Cafe Gia Ristorante
It was the desire to share our Sicilian heritage and Sicilian cuisine that prompted the family to buy an older neighborhood diner and create a new, warm, comfortable family ristoranté in Little Italy, “Café Gia Ristoranté.” We have strived very hard to recreate a Sicilian bistro, a place where one feels like they are in Sicily while dining. Buon appetito!
Popular dishes
Veal Saltimbocca
Veal scaloppini layered with prosciutto, mozzarella cheese and sage, finished in a demiglaze and served with Italian potatoes and the vegetable of the day
3 reviews
Grilled Octopus
Tender octopus serverd with a chick pea, caper, and red onion salad with lemon olive oil
4 reviews
Bass Risotto
Grilled sea-bass served over pesto risotto finished with a luscious lobster bisque
4 reviews
I came down from NY to visit my daughter at Loyola. Not only was the restaurant, beautiful, food was great, service was spot on and owners and staff were extremely friendly. SKinda like eating with family. Highly recommend. (This was during covid limited seating. Please support them and all local businesses. We need to reopen! They're sticking it out for us, they need our help!)
Tommy O
Very good food, including grilled octopus, osso bucco and rice balls.
Phenomenal food and service. The server was kind and helpful, and everything we ordered was delicious, from appetizers to homemade pasta to an incredible seafood special. We ordered dessert to go, and at it at home - it was so wonderful, we were glad we didn't pass it up. When our bill came, I was shocked at how affordable all we had ordered ended up being. This pleasant surprise ended a perfect evening at Gia.
Dined out with my husband for a post Valentine celebration and let me tell you, the food was amazing! It wasn’t too crowded when we were there (that’s a plus!) and all the tables were spaced for social distancing. The staff was very professional and guided us through the menu perfectly. We feasted on grilled octopus and sausage and polenta as starters and Bass risotto and osso buco as our mains. For dessert, we passed on traditional sweets and opted for their house made Limoncello (best we’ve ever had!). Cafe Gia isn’t a fine dining restaurant with table cloths but a casual, friendly trattoria type eatery where you’ll feel like you’re in Italy!
The food was to DIE for!!! Beautiful atmosphere, friendly servers. They lose a star on service because the hostess/owner? wasn't wearing a mask at any point during our time there. Other than that, fantastic.
We love Cafe Gia and go there frequently. It is a gem of a spot in Little Italy, run by a mother/daughter duo. The food is always so good—try the lasagna and the veal. It makes me feel like I’m in my grandmother’s kitchen.
We were greeted at the door to this lovely restaurant. We were promptly seated on the balcony that overlooked the street. The service was very good and the food was fantastic. Would definitely go again!
It was too crowded during COVID, pasta gamberi was a bit bland, room overly bright, a candle on the table would be nice.
The handmade pasta here is always outstanding. Their outdoor dining is cozy and warm even in the cold. Highly recommend.
There's nothing special about this restaurant. Zero ambiance. Windows were open just a crack, likely to take advantage of the cool air and not have to run the a/c. There was an extension cord running from an outlet in the upstairs dining room through a window. The waitstaff was not uniformed and shabbily dressed at that. It was like eating at a run down Denny's.
From pasta to veal, everyone’s dish was exquisite. Waiter Mark was outstanding.
Great value!
The food was wonderful as usual and so happy to be able to patronize one of our favorite restaurants in downtown Baltimore. However, due to Covid, the whole vibe is a bit deflating. Cafe Gia's was set up very socially distanced, just wish it felt like the ol' days - where things were vibrant and bustling. My heart goes out to all of the restaurants trying to sustain their business these days.
Excellent service, wonderful food, and a lovely atmosphere. We sat outside.
Great food, cute place!
Warm and friendly restaurant with excellent food and service.
We celebrated our anniversary at Gia's. The food was impeccable and I look forward to many more meals there.
Wedding anniversary
Highly recommend. Enjoyed our evening. Staff was friendly. Food was very good.
Always welcomed like family at Cafe Gia and always leave with smiles and full bellies.
Especially impressed with your flexibility in these hard and trying time. Thank you again
We went for our one year wedding anniversary and it was delicious!
The balcony was lively but safely distanced. We had the octopus and prosciutto pizza apps which were delicious and the sea bass, veal saltimbocca and clams pasta which were all fantastic! Be sure to try the house made cello sampler, hit the spot after an amazing dinner!
The food is always fresh and delicious. Atmosphere is cool and low key. Love all the decor. Our waitress was slow in responding at times. I highly recommend Gia's and would return again!
Good food and value
A beautiful little gem in Baltimore's Little Italy! This restaurant was quaint, the staff was attentive and kind. Our drinks and food were delicious - we started with the Arancini - there were 4 of us dining and only 3 were served - we shared but it would have been nice to receive an even number or enough for all! All of our dishes were delicious, though a bit oversalted. We are already planning our next visit!
Delicious! We started with thee fritto misto. So light and yummy. Husband had the homemade gnocchi w/butternut squash......light sauce and so good. I had a pasta special of ravioli, again delicious. Portions more than ample. Alas, had no room for dessert. Would definitely recommend! Reasonable pricing, too!
Such an accommodating Maitre d'hotel and an attentive waitress. We were seated at a cozy table against the street-facing door that opens on to the sidewalk terrace. Unfortunately, the door is not insulated properly, and a rough, cold, chilling draft kept me shivering throughout my dinner.
A very nice salad was served.
So it was so terribly disappointing that the lasagna my wife ordered had virtually no meat, and was made with an inferior pasta that was so over cooked that it was like eating a cheese soup. My pasta dish was much better, but the portion was so meager, by comparison to the portion of lasagna served my wife, that I left the restaurant hungry.
Amazing food and great wine
Food was absolutely amazing. If you don’t try the sea bass and risotto you’re cheating yourself!
4th time we've been there. ALWAYS good food, excellent service, attentive staff. Highly recommend!!
Reminds me of a fine neighborhood restaurant in Italy
Awesome meal. Some of the most tender veal I ever had. Loved the fact that the owners made a point of stopping by a few times
We had wonderful food and service. I am sure we will be returning in the near future.
Amazing food, great wine and and very nice and attentive wait staff! Can’t wait to visit again!
Food was good. Service was sadly lacking, in a not very busy environment.
Great food!! Some of the best in the area.
Lovely place with very nice people, but the food was not up to the standards of other restaurants in Baltimore's Little Italy. Salad dressing lacked flavor, fritto misto was greasy, and the pasta con vongole was oily and poorly seasoned. It's a beautiful little restaurant, but we were disappointed in the food, especially when there are so many other great choices only steps away.
What a delightful restaurant! The paintings on the walls tell you right away that you're in a special place: the decor is like an appetizer for the eye. The service was excellent, especially from the woman who was taking care of all the diners without ever once seeming hassled or stressed, though she had every excuse to seem both. And the food was delicious, from the grilled octopus through the pasta main course to the creme brulee dessert. If I lived in Baltimore, Cafe Gia would be my go-to place. My three companions enjoyed it as thoroughly as I did. Three cheers!
I have dined after Cafe Gia about 8 times in the last 3 years and have always had a positive experience. The decor is charming as soon as you hit their entryway. The service is attentive and the food is delicious. It’s a quaint space and never too loud.
First time I try the restaurant. Food was great. Small place with great service.
Evelyn was wonderful! Excellent service and the food was awesome! We would definitely return.
FAQs
Cafe Gia Ristorante offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (410) 685-6727.
Cafe Gia Ristorante is rated 4.8 stars by 529 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.