Cristina and Keith are the most caring and authentic people, and we could not be luckier to have their incredible Italian cuisine in Cape Charles! Delicious charcuterie and cheese boards, pastas, and the BEST tiramisu ever! Always the best night when we come here.
Cristina does it again! We came here for my husband's birthday and couldn't decide so ended up with 3 entrees! It wasn't a bad choice. The flounder was perfect- delicate with a perfectly crisp exterior. The fettuccine was rich and to die for! Had a little pappardelle on the side and it was perfectly balanced with the beef and leeks. Wrapped up with chocolate panettone! Highly recommend!!
Casey Kasko
The perfect dining experience in Cape Charles! We recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary by dining here. It was reminiscent of our honeymoon in Italy. So authentic and delicious. Everything was beautifully presented and so tasty. With limited selections, they really focus on making the food perfect. We got the meat, cheese and veggie board to start. The marinated tomatoes were a favorite along with the homemade pesto! For the entrees we both got the fettuccini ragu, served like in Italy by being slightly Al dente. Then for dessert we ordered the caramel tiramisu. Incredible. We’ll be thinking about this meal for a long time! Thank you for making us feel so special on our anniversary with limoncello too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fresh Pasta, Charcuterie
torn757
Wonderful, stopped in for a cappuccino and tiramasu. Absolutely lovely experience! I look forward to coming back for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu with Chocolate and Pistachio
Jules Vawter
We loved it so much that we went 2 nights in a row! Where do I begin? Christine made us feel special from the minute we arrived. The wine flights were a touch of brilliance. I got the red wine flight and my sister got the white. We both enjoyed the selections. The food is definitely pricey, but you are getting 5-star individual courses that rival any big city celebrity chef dishes. My personal favorite was the butternut ravioli, but everything was delicious! The scallops were also YUM x 100.The space is small and intimate with personal attention to each table. Reservations required. Snag your table because you will NOT find a better dining experience in the area. Trust me. The 2 meals we had here were the highlight of our vacation. I can't wait to return. I see a tradition in the making.Vegetarian options: Veg options and staff will accommodateDietary restrictions: I requested to skip the cheese on my salad. No problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fresh Pasta, Scallops
Patti J.
The food and wine (and Prosecco!) Are excellent! And the service is amazing. This little cafe really provides a culinary experience in a small town!
Lauren G.
Food was delicious but very Overpriced for what you are receiving. $32 for 3 scallops on a plate with sauce - no sides at all. 45 minutes between our pasta course and seafood - no apologies from the staff nor complimentary dessert, etc. they also charge you $21 for reservations for two but not deducted from the overall check as many other restaurants do. Needless to say we won't be back.
Ryan H.
This cozy little restaurant in Cape Charles is a must stop at. We made reservations for dinner on a Saturday night and are glad we did. We started out with the Salumi meat board which was excellent, then my wife had the Ravioli stuffed with Chicken and I had the Fettuccine with weygu beef. It was literally one of the best pastas I've had in years. We ended the evening with Terimisu and some wine. Christina was an excellent host and can not recommend this place enough.
Pam W.
I booked dinner and a lunch here when my husband and I came for a long weekend. This is a small cafe ran buy a former oceanographer who decided to stay in Cape Charles. She was nice but they had only three people working so we're turning away people if they didn't have a reservation. I could tell she was burnt out from the summer and in need of a break. For the dinner, I got burrata and my husband ordered a fig an prosciutto special. The figs were raw with a slice of prosciutto put into each one. The burrata was as expected. We also got wine flights, which was nice. The owner's boyfriend was helping and came outside where we were sitting to explain the wine. For our entrees we got scallops, which were great but didn't come with a side, so it was just three scallops with the sauce on a plate. Just be aware the portions are small. My husband ordered a branding special, and again just fish on a plate with nothing else. The next day we came back for lunch and we each got a sandwich and we shared a bottle of white wine. I also got some hot Assam tea. This place has so much potential and they just need to staff up and consider what they should serve with the mains. My husband and I also ate at Hook at Harvey's and for the same price got a main with sides, a much better value.
John Capets
I think this is probably the best restaurant in Cape Chuck. Reservations are a must as there are very few tables. The food was well prepared and the service was excellent and attentive.
Ambrogia is one of the highlights of Cape Charles - Cristina and her team make every meal special. We always leave happy and full. Don't miss the boards!
Faye C.
Came for brunch to avoid a wait at the breakfast spot we were going to go to. So glad we did. Amazing food and coffee. The focaccia bread is amazing and the side salads were so light and delicious. Welcoming staff. Authentic Italian food.
Jimmy Vo
Visited the weekend before the Cape Charles Labor Day rush. Cafe + restaurant is unapologetically Italian/European. We arrived in the AM before brunch hours (which starts at 10AM) and sat for cappuccinos. Once brunch was served we ordered the flatbread and focaccia pizza (pictured). Both were very tasty. The flatbread has speck as a topping which called back to visits to Northern Italy where this is common. The focaccia pizza was crispy on the outside, airy inside, and perfectly chewy and flavorful. Service was friendly and I believe the owner herself is an Italian-American. Overall recommended if you enjoy having a slice of Italy during your visit to Cape Charles’ shores.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Focaccia
Victoria Rossi
Small 7 table restaurant with the best southern Italian food I’ve ever had. Absolutely a five star experience. Food was fresh and delicious. It’s a weekly rotating menu with local ingredients and set up traditional Italian course style. Portions of the main course were elegantly presented and the perfect size. We had the scallops and flounder mains.(Excuse the forkful missing from the flounder).Christine, the owner, maintains a superb wine list! We didn’t try dessert but will definitely be back to Cape Charles just for Ambrogia!
Calabria Cal
If I could give this a million stars I would. I had one of the best meals of my life here this past week. I know that people go to Cape Charles to eat seafood, and they may overlook this incredible gem, so I want to make sure everyone knows how absolutely exceptional this restaurant is.First of all, the service was excellent. The knowledge of wine, the food, the preparation was described in perfect detail, both in the menu and in person by the servers.I love the fact that the menu is small, reflecting that the chef cooks everything from scratch and uses local ingredients. You are in the hands of the chef, and trust me you will not be disappointed.I wanted to order the entire menu but I kept it simple. I ordered the olives, the cheese tray and the meat tray, and oh my, was I impressed! Olives were the best I've had outside of Italy, the meats included a truffle salami and proper mortadella with pistachios! The cheeses were stunning, including one with ash and black truffle. Then the crostini appetizer was executed with perfection. Gorgonzola, local honey, bee pollen, on perfectly hand cut and toasted delicate bread. It was so complex yet simple . . I wanted to weep when I ate it.I ordered the branzino, which was pan seared with black garlic and truffle. It came with the most beautiful sauteed zucchini. I literally could have sat there and eaten that for hours.I got the flight of red and white wines, which did not disappoint!Ended with the chocolate pistachio tiramisu which was truly one of a kind. It melted in your mouth at the same time had the consistency of a beautiful cloud. It was airy, barely sweet, and had essence of cocoa and pistachio throughout.I want to also add that this restaurant is exceptional not just for Cape Charles but for the country. I was in the restaurant business in the San Francisco Bay area for decades, my family is still in it. I've traveled all over the world and this was one of the most phenomenal meals I've ever had. I also really appreciate the fact that they let you sit and eat and savor the food. I ate at a couple of other restaurants in the area the same week and was rushed. This restaurant lets you sit and enjoy every single moment of what will be one of the most wonderful meals you will ever have. I cannot rave enough.Wishing this restaurant the absolute best, and national recognition! I will drive hours again to eat another meal here!
Cristina and Keith are the most caring and authentic people, and we could not be luckier to have their incredible Italian cuisine in Cape Charles! Delicious charcuterie and cheese boards, pastas, and the BEST tiramisu ever! Always the best night when we come here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fresh Pasta, Charcuterie, Tiramisù, Salted Caramel Tiramisu
Cristina does it again! We came here for my husband's birthday and couldn't decide so ended up with 3 entrees! It wasn't a bad choice. The flounder was perfect- delicate with a perfectly crisp exterior. The fettuccine was rich and to die for! Had a little pappardelle on the side and it was perfectly balanced with the beef and leeks. Wrapped up with chocolate panettone! Highly recommend!!
The perfect dining experience in Cape Charles! We recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary by dining here. It was reminiscent of our honeymoon in Italy. So authentic and delicious. Everything was beautifully presented and so tasty. With limited selections, they really focus on making the food perfect. We got the meat, cheese and veggie board to start. The marinated tomatoes were a favorite along with the homemade pesto! For the entrees we both got the fettuccini ragu, served like in Italy by being slightly Al dente. Then for dessert we ordered the caramel tiramisu. Incredible. We’ll be thinking about this meal for a long time! Thank you for making us feel so special on our anniversary with limoncello too!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fresh Pasta, Charcuterie
Wonderful, stopped in for a cappuccino and tiramasu. Absolutely lovely experience! I look forward to coming back for dinner.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu with Chocolate and Pistachio
We loved it so much that we went 2 nights in a row! Where do I begin? Christine made us feel special from the minute we arrived. The wine flights were a touch of brilliance. I got the red wine flight and my sister got the white. We both enjoyed the selections. The food is definitely pricey, but you are getting 5-star individual courses that rival any big city celebrity chef dishes. My personal favorite was the butternut ravioli, but everything was delicious! The scallops were also YUM x 100.The space is small and intimate with personal attention to each table. Reservations required. Snag your table because you will NOT find a better dining experience in the area. Trust me. The 2 meals we had here were the highlight of our vacation. I can't wait to return. I see a tradition in the making.Vegetarian options: Veg options and staff will accommodateDietary restrictions: I requested to skip the cheese on my salad. No problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fresh Pasta, Scallops
The food and wine (and Prosecco!) Are excellent! And the service is amazing. This little cafe really provides a culinary experience in a small town!
Food was delicious but very Overpriced for what you are receiving. $32 for 3 scallops on a plate with sauce - no sides at all. 45 minutes between our pasta course and seafood - no apologies from the staff nor complimentary dessert, etc. they also charge you $21 for reservations for two but not deducted from the overall check as many other restaurants do. Needless to say we won't be back.
This cozy little restaurant in Cape Charles is a must stop at. We made reservations for dinner on a Saturday night and are glad we did. We started out with the Salumi meat board which was excellent, then my wife had the Ravioli stuffed with Chicken and I had the Fettuccine with weygu beef. It was literally one of the best pastas I've had in years. We ended the evening with Terimisu and some wine. Christina was an excellent host and can not recommend this place enough.
I booked dinner and a lunch here when my husband and I came for a long weekend. This is a small cafe ran buy a former oceanographer who decided to stay in Cape Charles. She was nice but they had only three people working so we're turning away people if they didn't have a reservation. I could tell she was burnt out from the summer and in need of a break. For the dinner, I got burrata and my husband ordered a fig an prosciutto special. The figs were raw with a slice of prosciutto put into each one. The burrata was as expected. We also got wine flights, which was nice. The owner's boyfriend was helping and came outside where we were sitting to explain the wine. For our entrees we got scallops, which were great but didn't come with a side, so it was just three scallops with the sauce on a plate. Just be aware the portions are small. My husband ordered a branding special, and again just fish on a plate with nothing else. The next day we came back for lunch and we each got a sandwich and we shared a bottle of white wine. I also got some hot Assam tea. This place has so much potential and they just need to staff up and consider what they should serve with the mains. My husband and I also ate at Hook at Harvey's and for the same price got a main with sides, a much better value.
I think this is probably the best restaurant in Cape Chuck. Reservations are a must as there are very few tables. The food was well prepared and the service was excellent and attentive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
Restaurantji Recommends
Ambrogia is one of the highlights of Cape Charles - Cristina and her team make every meal special. We always leave happy and full. Don't miss the boards!
Came for brunch to avoid a wait at the breakfast spot we were going to go to. So glad we did. Amazing food and coffee. The focaccia bread is amazing and the side salads were so light and delicious. Welcoming staff. Authentic Italian food.
Visited the weekend before the Cape Charles Labor Day rush. Cafe + restaurant is unapologetically Italian/European. We arrived in the AM before brunch hours (which starts at 10AM) and sat for cappuccinos. Once brunch was served we ordered the flatbread and focaccia pizza (pictured). Both were very tasty. The flatbread has speck as a topping which called back to visits to Northern Italy where this is common. The focaccia pizza was crispy on the outside, airy inside, and perfectly chewy and flavorful. Service was friendly and I believe the owner herself is an Italian-American. Overall recommended if you enjoy having a slice of Italy during your visit to Cape Charles’ shores.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Focaccia
Small 7 table restaurant with the best southern Italian food I’ve ever had. Absolutely a five star experience. Food was fresh and delicious. It’s a weekly rotating menu with local ingredients and set up traditional Italian course style. Portions of the main course were elegantly presented and the perfect size. We had the scallops and flounder mains.(Excuse the forkful missing from the flounder).Christine, the owner, maintains a superb wine list! We didn’t try dessert but will definitely be back to Cape Charles just for Ambrogia!
If I could give this a million stars I would. I had one of the best meals of my life here this past week. I know that people go to Cape Charles to eat seafood, and they may overlook this incredible gem, so I want to make sure everyone knows how absolutely exceptional this restaurant is.First of all, the service was excellent. The knowledge of wine, the food, the preparation was described in perfect detail, both in the menu and in person by the servers.I love the fact that the menu is small, reflecting that the chef cooks everything from scratch and uses local ingredients. You are in the hands of the chef, and trust me you will not be disappointed.I wanted to order the entire menu but I kept it simple. I ordered the olives, the cheese tray and the meat tray, and oh my, was I impressed! Olives were the best I've had outside of Italy, the meats included a truffle salami and proper mortadella with pistachios! The cheeses were stunning, including one with ash and black truffle. Then the crostini appetizer was executed with perfection. Gorgonzola, local honey, bee pollen, on perfectly hand cut and toasted delicate bread. It was so complex yet simple . . I wanted to weep when I ate it.I ordered the branzino, which was pan seared with black garlic and truffle. It came with the most beautiful sauteed zucchini. I literally could have sat there and eaten that for hours.I got the flight of red and white wines, which did not disappoint!Ended with the chocolate pistachio tiramisu which was truly one of a kind. It melted in your mouth at the same time had the consistency of a beautiful cloud. It was airy, barely sweet, and had essence of cocoa and pistachio throughout.I want to also add that this restaurant is exceptional not just for Cape Charles but for the country. I was in the restaurant business in the San Francisco Bay area for decades, my family is still in it. I've traveled all over the world and this was one of the most phenomenal meals I've ever had. I also really appreciate the fact that they let you sit and eat and savor the food. I ate at a couple of other restaurants in the area the same week and was rushed. This restaurant lets you sit and enjoy every single moment of what will be one of the most wonderful meals you will ever have. I cannot rave enough.Wishing this restaurant the absolute best, and national recognition! I will drive hours again to eat another meal here!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5