Caffe Biaggio — Restaurant in Saint Paul

The first homerun for me was the wine list. It is strictly Italian varieties. You will only find food friendly wines on the menu, and not the usual over-done, low acid domestic reds, as popular as they may be. I recommend the by-the-glass Arneis or Falanghina for whites and the Rosso Di Montalcino for red. For a special treat try a bottle of the Isole e Olena Chardonnay or the La Gerla Brunello Di Montalcino. Ask for a recommendation if you're unsure of what to get. The list is solid, so it doesn't really matter. Corkage is available for $25, which I do from time to time if I have something interesting or special. Be sure to offer a taste to the staff.

The second homerun is the food. You will not find some miniscule-portioned fusion with thirty different flavors that overwhelms your palate. You will find simple, iconic dishes that let the basics of Italian food shine. My favorite is to start with the roasted beet salad and follow it up with the Bucatini alla Carbonara. Don't pass on dessert when the time comes. At minimum, order whatever flavor gelato sounds good and get a shot of espresso. You will not regret it.

Lastly, I need to comment on the service and the general experience. A few reviews here claim that some servers are rude or inattentive. This is not the case. The waitstaff are professional and serious, they are not entertainers. Perhaps what I like best about Caffe Biaggio is the experience. You will have a relaxing and unrushed dinner where simplicity shines and you, as the guest, are...

The food itself was decent, with the bruschetta and tiramisu standing out as the highlights of the menu. However, my one-star rating is directed entirely at the service we received.

Upon arrival, a young hostess with vibrant hair was warm and welcoming, and we appreciated her demeanor. Unfortunately, the server assigned to my colleagues and me was quite the opposite. He carried an unwelcoming attitude throughout our visit, neglecting basic hospitality such as providing water and bread. When we inquired about the bread, he dismissively stated that we had not requested it since we ordered bruschetta—though bread is typically served without needing to ask.

What made this more disappointing was noticing that he greeted and smiled at other tables but not ours. Given that my table was the only visibly diverse group in the restaurant, the contrast in treatment was hard to ignore. Even one of his coworkers appeared uncomfortable with his behavior.

Despite maintaining professionalism and leaving a generous tip, the experience was marred by his lack of respect and courtesy. For the sake of future guests—especially those visiting from abroad—I strongly encourage management to ensure staff are trained in providing consistent, unbiased service rooted in integrity. In today’s economy, word of mouth shapes reputations quickly, and unfortunately, my colleagues and I will be sharing this negative experience...

The service here was appalling. I went last night with 6 friends to celebrate my birthday. The server was unhelpful and inattentive. I asked for a recommendation for a cocktail and was told to order a "vodka on the rocks." That's not exactly a cocktail or a helpful suggestion. It took over 30 minutes for the server to take our order. While doing so, he was unenthusiastic and rude to me and my guests.

When the food came he offered Parmesan to everyone but me. I had ordered the veal scalopinne. When I asked for some he gave me a judgmental look and said "the Italians would not put Parmesan on the veal." I was shocked and asked that he do it anyway. He rolled his eyes at me as he grated the tiniest amount of Parmesan on my plate.

It took a very long time to receive the bill and when we asked him to split it he got upset, said he'd thrown out our order sheet because we hadn't told him first and that we'd have to tell him what we had ordered. By the end of what was supposed to be a fun celebration I felt judged, mistreated, and hurt. This was the worst birthday dinner and one of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. I will NEVER go to Cafe...