Cantina Cafe Ristorante - Authentic Italian Cuisine in Middletown, CT

We had stopped at a bar around the corner for drinks and I decided I was itching for some pasta. We played google review roulette for a place and picked Cantina. Sure, the decor may throw you when you walk in, but by the end of our meals , we realized it was the perfect vibe. Our server, Steve, was wonderful, took great care of us and the food was top tier. We had the Chicken Picatta and the stuffed pork loin. Holy heck, go hungry! The portions are HUGE and they are ready with to-go containers when you’ve hit the brim. They start you with a classic salad with a scratch Italian dressing that would give Nonna a run for her money. The penne pasta that is served next was perfectly Al Dente with pancetta and vodka sauce (and whole garlic cloves… say less). If you don’t save room for dessert (we didn’t) take a cannoli home!!!! It was the perfect breakfast with a cup of coffee. We’ll be back!!

Excellent place for dinner. Whether it’s dinner for two or “Family Style” sit down for everyone. This place has it all. Parking can be a little challenging but believe me it’s well worth it. The meal was delicious, the service was excellent, and the prices are reasonable.

Very cool ambiance and extensive menu. The biggest portion sizes I have ever seen, my Nani would have been proud. Plan on having leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day.

I had lived in Middletown for 10 years, years ago, and I've never been here, in the same building as the Italian society of Middletown. I originally liked the feel, however, relatively speaking, too many large parties in a small tight restaurant. I got the "special" Chicken Picata with angel hair pasta. It was huge (see picture) but the chicken was served as Chicken Parmesan, with mozzarella and fried, still very good, just not chicken picata. Angel hair pasta wes good, huge artichokes , lots of capers and a tasty lemon sauce but too thin and too much. The salad ad salad dressing were perfect and the bread, butter, and EVO spiced perfectly were just that, perfect.

Cantina Cafe Ristorante in Middletown turned out to be a fabulous place for our Valentine’s Day celebration. They really did a wonderful job of keeping up with everything going on that night. Portions here seem to be quite sizable, and everything that came out of their kitchen looked most excellent. With atmosphere buzzing, sitting in the main dining area felt a bit like sitting on your grandparents’ farm porch; nicely decorated with wine imagery of baskets and grapes. For meals, I went with the amazingly tender Pork Loin Piccata which was loaded with the flavors of capers and artichoke hearts, while she enjoyed the Veal and Eggplant Sorrentino. Everything here was perfect and we had a lovely evening. Highly recommended.

Get ready for huge portions that guarantee you'll leave stuffed (and likely with leftovers!). Their classic Italian-American dishes are always satisfying. Come hungry, you won't be disappointed by the generous plates!

The portions are GIGANTIC. Be prepared to bring home some food

Food portions are insane - we couldn't make a dent and the second picture shows our leftovers containers. Go with the extra plate for $8 and order 1 meal and maybe another side salad. Calamari was outstanding and shrimp scampi too. Great service and vibe. Plan to find parking - it's a city after all.