Cafe Al Dente

“Adorable restaurant. We were warmly greeted and sat. Every course was absolutely delicious. My picky Italian husband loved the sauce and meatballs. The pasta and lasagna were 10/10. The limoncello cake was airy, and perfectly sweet. Our waitress Eileen was so personable and attentive. Our favorite dinner of this vacation.”

“5/5 and a must try. They have an outside and inside seating for parties all size. It started to get a little busy around 730pm - I would make a reservation but when we went it was not needed. The host and the service were great and the restaurant is accommodating as they can be based on dietary restrictions. While there is no official kids menu they were able to make some dishes a smaller portion. Portion and price: for HHI prices are as comparable as other restaurants. But when compared to the portion size, it’s absolutely worth it. The entree portions are large and shareable. There is a pre fixe menu which was $45 on the day we visited and came with 3 courses and was worth the price as all portions are the actual larger portions. Focaccia: served with two types of butter. Overall good but a little on the dry side. Would still recommend. Burrata: while overall it was a great dish with a the arugula salad the burrata itself didn’t seem as fresh but still was a good dish. The burrata ravioli (10-12 pieces) was great and light. Even though it was fried it didn’t seem too heavy. The eggplant Parmesan: large piece of eggplant on a bed of some spaghetti and marinara. Overall flavorful. The eggplant was perfectly seasoned and cooked well and just melted as you ate it. The marinara sauce felt like the real thing and was simple but great. Al a vodka: one of the better places to have this dish. Very flavorful yet simple and was topped with a garlic crunch and just enhanced the dish at every bite. Highly recommend. Oreo cheesecake: overall great but not sure if they make the deserts in house. Still would recommend it. Cannoli: great portion size and very tasty. Had hints of cinnamon.”

“Cafe Al Dente is the perfect place if you are looking for authentic Italian food and ambiance. We had the cheese bread, warm salad, chicken parmesan and shrimp and linguine. Everything was perfectly prepared and delicious with very generous portions. The chicken parmesan was probably the best I've eaten, and the warm salad was a big hit with both of us, very very good. I also had a rare dessert, I could not pass up the cheese cake - again wonderful. Very good wine and beer selection, and reasonable prices for the wines listed. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and very professional. The atmosphere was cozy but not too much so, quiet and easy to talk, with just the correct volume of old Sinatra and jazz. Very comfortable Cafe. As a positive side note, my wife had the shrimp, which used leek cream as an ingredient. She is mildly lactose intolerant which we did not communicate to the server as it is usually not an issue. She could not handle the cheese and cream richness of the dish having consumed cheese in previous dishes.. She could not eat the linguine, but finished all of the shrimp. I tasted the sauce and found it excellent. When she told the waitress why she could not eat the linguine, the restaurant removed the cost of her meal. We protested, but that is how serious they are about customer satisfaction. I highly recommend Cafe Al Dente to anyone looking for a great Italian Cafe experience in every respect.”

“Six stars. The wait staff were super friendly and timely, the service was great. The place itself is super cute and sets a great mood. The food, oh my, the food was amazing. I have not had food that good in a very long time. The warm salad was so, so good. The real star of the night was the lemoncello mascarpone, a perfect way to end the meal. I would think about coming back to Hilton Head just for another meal here.”

“Cafe Al Dente is an Italian restaurant in Coligny Plaza Shopping Center. The food is very reasonably priced and service was attentive. It’s small on the inside - so would recommend a reservation - they also have some outdoor seating. We did a pre fixe menu - which I really liked - it included an appetizer, main course, and dessert.”