Trattoria Caffè Italia image

Trattoria Caffè Italia

Restaurant Cafe Bar Meal takeaway Italian restaurant Wine bar Fine dining restaurant

Storied, family-owned bar/eatery with select Italian fare, an extensive wine list & outdoor seating. People often mention restaurant, service, staff, nice, amazing, delicious, great, dinner, pasta, wine,


Address

254 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1R 7R4, Canada

Website

www.trattoriaitalia.com

Contact

+1 613-236-1081

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.30 (872 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 11:30 am to 10 pm
  • Thursday: 11:30 am to 10 pm
  • Friday: 11:30 am to 11 pm
  • Saturday: 3 to 11 pm
  • Sunday: 3 to 10 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 11:30 am to 10 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: restaurant (16) service (14) staff (13) nice (11) amazing (10) delicious (10) great (10) dinner (9) pasta (8) wine (8)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Yalda M. 1 year ago on Google
    I did not enjoy the food here. It is way too expensive for what you get. I ordered the pasta. It was bland and had no taste whatsoever. I also did not ask for it to be gluten free but it was. I assumed that particular item came gluten free so I didn’t complain. When the bill came, they had charged us $8 for substituting gluten free pasta. My partner got the shrimp jumbo pasta. It was okay. Compared to my food, it has some taste but it wasn’t worth the money. We paid $100 for dinner. No drinks. Not going back.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Danny M. 1 year ago on Google
    The food was ok, it use to be better, I use to love the chicken parmigiana but they changed something to it and it taste more bland now. The restaurant is also a little over priced as well. We had a waitress called Maggie and she was pretty cold with us. When you spend that kind of money and order a bottle of wine, there is a certain minimum service you would expect. It took her over 20min to greed us which is not acceptable. Then barely smiles, very cold with us as if she didn’t feel like being there. We literally had to look for her to get service from her, she was barely there. For a 250$ bill, the service & food did not live up to the expectation. I can see the other bad reviews here and the replies are pretty robotic, simply asking to give them another shot. This really ciments the fact that they truly don’t care anymore like they once did. But it use to be good before, we use to go 3-4 times a year for a couple of years, so I still have hope and might actually give them one last shot in a few months hoping they change a few things around as we do like to support local & family businesses. If it gets better I will definitely update this review as well with all fairness.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Bonny W. 1 year ago on Google
    Went for dinner on Saturday without a reservation and they were kind enough to accommodate us with a table for two. The waitress was lovely, attentive and knowledgeable. The Caesar salad was marginal. The Gnocchi I ordered was AWFUL and to add insult to injury it was way over priced. When I brought it home my dog would not eat it. I have had Gnocchi at another Italian restaurant on Preston street and it was amazing. I made Gnocchi at home with a rose sauce and it was delicious. I think the chef needs a cooking lesson. Do not order Gnocci here.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Josh R. 2 years ago on Google
    It’s a beautiful restaurant. On July 14, 2021, I was a contestant in the Yuk Yuk’s standup comedy contest on the rooftop patio. The food everyone was eating looked delicious. And the patio was beautiful, with romantic lights hanging. And I won first place - So it’s a lucky place!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kim L. 4 months ago on Google
    Went with my family to enjoy a nice lunch to celebrate our birthdays. 1st time for me. I really enjoyed the atmosphere ☺️ nice Italian feel, including the music,.which was nice but just a tad too loud. Lunch was nice. Bread is delicious. I had tortellini funghi it was ok. Cappuccino to end the meal was excellent. I would love to go again and try their veal.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Wanda C. 2 years ago on Google
    Great service and friendly staff but I'm sorry the main courses we all ordered were bland. The zucchini was great though.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Linda M. 10 months ago on Google
    Served cold veal Marsala. Brought back to kitchen and was likely warmed in microwave which dried it out. Pasta veal parmigiana was entry level. Chef boyardi would have been tastier. Waitress was cold and unfriendly. Brought and opened the wrong wine we asked for which ended up more expensive. Never asked how our food was any time. Over rated over priced ! So disappointed. Won’t be back.

  • 5/5 Kelly T. 1 year ago on Google
    We recently went to this restaurant for my Mom's 70th birthday. We were a party of 16. The staff were exceedingly kind and attentive. The atmosphere was lovely. The food was delicious. I definitely recommend! Thank you to the staff for making my Mother's big day that much more special.

  • 5/5 Heather P. 1 year ago on Google
    Awesome wines. Perfect food. Great staff

  • 5/5 zoro y. 9 months ago on Google
    I gotta say, Sophia and McKenzie at our table made my night. Caeser salad that every bite was perfect accompanied the famous lasagna. Wonderful old world food with excellent flavors. Not displayed in any fancy waste of time, great food on the plate and wonderful service with a sweet smile.

  • 2/5 Maz H. 8 months ago on Google
    Worst service ever. The server was very rude. Everyone in our group of 10 was upset from her attitude. Calamari was very bad, didn’t taste like calamari. Chicken & salmon tasted very plain with no spices. Jumbo shrimp pasta tasted amazing as well as the Salmon Fettuccine. On the bill, it shows Maggie as the server’s name, not if it the same person that took care of our table, if it is then management should considering giving her training on how to deal with customers.

  • 5/5 Cássia G. 9 months ago on Google
    Walking around Little Italy we found this place and decided to have dinner on a whim. No regrets, the place is beautiful, with so much history and connections to Italy and the family. The food was amazing, really tasty, simple and generous. We left feeling so full and with leftovers for tomorrow! The staff was friendly and kind and to top it off, there was a man playing accordion! Will definitely be returning some other time.

  • 5/5 Tobias van der W. 1 year ago on Google
    Great place to have dinner! The staff is really nice and kind! The food is incredibly delicious! Definitely worth the money!

  • 2/5 Camy L. 9 months ago on Google
    Overpriced mediocre food! Vibe is nice in the restaurant. Waitress was nice but waiting staff was way too quick at removing your plates before you were done. Not worth it! Find somewhere else if you can— your wallet will also thank you.

  • 5/5 Eric T. 3 months ago on Google New
    We went to this beautiful restaurant for our daughter's birthday. The ambiance is nice and the employees courteous. They have a large selection of wine and liquor. An accordeon player played happy birthday for our birthday girl. The food was warm and delicious. I ate the Manicotti, others had bruschetta and various plates of pasta. Overall our experience was good.

  • 5/5 Leo B. 4 months ago on Google
    A lovely and cozy place with outstanding food and an impressive wine collection. Saturday night was especially remarkable with the live accordion music.

  • 5/5 Layna C. 4 months ago on Google
    Went here for dinner and it was amazing! The Caesar salad had lots of garlic flavour, calamari portion was huge and the cognac shrimp so tasty. All of our main dishes were pastas and everyone really enjoyed them.

  • 2/5 Udey R. 4 months ago on Google
    I don’t usually leave google reviews, but this time I felt like I had to. We went with a party of 3, and given the reviews here, I had high hopes from the restaurant. But I was fairly disappointed. Starting with the service, it took us close to an hour to get our food served after placing the order. The quality of the food itself wasn’t that great either. The linguine pescatore was supposed to have crab meat in it; we didn’t see any. The mussels they used felt frozen, and devoid of any taste. Considering that each plate was over $30, I expected better. All three of us had diarrhea and/or stomach issues that night. The ambience inside was nice, however. Didn’t make up for the food quality. Probably won’t go back.

  • 5/5 Renee L. 4 months ago on Google
    Amazing as per usual ! Great food, great service!!! Food is to die for, Grazie!

  • 5/5 Jessica 1 year ago on Google
    The moment we entered this restaurant and we know this is going to have proper authentic Italian food and service. We were here last night to have a few drinks. Ended up ordering a few things and they were so so amazing! It's what proper authentic Italian food is. Everything is homemade. The service was really good and you can tell that everyone who works there takes their job seriously and yet it's friendly homely restaurant. We could have sat there for a really long time. It just felt like home. We are glad to have found this restaurant and will definitely come back!

  • 5/5 Theresa 1 year ago on Google
    I was recently back in Ottawa for an office reunion. A bunch of us went here for dinner. We used to frequent this fantastic restaurant when we all worked nearby years ago The restaurant has expanded since we had all been. Its even nicer that it used to be. The charm is still there and the great staff. The food is amazing. The Veal Marsala … it is to dis for. I highly recommend for your next night out. Enjoy!! ♥️🌹

  • 5/5 T 2 years ago on Google
    We came here just for dessert and we were seated quickly. We got the tiramisu, cheesecake, and chocolate shell cake. All the desserts tasted amazing and nothing was too sweet and overpowering.

  • 3/5 Farzaneh F. 1 year ago on Google
    *Giuliana pasta was so good . *The chef salad was disappointing though. The quantity wasn't enough. There was only 3 pices of tomato , 2 pices of cucumber and 2 olives in it. The sause wasn't tasty . It tasted more like olive oil than a house made dressing. *The mid-age lady who served us was so kind and charming. I loved her.

  • 3/5 Orane B. 2 years ago on Google
    Love the ambiance. Very romantic. We requested a window-side table in our reservation but weren't offered one upon arrival. Calamari wasn’t anything special, nor was the chicken dish with asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes. However, the pesto jumbo shrimp pasta was delicious, as was the chocolate cheesecake. Glad we came, but would try other places along Preston before returning.

  • 3/5 Kim C. 1 year ago on Google
    Have been here many times over the years and have always enjoyed. Not this time...food very bland. House salad was mostly lettuce, with 3 pieces of tomato, 1 olive and a few onions (which I had asked to be left off), and almost no dressing. They did bring extra when I asked. On a positive note, the waitress was fabulous. Will not be going back.

  • 5/5 Garry S. 1 year ago on Google
    Booked a private dinner for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary in the restaurant’s wine room and were very happy with the entire evening. Maggie was very helpful with everything leading up to the night providing quick responses to questions and complete and accurate information. Menu was easy to arrange and flexible including options for kids in the group. The food was excellent. Service from Sophie and others was superb making sure we were well taken care of. Room was well appointed and gave us a private space to enjoy our night together. Planning and execution was great and the restaurant delivered on all fronts. Thanks so much to everyone at the restaurant who made this a memorable and enjoyable evening.

  • 4/5 C H. 1 year ago on Google
    We came in this evening with a reservation for large party. The staff was lovely and everyone enjoyed their meals. Great ambiance. One thing I have to highlight is that our waitress was an absolute pro. A large group is difficult, especially one that has people moving between to tables to talk to everyone. I wish I got her name because I would love to sing her praises properly. From start to finish she was on top of everything. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

  • 4/5 Namrata S. 1 year ago on Google
    A wonderful Friday evening dinner at Trattoria Caffe. We went there on whim while strolling on Preston St. Would have loved to be seated on their rooftop patio but they said they had closed it. This was a little after 8pm, which we found weird for a Friday Eve. Anyway, the food made up for it. The bread rolls were warm and soft. Linguine with salmon bits was pretty amazing. I never knew pasta with fish in it could taste so good. The chicken mains were delicious too, very moist chicken breast with a generous coating of sauce. The tiramisu was ok, I've definitely had better. It was a little on the drier side and you didn't really taste the coffee liqueur. I would go again to try their pizzas and the extensive wine collection their menu boasts of!

  • 5/5 Tracy M. 3 years ago on Google
    Fantastic food and great service. The rooftop patio is great!

  • 4/5 Amar C. 2 years ago on Google
    Good food, ambiance and service. I had the smoked salmon as a starter, pollo principessa as the main, and chocolate cheesecake for dessert. All really tasty, the roast potatoes in the main were not seasoned which was a shame. The chicken breast, mozzarella and asparagus was pristine. Cheesecake was super delicious, but a small portion. The service was very good! Good service is hard to come by in Ottawa with most staff being really laid back and uninvolved in making your experience a good one. This wasn't the case at Trattoria, who's staff went above and beyond our expectations and made our friends birthday dinner extra special. The restaurant is decorated okay, it's a rustic family kind of vibe but a notch higher than family dining. So why not 5 stars? The price. With soda, my entire bill came to about $70 which is pretty absurd :/ I understand food prices have increased due to inflation but it felt like quite the price gouge.

  • 5/5 David C. 2 years ago on Google
    Always my favorite place. Great people are what create great atmosphere, food and drink. Took my big brother out for a chill night, some nice wine and apps. The escargot = 5 star with a beautiful red wine picked by Dom. Class act. Music was cool, staff are friendly and happy to be back at it after a long winter and Spring.

  • 5/5 Michael L. 2 years ago on Google
    Ordered a few things for pickup with GetIT Local. Food was amazing!! And had a great Negroni before taking my delicious meal home!! Looking forward to my next visit.

  • 4/5 Neha D. 2 years ago on Google
    I'm a fan of Italian food and my search for good Italian food brought me to Little Italy on one of my visits to the beautiful city of Ottawa. Little Italy is a street filled with restaurants and pubs, with lovely patios for a nice drink and chit chat on a wonderful summer evening. Loved Trattoria. Service - amazing, food - super yumm. Just that the patio - can be a bit better. But oh whatever, the food and the variety of items on the menu is worth all the focus. We tried the Mussels Marinara and my husband just couldn't leave his plate, he was hardly into any conversation until he finished his plate full of mussels (Haha). The other dish we tried was the Linguini Pescatore in Aglio-e-olio sauce - it sure is a treat if you love seafood :)

  • 5/5 Grant Andrew D. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent starters and mains, with among the best deep fried smelts in the city. The wait staff know their wines, as shown by how well they helped pick out a glass. Lovely setting for casual or formal dining.


Call +1 613-236-1081 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Free parking lot
    • ✓️ Plenty of parking
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Halal food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
    • ✓️ Private dining room
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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