This is the third location some of us have been at for this buffet restaurant. The food is still the same - which means it is great. Multiple versions of pizza, a few types of pasta, and many choices for pasta sauces and soups. Oh, and did I mention ice cream? Fast service and an interesting interior atmosphere make this one of our favorite places to eat. Just click on the following YouTube video link to see why we enjoyed Tomato Cafe and why we think you will too. Watch the outtakes at the end and see how many versions of directions we filmed. And not a single one was flawless. https://youtu.be/Sr4WKGV-HOw?si=cYTen8tDUELOPv9V

    Inside the dining room
    Daniel D.

    So apparently I just realized I've been due for an oil change. I found myself going to 3 different Walmarts each telling me apparently everyone in Albuquerque needs one too since they had crazy wait times. When I heard 2 hrs at the last one I said well that's the best wait time I'm gonna find I guess. Anywho I found myself nostalgic about this place when I first discovered it several years ago. Figured I was in the area so I stopped in to grab some dinner. Boy they did not disappoint. The pizza was nice and fresh. The pasta and the noodles accompanied by the sauce was enough to fill any empty tank. I was running on fumes. I took that first bite and of the pizza and the combination of cheese and the toppings sent my taste buds roaring. I found myself eyeing the meatballs so I grabbed a bowl and grabbed a few. The beef ones are my favorite. Moved on to the broccoli and man was it perfectly steamed. I mixed it with the cheese sauce and I had a nice little treat. My only regret was not trying the Alfredo sauce on the raviolis. It goes without saying this was a delightful meal. I'll definitely be coming back for more. The food was pretty stellar. Totally worth it!

    Plenty of seating for group meetings
    Diane A.

    Salad and pasta bar for about $15 pp. Salad bar has limited options but the vegetables were freshly cut and the bar itself was very clean. There are four different types of past noodles to choose from with just as many options for red sauce. I would come back because it's not loud, abience is perfect for location and the dining area and food stations were tidy and very well kept . Lastly, they do serve alcohol.

    Tomato Cafe
    Tom G.

    Tomato Café was a staple when my daughters were in single digits. Tonight, I had a chance to enjoy a nice dinner with my youngest and being at Tomato Café brought back a number of great memories. While it is in a new location from those many years ago, the food is still the same and is still very good, fresh, and plentiful.

    IPat M.

    The cafe is presenting one of the best menus out of Italua. The Polenta was excellent paired with linguine and one of the zesty sauces offered. The pizzas offered numbered in the dozen, vegetarian optional. The family enjoyed the homemade ravioli. The salad bar was divine. We topped lunch off with complimentary ice cream. Beer & Wine available. Felicimo!

    Buffett
    Teresa M.

    We visited Tomato Cafe today. I was looking for a dupe for Sweet Tomatoes and this restaurant was perfect! The restaurant and buffet was small, but the food was fresh and plentiful! The pizza was delicious, thin and crispy, the salad bar was so fresh!!! Will be returning!

    All you can eat!
    Timmy S.

    One of my friends couldn't stop telling me about how great the Tomato cafe is so when I got a chance I finally decided to try it out. I walk in and I was greeted by a friendly hostess. My waiter, basically brings drinks, was awesome bringing drinks and napkins and bussing away the plates. The food is nothing fancy but it's hearty and filling. There's a good assortment of pizza. The meatballs are good and there's plenty of sauces to choose from. I didn't like that the salad bar is really basic, not even some bacon bits or croutons or thousand island. There was only ice cream for dessert but there was no peanuts or toppings other than chocolate and caramel sauce. The tickets for 3 of us with 2 sodas was about $51. I don't know if I'd come back because GC has all these and so much more for a little less money. It is definitely worth trying. I have to say if you like alcohol then this place would be a great choice because they have it, I don't drink so it's not a big deal to me. Stop in and try for yourself, it's not great but it's not bad at all...

    Gluten-free thin crust
    Jennifer A.

    I LOVE this place! I am gluten-free, they have so many great options. SO, for the buffet you just pay extra for Gf crust, then you can take it home. Everyone is so nice and helpful! They even made my daughter a pizza without cheese and they have dairy free ice cream for dessert Definitely going back!

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    6 months ago

    They are close to our home, great selections on the buffet, good service. I would like us to go there more often.

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    2 years ago

    The food was cold!! Not even WARM. The soup was the only thing that was hot. I didn't have to pay, but i also ate nothing.

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    3 years ago

    Our family loves this place! The food is delicious and the service is wonderful! I highly recommend!

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    Il Localetto Rossi Italian Cuisine

    Il Localetto Rossi Italian Cuisine

    4.6
    (213 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    We went on a Wednesday night for dinner and we were seated right and given menus right away. We…read moreordered our drinks (San Pellegrino Limonata and Blood orange) and received them right away. Everything on the menu looked delicious, but we both ended up ordering the Eggplant Parmesan. A friend had heard it was the best in town, and I have to agree! Two large slices of eggplant with crisp breading accompanied by cacio e Pepe pasta and some marinara sauce. The eggplant was well seasoned fried perfectly. The serving was so large that I took half of it home. I also ordered tiramisu which was creamy and delicious. I saw the cannoli and the dulce de leche cheesecake as well- they all looked great. The location has plenty of street parking by it. I walked from the CNM campus and it was only a couple of blocks. Ambiance was cute, looked like exactly what it is in the very best way. I definitely plan on coming back soon...and next time I'll remember to take pictures! Delicious!

    My partner and I've been coming here over the past year and a half or so with friends. We have…read morealways enjoyed the food and the ambience. We just had dinner here tonight, introducing two family members to the restaurant.... and we had a VERY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE. FOOD: I've appreciated their eggplant parmigiana in the past, a favorite of mine. Not tonight. It wasn't crispy and was served with very little sauce. It is served with a cacio de pepe linguine that was quite DRY. One family member had the lasagna. Presentation was nice but she found the dish lacking. She said it was OK but that she has had better... She's Italian and grew up with homemade lasagna. My partner and our second dinner guest had the spaghetti with meatballs dish. My partner has been a fan of this plate. He found the pasta a bit dry, short of sauce (again). Our dinner guest commented on how DELICIOUS the meatballs were, with which my partner agreed. For dessert we had the crème brûlée and the canelones. The crème brûlée tasted more like a pudding and a custard, and the flavor was very different from what were used to in the crème brûlée... Deficient. As for the cannelloni, the filling was tasty. The crusty wrap was very thick and dry. All in all quite a disappointing meal experience. AMBIENCE: A small comfortable neighborhood restaurant with charm. SERVICE: A big robust personality had our waitress. A bit on the loud side, a bit much on the robustness which felt a bit over bearing at the tableside. She herself was not unpleasant, but her presentation was a bit of nails on the chalkboard. To say the least, it was a disappointing experience tonight and as much as we have enjoyed this place in the past I'm not sure that we would return again. Especially disappointing because we live less than 2 miles away and it really has felt like our neighborhood place.

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    Chicken parm
    Chicken parm
    Il Localetto Rossi Italian Cuisine

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    M’tucci’s Bar Roma

    M’tucci’s Bar Roma

    4.1
    (338 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    My boyfriend and I went out to dinner with my work mom and her husband. It was wonderful! I like…read morethe ambiance in this location better than the others. It's in a historic area but the inside is chic, modern, and lively. Bold paint colors, unique bar and table sets, and they even have chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The only caveat is that it is LOUD. Between the noise of eating, talking, and the music, it is difficult to hear each other. The service was excellent. I wish I could remember his name to give him a shout-out. He was knowledgeable about the menu and had great suggestions for drinks, appetizers and main dishes. He also, was friendly and funny, and took care of us without hovering but was somehow always there when we needed something. The food was excellent, with large portions, great flavors, clean ingredients and fresh new takes on a lot of dishes. I had the Sourdough Gnocchi with onions, brocolini, and added salmon. It was truly amazing! They had a blackberry shrub, which is non-alcoholic, that I was able to add alcohol to and it was delicious! We also had the calamari for an appetizer and it was beautifully done, perfectly cooked, with light breading, and excellent sauces to dip it in. If you haven't been, I would highly recomend you check it out!

    It's been a while since I've been to Mi Tucci's bar and Roma, but I'm really pleased with all the…read moreeffort they put into their menu and they're 30 minute at lunch 30 minute lunch is the best deal in Albuquerque no question with the choice of Soup or salad - seven different salad varieties and six different lunch entrées - although the entrées are served as a lunch portion there's plenty to eat and plenty of great choices ! My esteemed friend and I were royally served by one of the City's finest, Hope.... please ask for her as she is most affable!

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    Bar seating
    Bar seating
    Famiglia Board
    Famiglia Board
    M’tucci’s Bar Roma

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    Giovanni's Pizzeria

    Giovanni's Pizzeria

    4.3
    (382 reviews)
    7.4 mi
    $$

    Great music playing when you walk in. Looks like a mom and pop type place for locals…read more I like all the flyers on the wall. There is an article that says top 50 pizza joints in the US. I so sorry, there is no way this place or top 50 anything. Very disappointing. Had a slice all they did was take a cheese and add some toppings and not cook it fully. Very very disappointed.

    I rarely eat pizza and I'd never consider putting pineapple on a slice either, however, one day, I…read morewas curious and put the question out on Facebook. Where can I go to get pineapple on a pizza slice? A FB friend recommended this joint. Us New Yorkers refer to these places as joints. I pulled up to an empty parking lot and empty joint. Hmmm. Does anyone come here? I took a chance. After I ordered my slice with pineapple and the highly recommended Canadian bacon on it, the place started to fill up. I mean from the parking lot to the counter, folks of all ages & cultures were lined up to place their orders. Def reminded me of NYC where all kinds of folks lived and ate together. On the walls were framed pictures and memorabilia of MY old New York: the Statue of Liberty, the NY subway system and a few Broadway show programs. Did I like my pineapple slice? Yes I did. Did I feel guilty about offending my Italian family of Sicilians and Calabrese back in Little Italy in lower Manhattan? Not at all. But I was warned! I still love my cheese and/or pepperoni and will go back to order that.

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    Inside
    Inside
    Cheesy Bread
    Cheesy Bread
    Menu board

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    Menu board
    M'tucci's Italian

    M'tucci's Italian

    4.0
    (624 reviews)
    6.3 mi
    $$

    The decor is so lovely - twinkle lights and stained glass, ivy and metal sculptures, a lovely…read morecombination of Italian and New Mexico. The service was fast and friendly (Dylan was so kind and checked back with us often), with many favorite suggestions and a pretty extensive menu. We had two tasty salads (strawberry goat cheese and the roasted golden beet) and the pappardelle with mushrooms - all delicious! If you're in the mood for tasty food and good atmosphere (and pretty affordable for upscale Italian food), would recommend this spot.

    Being an Italian from New York City, I have to say that I am overall disappointed in M'Tucci's…read moreTwenty-Five. The first time that my fiance and I went there we had lunch, which was an amazing experience! It was a Wednesday afternoon in late January. Our waitress was the best waitress you can ask for, very attentive and on point, number one... Our salads, the Citrus Braised Beet & Pecan Salad and the Arugula & Spinach Caesar Salad, were amazing, number two... And our lunch, Spaghettini & Chianina Meatballs and Eggplant Parmesan, were amazing, number three. Awesome, right?? Here's the kicker.... My fiance wanted to take me either to Bien Shur or Level 5 for Valentine's Day. I'm a girl and he's trying to be very romantic, which I applaud!!! Those restaurants supposedly have the ambience of a romantic setting with views at sunset. So I poured over the menus and Google reviews from those two restaurants as well as other restaurants that friends have suggested and, after wanting the best quality food for a competitive price (even though price is of no object to him, but I AM an absolute food critic, especially coming from New York City and having eaten at different establishments across the country, so he left the final decision to me), I told him that we should go back to M'Tucci's Twenty-Five... I am Italian and he is Spanish, so I was hoping to introduce his tastebuds to the best Italian cuisine near to what I am accustomed to... So we went to M'Tucci's at 5pm on a Wednesday evening hoping to get the same service as last time... Nada, niente We sat down and I already had an idea of how I wanted the courses to go... but from beginning to end, a different waitress tried to rush us through the entire dinner EVERY STEP of the way as if we were a bother to her even though hardly any other customers were there... It was uncomfortable, so I skipped over the salads and went straight to the Applewood Smoked Portobella Risotto and the Pappardelle Porcini Pasta, figuring they would go greatly hand in hand... As we were waiting, I described to my fiance how Risotto is delicate, delicious, and hard to find on any menu because it cannot be under-cooked nor overcooked... it has to be "al dente," cooked but firm... fluffy and tasty with Porcini mushroom sauce, it will be amazing... Well the only thing firm and amazing about the Risotto at M'Tucci's were the few shavings of fresh mushrooms on top. The rest of the dish, ALL of the rice, was just MUSH!!! Which is NOT what's supposed to happen with any type of Risotto. A heartbreaking disappointment!!!... As for the Pappardelle Porcini Pasta, which was pasta in Porcini Cream Sauce with Pan Seared Chicken, the ONLY thing that was fresh were the cuts of chicken on top of the pasta... ALL of the pasta was just MUSH!!! So neither the rice nor the pasta were al dente. We couldn't finish neither dish. It was disappointing, embarrassing, and pretty much inedible. Next, our entrees were the Five Pork Bolognese and the "Cut of the Day, Hand Cut Steak, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Grilled Asparagus." He knows that I LOVE Filet Mignon and that that was exactly what I wanted for Valentine's Day, which was why he was trying to take me to Bien Shur. While we were at M'Tucci's, he joked that the Cut of the Day would be a T-Bone. I laughed and said it better not be. Sure enough, it was a huge T-Bone steak!! Thankfully his Five Pork Bolognese turned out well because I can forgo bad dishes, but the least I want is for him to have a bad dish!!! So my T-Bone was okay, not great by any means... definitely not the Valentine's Day dinner nor experience that I was expecting from a high-end restaurant. The wine wasn't even good. Only the Five Pork Bolognese dish was the redeeming factor that night. Needless to say, we haven't gone back there. Don't get your hopes up, especially for a romantic occasion.

    Photos
    This is the Bloody Mary bar!!
    This is the Bloody Mary bar!!
    Hanger steak with green beans and potatoes
    Hanger steak with green beans and potatoes
    Pork tenderloin

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    Pork tenderloin
    Piatanzi

    Piatanzi

    3.6
    (197 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    had dinner there last night and from start to finish, it was a 10. the atmosphere, service, and…read morefood were stellar. it was my husband's first time there and will not be our last. this is the definition of a "neighborhood gem" the last time i was there was "covid era" so i HAD to go back! a special Shout Out to the two "Davids" service was PERFECT! i had the Salciccia pasta and my husband had the Penne Al Forna. we split the Caesar salad and had cheesecake for dessert with a lovely bottle of wine. dinner for two with tax and tip was about $120.00 i was impressed by all of it.

    Service was great and the staff was friendly. The restaurant was clean and quite cold but once we…read moregot food I was able to warm up from our hot plates. The first couple slices of bread are complimentary but that is all we wanted since we didn't want to get full eating just the bread. Once our main meals came out, they looked delicious. My Husband liked his baked penne al forno but said it could be a little less noodle in portion. I had the chicken parmesan the chicken was great but it was served in a bowl like dish, so it was difficult to cut up. It was on a bed of penne pasta had no sauce under the chicken. Only the top of the plate had sauce and cheese. I asked for some extra sauce and they came out with a little one ounce serving cup. When I asked for another small cup, they said they would need to charge me two dollars for more. The pasta under my chicken was so dry I decided to take the rest home and add my own sauce. This was a huge disappointment for me and I didn't want to offend them by saying the pasta had no sauce underneath and was very dry. I guess we won't be coming back and will try other places in town that are more affordable and nickel and dime people for bread and sauce.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bread
    Bread
    Pizza menu

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    Pizza menu

    Tomato Cafe - italian - Updated August 2026

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