10/26/09

Great food/bad service

by Robert Ellis

The food was above average but the gentleman who took our order was beyond rude. I would have to say closer to ignorant, but more exactly obnoxious. We live in Center City and it is very convenient for us to get to this restaurant, but we won't be going back. There are too many other choices that are equally convenient.

• Pros: Interesting menu
• Cons: A bit pricy for BYOB, waitstaff attitude

10/15/09

Good Food Served With an Attitude

by CenterCityGirl

I had dinner there a couple of weeks ago with 4 other people. This was not my first time as I had eaten at Casta Diva 3-4 times before but had not been there in 6 mths. We had appetizers and pasta entrees, and we all enjoyed our meals. However, the service there is efficient but not friendly or welcoming. We had 3 different people attending to us but it was not clear if we had a primary server or not. The initial waiter was irritated when he was asked to repeat the specials of the day. Then once our orders arrived no one came over to see how we were doing or if everything was alright. And then when the check arrived they had already added in the gratuity (18%) which we didn't really mind. We ended up putting in an extra $4 because of the way it came out in paying cash. The waiter came over and picked up the folder and asked if we needed change and we said no. That was it - no thank you from her which we all noticed - she just walked away. It will be a long time before I go back there, if ever again. A restaurant that does not seem appreciative or seem to care that their patrons are happy or want to return doesn't need my business. I live in the City and, believe me, there are many excellent restaurants that do go out of their way to make sure their customers are happy!

• Pros: Pasta is excellent
• Cons: Servers are not friendly or welcoming

09/10/09

Delicious & Cute little Place

by MRS19129

I went to this great little place on a double date. I called ahead to say we'd be 15 mins late which they was fine, but any later would have to wait. They were courteous when we arrived. I was horrified by how rude our friend's wife was, but the server took it all in stride & took her crazy personality nicely. Our salads were prompt & the food was excellent! Stayed long enough for dessert & really just enjoyed the atmosphere of the place. My one complaint was that they didn't have any change for a dollar for the parking meters. They tried though!

• Pros: Great food, Nice Atmosphere, Friendly Staff
• Cons: Would it hurt them to offer bread?

03/28/09

Good food, Slow service

by Kaleb

I love the small place, but we were sitting at the most wobbly table that was making me sea sick. It was really horrible. Great food, but it took 20 minutes to pay the bill and then they only accept CASH. What kind of a resturant only accepts cash???? Maybe they should have put up a sign or something. It was very hot in there too because the kitchen was so close to the tables.

11/28/08

Wonderful Food and Service

by Rittenhousese

Just like the restaurant's interior after restoration, their food is becoming even more sophisticated than ever.

The waitress warmly welcomed us even though it was 10 minutes before their last order time. The chef also came to the table to talk about the speciality for the day. Once the order is through, each dish comes to the table at a perfect timing.

We particularly enjoyed their scallop with saffron risotto; the scallop was not overcooked and had the exact firmness and sweetness. The risotto was filled with the rich scent of saffron, and had shining gold color.

Caffe Casta Diva is the perfect place for a relaxing dinner.

06/18/08

Great Food

by elbPhiladelphia

I've been there twice for dinner now and I wish it were closer and we could go more. The food is absolutely great. I haven't eaten anything bad there. I've been wowed by quite a few dishes, and I'm pretty picky.

The main stats: the place is small, so make reservations. It's BYOB, so you can save money that way. It's not cheap, but it's priced similar to other restaurants of its type and the food is worth every penny and more.

The service is good, friendly and honest. The first time I was there I saw a staff member chase an elderly patron down the street to return the wallet he had left on the table.

Honestly, I can't remember the main course I had either time, but the first time I was there was about nine months ago and the time after that was maybe four months ago. I remember it was good. Both times that I was there they has a special artichoke appetizer that was to die for. I'm an artichoke fan in the first place, but this dish was just amazing. I also remember the dessert I had the first time I was there. I had a scoop of fig ice cream and a scoop of pumpkin. They were both great, but the pumpkin was absolutely amazing.

The one small drawback of the restaurant I found was that if you arrive for your reservation and you are early or your table is not quite ready, there's no place to wait. You end up standing in the middle of the room, feeling like you're standing in someone's living room or dining room.

• Pros: food, service
• Cons: no place to wait while waiting for table

04/09/08

Caffe Casta Diva

by LisaMyers65

My husband and I recently dined in the ample and cozy BYOB. We had the ceasar salad, mussels, ny strip steak and pasta and sausage and everything was so fresh and super delicious. What a great meal we had and we could not get enough of the entrees and the bread also excellent. An awesome dining experience with great service. Highly recommended!

• Pros: fresh food, great service and great ambience
• Cons: Small and parking could be an issue

02/17/08

Fresh dishes, local ingredients, romantic setting

by wolfgangc

I dined at Casta Diva for the first time just a few weeks ago and we had a great experience. It was a week night so it was quiet, and we received attentive service. Our server was very knowledgable regarding the menu, and very descriptive regarding the specials and dishes. We each had a fresh large salad, and the carmelized artichoke was amazing. For dinner I had the duck - it was cooked perfectly. My husband had one of the fresh pasta dishes and was very happy w/ his dish. This is definitely a restaurant that I will continue to frequent.

08/03/07

Best Italian food in the area.

by gurumama

Casta Diva's food is delicious. Soft, creamy, fresh mozzarella. Beautiful, ripe, juicy tomatoes. Perfectly cooked pasta. Fresh, fresh, ingredients in every dish. Dishes appear at the table as if prepared to sashay down the runway at a fashion show. Chef Steven has an impeccable sense of taste. He has a genuine love for what he does. Plump, light, cannolli and refreshing sorbetto. Servers are superb. Duck and fish dishes are a rare treat. Lots of nice figs and cheeses.

02/17/07

Small and intimate, but still handled a group of 12

by smalltownguy1

Yes, Caffe Casta Diva is small, but provided a wonderful atmosphere for our group of twelve. Calling in advance helped and our main courses arrived in waves (such a large group would overwelm any small kitchen), but the good service ensured that wine, water, and bread were never in short supply. The $30 prix fix menu provided excellent value. The flavors of the gnocchi in cream sauce appetizer and seafood risotto entree made them well worth the wait, and the chef created a unique entree for the vegan among us. Apologies to any of other patrons looking for a quiet Thursday night dinner who may have been annoyed by our group's size and lively discussion.

• Pros: Food, value, atmosphere
• Cons: Kitchen overwelmed by large groups