Dolce Vita Bakery Cafe — Restaurant in Gainesville

Initially, I would have rated higher based on 1st quick visit to the cafe. However, my 2nd and last interaction would have been "0" stars. Sorry the detail is lengthy.

I initially spoke to Jennifer the baker to get information and set up a tasting for an upcoming event in January 2024, as well as order additional items. I wanted to secure a baker quickly and Jennifer stated that was best since they close shop for the holidays and family in December and do not return until January. I had difficulty accessing their website with the menu of cake flavors, so Jennifer offered to text it to me. I was told i could have up to 3 people for the tasting and choose 4 cake flavors, since they do 1/2 small cake samples for the tasting (approx. 6"). Which was doable for me. A couple days I texted back at 1:00am, to the same number with the flavor choices, hoping when she arrived back to work the next day, she would receive my message as early as possible. I had not realized that Jennifer sent the list with her personal phone and not a work cell phone. I tried contacting her a couple more times during business hours, to no avail. Today I went to the cafe, after work, before closing. I spoke to a young lady at the counter and explained why I was there. She said, "I heard them say something about you" and she went into the back. Jennifer's mother Rosa came out and immediately began loudly scolding me for texting when I did. She stated, "You woke Jennifer up and you woke up the kids. That was so inappropriate of you to do... That why she doesn't like to give out her personal number. I apologized to Rosa and explained i thought I was sending a text to a work cell that would not be checked until the business hours. Rosa snapped at me and said "we use this for work, not a cell." Personally, I thought most companies that go off site for deliveries, set, ups, or to remote locations would use a business cell for communications with clients or each other. I was still scolded several more times, including my making 4 cake choices. Rosa stated "it is 3 choices, and 4 people!" I again apologized and said it must have been a miscommunication (A true professional would have clarified this and not scolded the client. It would have been easy to delete one of the choices). It was VERY CLEAR that Rosa had no intention of doing business with me. ....... I can't count how many times Rosa said I was inappropriate, and I woke up the children. To my knowledge one singular text should not wake up a whole household, nor should it be to the extent of scolding a client. A true professional would have contacted me to address the issue and ask that I not use that phone number for correspondence and to clarify the specifications for the cake tasting. I would have understood and not have been offended. Instead, I felt like a child being reprimanded by an abusive parent for making an honest mistake.

I was trying to do something good for my granddaughter's birthday, but ended up encountering the worse experience ever!

• Side note: I texted Jennifer at her number to personally apologize to her for the timing of the first text and assured her that I would delete her contact...

The customer service here is horrific and the head lady in charge (maybe owner) the day we stopped in had to rate in the top five nastiest attitudes we've ever encountered at any food/beverage,/bakery customer driven business/establishment. This was a simple little issue she blew way up when simpler heads would have prevailed. We aren't from Gainesville but we drove up to this bakery from Dunnellon because we had heard from friends just how great tasting the Lobster Tail Pasteries are. On the way we stopped at the Cheesesteak Factory for a quick weekend brunch and as we were paying our bill and leaving we called the bakery to check to see if they had the Lobster Tails and if so could they hold them for us. The lady that answered the telephone was extremely pleasant and informed me yes they did have the Lobster Tails and yes she would hold them for me and only asked for my name. She did not ask for a credit card number to hold the items for me which to my wife and I felt comfortable with but would have given her. The trouble started when we arrived and met wife the afore mentioned person with the terrible attitude. She yelled at us because we hadn't given a credit card number (which no one had asked us for) then she took off into the back office yelling at another female employee with a whole lobby full of customers waiting. The abused employee came out to finish the transaction and she was extremely polite. When we got back to Dunnellon and shared the Lobster Tails with our neighbors we all agreed they were fantastic tasting. To bad we aren't sure if we will...

Update: I'd be happy to oblige.

I change the time from five stars to two stars. Here's the reason why. You see I tried to visit them on 31st of July, today they said they would return from there a vacation. They weren't open. There was a sign that said they would be open on 1st of August. I tried again the next day. They weren't open. I tried again on Monday The day they say on their signs they'd open for regular business hours. They weren't open.

Eventually I caught them on a day they were open. I asked about some delights. And they said they'd be making it later in the week. I visited them a second time and they did not have it. They said "at the end of the week." I came on Saturday during their posted business hours, but their closed door and sign said they were closed. I managed to poke my head in. They said they sold out. And they were closed. They may as well have asked me to scram. All of that doesn't sound very professional or businesslike. I have a reputation of supporting the small shops but never have I received such a vibe that they didn't want business.

If they really don't want people to walk in and look at their treats and buy stuff, or if they don't want the person who just by the fact that they've tried seven times is trying to be supporter of the business. I'd be more than happy to oblige.

Original: Just enough items in the menu from Europe to justify the name and enough American items so customers aren't confused and overwhelmed. If they had a better location they'd have more customers, but it just means for the moment more for me....