Cafe Alfresco

One of my husband’s favorite meals has always been Capellini Pomadoro, so I always look for restaurants that may serve this dish. While on vacation in Clearwater Beach, I was looking at the online menus of restaurants suggested by a friend. I was delighted to find this dish on the Café Alfresco menu in Dunedin. We went there for dinner that night. He had his favorite dish and I had chicken parmesan. Our meals were absolutely delicious and. the service was great. What a delightful restaurant in the quaint city of Dunedin. Superb food at a reasonable price!

We ate there on 6÷9÷16, Thursday evening. My husband had a hamburger and I had the wedge salad. Both were very good. It has a pleasant atmosphere and the staff is very friendly. Price is reasonable. It appears many locals visit this restaurant. We recommend and we would return.

I’m not usually a review writer but my experience has prompted me to write this. My husband and I are residents of Dunedin and regularly dine at the restaurants downtown, one of which being Café Alfresco. On this evening, we weren’t feeling very hungry, just wanting to get our favorite appetizer at Café Alfresco (the fried feta cheese) and a cocktail. Arriving to the restaurant we were greeted by the «bouncer» (host) who we told we just wanted to sit at the bar and his reply was that there wasn’t room and «look over there, there’s Kelly’s». I did not appreciate the way he treated us like we were college students on spring break. If we had wanted to just drink at Kelly’s at the bar, that’s where we would have gone. Sadly, due to this man, Café Alfresco has lost our business. If he had simply suggested a table, we would have stayed and dined. But, he told us to go elsewhere. Therefore we will not be returning.

Have eaten here many times, usually very good. Tonight it didn’t start well. Two of us out to eat, no wait or line but told we would have to wait. Looking inside there were 4 tables empty and available Seating 4. I asked so why can’t we sit there, told. We keep them for bigger parties. 3 or 4. No wait, they don’t take reservations but wouldn’t let us sit at the tables. Had to wait 15 mins until a small table for two became available. Tables of 4 never occupied while we were there.

I can recommend Café Alfresco for anyone looking for a light bite or a larger meal. I went there with a friend who has eaten there several times. The restaurant is pretty on the inside and seemed clean. It was fairly busy at 8:00 pm on a Friday evening.
I ordered the fried greek cheese appetizer and my friend had a shrimp salad. Both small meals arrived quickly and had good presentation. The food was good and seemed to be made at the restaurant. (People who have not worked in the business would be surprised how many items they order in a restaurant may have been purchased from a distributor either frozen or bagged. If the salad has that «bagged» smell, it was!) My friend has ordered the regular meals several times and while they would be a lot of food for me, he felt the food was very good and the right amount.
If you are in downtown Dunedin, give this place a try!
To check out the cleanliness ratings of your favorite FL restaurants, go here:

Went to have lunch after recommend by friend. Was greeted by host who refused to sit our party of 3 at a 5 top. I got there around 1:30 pm– not the lunch rush. All these 5 tops were empty and the restaurant was only ¼ full. I explained that we wanted a table by window. Was given a table in the middle of restaurant with HEAVY foot traffic– great if you like servers and customers walking back n forth. We ended up walking out and explained to host why. NO ALTERNATIVES GIVEN BY HOST. Ended up going to Kellys on Main– excellent.

Mediocre food can usually be made up for with superb service. That unfortunately is not the case here. Came for brunch; home fries were under seasoned and needed ketchup to be palatable, poached eggs for the Benedict were over cooked. Never got a glass of water I requested and my coffee cup was empty most of the meal. Unfortunately there are not a lot of breakfast places in the area so we didn’t have much of a choice in our dining decision.

Cool little place in touristy downtown Dunedin. Pulled it up on Unilocal and the 4 stars looked appealing. Upon arrival I met Alberto who opened the door, and guided me to my table and was very pleasant. I was greeted pleasantly and quickly by my waiter who offered up 2 specials but I had already eyeballed a lobster roll that sounded seasoned just the way I like it. I had it with fries and a coke. Food cMe fast, refills were on point and the food was very good. Maybe a lil more salt and pepper or Old Bay to give a bit
More flavor but the «seasoned» regulars probably struggle with the spices. A great place to eat for lunch where everyone is friendly and the food is good. I also got to try one of those shot glass desserts for $ 3 that wasn’t too shabby. Give it a try.

Underwhelming.
Starving after the plane ride from Boston, we stopped here on our way to our hotel. Myself, my wife and our two children (3 and 6).
Children enjoyed their cheeseburgers. Wife’s chicken piccata and my grouper were nothing special. Everyone polished their plates but probably more because we were starving then the food was good…

I stopped in for lunch on a busy weekend, they had a wait, but I was a party of one, so I was able to be seated immediately. The waiter promptly came to my table, and I ordered an unsweet tea while I looked over the menu.
The server came back and told me about the day’s special, but I had already decided upon the New England Lobster Roll. They have good views of the trail, with both indoor and outdoor seating, that’s all the ambience I was able to take in, because my lobster roll arrived within two minutes.
They did not skimp on the lobster salad, my roll overfloweth with its deliciousness. The roll was amazing as well, light, flaky, and buttery… omnomnom. The fries were actually pretty decent too.
When I finished, my server was right there. The lobster roll and a drink came to $ 20, so I was glad I didn’t have anyone else with me that I had to pick up the tab for. Good service, good food, and good views.

Food was good. Lobster roll ups. Or lobster taco. I had an 8 oz. hamburger, noting exotic, but cooked medium well, not greasey.
Vic, our server was excellent. Friendly and professional
We would recommend this spot. In Duneden. Popular spot, so it will be busy. We. went just before noon. It was recommended by the owner of the yarn store, which is why we’re there. We will go back.

Tom Terrific here with another honest restaurant review.
I visited Café Alfresco at 8pm on St. Paddy’s Day. it’s a cute place right on the corner of the Pinellas Bike Trail. they have a large outdoor patio that perfect for people watching.
there was a long line and I asked the host Alberto if I could have a solo seat at the bar. I ordered the corned beef, cabbage and golf ball size redskin potatoes. all I can say is that I got a big plateful of delicious food and a bun with butter. I ordered a Bud Light draft and asked for it green. Jennifer my server put some food coloring in it.
I had witnessed a street food vendor serving the same dish for $ 10 and it was tiny, paltry and unappetizing. the food I was served was high quality and a better deal for $ 14. the draft beer was $ 3.50.
being at the bar, Jennifer happily talked to me on various subjects and was very kind. I tipped her $ 4. I found out Café Alfresco is a jointly owned restaurant with my favorite eatery Bön Appetit right down the street. they have free bowling cards there as well. they are right at the entrance door so if you bowl this is a nice touch.
the couple next to me got burgers and fries and it looked scrumptious. i’ll try that when I go back.
whoever hires for these two restaurants knows what they are doing. excellent.

We’ve been wanting to try this place for quite sometime but there was always a long wait and was always crowded. Perhaps I was hoping for more than I should of because of their loyal following but I just found it average and prices slightly modest to high.
Service was friendly and good. The manager also comes around asking how everything was or is and is friendly.
The food wasn’t bad but wasn’t great. Pastrami sandwich was fairly overlooked to the point it was like beef jerky I like crisp pastrami but that was a little too much. Also they did not serve it with mustard on or on the side which was strange. The potato salad seemed homemade and fresh but needed some kick like mustard seed or celery. I have the feeling they cater to bland customers.
GF got the salmon Asian salad. Fish was good but salad was completely overdressed to the point it was almost a soup.
Not too much wowed me on their menu and will be in no rush to be back. Nothing horrible but nothing that would make me crave going back.

GREAT LOCATION — PROBABLY FILLED WITH LOCALS = When the weather is gorgeous, sit in the patio (has a roof and overhead heating lamps just in case) but there is also a more covered patio section with large windows looking onto the Pinellas Trail. This is smack at the center of the Downtown Dunedin and I liked how its casual-​ness is also welcoming to passing cyclist.
REVIEWING THE AMERICAN & SEAFOOD DISHES = The Sesame Tuna Sashimi was definitely ‘sesame-​crusted’ as described. The hard seed texture overpowered the softer Sashimi. I tasted WAY more Sesame than Tuna. But my Sesame Salmon entrée fared better as the Fish was (obviously) more cooked and therefore could stand more independently. The Rice was a nice side however when I tried my Salmon with my Fiancé’s mashed Potatoes… the flavors together were much better! Meanwhile, my Fiancé enjoyed his NY Strip Steak special with no complaints.
BUT IT TRIES TO BE TOO MUCH = We didn’t try any, but the counter by the entrance displayed some pretty tempting homemade-​looking desserts. I’m not the biggest fan of restaurants that try to be everything to everyone (dash of American, Italian, Asian, Bakery and Seafood) and the spread out talents showed in the dishes. Good but not great.
GLUTEN-​FREE, ALLERGIC PYRA SAYS:
With mashed Potatoes (sans gluteny gravy) and Rice as offerings, there’s a good amount of dishes for my allergy buddies. Luckily most of the seafood is grilled and not fried because fried Seafood typically includes breading.

Fresh and delicious grouper sandwich. We were visiting the Dunedin Saturday market when I suddenly developed an appetite for a grouper sandwich. I can highly recommend the blackened grouper sandwich as an excellent value and tasty. Fresh bun, fresh fish, and French fries on the side.
My friend had a burger and enjoyed that too.
This casual eatery does a nice job!

Okay eatery, with Italian overtones, located in a corner storefront in charming
downtown Dunedin.
Atmosphere 75 Very ordinary Could be anyplace.
Service 80 A notch above
Food 75 Dime a dozen fare
Value 75 A tad high, but then it is Dunedin.
Plenty of better places to dine in town. This is a good spot if you are in a
hurry or want a light lunch/​dinner.

Delicious! Shared a Cuban Sandwich with my husband, I really wanted to try one since we were in the bay area and neither one of us had ever had one. We ordered the seasoned fries instead of the potato salad. So glad we shared this dish, it was very large in size and plenty for both to eat. * Side Note* they do have a $ 3 split plate charge, which I actually think is outdated, because most people just want smaller portions now and I just think it’s crazy that a restaurant will charge you $ 3 to split something. I mean after all, the happier the customer the more likely you will be to order a dessert or coffee and actually return, so hoping to maybe they reconsider the split charge fee.
The restaurant is very area, and open, service was a little slow, had to wait a while for a refill and a check, but we are on vacation so wasn’t in too big of a hurry.

We went there for a Quick bite to eat. I had a bowl of the gumbo which was very tasteful I really liked it and it was served with a roll and butter and my daughter had the chicken noodle soup which was also yummy. The weather was so nice we decided to sit out on their patio

Great food. Lovely service. Lots of options. I ordered the shrimp salad and added avocado. My brother ordered the corned beef hash — that was the brunch special. All the food was very fresh, delicious, and a great atmosphere on Main Street with big, open windows.

Great food and service. Specialty meals daily and everything weHad was superb. Fantastic gourmet hamburgers the best around. The Italian food from spaghetti and meatballs to Lasagna is terrific. You can eat outside or in with plenty of room. I found this restaurant great For Stuffed Shells! Many great
Options.

Café Alfresco war eines der enttäuschendsten Restaurant die wir in unseren Urlauben aufgesucht hatten. Es ging schon beim hineingehen los, nicht gerade Sauber und sehr ungemütlich war der erste eindruck. Auch die Sauberkeit war nicht gerade toll. Über das Essen fällt mir auch nur negatives ein, von Geschmack keine Spur, optisch furchtbar und dazu noch kalt !!! Nun gut, wir haben das Essen irgendwie heruntergewürgt und haben dann aber sehr bald diesen ungastlichen Ort verlassen.