Cafe Al Dente — Restaurant in Town of Oyster Bay

I’ve been a loyal customer of Cafe Al Dente for years, frequently ordering takeout—especially their family meals. But after my recent visit on Tuesday night for a sit-down dinner with a party of six, I can confidently say I will never return. We arrived around 8 PM and were seated promptly. Menus and specials were handed out—standard so far. But then, a man (staff or manager, I’m not sure) walked over, yanked the specials menu out of my father's hands without a word of explanation and said, “No specials today,” before walking off. It was rude, abrupt, and completely unprofessional. When the waitress arrived to take drink orders, we asked for a drink menu. She flatly told us they didn’t have one. That’s strange, because I’ve definitely seen one there before. Instead of offering options, she asked, “Well, what are you in the mood to drink?” At that point, it was clear we weren’t going to be treated with the slightest courtesy or care. I told her we needed more time, and we ended up walking out. I have never been treated so dismissively at any restaurant—let alone one I’ve supported for years. It’s disappointing and frankly insulting to be treated like an inconvenience by a place that I’ve recommended to others in the past. Unless there’s a serious change in staff attitude and hospitality, I’ll be taking my business elsewhere—and telling others to...

I was happy to learn that Cafe Al Dente had resurfaced in a new location in Oyster Bay - it had been closed for quite a number of years. The food was always tasty and dependable and the prices were reasonable.

Well, the food is still tasty and the prices are okay. I ordered a glass of house Cabernet and thought $11 was a bit pricey for a so-so glass of wine. Our friend ordered a Manhattan and had no complaints except they left out the vermouth! Okay, mistakes happen but I hope the bartender gets her act together.

For dinner I ordered the Chicken Parmesan which came with pasta (I ordered the sauteed veggies instead) and a house or Caesar salad. Everything was delicious and the price was $24. My spouse had Mama's Sunday Combo; Chicken Parm, a large Meatball and Manicotti. I guess he liked it because he finished everything. That was also $24 and included a salad. Our friends both ordered pasta dishes for their entree and there were no complaints there. The pasta dishes range from $20-$28 and are generous.

I'm not a big bread eater but love a good piece of Italian bread. They serve garlic and pizza bread in their bread basket. I asked for plain bread and it didn't seem fresh...disappointing.

I would definitely give Cafe Al Dente another try. Maybe even for lunch when the prices are lower about $10 per dish. Hoping they will make it at this...

Rounding up to four stars here. The restaurant has been around a long time so I assume they're doing things right for the most part. Our meal was a mixed bag however.

The bread (tasted homemade) and salads with the house dressing were very nice.

Oysters were great - fresh, briny, exactly what we wanted.

Baked clams were just missing two things -- a pinch of salt or grated cheese and one more minute under the broiler. Nice whole clams (not chopped like some places), just need a bit more seasoning and browning.

My fish special was nice enough -- flounder and shrimp francese with lobster ravioli and spinach. The ravioli tasted like funky crab not lobster but the flounder, shrimp and spinach were on point.

The other order was for seafood fra diavolo. Our fault for ordering it mistakenly as "shrimp fra diavolo" -- that's not on the menu. Bad news the waitress could have asked to clarify. Good news, they did make a special off-menu shrimp diavolo for us.

Unfortunately, it was almost inedible. The sauce tasted raw, uncooked. The pasta was unsalted, overcooked. Shrimp were fine but we could barely get through half of it.

I think if you're more careful with the menu you can have a very nice meal here, they have been in business for 30 years for a reason. Nice friendly...