Café Gia
| Address: | 410 S High St, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA |
| Phone: | +1 410-685-6727 |
| Site: | cafegiabaltimore.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–2PM 11:30AM–10PM 4–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 8
LO
Lovepreet Aujla
Update 02/18: Came back here for Valentines and the service and food are still top notch. I had arranged to get flowers on our table prior to our arrival; however, they werent there when we got there so I asked Ms. Gia about it. She had someone run across the street, get flowers, and surprise my date. Simply fantastic, a true gem in Baltimore. P.S. The Gnocchi dishes here are so good! ------------------- So I went to Cafe Gia for the first time after trying over and over to get in-- theres always a wait here (and for good reason)! From the outside, Cafe Gia draws you in with its eccentric yet welcoming wall décor and murals. Once you step inside, youre invited to a small yet intimate space bustling with Italian hospitality, smells and fragrances of balsamic dressing and bursting fresh basil and pesto. The restaurant has 2 floors and has recently expanded into a bar in the back area of the restaurant. Though I was not lucky enough to get a seat upstairs, the downstairs seating area is more than adequate. Tables are pretty close together so the noise level can get high, but Cafe Gia just has a great vibe to it. Service is excellent as well and the food is some of the best you can get in Baltimores Little Italy. I tried the Bruschetta antipasti and Chicken Fiorentina as my first entree. The Bruschetta was excellent, as the bread wasnt soggy and the tomatoes were perfectly ripe with a flavory hint of balsamic vinegar. The chicken in my entree was buttery good and melted in my mouth, alongside the side of green beans and giant potato wedges-- simply fantastic. Service was great as well, with all waiters being extremely accommodating. Id recommend trying the Concannon Cabernet Sauvignon red wine with the chicken entree. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the food and portions are pretty good compared to other Italian restaurants in the area. A welcoming, quality Italian experience enveloped with a warm ambiance makes for the perfect go-to restaurant in Baltimores hearty Italian district.
KI
Kira Stoyko
I had a friend visiting Baltimore for the day and we got lunch together. Ive never had a bad experience in Little Italy, so I picked it quite randomly (and because it was open for lunch) It was delightful. One thing I really appreciated was a wine list with descriptions. You can generally prefer pinot noir or malbec or chardonnay, but being able to read what notes and finishes each has is always helpful, especially when youre thinking of what its going to taste like with the food you order. The burrata was very, very good and nicely complemented with the accoutrements they picked (greens, thin slices of fresh peach, and some other things. Great flavor and texture balance). I got the porcini stuffed pasta pillows and my friend got the bison and ricotta and penne (a very nice take and uptick of spaghetti and meatballs). Despite a cream sauce, the porcini stuffed pasta pillows was very good and not overly heavy. The decor is quaint and quirky. Everything is colorful and decorated, and definitely done with intent. Very Baltimore. The wait staff was very nice and attentive and answered questions. There were several window seats to look out (all taken by the time we got there) Definitely recommend, even if youre in the "not sure what to get, but want good food" mood.
ME
Melanie Kurimchak
I came in with a party of 7 last night for dinner for my sisters birthday. Hubby and I parked in the parking lot about 2 blocks away and it was an easy walk to the restaurant. The homemade fettuccine was definitely the highlight of the night. Unfortunately it didnt come with my meal. I got the Eggplant Parmesan and although the eggplant was cooked well and was tasty, I found the red sauce to be overly acidic and kinda bitter. Overall, I found the food to be just average. My portion was adequate, but I found almost everyone else in our party had relatively small portions as far as Italian restaurants go. The restaurant is small and the ambiance was fine. There is only one bathroom. And not one male and one female--there is literally one stall. Our waitress was friendly but horrible overall. It took a LONG time for her to come by and take our orders, she never came by and asked if everything was okay, and it seemed to take forever for us to get our check at the end of the night. We decided to skip on dessert because we didnt feel like waiting another 20 minutes for the dessert menu. There was really nothing special about this place. Just average and I wont be sad if I never go back.
A
A Private User
My wife and I are residents of Little Italy and Gias is our favorite Italian restaurant. The menu is excellent, the specials are creative and of gourmet quality, and the food is delicious. Contrary to other reviews, in our opinion, the price is very reasonable for the quality and authenticity of the food. The colorful ambiance and friendly staff make it a cozy place to eat. Also, Gias is no longer BYOB (although that was fun), they now have a growing and changing wine list as well as a full bar. Gias is a truly authentic Little Italy restaurant, with a family history in the neighborhood and they participate in the community. Cafe Gia is an example of what makes this neighborhood a vibrant, exciting place to live.
SH
Sherman Ragland
Wow! Great food, intimate setting, beautiful servers, owners who love to entertain their guests. "Going to Cage Gias is like having a really cool friend who lives downtown and every once in a while invites you over to have some of their moms really delicious home made dishes, and you can NEVER SAY NO!" It is truly an exceptional experience. -Sherman Ragland Dean, Realinvestors Academy of Washington, DC p.s.- YES! We drive close to an hour to have dinner here, and the entire time we are wondering what incredible thing they have come up with, and the entire way home we are talking about how wonderful it was...
A
A Private User
I know that this is going to sound trite, but I ordered the eggplant parmigiana and it was absolutely the best I have ever eaten in my life! I have eaten in Boston, San Francisco, New York City and cities abroad, Ive never had as good!! Seriously. The Waitress was super friendly, these salad was delicious (The Goat cheese just melted in my mouth), as was the side of veggies. The decor of the restaurant was ridiculously cute. It was so awesome to stumble into a little Italian place that has a cozy atmosphere (with fun music) where you can bring a lunch date, or relax with a cocktail. Five stars!!
A
A Private User
There isnt anything about my experience at Cafe Gia that I would be positive about. The atmosphere, food and service were all so bad that it may have been the worst dining experience that I have ever had. The food was so bad that I will probably remember the name of this restaurant for many years as rock bottom. This was my only time dining at Cafe Gia, thus I do not know if we visited on an off night, but one would think on a Saturday night they would be at their best. I whole-heartedly recommend skipping this restaurant and saving yourself the money & ruined night.
OL
Oleg Turayev
I havent had a lot of Italian, but this place is by far the best Ive had. Its a tiny place in a quiet corner Little Italy section of Baltimore with nice tasteful decorations. The somewhat cramped environment with small tables dont feel unpleasant. Instead, it feels exactly like a cafe youd find in a small town in Italy. I had the meatball sandwich, and they were the best meatballs I ever had. The bread was toasted and the whole thing came with a small salad in a spicy dressing. If I ever find myself in Baltimore again, I will definitely seek this place out again.
