Calabria Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in South Heidelberg Township

It's been awhile since we wrote a Review of MY FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT (Because of living almost an hour away and being now Retired and not being able to meet up w/my wife after work in Reading for Dinner)...BUT...Here Goes! I NEVER KNOW WHERE TO START with PRAISES of this place that is ran by the most Amazing Italian Family (3 Generations) and their Amazing Staff (Hi Felicia, Phil, Giusep, Emanuel, Roxy, Marie, Andrea and anyone else I forgot!) but we're gonna try again: I guess 1st thing I'll Rave about, that over the 6 yrs since I've first gone in here...(on a Lark, by myself, after working late in the area, on a weeknight)...THIS ESTABLISHMENT HAS NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH (Surprisingly, even their Prices have not Jumped as high as most other Restaurants) AND...Most of the Staff are still the same which says a lot for how this Family treats their Staff! Just like Me! Just like Family! A few subtle changes like Outdoor Seating and maybe others were also for the better! IT'S STILL ONE OF THE BEST, 5+++ STAR ITALIAN RESTAURANTS FOR MILES AROUND! Sometimes one may have a FAVORITE WAITRESS at a Restaurant?....Here, THEY'RE ALL MY FAVORITES and...Kudos to my Latest Favorite ANDREA who for the 1st time in 6yrs (I think) finally got to serve us last Friday night! Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Felicia's Grandson Emanuel who is Stepping Up and Shadowing his Dad in the Family Business! I mentioned to his Dad, Giuseppe, that "I could see the wheels going round in his quiet little cute head, taking things in, so as to later be as vital of a part to this TEAM as his Parents and Grandparents"...lol (His dad then told me what a BLESSING he is to have there) This is the kind of place that even if you hadn't been there for a year...YOU FEEL LIKE FAMILY AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN! OK...So to wrap it up (cause I just remembered my leftover Seafood Fra Diablo and it MADE ME HUNGRY!) I would say THEY HAVE IT ALL! A Nice Modern CLEAN Building, the Best Friendliest Family/Staff that makes for a GREAT RELAXING ATMOSPHERE...AND...Oh Yes...THE FOOD and DRINKS! (I think I hinted above that my Favorite there is the Seafood Medley with Fra Diablo Sauce over Angel Hair and Felicia makes these herself, on a "One at A Time" Basis...So Please be Patient! Also, her style of Fra Diablo Sauce is my Favorite as to it having a creamy, Butter/Mushroomy, Spicy Flavor that kind of resembles a Spicy Rosette...

Update: I'm so thankful to staff & owners that they haven't lost that sense of friends & family with its patrons after opening to the public. It's such a lost art in the restaurant industry and I can't ever remember feeling more welcome at a restaurant. While a certain portion of the staff is still very green, they are family & friends of the older staff therefore still have that sense of customer service and personal touch that makes Calabria’s so special. It’s always a pleasure to dine here and as long as they keep those values close to their heart I’ll always be back for more. Good night ladies and gentlemen and thank you.

Old Review: The food was good but the service is still lacking. While the staff is very polite this is where experienced waiters and waitresses would make Calabria shine. One of the keys to good service is making sure your drink is never empty. I’m hopeful this will improve as time progresses over the next couple months. My girlfriend and I waited at least 30 minutes for just the appetizer. From what I been told everything here is freshly prepared so this might explain the wait time. The pasta sauces are the highlight of Calabria, excellent and original. The shrimp that I ordered with my pasta was done to perfection and the cannolis are absolutely mouth watering. Awesome music selection, classic Italian opera/love songs and great atmosphere but could be spectacular with some minor adjustments. Please dim the recessed lighting, I felt like I was onstage under spotlights. The pendant lighting along with the ambient lighting around some of the artwork and the gas fireplaces should be more than enough. Adding candles and fresh flowers to the tables could really give a romantic ambience. Cloth tablecloths for the adults please, I understand that people are sometimes messy but I shouldn’t feel like I’m expecting the waitress to drop off crayons. All being said Calabria is a great place to get something to eat. Have a great night ladies...

My chicken parmigiana was excellent. Sauce had authentic flavor and not the typical sauce in this area that is sweet. Husband got veal parmigiana and said it was good but preferred the tenderness of my chicken.

Gave 4 stars because they were short staffed, our salad showed up right before our meal and as another reviewer said, the pricing caught us off guard.

It may have been in the menu somewhere but we got cheese on our tossed salad (which was an up charge). I prefer restaurants that feel the need to add these charges to have the wait staff say something like “would you like cheese on your salad for a small upcharge?”. Or “would you prefer fries for a small upcharge)…..Instead of simply “would you like cheese on your tossed salad?). Without reading everything on the menu the way we were asked made it feel like an option without added cost.

It makes the wonderful meal sit better with the guests not to have a surprise at the end where we have to pull out the menu to see why the meal price wasn’t what we expected.

We will return but next time will read the menu thoroughly (in case there are added charges) or have to ask the wait staff each time an option is brought up.

As far as the layout and decor— we were pleasantly surprised when we entered. Calming authentic Italian home type colors. Elegant yet comfortable. Black tablecloths with crisp new white coverings. Plates, glasses, napkins and silverware were decent (non cheap diner type). Interesting lighting, comfortable air quality. There is a bar area that was well attended but somewhat separated from the dining area. Noise was no issue. There was a party of 16-18 near us but not a lot of noise and they seemed comfortable and not cramped.

Again it is a delightful place for a...