Cafe Fiore — Restaurant in Branford

At the urging of my mother, we just went to Cafe Fiore for ladies' night.

To begin with, we wanted to dine Alfresco and chose a table outside. We were brought water right away as well as two menus. There was no mention that it was ladies' night, and we had to determine that their happy hour menu is, in fact, their ladies' night menu as well. We both decided on one of their $6 martinis. I ordered the French martini, and my mother ordered the Fiore cosmo. Both of them were well prepared, meaning they were not too weak or too strong. Spot on with their measurements.

We were then brought salad. This was a welcomed addition as their menu does not indicate that happy hour/ladles' night menu also includes salad with their entries. The thing that stumped us was there were two of us, yet we were brought three salads. After looking at each other puzzled, we decided that it didn't make sense to have it go to waste and split the additional salad between ourselves.

Garlic knots- my mom had been raving about how good these were, which is a pretty big deal considering she is not a person who loves bread. The garlic knots are made fresh, and were served warm. They were quite tasty. Only one thing I would improve and that would be to serve a side of chimichurri to dip it in. However, that was not a deal breaker as not all places serve garlic knots that way. With that being said, I was impressed with their flavor.

Our entrees were brought out relatively soon. I ordered the chicken Fiore, and my mother ordered the shrimp scampi. She said the scampi was good, but wished she had ordered the chicken Fiore instead, which she normally does. The chicken Fiore was large in portion size and included pappardelle underneath. The only downside of my meal was the pappardelle. It felt like it had been overcooked or sitting there under a heater until my mom's meal was ready as the pasta was stuck together. The chicken was pounded out thin and was tender. Not dry at all. The vodka sauce on it was your typical vodka sauce.

We were asked if we wanted dessert and were told the dessert options. There was no specific menu to look at, nor any prices indicated. By that point, we had been full since the portions are large. We decided to forgo dessert and order another round of cocktails. Once again, the martinis were spot on and consistent.

One piece of advice to the restaurant that I would give would be for trying to improve inconsistencies in service. I noticed that many people do work there and they have runners to bring out salads or bread as well as runners who bring water. After being there for almost 2 hours, no one returned to refill water in our cups. We had only one cup of water the entire time we were there, and even our waitress did not ask if we needed any more or noticed that our cups had been empty. Our waitress probably had the most room for growth in terms of her service. At some points, she seemed irritated or overwhelmed with the number of tables that she had to serve, which was roughly three or four. She tended to be slower in her service compared to other people. However, her service was not problematic enough that I would not return here. You really do get a lot of value for your money. If anything, I would absolutely return with my girlfriends for happy hour cocktails considering their price point and quality...

Wandering into Cafe Fiore wasn’t the plan—but sometimes the best meals come from a change in itinerary. A friend’s scheduling mishap became an unexpected culinary win when we found ourselves seated on the patio under the glow of string lights and the murmur of contented diners.

The evening began with parmesan-garlic knots that arrived unannounced, their arrival as surprising as their excellence. Buttery, crisp-edged, and impossibly fluffy inside—these knots could easily spark a cult following.

Each entrée was preceded by a garden salad—a refreshing mix of field greens, crisp cucumbers, briny olives, and ripe tomatoes, all lightly dressed in the house’s own balsamic vinaigrette. Simple, balanced, and a thoughtful start that set the tone for the meal to come.

Dinner carried the momentum forward. The lasagna Bolognese was classic comfort—generously layered with seasoned meats, creamy ricotta, and mozzarella, all enveloped in a house-made sauce that struck the right balance between richness and tang. Across the table, the eggplant rollatini landed like a quiet triumph: delicate rolls of eggplant filled with cheese and spinach, resting atop a nest of wide pappardelle ribboned with bright marinara.

Service flowed effortlessly, warm without being overbearing, and the patio setting felt like a small retreat. Cafe Fiore may have started as a backup plan, but it quickly earned a spot on the return list. Sometimes the detour leads straight to the good stuff.

About the venue…

Café Fiore in Branford, Connecticut, is a relatively recent addition to the Shoreline’s Italian dining scene:

🌟 Origins & Opening • The restaurant launched in mid‑2016 at 420 East Main Street, founded by Valon Avdimetaj and Chef Rusit (Rusty) Cecunjanin. They brought experience from New York, Hartford, and their sister location, Fiore II in Middletown . • A grand opening ribbon‑cutting took place on May 12, 2016 .

🇮🇹 Culinary Focus • From the start, Café Fiore emphasized high‑quality Italian fare, blending classic dishes with innovative specials. Chef Rusty’s background in top Italian establishments shaped their menu . • By March 2017—less than a year in—they had refined their menu and launched promotions like Happy Hour, Ladies Night, half‑price wine Wednesdays, and expanded live entertainment .

🎤 Atmosphere & Experience • The venue features a lounge with regular live music—local musicians like Michael Quint and Dave Goclowski performed on weekends . • Reviews highlight it as an upscale yet welcoming spot offering moderate prices and a strong local following .

🔹 Present Day • Café Fiore continues to serve the Branford community with a variety of Italian dishes, seasonal specials, and a vibrant dining atmosphere—anchored by its friendly service and culinary...

Went to dinner with a friend tonight, our first time at the restaurant. We arrived about 5:40, were seated outside promptly. We got bread and water shortly after that . We then waited 55 mins for someone to take an order. We did try to get a server's attention, and finally they sent our server over. The server apologized, took our drink and app order. That took approximately 15 mins to be brought out. We then waited again for our dinner order to be taken. I asked about the wild mushroom ravioli and what type of sauce was on it , and could I have it with a white sauce as I did not want a tomato sauce. I was told it was a brown sauce, I even showed the description on the menu stating it was a tomato pesto to the server . The server again assured me it was a brown sauce. With that, I ordered it. Again, waited for our salads. Another 25 mins passes and here comes our server with both our salads and our entrees. I told him this was not acceptable service and neither of us ate our salads. He did offer to buy me a drink, however I did not wish to have another cocktail. The ravioli was clearly in a red sauce with chunks of tomatoes. The server did offer to take it back but by this point we were just about 2 hours in and I just kept it. He then said he would send us home with big salads as we did not eat them. The service was atrocious, not a lot of concern or consideration. We both ordered a dessert. Not once was a mention of a complimentary anything other than the one drink . We were fully charged for everything. The restaurant was not overly busy, approximately 9 tables had guests when we arrived. There were 3 servers floating through the outdoor seating area. We both enjoyed the food, but I would hesitate to return. Not because of the delay and virtually being ignored, it was just the nonchalant attitude about it as if they didn't need my business. I tipped 15 % for the first time since the 90's. I NEVER tip under 20%. Should have spoken to a manager.

Update: I find it interesting that management only addresses positive reviews. Does not address any negative review. I have received no feedback from them at all after 2 months. I would think they would want to address the less than stellar reviews so that improvements...