Campania Cafe & Trattoria

I've been there twice and the food has been good both times. Last time we went there with a group of 5 I ordered a soup of broccoli which was good, but a little watery for my taste. As an entree I ordered Penne con salsa di pomodoro fresco which was delicious and felt as if it was completely home made. Overall my experience at the restaurant was great. The disgust came after. When I went back to my credit card to look at my charges, it turned out that they charged me 30% for a tip, when I left 15%. Although this wasn't a HUGE dollar difference, it did upset me that they took the liberty of changing my tip!!! I find that completely inappropriate, disrespectful and untruthful! BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GO THERE AND IF POSSIBLE ASK FOR A RECEIPT (That shows how much the charged you including tip)!!!! more

On a recent – first visit to the Campania Cafe in Davidson – we came away with a less than enjoyable experience! We had heard such wonderful testaments about the delicious food and atmosphere and were extremely disappointed to say the least. The server was friendly, and we asked if they could fulfill a special request…(if chicken Parmesan is on the menu, then veal Parmesan can’t be that big a stretch, right?) and after checking with the chef, we were told it would NOT be a problem. But when the veal came out and was too tough to eat. Upon writing to the establishment to let them know about our experience, we were told that we should NOT have ordered off the menu! Well, if that’s the case, we would have appreciated that information up front…we would NOT have ordered something you could NOT prepare well!\r Our group finished our wine and we were not offered anything else to drink, and the only dessert offered was the cannoli – later being told by the owner that “if we wanted something different, they are all on the menu”…which was not offered at the time we ordered dessert. \r I’m seeing lots of positive reviews and have to pause and wonder if these were all written by people who work there or the owners. I would definitely NOT recommend this place. more

The owners, Nancy and Vinnie, are probably some of the most genuine people you will meet. Ask for them by name--Nancy is sure to be there and stop by your table to ask how your food is. But more importantly, all the food is delicious--and authentically Italian.. As a waitress here it is hard to pick only one item to recommend among all the antipasti's, pastas and various piati's. But my ultimate favorite is the Penne Pomodoro (it's light and comes with deliciously fresh mozzarella). The eggplant parmesan is delicately homemade, as is the vegetable lasagna; try the sauteed spinach when they have it; I've had more people request the recipe for this simple dish than any other. This is a true family business: Vinnie's Italian mother makes homemade cookies that are sold by the pound. They're great as a light post-lunch snack. And there's a nicely quiet and intimate atmosphere in this converted icehouse. The location in small-town Davidson makes it an ideal place for a romantic dinner or family-night out. more

Love this place! Delicious food, friendly staff. We had a party here, rented the whole back room and they were amazing! LOVE THEM!! Pros: great food and atmosphere more

This hit the spot for us! We were looking for a local cozy spot to eat some great Italian food. The menu is great - classics like lasagna & eggplant parmigiana. We had a great bottle of Italian wine with our meal that was only $24. The atmosphere is very nice- brick with benches & cushions along the walls and the chairs on the other side. One of the owners, the wife, stopped by our table to greet us & told us the building used to be an ice house. Tables are nicely set with black tablecloth and small candle and S&P shakers. The ambiance serves well for a family night or couples date. Pros: Authentic Italian, finally! Cons: Small size, can be a wait on the weekends more