Caffe DaVinci — Restaurant in Upper Arlington

I ate recently [3-2-2019] at Caffé DaVinci after an absence of several years; the food there is as delicious as ever.

This restaurant had previously been the far-larger and far-fancier DaVinci Ristorante [near the intersection of Reed Rd. and Henderson Rd.]. Caffé DaVinci is in a far-smaller space that had been, quite frankly, too small for the large early-Saturday-evening crowd that had been eating there while I had been there.

One orders and pays at a walk-up counter with a large menu board [they also have printed menus for those who cannot see the large menu board]. One then finds one's own seat, places an "order number" sign on the table, and waits for the food to be brought out.

Partway through my wait, I discovered that there is a frequently-filled breadbasket that always has hot bread served with butter.

I ordered Blackened Chicken [that is described on the menu as "spicy chicken tenders served over bow tie pasta topped with cajun cream sauce"]. Rather than chicken tenders, however, this meal had actually been prepared with one or two chicken filets and had been quite filling.

And at the end of the meal, one can order absolutely-delicious gelato, a frozen dessert that serves the same purpose as ice cream but is far...

Guys this place slaps... And I'm not even a huge fan of Italian restaurants. If you haven't gone - go.

I had the linguini supremo and it was absolutely delicious and exactly what I was craving. I'm not a huge sauce fan because I love tasting the veggies and this did not disappoint! My partner got the lunch special which was 13$ for a salad and a pasta, which he also said was phenomenal. He got lasagna and davinci salad, and it smelled and looked great. The all you can eat bread bar was AMAZING! The bread was soft and delicious on its own, but you could amplify it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasonings, and parmesan cheese. The in-house gelato station was wonderful too, and had the best gelato I've had in Columbus. Highly recommend the donatello gelato.

And the staff! Beyond amazing! You could tell everyone enjoyed their job, and it was likely the best restaurant staff I've had in a long time. (I don't know what you're paying them, but pay them more!) They were incredibly friendly and were on top of everything.

I will be back...

truly authentic Italian.. they came here in 1968. attention paid to food quality and customer experience above all else. the prices are excellent and below what is expected for this quality and quantity.

Almost all pasta is handmade daily (even gnocchi), as is their italian sausage, sauces and marinara. Even desserts, including daily-made Gelato and Tiramisu, are exceptional. Don't forget a Cannoli on the way out!

You won't be disappointed when visiting DaVinci's. Our new favorite place in the state. Enjoy the meal, and follow us: thank Tina afterwards! Thank you Tina, Jordan, and all other staff, for an exceptional dinner last night (Mother's Day). Was even more surprised you were never so consistently busy you couldn't accommodate us! Look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks for another dinner plus dessert!

(Pic is of the Frutto Di Mare Alfredo, with scallops and shrimp, in front, and the Pasta Combo with lasagna, gnocchi and 2 types of raviolis, behind)

Hope the review helps...