Caffé Molise

Visiting from California and was very pleased with this restaurant. Quality food at a very good price. Our server Joshua was knowledgable about the specials and very quick with service.

Loved this place! I’m not an Italian food fan so I was impressed. The reason for 5 stars
1. The atmosphere was so delightful and beautiful
2. The service was great! Never once asked for my glass to be refilled
3. The appetizer we ordered — pomodri e mozzarella was so fresh and yummy. I really liked the taste of the balsamic vinegar
4. The roll!!!
5. My salad was wonderful. I ordered the «pollo» and The chicken was cooked perfect, everything fresh and the salad dressing was amazing. Never had that kind before. Cherry red wine vinegar! Wow!
I would for sure go back. I got to try my friends dishes… Gnocchi and salmon fettuccine and they were both delicious!

Absolutely the best patio around! We usually try the daily specials and they have been delicious!

We walked in without a reservation and deservedly received the worst table in the house, a dark, forlorn table behind the maitre d desk. This was not an auspicious beginning. Our placement might have effected our enjoyment of this place. This actually would be a 3.5 star score, if possible. The four stars are because the folks around us all seemed to love their meals.
We ordered a glass of wine and a Margarita cocktail which arrived in a water glass & was literally undrinkable. Caffe Molise is not for cocktails.
Service was friendly, but untrained and amateurish. Basically, he didn’t have a clue, but was nice about it. Salads were good, not very good, just good. Pastas were flavorful, but smothered in sauce, drowning the pasta. If these pastas were served in Molise, the Italians would toss them in the garbage. However, here in SLC they weren’t bad. With less saucing and more al dente pasta, the Italians might even exclaim «bene.»
Caffe Molise was packed with happy patrons on this Saturday night, so what do I know. People in SLC love this place. I must be missing something.
We may give it another try, if we’re in the neighborhood.

My favorite restaurant! Love everything about it!

Very average meal. Service was slow but seemed rushed when they arrived at the table. Ambiance was a bit cafeteria like inside the restaurant. Prices were high for the quality of the dinner. I won’t be making a second visit.

Food was excellent. The wait staff was very attentive and professional and the décor is relaxing and clean. I’ll return again.

This place is a hidden gem. I will be going there all summer long. They have an amazing outdoor patio. The food is so good! The prices were amazing. Service was also great. Skip Olive Garden and head here. I would definitely recommend.

First off, I want to be open and honest with you: I have never been to Caffe Molise under normal circumstances.
The first time I ever set foot in Molise was during the Dine-​o-​round SLC time of year this past September. The second time was for a Christmas party, and the third –the most recent time — was for a wedding. Needless to say, each time I’ve come in, I’ve ordered off a specially selected menu.
I’ve had the span of vegetarian pastas, polentas, to brunch items here (something, I believe they no longer offer?), and I have been pleasantly satisfied with every bite had at Café Molise. Specifically for this past trip, we had a selection of brunch items for the wedding. I went with a delicious take on French toast: Baguette slices battered with cashew and Frangelico, topped with sweet ricotta and fresh fruit. This was a huge deviation from my regular consumption of brunch-​type items — I went with something lacking eggs. However, I found myself not missing eggy goodness as I dove my fork into the bread bite after bite. For not being a connoisseur of French Toasty breakfasts (I really don’t think I’ve EVER had it…) there’s no way I can go to regular french toast after what Café Molise offered.
I am sad to hear that, if scuttlebutt is true, Café Molise no longer offers a brunch menu. I think there not a more perfect setting than sitting on their absolutely stunning patio, watching the sun peak over the buildings, with a mimosa or two in hand. That being said, if you are visiting Café Molise during the daytime (and I’m sure it’d be gorgeous at night as well) I highly suggest you try to snag a seat outside. It’s really a beautiful set up, and one of my favorite outdoor places to eat in SLC. You will not be disappointed with the set-​up, foliage and pool.
I am making it my mission to, at one point, try Café Molise during their regular hours, looking at their regular menu, being treated like a regular patron (I guess this criteria is pretty much the case for the Dine-​o-​round…). But for the current moment, my three separate experiences at this delicious Italian restaurant have been exceedingly wonderful, and I very much look forward to more patio time.

This restaurant was very good, I went here on a Friday night date and I was very impressed. They were very welcoming (even if we showed up 20 minutes before closing), we were not rushed during our dinner, and the staff was fabulous!
I had a lasagna which tasted like a traditional home cooked lasagna which to me is a great thing to master it was very delicious. My boyfriend had the orricchiete pasta which in my opinion was missing a little flavor. They did however bring fresh warm bread before our meal which is always a plus.
I believe the restaurant was missing a little ambiance they had already put the chairs up on the tables before we had gotten there– I know it was 20 minutes before they closed– which always makes you feel a little uninvited. They did make it up with great customer service.

After reviewing tons of restaurants in the area I decided to go here for my last night in town. Holy cow!!! I don’t know what the negative reviewers on here were thinking. This place blew my mind and my taste buds!!! It began with the Mediterranea salad. So flavorful and fresh. Next was the penne di Caprino with chicken. I finished it off with the Tiramisu. My friend got the hazelnut mousse and crème Brule. Both of those were good but nothing compared to the Tiramisu. I paired it all with red wine and had coffee with my desert.
The service was awesome. I might come back to Utah just for this place. Go. Go now. That is all.

Great food at just the right price point.
I have been a regular here over the years and Caffé Molise is always reliable for hearty Italian meals. We made reservations for 5 on a Saturday evening at 7PM and had no issues securing our choice time. Our table was ready when we arrived a few minutes before the reservation time and we were immediately seated. The restaurant was very busy with almost every table occupied, which was surprising because every reservation time was available when we looked earlier that morning. We were unfortunately seated at the back of the restaurant in a booth next to the kitchen door, which noticeably thumped open and close all evening. The waiter was friendly and patient while we decided on a bottle of wine to order and even brought a bucket to chill the bottle during the meal.
We started our meal by sharing the Antipasti de Giorno. The cheeses were a smoked gouda, aged cheddar, blue cheese, and some sort of hard cheese. We had to flag down our server to get a description of the plate, as it was served without any explanation. It was a good size plate to share amongst 5 people and had a good variety of cheeses, meats, pickled vegetables and olives. All of our entrees included an appetizer salad, which makes the entrée an even better deal. The salad is a nice mix of spring greens, lettuces, thinly sliced red onions, and crumbly cheese; a little different than your usual pre-​dinner salad but tasty.
Three of our party ordered the special of the night: King Salmon topped with a cajun compound butter over spaghettini seasoned with pepper flakes, garlic, and olive oil served with grilled asparagus. The salmon portion was generous and the cajun compound butter had a nice kick to it. My boyfriend’s grandma ordered the Scampi Alla Diavola and the kitchen was accommodating to swap out the spicy sauce for the mild marinara. My boyfriend ordered the Gnocchi di Patate and was very pleased with his selection. The sauce was deliciously creamy and the gnocchi were light pillows of perfection.
Although we were full, we could not resist ordering the Tiramisu to share amongst the 5 of us. The tiramisu had a great balance of flavors, textures, and moistness. No regrets.
The service is always great and I never feel like I overpaid for my meals at Caffé Molise. The food is classic and you won’t be seeing experimental plates here. I highly recommend dining on the patio in the warmer months.

Great lunch/​dinner option if you find yourself in City Creek.
Fantastic menu and the food is plated nicely. I got their special — an alfredo pasta with seared steak pieces. It was definitely different, and in a good way. The sauce had a little ting to it. The meat was exquisite.
The only reason I gave four stars was they messed up my order and took a while to get me my plate. They promised under three minutes and it took probably twice that long. The server was apologetic but I guess I was expecting something more — part off, a complimentary beverage, or just something to make up for me sitting there without food while the rest of my group ate.

This is probably our favorite Italian restaurant in SLC area. Really good food and service. The evening special, rack of lamb, was quite delicious. Likewise, the scampi pasta was very flavorful. We would recommend this restaurant to friends and family.

The décor is a bit drag in Caffe Molise (overly yellow on every surface inside), but everything else made for a pretty good first dinner in our trip to SLC. The pappardelle was pretty tasty, and my coworker enjoyed his salmon special entrée. Get. The. Hazelnut. Mousse. You’re welcome.

The restaurant itself is pretty lovely. They have a large patio which I’d love to check out in the summer. I really enjoyed the atmosphere although I was very aware of the tables around us, I’d appreciate more space in-​between to allow for more privacy.
We ordered the bruschetta appetizer which was fantastic. We all loved it and it was generously sized. My friend’s main course was shrimp scampi, which she praised a lot. I had the special — pesto Alfredo with spicy sausage. It was very fresh and tasty but didn’t wow.
What was the most odd about our visit was the service. Our server was initially very attentive and friendly, but his attention was slowly disappearing as our visit unfolded. We waited 10 minutes for our check after he cleared our table. He also took the rest of my plate to pack it to go, but didn’t bring it back until we asked. His response was: «Oh yeah… It’s there. Somewhere!». It was all very bizarre compared with how great he was at first.
Overall, I’d like to give this place another shot when their patio is open. Hopefully the service will be on point next time!

Spot on! Service was great, wine list by the glass had a nice variety, food was amazing. We loved the polenta with mushrooms and Gorgonzola. Generous portion and great flavor! We split the Aristo which was a roast pork with fig reduction. Yum! Great find. Thank you Unilocal

We have the pleasure of dining at Café Molise each time we visit SLC. In the winter, the dining room is cozy and warm. During the summer, the patio is beautiful and fresh. We typically get the chef special. Most recently this was the salmon for me and the beef for my husband. Both cooked to perfection. I love the fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic as we are greeted, it’s always wonderful with the fantastic wine selections. Tiramisu is amazeballs!

Amazing food, great service!
We had the spicy sausage pole a and bruschetta for an appetizer.
Highly recommend the Arista — pork tenderloin with a fig sauce. Wow!

This place is great. Classic Italian dishes and a great wine selection with by the glass options. Husband had the lasagna and I had the gnocchi which was FABULOUS. We had fun trying different wines throughout our meal and would definitely return!

I came here with a party of 12 people. We were late to our reservation because of surprise traffic by 3 different events going on downtown but the staff generously accommodated us. The place is small but pretty nice, I like how there’s artwork for sale. Our waitress was nice and knowledgeable about the menu.
To start off, we had clams which was a special. It was pretty good and had excess sauce which we started to dip our bread in. I found it kind of odd that we have to pay for more bread. Understandable, but not something that happens often in my experience. There were a few other appetizers floating around on the table which I didn’t try but everyone seemed to be pleased.
As for the main course, I had the steak. It was good but nothing to brag about. I tried some of the pork that the restaurant’s known for off of another person’s plate and was underwhelmed. For how much people rave about this dish, I actually found it more on the dry side. It’s also sweet because of the sauce which I’m not fond of but that’s just personal preference.
Overall, we all had a good experience but we weren’t super impressed by any means. Also, I feel like service dragged a little. Not sure if I want to come back.

We popped in without a reservations and the server got our party of five in promptly. General assessment: The menu is interesting, the atmosphere very nice, the food pretty good and the service a little wanting. Three stars, for the price.
Everyone in our party enjoyed their food, but nobody was wowed. The eggplant meatballs were my favorite – a surprisingly meaty texture and a unique flavor. The gnocchi was fine, as was the Penne di Caprino and the Orecchiette al Salsiccia.
The service was spotty, but it was a bit busy for a Tuesday night. My water glass remained empty for extended periods, and finished plates were left on tables for way too long. But the staff was friendly and helpful.

Absolutely wonderful experience! We originally had a reservation for a small party during the holidays, but they were extremely accommodating last minute to increase the reservation size.
The staff was extremely knowledgeable about the food and made some excellent recommendations. The butternut squash ravioli absolutely melted in your mouth.
The atmosphere was pleasant but not too loud or crowded. The entire place was absolutely aesthetically pleasing. A great place to take a significant other for a nice dinner or a group of friends. They were also great with the babies that were there as well.

I’ve been here twice now for work luncheons and would probably come more frequently if I lived closer to Salt Lake. The service is fantastic. The restaurant layout/​décor is simple and intimate, and the food is just really great. I was particularly impressed with the gnocchi. I enjoy gnocchi, but at most places it’s really heavy and dense and a bit of a gut-​bomb. This gnocchi was light and served in a delicious creamy red sauce. The pollo alla gratella was also enjoyable. Pasta was cooked perfectly and the chicken was tender. The artichokes and gorgonzola blend very well together. I would love to come here for dinner sometime, since their dinner menu is bigger than lunch and has even more appealing options.
Don’t skip dessert. Bread pudding, tiramisu, or crème brûlée — you can’t really go wrong.

Went for a work dinner without any expectations. Ambiance is nothing special but the food really shines and the service was great, even with a party of 12.
To start, very good butternut squash, nice antipasto plate, good bruschetta and polenta.
Everyone gets a nice salad (choice of Mediterranean and a couple other options). Bread/​dinner rolls were mediocre. No real flavor or texture. I didn’t even finish mine, which speaks to its lack of oomph. I pretty much always demolish the bread.
The mains really shine the most to me. I had the pork with fig and mashed potatoes and it was awesome. The pork was the most tender I’ve ever had and the figs complemented very nicely with the meat and potatoes.
Colleagues enjoyed the salmon, beef, and chicken Marsala dishes.
All around, positive experience. Skipped dessert.

Loved it! Great selections for vegetarians!
I ordered the fettuccini pasta and it was delicious… my friend got the gnocchi and it was pretty good too (better than my fettuccini!)
The dinner came with a Greek salad which was pretty huge! I could only finish ¼ of my pasta since the salad was so filling! (And I have a pretty big appetite). So, if I end up going again, I’ll only order one pasta and share with someone…

Caffe Molise is just so lovely! It’s one of my favorite Italian places in salt lake. I’ve been here a number of times and was very pleased with my food every time.
My most recent visit, I had the spaghetti pomodoro and meatballs! You just can’t go wrong with it. The texture of the noodles, the hearty sauce, and the flavorful meatballs — all together it made for such a fantastic comfort food !

I LOVE this place, the prices are reasonable and the food is out of this world!!! Probably some of the best pasta I have ever had, and I used to travel to Rome every few months!
I started with the caprese salad which was standard, but my main course was the Penne Di Caprino which is Creamy goat cheese, sun-​dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, artichoke hearts, and penne… OMG out of this world!!!
I finished with a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake, delish!
The food was served warm and fresh. I was sitting by the kitchen so I could here the wait staff yell to the cooks «Fire up table 45» when they would come in with their completed appetizer and salad plates, so the food was warm. The wait staff ran like a well oiled machine.
A+ food
A+ Staff and Service
Beautiful ambiance.

Had Gamberetti, it’s a salad. It was the best salad I’ve had in a long time! No two bites were the same!
Our waiter Dustin was very attentive, friendly and informative. He did a very good job so we gave him a good tip.
My husband and I sat out on the patio, it was covered with a bubbling fountain, the atmosphere was so wonderful that we truly took our time with lunch.
The prices of the food was worth every penny!
For dessert I had Tiramisu and it too was flavorful, it looked and tasted like it was made right there.
My hubby and I will be returning

While visiting for a convention at the Salt Palace, we ate here almost every day. That is due to the location, but also the excellent food and service. Nothing fancy, and almost all lunches are under $ 10. My favorite thing to do here is to arrive early for lunch, and order randomly off of the daily specials menu. The hearty, fresh food and atmosphere reminds me of being in Europe.
To drink, other than water, I recommend having the waiter combine unsweet tea with their house lemonade to make an Arnold Palmer drink. It is free refills.
Typically, dining at Caffe Molise we sit inside due to the hot weather outside when visiting. Many customers also enjoy the outdoor patio and friendly, non-​rushed service. By noon, there can be a wait outside for lunch. So, I recommend arriving before 11:30AM.

I came here on a Friday evening with a group of 4 for dinner around 6 pm. We were seated pretty quickly in the back room. The service was great and the food was good but nothing was especially memorable. A couple of the dishes we tried were the bruschetta, pork loin and orecchiette with sausage.
Out of those three dishes, the pork loin was definitely the best. Extremely tender. One of our friends also had the pappardelle which looked good, I’ll probably try that next time.

Me and my fiancé were visiting Salt Lake for our anniversary and a friend recommended Café Molise. We were so thankful for her recommendation.
It’s a local Italian restaurant focused on the Molise region of Italy cuisine. I had never heard of this region but it was obvious they weren’t typical Italian because the bruschetta was a very different type than I’ve ever had. It was still tasty, came with some sort of white bean purée?
Anyway the ambiance is great for date night. We went there on a Friday night and loved the large patio seating with live music. Very pretty patio and great service. Our favorite part was the homemade gnocchi. WOW it was so tasty, we shared it and were very full. They kindly served it on 2 plates for us too. We will definitely be back for more gnocchi, order it, you won’t be disappointed. They also had some tasty wine options and local brews which was a nice plus!

Caffe Molise is one of the better Italian joints in town. Many of their pastas are house-​made (a rare find in SLC), as are the sauces and dressings. They have many vegetarian options to choose from and everything I’ve eaten here has been very good and sometimes great.
The service is top notch and the atmosphere is a good mix of casual elegance and homeyness.
The prices are right in line with any Italian chain restaurant you might find, but Molise blows them all away in terms of quality, freshness and service.
My only complaint is that I’m not a fan of their salads or dressings. Give me a simple Caeser salad with my pasta please.
Overall, this place is a winner!

I’m giving this place four stars because of our first experience a few years ago. We ate dinner here and chose some wonderful apps along with some great dinner items and we were very impressed. Their outside patio was beautiful and all lit up with lights and it was a wonderful warm evening. It just was a fun night. I wish I could remember what we ordered or wished I was Unilocaling at the time but here we are now.
Looked forward to coming back to this place a few years later. Decided to try them for lunch this time. We ordered the special of the day which was a steak salad with a pineapple vinaigrette and then just the chicken pesto sandwich off the recommendation of the waitress. The salad was really good. The chicken was dry and the sandwich had zero flavor and after adding salt and some balsamic hoping to boost the flavor, it still lacked any excitement. I will say the ciabatta bread on the sandwich was way better however than the bland rolls they served at the table once you ordered.
The other tables around us all ordered pasta dishes and seemed very happy with their choices. I do suggest giving them a chance though because we were very impressed with our first experience here and our salad this day was actually really tasty.

Solid dinner options and service. Came here for a work event and was very pleased with my experience. I tried a bunch of passed appetizers: tomato and mozzarella on a stick, stuffed peppers, bruscetta and a roast beef.
All were good but not exactly finger food portion. I was hungry so it wasn’t a problem. I also got to try the salad and for my entrée I ordered the shrimp scampi. It was interesting, sort of tasted like a fresh salsa/​bruscetta topping with a little bit of heat. The pasta could have been a little more al dente but overall good dish.
I left before dessert came but it was a nice ambiance and wait staff did a nice job tending to our large party.

A couple friends and I were trying to find a place to eat around the area since we’re here for a conference and finding food on our own was a task. I like how convenient it was that it’s across the Marriott hotel that we’re staying at and it’s within walking distance.
The ambiance and the inside of the caffe is very relaxing and a chill place to eat. We also loved the music that was being played as well. Also the paintings on the way really makes the place what it is. Gives off a great vibe. The service is top notch, and our server was fully knowledgeable about the menu and he was very kind and patient with us. I would say that the food is fairly priced and it tasted very delicious.
One of my friend’s was craving a ceasar salad but it was no where to be found on the menu. She requested a ceasar salad and our waiter said that he would ask the kitchen to see if they could whip up something. He came back saying that they could but it would take about 25 minutes to create homemade ceasar dressing. We had time to spare and weren’t really in a hurry, so we waited, and to be honest the wait wasn’t really that long at all.
I was stumped between the Mozzarella panini and the Pollo panini, so what I ended up getting wast the mozzarella panini with grilled chicken added into it. The server was nice enough to make that accommodation for me and with everybody else’s order.
I was very pleased with the ambiance, service and especially the food. This restaurant was a really nice place within walking distance from the hotel and I’m glad we settled to try this place rather mall food.