Cafe da Pino

Reviews

• Stephen N.

  star star star star star 26 July 2026

  This is the favorite go to place for my family and me in Seattle. We love the personal attention, we love the food, we love the intimate setting, and we love the atmosphere. The setting is small, intimate and casual.  It's like being invited into Pino's house, sitting down, and being served a meal.
  
  On occasion, some of us have spent up to four hours at Pino's, chatting and talking with the Pino regulars who stop by regularly and are like extended family. Pino periodically comes by and sees how things are going, brings out more food, and when the bottle is empty opens another bottle of wine or refreshes the water pitcher.  
  
  If you crave luxurious atmosphere, fawning wait-staff, and full-blown menus, this isn't your place. If you want to feel as if you stopped by to visit friends and family in a small southern Italian villa, this should be your spot. To appreciate Cafe da Pino, don't go to get a meal.  Go to become part of a family.   Because at its best, Cafe da Pino isn't about food; it's about relationship, with food and wine as the lubricant.

• Stefanie M.

  star star star star star 21 July 2026

  Love this place! Pino is the best host and chef. Must make reservation but so worth the wait! It was equal to eating at your best friend's Italian aunt's home. Go with an open mind and eat what is recommended. The antipasto and dessert is a must. Will be back again and again.

• Stephen N.

  star star star star star 18 July 2026

  Stopped by for dinner with family friend from out of dinner.  The dinner was excellent, matched only by the casual atmosphere and Pino's hospitality.
  
  An important change - the restaurant is now open for dinner by reservation only.  Pino cooks for your reservation, and that is all he prepares.  If you walk up, expecting to be seated, you probably won't be.  (That happened to one group while we were there.)
  
  If you have some food preferences or restrictions, that needs to be conveyed when you make your reservation.

• Anne M.

  star star star star star_border 16 July 2026

  The place across from Cafe da Pino had a 40 minute wait so we went into Pino's to get an appetizer and a drink.
  We didn't notice he was actually closed but when we came in he said I'm making sausage, give me 10 minutes. So we waited for him to finish.
  
  He recommended some wine for us and as we got ready to order he asked us if we wanted to order or wanted him to take care of us. We told him please take care of us. When a chef asks that should be the only answer. :)
  
  He served us a couple plates of his house cured meats and homemade cheese. The entree was a bolognese on penne. It was very good.  Don't expect this food to be highly spiced with garlic and Italian seasonings. One thing I discovered when travelling through Italy is most of the food doesn't come garlicy or heavily spiced. This tasted authentic.
  
  As we ate some of 'the guys' came by for dinner which made the ambiance friendly and welcoming. We knew we were experiencing something special... which we knew to these guys was 'just Wednesday'.
  
  Dessert was the lemon cake which was made by one of 'the guys'. It was light and not overly sweet and very delicious.
  
  Pino offered some of his lemoncello which was creamy and smooth and we happily killed the bottle for him.
  
  The tab for all that food was reasonable for 4 people: 2 bottles of wine, 3 appetizers, 4 entrees, 2 pieces of cake and about 5 shots of lemoncello came to about $200.
  
  He also will do special woodfired pizza parties. He doesn't use email. He said he uses smoke signals. You have to go in person to arrange anything special.
  
  Pino may come off as a bit rough around the edges but he's very warm and loves cooking for people.

• Gloria F.

  star star star star star_border 12 July 2026

  Delicious food!! The pesto ravioli & sausage sandwich were both mouth watering.
  
  Only downfall is its extremely small & not a lot of tables. Owner runs the whole place, great guy, great atmosphere.