As Always, Cariera’s Fresh Italians’ consistency delivered. We started with a Caesar salad and a wedge! Amazing!!! The Balsamico was perfectly prepared and presented, also the Penne ala Vodka was just superb. Bravo!
Out_All_Nite
My sister and I had our first visit to Cariera's in Winter Garden, FL, a family owned restaurant, for lunch about a week ago. I first heard about it a few years ago on the NextDoor App for the Dr. Phillips neighborhood in Orlando, which I believe was their original location. We grabbed the menus, sat at a booth, made our selections and then went up to very friendly Cashier/Waitress Valerie to prepay our meals and tips. I had the Fried Calamari, Shrimp & Crab Ravioli ala Vodka, fruit infused red sangria and for dessert, Limoncello cake. Sis had the Lasagna. Everything was delicious (see pics)! The calamari was seasoned crispy on the outside but light and tender on the inside. The ravioli didn't have as much crab as I would have liked but plenty of shrimp. The vodka sauce was creamy and cheesy. Even the garlic roll was fresh and warm. Everything was perfect and there was plenty leftovers to feed us a couple more days. The owner and Valerie and other servers checked on us periodically throughout our meal. The food, welcoming atmosphere and excellent customer service provided our first-time visit with a very happy, delightful experience! There are plenty of veggie and vegetarian options and a $10 'Little Bambinos' menu. Cariera's is located in a strip mall with plenty of parking except handicapped spaces are limited. We plan to return to try different things on the menu and would highly recommend for indoor and/or carry out meals with family, friends and visitors.
Jannelle R
First time here. I ordered the pepperoni flatbread and that was really good. It was $14.95, not bad for the portion. My husband ordered the shrimp and crab ravioli. That was pricey for sure. It was $19.99 and the portion looked like it could be a lunch portion. Husband said it tasted good but the portion was too small. Friendly staff.
TravelerCentralFLA
I had eaten at Cariera's several years ago and it was good. However, on this visit it was very good. The restaurant was clean and well-maintained. The service was good. The owner even came out and checked on us. The salads were great. The sauces all taste like homemade Italian food. The food was served hot from the kitchen and was excellent. The prices are higher than some of the chain Italian restaurant, but I felt the food was better. I recommend Cariera's Fresh Italian.
JerryandCarol_W
Very fresh and homemade Italian dishes. Many dishes you will not find at any other restaurant. My wife enjoyed her lemon flavored chicken dish with angel hair pasta. I had the dish named after the owner. It was 2 fried chicken breasts covered with onions, mushroom and a white wine reduction. We also had an appetizer of garlic rolls with Alfredo sauce for dipping. Wow. What a great meal. The only odd thing about the experience was standing in line to order and then sit down to have your food served. It is just odd to pay these prices and not have true table service. Refills are free but you have to serve yourself. Overall, this is really good food. We will be back.
joeygmama
Save your money! High prices for the kind of food you’re getting. I am usually one to leave good reviews but I had to comment on this place. The kitchen was backed up on a Sunday when there were only 3 tables seated in the whole place. And when the food finally did come, the red sauce was so watery-not flavorful at all! It was a big turn off to a point where we couldn’t finish our meal. Their ziti is just ok for the price they charge. I’m sorry to say, but not impressed at all. We will keep going to Fresco in Dr. Phillips or Winter Garden Pizza. Will not be returning!
DaveDFortMyers
My pizza took so long it wasn’t funny and it was mediocre… Her chicken meal was excellent but the asparagus was not to her but seemed ok to me.
Eileen H
My sister and I decided to have dinner at Cariera’s Italian Eatery last Friday while visiting Winter Garden, Fl. The restaurant was completely full of happy patrons. The atmosphere is casual dining. We had to wait to be seated and through some miscommunication, we didn’t understand the ordering protocol. We were seated and waited at least 40 minutes for our order to be taken. When we finally asked why it was taking so long, we were told that WE needed to place our order at the register after being seated and perusing their menu. My sister went to the register to place our order and in less than 5 minutes, the owner, Tommy, brought 2 plates of food to our table. He said no one goes hungry in his restaurant and was sorry for the confusion, dinner was complimentary., We have never been treated with such excellent customer service. Now to discuss the food. Wow! This was surely two of the best plates of Italian cuisine I have ever had. Perfectly seasoned chicken piccata plus a dish of chicken Alfredo and 4 fresh-baked garlicy crusty dinner rolls. Yum! Thank you owner, Tommy, for a great meal and a great memory!
MSB1982
Phenomenal meal and service! The chicken parmesan and fettuccine Alfredo is one of the best in central Florida! I am so glad I stopped!
purls2022
we tried this place and i can tell you we won't be back first you have to pay for what you want to eat then they want you to add the tip for the service first before you get the service and the meal was expensive also we had spaghetti and meat balls and they give you a hard roll and 2 drinks and they never came back and asked how we were doing and they charged almost $39.00 for this well we can go to olive garden and get the same meal plus all the salad and bread sticks you want for a total of $34.00 so in my eyes olive garden is a better meal and it even taste better and the service is better too.
I go to Cariera's Fresh Italian about once a month. The menu is large and varied, and everything is prepared fresh. The food quality is great, and the staff friendly. This is a great restaurant for a casual meal -- you order at a counter, and then a server brings it to your table.
Roving53450236008
My wife and I had a fantastic lunch at Cariera’s . We had the white cacciatore and the Cariera , both were excellent with Great flavors and freshly cooked. The owner and chef takes a lot of pride in the food he serves and that shows in many details such as the high quality mushrooms In our food. He came to our table to make sure our dishes were to our satisfaction. We had the limoncello cake for dessert and it was the perfect ending , full of flavor but but not overpowering. We will definitely be back to this gem of restaurant.
AndiamoAMagna
Unique casual dining experience; you order first at the counter, pay and they deliver your food to your table. Drinks are free refills. Owner was extremely personable and asked about our meals. Very genuine and pleasant. We had the following: Apps: arancine were massive (2 per serving) enough for 3. Tasty and sauce was like a bolognese. Very good. Small antipasto was ok, mozzarella and meats were good. Entrees: chicken Carierà was excellent and massive. Pasta was cooked to perfection, al dente. It came with two large fried chicken cutlets, outstanding! Pasta vodka was ok, lacked some seasoning. Chicken cacciatore was also very good. Service was spot on. Good option if you’re looking for casual Italian.
PLan977
We stopped in for a late lunch and only a few tables were full. We ordered at the counter and found a table. The lunch entrees we chose were the spaghetti and meatballs and the italian beef sandwich. Both were served hot and delicious. The family that owns the restaurant is very friendly and asked how we liked everything. Then we got a cannoli and a slice of cannoli cake to go. Both were so good. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and is very clean. We will definitely eat here again.
hotel-pursurer
Four of us enjoyed a delicious lunch on a rainy day in front of the fireplace. It was such a pleasant and enjoyable meal, with excellent service and some of my very favorite Italian food. All our fish and pasta dishes were outstanding as was the scrumptious bread. The owner is friendly and nice to talk with. Everything was great.
As Always, Cariera’s Fresh Italians’ consistency delivered. We started with a Caesar salad and a wedge! Amazing!!! The Balsamico was perfectly prepared and presented, also the Penne ala Vodka was just superb. Bravo!
My sister and I had our first visit to Cariera's in Winter Garden, FL, a family owned restaurant, for lunch about a week ago. I first heard about it a few years ago on the NextDoor App for the Dr. Phillips neighborhood in Orlando, which I believe was their original location. We grabbed the menus, sat at a booth, made our selections and then went up to very friendly Cashier/Waitress Valerie to prepay our meals and tips. I had the Fried Calamari, Shrimp & Crab Ravioli ala Vodka, fruit infused red sangria and for dessert, Limoncello cake. Sis had the Lasagna. Everything was delicious (see pics)! The calamari was seasoned crispy on the outside but light and tender on the inside. The ravioli didn't have as much crab as I would have liked but plenty of shrimp. The vodka sauce was creamy and cheesy. Even the garlic roll was fresh and warm. Everything was perfect and there was plenty leftovers to feed us a couple more days. The owner and Valerie and other servers checked on us periodically throughout our meal. The food, welcoming atmosphere and excellent customer service provided our first-time visit with a very happy, delightful experience! There are plenty of veggie and vegetarian options and a $10 'Little Bambinos' menu. Cariera's is located in a strip mall with plenty of parking except handicapped spaces are limited. We plan to return to try different things on the menu and would highly recommend for indoor and/or carry out meals with family, friends and visitors.
First time here. I ordered the pepperoni flatbread and that was really good. It was $14.95, not bad for the portion. My husband ordered the shrimp and crab ravioli. That was pricey for sure. It was $19.99 and the portion looked like it could be a lunch portion. Husband said it tasted good but the portion was too small. Friendly staff.
I had eaten at Cariera's several years ago and it was good. However, on this visit it was very good. The restaurant was clean and well-maintained. The service was good. The owner even came out and checked on us. The salads were great. The sauces all taste like homemade Italian food. The food was served hot from the kitchen and was excellent. The prices are higher than some of the chain Italian restaurant, but I felt the food was better. I recommend Cariera's Fresh Italian.
Very fresh and homemade Italian dishes. Many dishes you will not find at any other restaurant. My wife enjoyed her lemon flavored chicken dish with angel hair pasta. I had the dish named after the owner. It was 2 fried chicken breasts covered with onions, mushroom and a white wine reduction. We also had an appetizer of garlic rolls with Alfredo sauce for dipping. Wow. What a great meal. The only odd thing about the experience was standing in line to order and then sit down to have your food served. It is just odd to pay these prices and not have true table service. Refills are free but you have to serve yourself. Overall, this is really good food. We will be back.
Save your money! High prices for the kind of food you’re getting. I am usually one to leave good reviews but I had to comment on this place. The kitchen was backed up on a Sunday when there were only 3 tables seated in the whole place. And when the food finally did come, the red sauce was so watery-not flavorful at all! It was a big turn off to a point where we couldn’t finish our meal. Their ziti is just ok for the price they charge. I’m sorry to say, but not impressed at all. We will keep going to Fresco in Dr. Phillips or Winter Garden Pizza. Will not be returning!
My pizza took so long it wasn’t funny and it was mediocre… Her chicken meal was excellent but the asparagus was not to her but seemed ok to me.
My sister and I decided to have dinner at Cariera’s Italian Eatery last Friday while visiting Winter Garden, Fl. The restaurant was completely full of happy patrons. The atmosphere is casual dining. We had to wait to be seated and through some miscommunication, we didn’t understand the ordering protocol. We were seated and waited at least 40 minutes for our order to be taken. When we finally asked why it was taking so long, we were told that WE needed to place our order at the register after being seated and perusing their menu. My sister went to the register to place our order and in less than 5 minutes, the owner, Tommy, brought 2 plates of food to our table. He said no one goes hungry in his restaurant and was sorry for the confusion, dinner was complimentary., We have never been treated with such excellent customer service. Now to discuss the food. Wow! This was surely two of the best plates of Italian cuisine I have ever had. Perfectly seasoned chicken piccata plus a dish of chicken Alfredo and 4 fresh-baked garlicy crusty dinner rolls. Yum! Thank you owner, Tommy, for a great meal and a great memory!
Phenomenal meal and service! The chicken parmesan and fettuccine Alfredo is one of the best in central Florida! I am so glad I stopped!
we tried this place and i can tell you we won't be back first you have to pay for what you want to eat then they want you to add the tip for the service first before you get the service and the meal was expensive also we had spaghetti and meat balls and they give you a hard roll and 2 drinks and they never came back and asked how we were doing and they charged almost $39.00 for this well we can go to olive garden and get the same meal plus all the salad and bread sticks you want for a total of $34.00 so in my eyes olive garden is a better meal and it even taste better and the service is better too.
Restaurantji Recommends
I go to Cariera's Fresh Italian about once a month. The menu is large and varied, and everything is prepared fresh. The food quality is great, and the staff friendly. This is a great restaurant for a casual meal -- you order at a counter, and then a server brings it to your table.
My wife and I had a fantastic lunch at Cariera’s . We had the white cacciatore and the Cariera , both were excellent with Great flavors and freshly cooked. The owner and chef takes a lot of pride in the food he serves and that shows in many details such as the high quality mushrooms In our food. He came to our table to make sure our dishes were to our satisfaction. We had the limoncello cake for dessert and it was the perfect ending , full of flavor but but not overpowering. We will definitely be back to this gem of restaurant.
Unique casual dining experience; you order first at the counter, pay and they deliver your food to your table. Drinks are free refills. Owner was extremely personable and asked about our meals. Very genuine and pleasant. We had the following: Apps: arancine were massive (2 per serving) enough for 3. Tasty and sauce was like a bolognese. Very good. Small antipasto was ok, mozzarella and meats were good. Entrees: chicken Carierà was excellent and massive. Pasta was cooked to perfection, al dente. It came with two large fried chicken cutlets, outstanding! Pasta vodka was ok, lacked some seasoning. Chicken cacciatore was also very good. Service was spot on. Good option if you’re looking for casual Italian.
We stopped in for a late lunch and only a few tables were full. We ordered at the counter and found a table. The lunch entrees we chose were the spaghetti and meatballs and the italian beef sandwich. Both were served hot and delicious. The family that owns the restaurant is very friendly and asked how we liked everything. Then we got a cannoli and a slice of cannoli cake to go. Both were so good. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and is very clean. We will definitely eat here again.
Four of us enjoyed a delicious lunch on a rainy day in front of the fireplace. It was such a pleasant and enjoyable meal, with excellent service and some of my very favorite Italian food. All our fish and pasta dishes were outstanding as was the scrumptious bread. The owner is friendly and nice to talk with. Everything was great.