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Cafe Fontana Reviews List
Cafe Fontana
In the tradition of small family trattorias, Café Fontana proudly serves robust, hearty Italian cuisine made with the freshest ingredients and finest herbs. It is set in the charming historic Farley House c. 1937 in Old Town Cordova. Our restaurant boasts quaint dining rooms, a beautifully landscaped courtyard surrounding a fountain - perfect for outdoor dining - and a warm welcoming atmosphere. Our Chef, Thomas Schranz, has appeared on the Food Network and has cooked for some of the finest restaurants in south Florida. Come enjoy delicious homemade Italian cooking, a good bottle of wine and friendly service. Proprietors: Chef Thomas and his wife, Valerie Schranz
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39 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Rating Breakdown 39 reviews
5 stars
(15)
4 stars
(18)
3 stars
(5)
2 stars
(1)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- neighborhood gem(30)
- great for outdoor dining(17)
- fit for foodies(16)
- special occasion(14)
- romantic(12)
- good for groups(5)
Cafe Fontana Reviews List
Review 1 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Hidden Gem
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great creative Italian. Always good."
Dined on 6/14/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 2 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Worth the visit
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Very nice. Quiet. Reasonable prices. Brunch portions too small and very few breakfast selections."
Dined on 5/19/2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 3 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Old town charm!
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I ordered the roasted chicken and it was great! The calamari was delicious too! The service was not as good. Our waiter didn't check on us very often. It was almost as if they didn't have enough help that night. This was my second visit to Cafe Fontana and same thing with service the first time. Not sure what problem is???? Overall it was a nice dinner."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, special occasion
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Review 4 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Charming and delicious
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Food is great, with generous portions. Servers are attentive but not intrusive. The owners make you feel welcome and readily accommodated my request to change my reservation. The monthly wine tasting event is enjoyable and includes wonderful hors doervres from the chef. The outdoor area is also pet-friendly. Wonderful addition to the neighborhood!"
Dined on 5/07/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 5 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
This was our first time dining
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was our first time dining at Cafe Fontana, and it will not be our last! It was AMAZING!! Fantastic food, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a wonderful atmosphere. My father is a huge food critic and was blown away by the freshness and expert preparation of his grouper dish. My scallops were perfectly seared, and my husband raved over his spaghetti and meatballs. Best Italian I have had in Memphis by leaps and bounds."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic
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Review 6 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Good with great potential
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Decent Italian food. Certainly better than the chain Italian restaurants. Lobster and shrimp alfredo was very good, as was the chicken picata. Pleased with the large wine selection by the glass. Wait staff and management very eager to please. This could become an outstanding Italian restaurant if it resists succumbing to the awful Memphis interpretation of Italian cuisine."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2010
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, great for lunch
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Review 7 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great food, but, service can
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Great food, but, service can be a bit slow and inconsistent"
Dined on 03/23/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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Review 8 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 9 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Food was amazing, wine was
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Food was amazing, wine was priced very well with a good selection, and parking was very good. The only thing missing was possibly having someone to help with wine selections. The cannolis were to die for!"
Dined on 03/14/2013
2013
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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Review 10 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We had excellent service and
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We had excellent service and food for a perfect anniversary dining experience."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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Review 11 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Hostess was somewhat rude
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Hostess was somewhat rude that we used Open Table. Made a big deal out of the fact that we waited until last minute to make reservation. Otherwise experience was great"
Dined on 03/01/2013
2007
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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Review 12 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
This was my second visit to
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"This was my second visit to Cafe Fontana. I do not live in the Memphis area but, after my first dining experience, decided to make it a point to dine there whenever visiting the area. The food is very good and consistently prepared. Most importantly, along with the meal, the wait staff are polite and attentive. Two thumbs up from me."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 13 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
On the day of the reservation
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"On the day of the reservation the restaurant called late in the afternoon (3:16) to tell me that they were not going to be able to honor my 6:30 reservation. However if 8:30 was alright they would be able to seat us. After discussion they agreed that if we would be willing to finish and vacate the table by 8:00 we could be seated at 6:30. As it turned out we stayed beyond 8:00 as there were several vacant tables. The food and service was top notch and we will be back."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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Review 14 for Cafe Fontana
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
On our "Best in Memphis" list, too!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Love the atmosphere, especially the fireplaces! Feels like you're being welcomed into their own home, which is warm and elegant without feeling stuffy. Our obviously experienced waitress was friendly and attentive without rushing us in any way. She was helpful selecting our dinners - obviously knew every dish and wine on their menu. And when then our food came...Amazing! We each had a different dish, and none of us was disappointed. The only criticism we had was that the portions were more than we could eat! (though it made for great leftovers the next day!). We managed to have a little room left for dessert, some of the best cheesecake any of us had ever had - don't miss it!
What a wonderful dining experience, we'll be back soon!"
What a wonderful dining experience, we'll be back soon!"
Dined on 02/15/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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Ratings-Only Reviews for Cafe Fontana
Based on the average of (25) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
11 out of 11 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate