Comments on: Review: Caffe DaVinci

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:07:12 +0000

Just a correction for you….the restaurant is not owned by the exact people who owned the old DaVincis on Henderson….same family, but not entirely correct to say it's the same people.

Also, I have to say, while this is certainly no 5 star italian fare, i think it serves its purpose…that is to serve "fast" italian food at an affordable price. Thanks.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:52:58 +0000

I, too LOVE your blog but again really enjoy this restaurant and actually forgot about the gelato–Yum, that love giving samples!! We, the two of us, never have a bill over $20.00….drinks are always water..so no bar bill for us at this restaurant…
TGIF!!
Susan

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:19:04 +0000

I know you want to/should be honest. I just feel like you must have gone on an off night or something. It's too bad, maybe try giving it a chance some other time and getting their thin crust pizza Or at least some gelato! It's terrible that you felt ripped off, I feel like you missed out on the good things they have. But then again, I love a lot of food in this city that other people can't stand haha, and vice versa! I have never tried their risotto before, maybe I'll check it out sometime and let you know my thoughts. Risotto seems like a hit or miss dish at a lot of restaurants, it's hard to get the perfect texture.

Also – I like your review of the Inn at Cedar Falls. Hocking Hills is one of my absolute favorite places to visit and the food there looked amazing!

By: Dan D.

Dan D. — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:06:08 +0000

Swampkitty – I love your blog, but I have to be on the side of the dissenters – I love Caffe DaVinci – their alfredo is not from a package or a bottle – it's actually quite light and tasty over their pasta – and their salsa rosa (combination of alfredo and marinara) is my favorite. Their pasta has bite and I've never seen a tired green in my DaVinci or my Pronto Salad. I can't vouch for the risotto – but given the restaurant's setup, i would not expect a 5 star risotto course. But it is reliable red sauce "mom and pop" Italian – just like the Carfagna's, the Milano's, and the Ciatola's – the old name Italian restaurants of Columbus. The gelato is tops as well …toasted pecan, hazelnut, and Donatella (nixed with Toblerone) are the best …

By: columbusfoodie

columbusfoodie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:49:20 +0000

I try to be as honest as possible in my reviews, but the pictures speak for themselves as to the quality of the food that we were served, at least. We spent almost $40 there and left feeling ripped off. Usually I'll give places a second chance before writing a negative review, unless the food is SO bad that we'd rather gnaw our arms off than return. Unfortunately for us, DaVinci fell into this category. So I don't think we'll be back.

I'm glad that you (and a few others) have had good experiences here – it means that they have a following that like their food and will stick around for a while (I hate to see just about any restaurant fail, especially in this economy). I'm not a fan, however.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:42:20 +0000

Wow, I've gotta' get on here and defend the place! I worked about a block away from Caffe da Vinci for the past year and it was a frequent place for business lunches. They have always treated us incredibly well and the people/service was always fantastic. In fact, the restaurant has a reputation in Upper Arlington for being friendly, warm, and welcoming. In fact, the only complaint I've ever had is that it's so busy in the evenings that sometimes it's hard to find a seat.

All of the food I've had here has been delicious, and I frequently tell people that it's the best gelato I've ever had in the United States, coming the closest to the real stuff in Italy. It has the right texture and consistency and they are generous with letting you taste the different flavors. Once when we were waiting for carry out, the owner offered us a few samples of gelato without us even asking, just as a courtesy while we waited.

My favorite food here is the pizza, but I've always gotten the thin crust kind. I love it so much I chose it for my birthday dinner!! My friend ordered a sandwich once that was absolutely delicious, and I love their wedge and salmon salads.

I would suggest giving a restaurant a second chance before giving it such a poor review, especially since you noted how well-liked it is by many people in the city. It sounds like an unusually bad experience for a place that I know to be so great!

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:34:09 +0000

I ate at the place on Henderson and was always underwhelmed, but this looks just wretched.

Nothing hits the spot like burned potato chips covered in salad dressing…

By: Susan

Susan — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:17:43 +0000

Their eggplant is fantastic–love the bread and seasoned olive oil–that is self serve and unlimited. Great people that run the place–when I place an order to go they always offer a FREE beverage while I wait–that is unusual here in the grand Midwest–I am from New Orleans and that is customer service 101 down there…not knocking Columbus –love it but not for the food industry here..
Susan

By: Paul Ferrara

Paul Ferrara — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:34:19 +0000

Well, count me as one of those folks who really likes it. On the other hand, I've never ordered the same items that you did. But everything that I've tried has been great including appetizers, lasagne, pasta, etc. I gave it five stars on Yelp.

By: Jared R.

Jared R. — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:57:07 +0000

You beat me to it…I was going to go here tomorrow. Or maybe you saved me. Either way…