Caffe Boa

I’ve been eating at caffe boa now for over 12 years. They have always served very tasty, fresh, high quality food. Anyone who rates this place less than 4 stars has lost their mind.

This place is bad. I went with my family. My parents like wine so they asked about a wine close to a sauv blanc New Zealand. The waiter, Christian pointed one out but didn’t let us see it on the menu. (He had collected all of our menus)
He then comes out with the bottle and pours it my mom says «it’s nice» then he leaves the bottle. My mom asks my dad and I «is he leaving the bottle? I just wanted a glass» we ask and he tells us yeah it’s only by bottle (never told us that buddy)
Then my salmon salad made no sense had salmon and white anchovies on top of it. Why would you put two diff kinds of fish? Only one should be the focus. My salmon was strong and smelly. Strong fish isn’t supposed to be good. Esp salmon, it should never taste that way.
The bill comes and that bottle of wine was $ 60.
S*** place. Never going back and will spread the word.

I’ve been here a couple of times and loved my experience every time! Our favorite servers name is Brendi, she’s a total sweetheart! She asked to make sure if they could make risotto that was no longer on the menu for me when we went there for my birthday dinner (they did make the risotto and it was amazing btw). She’s funny and very attentive. If her manager sees this, give her a raise!

Saw this place on mystery diners. They faked an episode where the owners were taken advantage of. If you watch carefully you will see that it is all fake.

The food is amazing and all is made fresh! Took my mother here for a pre-​theatre lunch and we were not disappointed. It was too warm to sit on the beautiful patio so we sat inside. I was a bit disappointed at the emptiness of the restaurant and wondered what could be wrong.
Their Sunday brunch menu is good — you should have no trouble choosing something to suit you. We ordered salads and the portions were very generous and tasty. I had the Salmon Nicoise and it was very large and filling. Perhaps a bit of bread or something would have been a nice addition. We also ordered a side of their incredible meatballs in fresh tomato/​basil sauce. Next time I will certainly get another order of their meatballs.
Sunday brunch also features pitchers of sangria for $ 15 (half the regular price). While we didn’t order that due to the amount we would be drinking, we ordered the red sangria by the glass and they were quite good with cut up apples and oranges.
Our server, Jess, was very attentive without being too involved. She was friendly, funny, accommodating, and welcoming. This was our first visit to Caffe Boa. Jess then invited us back and explained to us other events that the restaurant has; such as wine tastings or meeting the winemaker events. We will definitely be back!

Went here with a friend and we had the best server Steve! Food was amazing, I recommend the squash filled pasta and the half baked cookie! Will be back!

Used to dine here when it was a literal hole in the wall on mill avenue. Still as yummy as ever and the staff is so friendly (Brendi). Huge wine list with great options from simple to sophisticated. My wife loved the voodoo penne dish and I always get the agnolotti boa. Yum!

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m a big Caffe Boa fan. I’ve hosted parties there in the past and very much enjoy their food. Their service, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired.
Last night, with a reservation, we arrived for our 8:15 table. The hostess outside asked, «Would you like to sit inside or outside this evening?» Since it was so beautiful out, we answered «Outside.» His response? «Unfortunately, we don’t have anything available.» Why would you even ask the question if you had already known that no outdoor seating was available?
We were seated indoors in a restaurant where literally only a single table, a couple on a date, was seated. Where were we seated? At the table immediately next to them. Seriously? When I asked to be moved, so our group wasn’t talking in the couple’s ears and vice versa, I was met with an upset attitude.
The food is fantastic, I’ll give them that, but it’s not enough to keep me (and apparently others since they were completely empty) coming back.

To be brief and allow you to make your own opinion on how Brendi H served us tonight I’ll just transcribe the dialogue between her and I and her and my colleague that I was sitting next to.
My colleague ordering an appetizer
Colleague — «I’d like the Formaggi i Salumi»
Brendi — «Would you like the Proscuitto and Tres Leches?»
C — «Is it included?»
B — «Yes»
C — «Sure thank you»
When she received her bill she would find out those two items were each $ 5 and not included
Disclosure: the menu itself doesn’t hide that they are $ 5 supplements
Myself ordering dinner
Myself — «I’d like the voodoo penne»
Brendi — «Would you like the arugula or house salad?»
M — «Sure» (I didn’t hear the ‘or’ and for whatever reason I thought maybe the house salad was made with arugula)
B — «Which one?»
M — «oh sorry, I’ll have the arugula»
This is a $ 12 salad and I didn’t enjoy it much.
By the time I was halfway through the salad it had got around the table to me that she deceived me into thinking it was included because she got a few others at the table too.
What she said to my colleague was a lie and what she said to me was deceitful and I will make sure my team does not have dinners here anymore. The only reason I didn’t give one star is because every time I have a large group that needs a recommendation in Tempe this place is accompanying and has good food but what happened with Brendi is very unfortunate.

The Good:
— Great food. Very delicious.
— Nice atmosphere.
The Bad:
— Portions are too small.
— Very slow service.
— A little overpriced for what it is.
If you have plenty of time, not so hungry and want very good food this is the place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother.

Always weird here !!
Been here a few times and service always is very very slow .
Came here for a business meeting Friday. Our server took forever to get drink orders and food orders. Took forever to get the check. Friday’s server seemed to be on a different planet ! Wake up wake up !
It was very slow (barely any table or customers in whole restaurant) I am going to make a few guesses about this place. Servers have never served before. Management has told them to be very slow? All the times I have been here, the food is great but the service is very painful !
It’s gotta be their motto to be slow. My co workers and friends have said the same thing about this place for years.

Ordered the burger which came with loads of fries and it was really dry which is probably my fault as I had it cooked medium well… my dates meal was delicious
Two other customers besides us on a Saturday night… not a great business model.
The desert we split was awesome!

This place is a rip-​off. I’ve lived in Tempe my whole life and I get roped into going here about every two years. I’m always disappointed.
My most recent experience a few weeks ago was one of the worst. Went there for a work dinner on a Monday night. There were maybe two other tables in the place, so the poor service was completely inexcusable.
Our server, who had worked there for four years (can’t remember her name), was a typical Tempe server — tattooed, aloof and more or less negligent. Once she realized we weren’t going to order booze, she became a ghost. We had to ask twice to have our bread and water refilled and there were several times when she flat out ignored/​pretended not to see me when I tried to wave her down — again, the place was empty. Later, when we decided to order dessert and coffee she managed to find a little more effort/​energy. I guess she realized she was going to get our ticket up after all despite no booze.
As to the food, it’s always been worse than mediocre. Way over-​priced and borderline bad. I ordered some kind of salmon pasta and it basically tasted like Tuna Helper with Velveeta.
I’m giving two stars instead of one because it is beautiful in terms of the ambience and location. But you can get beautiful ambience with way better, less inexpensive food and better service down the street at La Bocca. Skip this joke.

Such a great place in Tempe to enjoy a nice glass of wine and good food! We met a friend here for dinner before seeing a show at the Gammage. Caffe Boa has a great atmosphere… very different from anything else in Tempe. The service was great and the food was good too. They have an amazing happy hour and we’ll definitely be back to enjoy more from that menu. We tried the lasagna and the agnolotti for our dinner and were both pleased with our meals — it was just the right portion for me, but maybe a little light for my husband. Next time, we’ll bring our dog and sit on their pet friendly patio — bonus!

This was my third time visiting the restaurant, this time for a Valentine’s Day date. We sat at the bar despite it being our Valentine’s Day date because the bartenders are world class. They are intelligible, have a comprehensive knowledge of every beer, liquor, wine, etc. in the house. Their ability to pair drinks with food is fantastic as well! Props on Caffe Boa for training so well and keeping the good ones around.
I am not a martini kind of girl, but we discovered a hidden gem here: the strawberry basil martinis. It’s not on the menu but it is a regular favorite. How do I know this? One time we were sitting next to a man that had just stepped off the plane from Seattle and he said he didn’t even drop his bags off at the hotel so that he could get his strawberry basil martini fix. I was skeptical at first, seeing as he was a grizzly man that looked like he would sip warm whiskey. I trusted his recommendation and was introduced to the freshest cocktail around. The bartender grabbed fresh strawberries from the kitchen and a large basil leaf for aromatics. I’m in love.
With the cocktail, I mean. I mean my date. Oh, we haven’t even started on my dinner yet. Each time I’ve been blown out of the park:
–butternut squash risotto
–mussels + bread
–oysters
–grilled corn
–butternut squash ravioli (Ravioli Zucca)**
**this was my favorite of all. It was not so heavy that I wanted to go home and nap but also not too light to where I would have wished for an appetizer.
They really know what they are doing here. One of my top five favorite restaurants of all time. Good for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
My recommendation: get bar seats!

Best friend took me here for dinner last week and it was delicious. The risotto was absolutely delicious and my cocktail was fantastic.
I do think the servers could be a little more attuned to diner allergies. My best friend is highly gluten intolerant and explained this to the server. He went to the kitchen to make sure the risotto was GF and sure enough, it was. However, we ordered a caprese salad to start and when it arrived, a good half of it was covered in bread causing me to jump into best-​friend mode and perform salad surgery.

What a great experience! I’ve been here once before, but that was years ago. Our server was excellent. She was very knowledgable about wine, and made some great suggestions. You could tell that she loves what she does. My fiancé ordered the Strozzapreti (veal ragu), and I ordered the Coniglio Pljukanci (braised rabbit with pasta.) I substituted my pasta for sautéed vegetables since I am gluten free. While they do offer a gluten free pasta, I opted for the vegetables. The dish that came out was amazing. It was bright, colorful, and everything worked together so well. I had 3 different servers say that it was such a great idea, and that they wanted to try the dish that way for dinner. It was delicious. The veal was also quite tasty! We will definitely be back.

Simply the best lunch special in town! Very fresh and organic food. Beautiful patio and interior. Lunch has a great deal. Half a pasta or panini with half a salad! $ 9.95!!! Amazing for such quality food!

I’ve been coming here since college in the 90s. Used to be a hole in the wall on Mill but now it is situated in a cool building down toward the mill. Great date night place! You have to try that agnolotti boa, mushroom filled ravioli! My favorite. They offer to put extras such as chicken on the side but I say don’t even bother and enjoy the pasta. I’ve also had the voodoo penne which is also superb. All the pasta is hand made daily. The owner is awesome and he travels the world to find the best ideas in culinary Practice.
I really do not understand why anyone would give any review besides five stars. Tempe has some good restaurants but this is definitely the classiest. As a ASU alum, the campus is always changing and I hope this place never gets pushed out because of the growth. Enjoy!

I have visited this restaurant many times for happy hour and dinner. Last night I ordered the special which was snapper with farro risotto. The farro risotto is on the regular menu and my foodie friend had recommended that I order it. I was thrilled that it came with snapper last night, as I may have been tempted to order a different dish that included seafood or meat. The fish was good, but the risotto blew my socks off. It was an amazing blend of textures (nutty farro, al dente mushrooms, broccolini, and carrots), finished with a pumpkin oil seed oil and pecorino. All the flavors and quality ingredients came together in a perfectly balanced dish. I brought ½ of it home and have been enjoying all day. This is one of those dishes that stays in your memory forever. I hope Caffe Boa continues to serve it and it remains as delicious as it was last night. Bravissimo!

We came here for a «group lunch» from work. My first time here. Obviously we ordered off the lunch menu.
The menu had some unique items. Some pasta, some sandwiches, some different salads. I had the strozzapreti. As these were coworkers I did not try any other dishes (unlike if my wife is there, then we always try each other’s food!).
The strozzapreti was different. The flavor was OK. It would have been better if they had drained the fat. I could see the orange-​colored oil pooling at the bottom of the bowl. I think it would have tasted better if they had drained that grease before adding the tomatoes and other ingredients. I could taste that «heavy» flavor one gets when one doesn’t drain it.
The portion was just enough for me to be ‘full’, but no more. It was relatively small compared to what I’m used to in most restaurants when I’m taking half my food home. I finished this completely. The sandwiches others had seemed larger, but the pasta dishes all seemed small.
Note that parking in that area is metered. No free parking that I could see anywhere. Kinda annoying, but probably necessary to keep college students from ASU parking there. Nice if they could validate or something similar, though.
I might be willing to come back for dinner to try that menu. Maybe. The food was different, and reasonably tasty. It didn’t excite me as some other people here seem to be, but it was find. I think the 3.5 stars presently showing for this place is probably about right.

We came in to eat on Thanksgiving and the whole staff was so kind, they didn’t seem to mind working on the holiday at all. The restaurant is adorable and honey, the food was bomb af and our server Steve was so knowledgable and has the best wine and food recommendations! Loved every second of it

Caffe Boa has a really nice atmosphere and setting, but I didn’t like my food much. I loved the outdoor patio seating, with a pergola covered in flowers overhead, and the indoor seating has a nice posh ambiance. It’s a good setting for a work lunch or date night. The menu has a lot of interesting options. I ordered the gnocchi fricasse, which was overwhelmingly one note… one note of garlic. The gnocchi were good with a pleasing texture but I couldn’t get the taste out garlic out of my mouth all day. The dish was upwards of $ 15 (at lunch). If I go back, I would get something basic like a sandwich or salad.

Nailed the spaghetti and meatballs! Shay was amazing and the food service and quality was great. I will come back here again– I’m not sure about the more extravagant items– but what else is there after spaghetti and meatballs– I don’t need to know– Awesome!

Don’t go here for a large party.
1.5 hours after we ordered to get out food. Bill was split between three tables (pretty distinct division) but there was still confusion in what item went where. Took 45 minutes to figure out bills. Staff was unprofessional and not based on satisfying customers. Whoever they bring as a ‘manager’ is probably another random waiter just waiting for you to stop talking and bring you a fabricated bill.

My boyfriend and I had a really exceptional dining experience here last night. We made reservations and were seated right away, sort of in the back, so it was quite private. Our server was fantastic and assisted in the selection of two incredible wines, although I can’t seem to recall the names right now, but I’m sure the staff would be happy to make recommendations. For an appetizer, we ordered bruschetta and it was delicious! A much larger portion than we anticipated and would have been good for a group of 4.
Then came the meals and silence as we couldn’t put our forks down! My bf got the voodoo penne and it’s just freaking amazing. I had the butternut squash ravioli, one of my favorite dishes in general, and it was hands down the best I’ve ever had. A great mesh of flavors.
Our service was spot on and friendly, the ambiance was great and the food was incredible. I will definitely return on another splurge day!

This is my second time here this week! I came once with some friends then had to bring my boyfriend. The food is what can only be described as delicious. The menu is almost completely made in house. The drinks are so clean you can actually taste the components. We plan on trying the desserts next time!

Caffe Boa used to be a great place, but not anymore. Not that it differs much from many of the other Mill Avenue restaurants that I’ve been going to for years. In addition to the amateur service that I’ve always received, many of the restaurants, including Caffe Boa, have become very stingy with the food. Remember the olive oil, parmesan and rosemary sprig with bread for dipping? Gone. Now you just get the rosemary sprig and think to yourself, «What am I supposed to do with this?»
Order a shrimp appetizer and get two pieces of bread (for a table of four), not enough to sop up the terrific sauce. Guess that’s what the spoon is for. You can pay for more bread. Not one more piece of bread without paying for it! The server wouldn’t think to just give us more bread and says that he can’t even ask the manager to comp us some bread. No bread, no goodwill.
Order a nice dark beer. Oh, you wanted it to still have some head on it? Sorry, it’s been sitting around too long.
Did you order ravioli and expect it to be cooked al dente? No, your butternut squash ravioli is more the consistency of Gerber squash in a jar.
Oh, and despite the fact that the description above lists Caffe Boa’s cuisine to include «Italian,» — it’s not Italian, okay? Let’s get this straight — it’s Croatian. Well, excuuuuuuuse me! But Italy and Croatia are neighbors folks, last time I checked the map.
It’s such a pretty atmosphere; too bad it’s gone lame. Might as well just shoot it.

Great Tempe Mill Ave location. Very friendly staff and good food. The vanilla Gelato Punkin seed oil dessert is a must. Nice selection and fresh food.
Little slow today. We were one of the first in before a Gammage matinée. Took ½ hour to get appetizers and 40 minutes for the meal. Heirloom tomatoes were way over ripened and probably shouldn’t have been used. But having been here many times this was the exception to what is usually great food.

Of course it’s awesome! A very nice, homey, heart-​warming, cozy feel to it and yet authentic to the Croatian simplicity and style of being near the Adriatic sea on a warm summer night.
Everything on the menu was so appealing, but we started off with a charcuterie board, I picked out some very traditional Balkan meats and we paired it with mozzarella and some other cheeses. We had also dunjovacha (duh) and I had to have medovacha, they’re both rakija (type of a Balkan brandy between 50 – 60 proof, really traditional and what everyone on the Balkans drink) I was super excited about that part in particular, needless to say.
For the entrée I had the bomb Coniglio Pljukanici, Istrian pasta made in-​house, and it was honestly the best pasta dish I’ve had in the last couple of years.
Highly recommending it to anyone who wants to try something different and rather exquisite.

One of my all time favorite places to eat in Phoenix. Never met suck a friendly and knowledgable staff with such a thirst for great cuisine and drinks! Sit at the bar for the full experience. Get the voodoo penne with artisan bread, the lasagna, or luca’s meatballs! Aanddddd absintheeeeeee!

Stopped in for a glass of wine to escape the crazies on Mill Ave. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance of the place. I sat in the bar and didn’t eat, but the service (Justin) exceeded my expectations.
There’s nice jazz playing, candles lit and a very chill vibe. Definitely recommend meeting up with a friend for a drink here. I’ll have to try the food next time.

I was on a business trip this week and decided to venture to Boa twice. The first night was great, hence the «twice» part!
They had a nice happy hour menu as soon as we got in with different bruschetta and seafood apps. For an entrée, I had the kale salad with the egg. If the egg had not been on there, the salad would have been slightly boring. But my co-​worker, who has lived in Italy before, opted on the Coniglio pasta and said it was one of the nest pastas he had ever had!
The second night good, but not as great as the first night. I chose the Cali love salad this time, chicken was a little dry and skimpy on the avocado, dressing was delicious though so that helped. Another great veal pasta for my co-​worker (I think that obviously the pastas are their thing!)
Both nights the service was good, and the atmosphere is really nice! Outside was good, but inside is dimply lit, romantic with dark wood and rustic touches.
The one thing though that I absolutely hated: the music! What in the hell?! Here you are at this trendy spot and some dub step song comes on with rap in it? I would strongly advise someone to change this. Other than that: awesome!

Gouge-​Away!
Wow, gotta admit, I really like the quality of the food. The bread, the veggies, the expertly prepared lasagne and spaghetti & meatballs, all very good. Heck, enjoyed the friendly service, too.
But I had NO idea all of those nice questions from my server would equate to being gouged at every nod of my head.
–When was the last time you saw a «course» charge of $ 3? I assume that was to split the plates.
–Or a charge of $ 4 for my son’s lemonade? I thought for a minute we were at a Diamodnbacks game!
–Or an $ 8 charge each for sides of veggies… of course the 2 we ordered =$ 16. You’d think we bought the farm.
–Or, when our server observed us waiting and offered bread, so we said «sure»…you guessed it, another $ 2.50 there. Come ON!
Jay & Christine, love your food, location, and service. And I see a very distinguished wine list and a whole lot of professional expertise and experience. But this was over the top with your excessive hits on every single little thing. Makes me reluctant to return, because I never saw it coming. It wan’t until I saw the bill that I soured on the experience. Please consider how these little charges are perceived, it’s not good.

I love this restaurant. I’ve eaten here many times and each time the food and service have been outstanding. I’ve had brunch here many times after races that end at Tempe Lake; the bottomless mimosas and bellinis are great! And I always take out of town guests here for dinner.
What I like best about this place is everything is made to order, and they make every effort to support local farmers. This is a European restaurant in the heart of Tempe. Fresh food, delicious food. The 18oz bone in Veal I had at my last visit was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The Veal was cooked perfectly at medium-​rare (always trust the chef!)
The wine list is impressive. This is the only restaurant I’ve been able to find Croatian and Slovenian wines on the menu. I highly recommend ordering the Tauzher Tehran
(red); it goes well with the Veal, is very fruity, but dry, and is divine.
For desert, order the Tiramisu. It’s wonderful.

How would I describe Boa… if you were to combine a classic Northern Italian feel with a hipster vibe and alternative rock playing while sipping Chardonnay with your lover… you know you’ve had a great night!!! Coming from the east coast, I’m used to fast service and not the slower pace down in the Southwest. Unlike most restaurants — especially those that are themed and fancier — Boa’s service is more than punctual, and they know just the right time to check up on you when you need more to eat or drink. Despite the overly done classy, chic look of the place — LOL, but actually — the staff is SUPER accommodating, not pompous, and ensure you have not just a meal, but a NIGHT you’ll never forget.
I came her with my girlfriend on our 1-​year anniversary. Given that she had a cold at the time and we had been walking roughly half an hour up Mill Ave. to find the place, we were very hungry and needed fast service — Boa did just that. As soon as we walked in, we were seated, menus, and our food came out promptly. On busy nights before 9, if it is an important occasion, I would recommend making a reservation. However, reservation or not, Boa is fast-​paced to give you taste of real great Italian; no one I saw walk in had more than a 5-​minute wait, max.
My only complaints: While Boa is Zesty, stylish, and efficient, I would give it 4 stars and not 5 because it is a little pricey and is not easy to find on Mill Ave (unlike several other good Italian restaurants). Time is money, but LOCATION is CRUCIAL, so I would recommend Boa put a sign in front of the alley off of Mill where it is located to direct customers to the restaurant. However, take my comments with a grain of salt; despite being a little pricey and difficult to find, it is worth the expense of food and travel because the quality of food and service is PHENOMENAL!!!
I would DEFINITELY return to Boa for a future occasion.