250 King George Rd, Brantford, ON N3R 5L5, Canada
Ample plates of pasta & other Italian fare are served at this enduring eatery with a trellis patio.
Many times per year my friends and I get together for dinners, and I should add, we have been friends for close to 60 years. Last Thursday evening we got together for our Christmas celebration. There were 9 of us ladies and the food was great, but our service was exceptional! Laura was our server, and ensured that we felt special. She took the time to even do a video for us to sing Happy Birthday to our friend who could not be with us! She is a special lady and hoping she will be our server the next time we come in, and we will be back! The only complaint we had was the ladies bathroom door. Too hard to open as it is very heavy.
Had an amazing dining experience! The food was top-notch, bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. Special shoutout to our waitress, Erica, who was attentive, friendly, and made the meal even better with her excellent service. Highly recommend this place for both the quality of the food and the exceptional staff!
We had a delightful dinner here last night. The atmosphere and food were equally exceptional. One of my all-time favorite pizzas, the potato bacon pizza (pictured here), is a must-try! The service was attentive and went above and beyond. Highly recommend!
Had a fantastic meal here tonight. Everything was on point. Was happy to see a steak and pasta dish, as well as homemade pasta on their menu. I thoroughly enjoyed my appetizers (bacon wrapped scallops and escargot), and my gfs Mussels were very good (she loves them, I always try them and generally am just not into mussels from anywhere. I found these ones very tastey tbh). The steak on my pasta was slightly overdone, but otherwise, everything was perfect! My gf had the shrimp scampi pasta, and it was excellent as well, with a nice portion of shrimp in it. Place was pretty busy, but we didn't wait very long for anything and the waitress was friendly and helpful. Will definitely eat here again.
it's a slice of perfection. From the moment you step in, the aroma of freshly baked crust tantalizes your senses. Each bite is a symphony of flavors, with perfectly balanced sauce, cheese, and toppings. The atmosphere is cozy, inviting you to linger over another slice or two. And the service is great. In short, it's the kind of place that keeps you coming back for more, making every visit feel like a delicious adventure. This pizza 🍕 is unreal and fresh.
We just had our Valentine's Dinner and we had an amazing time.. Our server Laura was lovely, checked in on us regularly and had our food in a timely manner even though I know on a day like today it would be really busy.. Props to the kitchen as the food were really yummy.. My husband ordered the steak and I had the salmon wellington.. We also had carrot cake and turtles cheesecake for dessert.. Pleasant experience and will definitely come back.. Decor needs updating but that doesn't take away from our beautiful dinner..
Great atmosphere, quality service, delicious food. This resteraunt is exceptional but not quite 5 star. Started off with al dentes own home brewed beer/ lager which was nice, notes of citrus with a clean crisp finish. We ordered steaks with seasonal veggies and potatoes, and rice. Steak was a good cut and cooked just right for our liking. Veggies were fresh and not to mushy or firm, however no seasoning. Potatoes were decent but again lacked seasoning. Arancini was very delicious and perhaps the highlight of the meal for me. Great texture and flavor combination. If I wasn't so full I would have ordered two. Ceaser Salad was quite bitter for my liking. The presentaion/plating was very well done. Price vs food portion in my opinion is economical. Well priced for what you get. I left happy and full and that's all that matters. It is a compact menu that I felt could have a few more options however what is on the menu is well thought out and prepared. I felt the flavor profile could be a bit more colorful and perhaps some gnocchi on the menu would be a nice touch. However I still enjoyed my overall experience and wouldn't be opposed to a return visit.
The patio we definitely wouldn’t sit under. All those vines growing everywhere, you’d have bugs and spiders. The cutlery looked like dollar store stuff. The glasses old etched, looked dirty. My pasta was terrible, the noodles too thick and hard. Had the chicken dish there was a pile of oil in the bottom. My husbands hamburger had to be sent back it was raw inside. Tried it twice. Won’t be going back. Inside needs some updating. Never see cars or people going in.
The food was outstanding with large portions. Well worth the money. Our waitress Joely was very welcoming and very helpful. Be back soon!!
I especially went in for the Thai Chicken Penne which was my favourite dish when I lived in Brantford 20 yrs ago. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment from the old version. Skimpy on the chicken, sauce was too runny and hardly a spicy kick, minimal mushrooms and not sure where the peanuts went, which was best part?! I dine out a lot so easy for me to compare to other establishments. When you are having Italian, it s always nice to have grated Parmesan and chilies brought to the table and not have to request it. Our server was very pleasant but felt she had too many tables to wait on herself. Sorry .I do prefer to give good reviews.
This is a great Italian restaurant with huge portions! We always end up with leftovers. They use to host wine tours but since the pandemic, the wineries charge too much money for tastings. Thats unfortunate but no fault of Al Dente. We have enjoyed the Caesar salad, Linguini with vegetable Primavera, Chicken Fettuccini, Thai Chicken Penne, New York Striploin Steak, and Buffalo Chicken pizza. The service is good and the staff are polite and friendly. We come one or two times a year and sometimes order take-out. The restaurant could use some updating but overall the have good prices with large portions compared to other restaurants in the area. We will continue to come back.
Excellent Pizza. Service was also excellent. The wait staff are very good.
Starter free bread and marinara sauce is amazing. Arancini balls were good. Nice drinks. Pasta was great but not out of this world. Definitely a good time on a Friday night. Staff were exceptional. Food
We went for the first time last night. You serve fresh pasta but frozen vegetables with it. The service was awful we were not served water or the bread and by the time we left we were there for two and half hours. My friend got the Mediterranean dinner and it was caked in oil looked like a soup with huge pieces of green pepper in it. Your server should at least tie up her hair to make herself more presentable. The deserts were good but not impressed with anything else. We went to scaddabush last week and you might wanna go there to learn how a Italian fine dining is and how good their staff is.
The service was terrible! We had to ask for water, more wine and bread. We asked for the bill 4 times and waited about half an hour before we got it. I would never go there again.
Can never get anyone on the phone literally ever.
Oh the disappointment, total fail on all fronts. Looks Italian from the outside, in side was let s be nice and say not quaint. Both meals we ordered had Zero flavour, I could not eat mine as I m not a fan of mussels in luck warm water. Oh, large portions of bad tasting food. Sorry but I know good Italian food.
Amazing place!
My favourite place for Lasaugna. All entries and desserts are made from scratch.
The food was ok. Not great. Presentation lacked. Maybe they were short staffed but we felt forgotten through the evening. No asking if we needed more water, how the food was, checking in. The best thing about this place was at least we didn t leave hungry. Would give it 2.5 out of 5 if I could.
Made a reservation a month prior to the date specifically to hear the music that was booked to play so I asked for a table for two about halfway through the patio part of the restaurant so we could be somewhat close to the music. The day of, it occurred to me that I didn t get a reminder text as many places send. So I got a bad feeling and called the restaurant. Sure enough they didn t have my reservation. I said well I have the phone record showing where I called and you called me back the next day. They said they maybe could squeeze me inside, I said not good enough. I specifically made my reservation early to get a table where I wanted so make it happen. They said they would. We get there and we have to wait at the bar until our table is ready. We were on time. We went to sit at a table in the bar area and we re told to move by staff as it was reserved. No one sat at it for 15 minutes. After that 15 minutes we were shown to our table on the patio at the very back. Far away from the music and one of us had to sit with our back to the musicians which sucked. Our orders weren t taken for an hour after we had sat down. At that point the waitress said she d bring bread. And an hour after that our food was brought out at the same time as the table who was seated a half hour after us. Our order wasn t complicated. At that point I asked the waitress for that bread that had been promised to us. They don t even carry Sauvignon Blanc. ???? They restaurant was very busy and our waitress said they were understaffed that evening. They were overwhelmed and couldn t handle the people they had. They seemed behind with everyone. The food was good, but not great, not special at all. You can get the same thing anywhere. Needless to say after that experience I dont t like the place and can t figure out why it s so busy. Brantford definitely needs more places to eat. The customer service sucks and I think the owners feel like as long as they re busy on a Fri night they don t have to worry about what their customers think. They didn t seem to care about my situation. Also, when they re so behind and making the young kid deal with the giant and increasingly irritated line up at the door of others who made reservations but we re made to wait also speaks volumes that they also do t care much about their staff either. I felt so sorry for the guy. He looked like a deer in the headlights. A friend has convinced me to try it on a week night sometime, so I may but I ll avoid Fri and Sat night Al Dente in the future.
Great venue for jazz!
We were here for the last jazz night and it was pretty busy and we enjoyed the music. I ordered the salmon to share with my husband as it was too much for me alone. The salmon was dry otherwise it would have tasted great. My husband had the fettucine alfredo which came with it and I had the vegetables which tasted quite fresh. My opinion of the atmosphere is low because this place is in bad need of a renovation. We were seated at a very small booth on the patio that is supposed to seat 4 small people and it was very uncomfortable. I asked to switch to another table and the lady was quite stubborn and wouldnt let us move. The table that I asked for was for 4 people, and they only seated 2 people there. It would have been better for them to seat us there instead of the small booth. The restaurant itself seems to do quite well business wise, so not sure why the owners dont spruce it up a bit and make it a lot nicer and cleaner (it looks dirty now). I could unfortunately, smell bleach smell coming from the kitchen each time the door behind me swung open. In other words, this place could do a lot better if it looked nicer. I dont think well be going back.
Very pleasant, professional, great food
amazing! Can t wait to come back from Hamilton
On Sept 4th, my two sisters and I had dinner at Al Dante s. We sat out on the patio. The fairy lights, and decore did not disappoint. The food was exceptional, the service was beyond that. We really enjoyed ourselves. Food
Love it. Ray runs a tight ship!
Would have liked to have eaten here last night but waited for 10-15 mins by the Wait to be seated sign without anyone acknowledging us, even through the bartender saw us and a server walked by. My guess is we were not dressed up as much as everyone else, as we were on the road traveling, and they were just hoping for us to leave, which we eventually did.
As soon as we walked through the door we were greeted by the staff with smiles and hellos. We were immediately taken to our table in the wine bar as requested. We started with red wine as we waited for THE MOST AWESOME Ceasar salad. So garlicky and tasty!!! Hubby had the chicken parmesan (as usual) and I had the tortellini with spicy rosé sauce. Delicious!!! We finished with a piece of house made carrot cake ( one piece, two forks) that was oh so yummy. Sorry no pictures, I forgot and when I realized it, it was too late. The service was excellent and we highly recommend Al Dente as your next dining destination.
The more my family and I went to this restaurant , the more un-welcomed we felt. This restaurant used to be our place of choice to dine out. In spite of the years of our loyalty, the staff and the owners never once acknowledged ever meeting us. However, I ve witnessed other customers getting the royal greeting of Nice to see you again ! There were times when we dined there at least once a week. Not once did we receive a welcoming greeting acknowledging our return. My family is kind and respectful to those in the service industry. My Father is extremely generous when it comes to tipping. Our family always conduct ourselves in a respectful manner (as we do on all our worldly travels) There was no reason for this establishment to treat us with such disrespect. Eventually, we realized that our kind was not welcome at Al Dente. In closing, if you are a person of colour, please, please don t waste your time, loyalty or money at Al Dente. You re not wanted or welcome there.
5 of us went for dinner last night. As usual everything was perfection from the hostess to the wonderful woman who served us. Have been here many times. Favourite Italian in Brantford.
I ve experienced pretty much every restaurant in the Brantford area. Al Dente is the best. It s not even close. Thanks for taking care of us when we were back in Ontario for a family/friends visit. We had a wonderful dining experience as usual.
Had a specialty pizza which was great. Service was spot on. Lots of parking. Definitely return. Food : 5/5
Very popular, so definitely get a reservation. Every time I go the food doesn t disappoint. The menu has many options and great for people with allergies.
We went for the live jazz on the patio. The patio is very nice, the jazz was amazing and our waitress Erica was the sweetest. 100% recommend this restaraunt!
Wait staff were very friendly and accommodating to our gluten free needs. Food was excellent and reasonably priced. They should advertise the gluten free menu options on their dine in menu. Dietary restrictions: Gluten friendly available.
Amazing service! Great food! Felt like I was in Italy would definitely recommend
A long time Brantford institution. Best food and staff around.
Im giving it five stars even though I sent back my calamari, because the rest of the food was perfect and the service was great! Replaced it with an excellent Caesar salad without any fuss. My Buffalo chicken pizza was great, and it came with the best blue cheese dip Ive ever had.
First time dining in. Great food, large portions, reasonable prices.
Food took almost 1h, we had to ask for drinks several times before it arrive. My stake came cold.
It s the best restaurant in Brantford! My family and I loved the food; we were also very well assisted, everyone was so kind. Music, light, the whole atmosphere embraces us!
Not the cheapest place to dine but certainly in line with the quality and taste of the food, nice place and great food
One of my favourite restaurants in Brantford. ALWAYS a great experience!!
The people rating this restaurant 5 stars must have low or no standards for italian food. Traditional bruschetta does not come in the form of a pizza. Nevertheless, we tried to pull a slice and everything fell off, so we had to reconstruct our own bruschetta pizza to eat it. The pasta has no flavor. Except for black pepper so they might as well just call it black pepper pasta. Our waiter was not attentive with us at all. He did not once come ask if everything was OK or if we needed anything and above that, he forgot to bring us one of our appetizers which he didn t realize until we asked for the bill. The restaurant wasn t busy so I wouldn t even extend that as an excuse. Simple fact of the matter is, you couldn t pay us to come eat here ever again.
Service worst ever. First time customer. Both appetizer I had cool to the touch. My pizza no flavor and cool they took it back shoved in oven which made crust even harder. As we stacked our dishes waiters would walk by 4 , 5 times never take them till I said could you take theses please. Over all worst dinner ever and would never recommend them.
Staff were friendly, waiter was able to get 6 peoples orders correct without writing them down, which I bet he would mess our order up, that was a bet Im happy to lose... the pasta is always made fresh, but seemed like everyones dish had either too much of say, garlic or mushrooms, etc. But there was plenty of food for left overs, and again not bad, just ok for Italian...
Went with a group for dinner. We ordered some appetizers and main entrees. The food was well made, came out hot. Overall it was very enjoyable, I would come here again
The food is amazing here, homemade Italian. Need a reservation as they are busy. Could use a couple more waitresses.
Excellent restaurant
The experience was decent. Nice waitress and atmosphere but many other things were pretty disappointing. Tables were sticky to the point where our glasses and plates stuck to the table. Also, most of the food we ordered was worse than pasta served any other restaurant. To be honest, I think I could make tastier pasta at home than this place and even somewhere like East side Mario s would make better tasting pasta. We were even considering asking for a refund because it was not worth the money spent. Surprised so many people like this restaurant. Maybe it s because of what we ordered.
My friends and I had a reservation there on New years eve for 6:30pm. We arrived a few minutes before that and had to wait about 50 minutes before being seated at our table. After being seated, we had to wait an extra 15 to 20 minutes for our orders to be taken. When I received my pasta, it was lukewarm and no one have come to check on us throughout the dinner unless they had to bring us more food. The appetizers we had tasted good, but the pasta dishes were less tasty. It was not a pleasant experience at all. I understand that it was very busy, but making everyone wait almost an hour even though it seems like they also had reservations is unacceptable.
We had dinner here tonight. My first impression was that the restaurant is a little tired, with scratched tables and worn menus. The service was pleasant if a little slow (but then again, so we re we and they were patient). The food was delicious, from the in house made bread with marinara dipping sauce, to the pasta (I had the primavera with garlic white wine sauce). The portions are big and we all took home leftovers for lunches. We did not leave room for dessert. Our reservation was early which was good because we did not have to sit near the entrance (there are two tables right by the front door) and there was a lineup by the time we were paying our bill. The atmosphere was lively. I was pleasantly surprised and I d definitely eat here again.
Visited for a Christmas dinner with a friend. I would say it was average but not fantastic. Service was great, portions are generous and the arincini was delicious! The main course, not so much. I would call their version of Italian food quite americanised and not what would I would consider authentic.The pasta for the lasagna was over done and too soft; there was way too much sauce and very little meat or cheese. The sauce overwhelmed the dish and made it difficult to recognize as lasagna. All I could taste was the sauce. I also had meatballs on the side. While sort of tasty, they were definitely rubbery. Not sure I would go out of my way to visit again.
First time going. Enjoyed everything.
My wife and I decided to order take-out from Al Dente, and selected their Family Style Combo. She chose the Salmon Florentine with Alfredo sauce and fresh linguine. I chose the Chicken Parmigiana with zesty tomato sauce on spaghetti and sautéed vegetables. We both really enjoyed our selections, but upon sampling each others choice, agreed the two dishes were great choices. The telephone order call was met with a friendly helpful voice, and at pickup we also were please with the friendly, efficient service. The food was well packaged, and even with a 20 minute drive home, stayed warm. A great way to have a romantic, delicious meal at home. We enjoyed our own wine choice :). Parking: Excellent no charge parking, very close to entrance
Had a reservation but still had a long wait.
Server was very gracious . A few items not available on the menu.
We had been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time & finally did. It was a bit disappointing though. First off, our server was lovely and friendly. The food was mediocre though. My spouse had the chicken fettuccini & it was really tasteless. No flavour. I had the shrimp with linguine on rose sauce. It was tastier but still not that great. We dont think wed return again.
Food was fantastic, as always. Such a great little gem here in Brantford. Recommend the bruschetta and any of the in house made fresh pasta.
Our go to place when we want a relax dinner with pleasant ambiance. Great food, nicely prepared to your liking and excellent quality and quality.
Food here is delicious and prepared how we asked for it. Service was prompt and very friendly. Very nice atmosphere, it was nice and quiet and we were in a group of eight. If you like Italian/ Mediterranean, you should come here if you are close.
Food and service were amazing, prices were not too expensive for what you get.
Delicious traditional Italian food Wheelchair accessibility: Yes , street level Food : 5/5 |
I took my mom for an early Mothers day dinner. Such a charming restaurant and delicious food. Portions were large. Service was spectacular. Most of the staff have been there for 10+ years we heard. Highly recommend.
Delicious and hearty meal. Great to hang out with family and friends.
Loved it, never been there before my daughter suggested it, and Im sure glad we went. From the service to the food, everything was great.
Arrived early in the evening and spent the next few hours enjoying wonderful food and warm, personable service from the wait-staff. Would highly recommend and will certainly return.
Amazing place to have some fresh pasta! Also for desert I highly recommend the cheese cake it is to die for !
Great food
We ve had a special anniversary dinner at the restaurant. The appetizer bread was raw and gummy. The seafood soup - locking sea food, texture of wallpaper paste. Alfredo pasta - soaked in sauce, taste only the black pepper. Thai chicken, sauce was very oily, cooked cubed chicken pieces in it, lacked of peanut or Parmesan cheese. Cheese burger oversized dry meatball on a Suggs bun and half cooked bacon with shriveled up boiled potatoes for a kid. ! Salmon over cooked, dry with raw vegetable. The service was very aged, missed some of the ordered items, drink were flat. Generally very slow in a not busy, half empty restaurant. The music was loud and torturing. The restaurant tables sticky, worn out, the menu s also worn out. We will not bother to visit again it was more than disappointing experience.
one of the best restaurant in Brantford.
I found the male server curt and rude. My friend was there not too long ago and he happened to serve the dessert and found him that way too.
Great service, decent prices, the cheesecake? Very tasty.
Had a wonderful meal. The service was great and the food was delicious. We will be back again for sure. Highly recommended.
Shrimp was cold fr app waitress hold drink while chatting with another table while they breath all over our drinks waitress very slow and chatting to People she know very terrible food service Food
Great service. Great staff. Great food. Highly recommend. Did not have too wait for anything.
Food was very good. Booked a reservation. They lost our reservation, sat outside love the patio. Service was okay.
Loved the atmosphere on the patio.
BEST RESTAURANT IN BRANTFORD! We had our Wedding lunch here a couple weeks ago and I must say it was one of the best experiences Ive had both culinary and service wise. We were greeted with professionalism and great quality food. The meals came out quickly and were hot and the tables were decorated beautifully and set to perfection. We are beyond happy with the results from our special day. Al Dente and their team never disappoint. We will continue to call them our favourite restaurant and recommend anyone who hasnt been to GO NOW and enjoy the peaceful ambiance, beautiful wine pairings and excellent customer service given by staff who are smiling and attentive to all customer needs. 10/10!!!! Vegetarian options: Almost everything on the menu can be ordered to accommodate a vegetarian diet.
We had such a great Anniversary dinner, food is amazing, service is excellent, great wine....Lauren our waitress was soooo good!! We will be back.
Pizza and arancini were A-1 in my books , would definitely recommend this place to anyone
Excellent lasagna superb service highly recommend. Warm and friendly atmosphere. Special thanks to our server. Your amazing
Been multiple times and have always had great meals. Amazing ambience too
This used to be one of the best restaurants in Brantford, but the quality of the food has gone downhill in the last few years. Maybe Ive come on bad days, but my last three visits were subpar, which is unfortunate because their food was stellar in the past. Despite this, the staff are wonderful and the atmosphere is tremendous. Speedy service, kind people and a nice place for an upscale casual dining experience.
love their pasta, hate their desserts.
If youre a wine person, this place is for you. Cheers!
The service here is friendly but slow. The food is a great size portion but is on the blans side.
Our first time here. Staff was friendly and the food was delicious! Our compliments to the chef.
Definitely the best Italian Restaurant in town! Chicken Parm is a solid 10/10 Vegetarian options: Plenty of options and the staff is more then willing to accomodate Food : 5/5 |
thats why Al Dente gets all these stars. going for years. lots of rotating beers on tap fair pricing on their limited wine selection GREAT patio!
2nd time here loved both times ...2 different experiences one with a close friend and 2nd 14 of us ...piping hot food great drinks and very nice staff...u should go Parking: Strip mall Kid-friendliness: Actual high chairs with table top not just a seat
The pizza was amazing. However, I ordered the steak and mushroom pasta specifically because I wanted the mushroom sauce. I was not told that they were out of mushrooms until they food was infront of me disappointed to say the least. Also took forever to get our food. The only reason we d consider going back is for the pizza. Otherwise, terrible experience!
Everything is fresh and homemade. So yummy
This was our first visit here. We enjoyed a great meal, with a group of twelve, for our annual business Christmas party. Excellent food and service! The live music was an added bonus. We will definitely be back!
Amazing food and service I love this place!
New to Brantford and this is a gem!!
Phenomenal fresh authentic food! Highly recommend
Great food!
Lovely staff and good food. Im always pleased when I order food from here.
Can be hit or miss. Trust me I wanted to put 5 stars because I have had great take out meals from Al Dente, however recently we also have had terrible meals. Such that the cook is not looking at what is being served to the customer, they are either too busy, do not care, or are sick and someone filled in or new to the role of cook and do not know the quality of food a customer expects compared to the massive disappointment they have recently served customers. Time for us to move on. Too bad as we have received fantastic customer service from the wait staff and excellent food in the past.
Got the medium Canadian pizza. I counted 4 thin slices of mushrooms, 7 pieces of pepperoni, and a pinch of crumbled bacon. Very disappointing for $19.99.
25 minutes wait beyond the scheduled pick-up time. Cant say whether this is typical - it was Valentines Day.
Good service and great food
Classy, and I wish I could eat a meal inside rather then take out, but due to COVID, I am not so lucky. I had a wonderful goat cheesed pizza, with an incredible Caesar salad, not to forget a the carrot cake.
I went here for my anniversary, we waited forever to be served as they where to busy socializing with other people that they knew. The food took over an hour to come out and was cold. We asked for the bill twice and had to wait for 25 minutes. It might be because of how young we look. But we will not be returning. And making sure are friends don t make the same mistake of going there !!
What took me so long!?? What a gem. Menu is very appealing for all diversities. Laura, our server was very welcoming and helpful with wine suggestions. This restaurant has a very good vibe !! I will be back and soon !!!
Always friendly service and delicious food. Their Ceaser salad is OMG for Oh my Garlic! A must try. Also. Gourmet Pizza at reasonable cost also a must try.
Excellent food. Take out and it was still amazing.
always great food and customer service! the thai chicken penne is amazing!
The experience started wonderfully, but quickly deteriorated. The server seemed more interested in visiting another table than serving their tables. Having to wait more than 10 minutes for a soft drink refill in a near-empty restaurant is inexplicable. Unfortunately, the food did not make up for the poor service
I decided to have dinner as a fam tonight and what better place to go then Al Dentes. Here is the breakdown: Ambience: This place has such a warm and cozy atmosphere. This place is full of the beautiful smells of all the dishes. There is indoor and outdoor dining available. Its a hidden treasure. They also had a t rex with a scarf on the bar which totally earned extra cool points Staff: The staff are warm and welcoming from the time you walk through the door to the service at the table to when you leave the restaurant. Super friendly, and responsive to your needs. They check in regularly and make sure you have everything that you need. Food: They start off by bringing a big and beautiful piece of bread to the table served with a freshly made marinara sauce. You can definitely taste the difference when its fresh. Then we got beautful pasta. I got the cheese tortellini in the spicy vodka and tomato sauce. The pasta was fresh and delicious. The sauce was full of flavor without being too spicy. The portions are huge and I took half home for another day. I would highly recommend coming in for one of their signature pastas as they are homey, delicious, filling and satifying. Drinks: They had a variety of wine, craft beers, regular beers, ciders and cocktails. There are also dessert coffees available. There is something for everyone. I tried the cider which was sweet and not dry which is the way I like it. I followed that with a Corona with lime for good measure. All in all this place is a gem of our community when it comes to Italian fare. I would highly recommend that others go and give their support to this local treasure.
Visited on Mother s Day and our reserved table was quickly made available. The server was friendly and the menu had many choices. The prices were reasonable and the wine list accessible. Sadly the noodles in my lasagna were very over cooked and mushy.
Great food, awesome service, love their gluten free options. Would highly recommend
Recently tried the trio take out deal and was very impressed. Staff were friendly, value for the meal was excellent, and food was delicious. Will be trying again!
Meh. I think the cooks have no taste buds Service was great though.
The food and staff here were phenomenal. Our server was attentive without being intrusive, and my spaghetti was great. Ill be coming here more often for sure. Thanks for a great evening.
Always good. Came for the live music. LOVE live music. Wasnt loud; able to talk across the table and hear.
The baked bree was amazing, as was the rest of the meal, highly recommend.
Hands down for decades the BEST homemade ceasar salad EVER!! Amazing service culinary and ambiance..the staff always makes U feel welcome and at home great job everyone!! Cheers
I have heard alot about it, we enjoyed and will go back
Great service and the pasta is to die for.
Kid-friendliness: Great service and out door patio !
Delicious food, exceptional! Service friendly and personal
Wonderful dinner
Charming little spot on King George! We stopped in to Al Dente on a whim for dinner. We sat on the patio, which is unlike any Ive seen in the area. We enjoyed some pizza and wine. The food and drinks were great. The service was great. The staff were so warm and welcoming. We will definitely be back!
Beautiful outdoor patio. Great service and food Highly reccomend Parking: Lots of parking
We decided to pop in and try the patio and it was a hot day. Surprised how cool the patio ended up being. The food was great and the service good although it took a little bit to get the food. We liked that as we could chat and enjoy social time Definitely want to go to Jazz night on Friday on the Patio Vegetarian options: Some of our group were vegetarian nice selection for them Kid-friendliness: They were so accommodating to our 1yr old grandson
Classic Italian fare
Beautiful, romantic patio and the food was absolutely perfect. If you go, you gotta try the muscles
Food is amazing, friendly staff. The table in booths kind of gross but Id sit at reg table next time.
Great food, great atmosphere, friendly staff. I recommend the ravioli; to die for.
The food and service was amazing!
Good atmosphere inside, nice deck/patio option when weather is nice Dietary restrictions: Some gluten free options Parking: Lots of parking
This place is to be lauded for their commitment to bringing in Jazz on Friday nights on their patio. My wife and I love Italian food and we re drawn to Al Dente for both reasons however the music far surpassed the meal. It was as if we were eating Italian food in Cuba. The kitchen had no feel for what they were serving Extremely disapointing
Best Pasta in Brantford
We ordered takeout, got the family special with two entrees, a large salad and bread for $40. I have to say, it was amazing quality for a really great price! We ordered the Salmon Florentine and the chicken parm, both absolutely outstanding! We also got the coconut cream pie cheesecake for dessert and was also incredible. Cannot wait to go in person and eat!!
Great food. Friend service. Very much enjoyed the pepper steak pasta.
Al Dentes is a local gem. The service was fantastic. The food was even better. The menu is reasonably priced and lots of different food options. They have an excellent wine and cocktail selection. I left the restaurant stuffed but also wanting more of there delicious food. Best Ceasar salad in town! Looking forward to my next dining experience at Al Dente!
Because of childcare I ordered take out for my anniversary, food was fantastic and they even accomidated an earlier pick up time for me, price is on point. THANK YOU!!
Wasn t impressed with the food
You should eat there.
Good food, great service!
Another great place to eat
We love Al Dente but our go-to favourite of Thai Chicken Penne was less than stellar yesterday. No mushrooms, too many peppers and watery sauce. Not sure why they changed their recipe but we won t order that again
I was staying in Brantford for an Archeological Dig a few years ago and a friend introduced me to your restaurant. It became a favourite and I ended up sick on the dig with a tumour and trips to Princess Margaret before surgery...your cheesecake and pizza were brought to my room many time...I would give anything for one of your pizzas and a peice of your cheesecake right now lol best food ever!
Our favorite for Italian food by far. Love the cozy elegance when able to dine in...but their takeout specials cannot be beat, and are the next best thing especially during lockdown. Wonderful attentive staff. It is apparent that taste and experience for their patrons are priorites. The potato bacon pizza is excellent. Caesar salad nice and garlicky. Homemade pasta truly comforting delicious!
We always love the pasta here. The salad, not so much. But its a pasta place, not a salad place. If their appetizers are mediocre but their mains are the best in town, Id say theyve got their priorities right.
Great food, excellent service! Only downside is its very dark inside. Light above the table makes you kinda sleepy lol
was pleasantly pleased with our visit. food was very good, we had caeser salad and escargot, steak / shrimp linguine. daquiri was just ok, need at least crushed ice and decor could use some upgrade. will def go back.
One of Brantfords finest restaurants since 1988. Amazing delectable menu that features Brushetta, signature Al Dente Caesar Salad followed by original favorites that include Thai Chicken Penne with a glass of Ontario Reisling and then finish with one of their famous Cheesecake deserts. Great job Ray and team!
Best pizza around. Service is always great when we call or visit.
Awesome food generous portions and the best staff.
The best restaurant in Brantford!
Amazing as always!!
This is an amazing exceptional place , the take out is beyond amazing . The dine in experience is great also. Their attention to detail and flavor combinations are absolutely brilliant ! Thanks so very much for our delivery tonight
Totally enjoyed the restaurant. Awesome patio, covered with lots of grape vines. Excellent service and food. I will be back for sure.
I want to thank you for the effort in our take out meal tonight. We both need to be gluten free. What a joy to order everything we wanted and you were able to accommodate our gluten free needs. Everything was delicious. There were no mistakes in sending us an incorrect meal. It happens so often from other places that we are very hesitant to do take out. Thank you for making our Friday evening so enjoyable. Excellent!
Outdoor patio was like being in Italy.
Always delicious food with great dietary options.
The food was fantastic and the service was excellent. Cant wait until our next visit.
Very relaxing and quality service
In town for a soccer tournament and found this local fresh Italian restaurant..glad I did. Delicious pasta (shrimp scampi and tortellini rose sauce yum!), caesar salad and bread/dipping sauce. Great service too. 5*
Always a great dinner and service
Great food and atmosphere
Great choice. Wonderful service and excellent experience.
Went for Appetizers on the patio. Staff was great and attentive and we felt safe. Food was good. The pandemic has caused the wine list to shrink which was a little disappointing. The wine we did have however was excellent.
Stopped over here based on reviews, man the food is good. Love the place, will be coming here more often.
Ordered dinner for 2 tonight.So much food, amazing price and super fresh.Well done.
Great food
Good service...and excellent apertizers...but ironically the pasta dishes were overcooked! Definitely not Al Dente!
Our dishes were very tasty and we will go back.
Excellent always.
Great staff, beautiful and unique space, fantastic food. A Brantford institution. Strongly recommend. The Mediterranean Chicken with penne noodles is off the charts btw. Definitely be back.
This restaurant is amazing, the pasta is perfection. You can tell everything is made with quality ingredients & not out of a bag. BUY THE COCONUT CREAM PIE CHEESE CAKE! I was so full I bought it to take home and I don t think I will ever leave there without a slice. Definitely a new staple. One thing I will say is that I have had better bruschetta bread, they do theirs on a pizza crust which my boyfriend preferred; but it wasn t my cup of tea.
The staff is very good and Ray can make some amazing drinks
Food and service was amazing.
Delicious meal on a patio surrounded with grape vines.
Value for your money--huge portions. Loved the warm bread and the decor.
Thank you to the amazing and very helpful staff in helping to coordinate our meal for a birthday dinner party on the weekend. They made some exceptions so the food arrived on time....which meant the chef, staff and delivery all had to start early. The food was incredible - hot, fresh and fantastic!! I highly recommend ordering from Al Dente! Thank you Erica, Chef and staff!!
Always wonderful!
I recently purchased a take out meal deal for two and I must say I had so much food that the two of us ate 4X from this deal! Exceptional value for money paid and flavour that brought me back to my last trip to Tuscany!