When you think of Italian cuisine, what comes to mind? If it’s fresh ingredients, hearty sauces and love of pasta, then treat yourself to a meal at Café Cardini.

With Café Cardini specializing in a wide array of mouthwatering Italian favorites, they show customers that there’s more to Italian cuisine than just spaghetti and meatballs. From their mussels in garlic sauce to penne with chicken in vodka sauce, it’s hard to go wrong. Cardini’s is small in size but what it lacks in space, it makes up for with character. As you glance at the paintings on the wall, each offers you a different scene of Italy. Also adding to the ambiance are the members of the wait staff who are very friendly and try their best to meet your needs.

This restaurant also seems to hold cleanliness to a high regard. With so many places failing health inspections these days, it’s a big comfort to know that in Cardini’s, you won’t have to worry about anything “extra” being on your plate.

Everything has a very crisp feeling, almost as if their cleaning staff has been doing double overtime.

In the restaurant business, location is everything. For those students who don’t have access to their own transportation, Cardini’s is conveniently located at the corner of the 271st Street stop on the Q46 line, right on Union Turnpike.

While a sit-down dinner here will cost you approximately $25 per person, its courteous staff, ambiance, and flavorful meals make it well worth the trip. If that’s a little too rich for your blood, be sure to take advantage of their daily lunch specials. They run about $7.95 per person, Tuesday through Friday.