Cafe Concerto
I’ve been meaning to post about this place since my first visit in 2005 and can’t put it off no longer!
Really, I think this is the only “real” italian restaurant in Hilo. Chef Lando Landi, a native Italian, puts so much love and passion into his food that it creates a wonderfully warm family style atmosphere in his little restaurant. Cafe Pescatore has nothing on this place.
The food here is so fresh, homestyle, affordable and unpretentious. Perfect for a fun romantic date or even a get-together with friends over wine (BYOB!). There is even a great wine store next door (Grapes) if you need to get a bottle (closes at 6pm).
Fresh Caprese Salad
Super juicy tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and fresh salad. Good stuff.
Penne with Pesto.
Best pesto I’ve ever tasted. Fresh, bright, rich and full of flavor. Pasta was cooked perfectly al-dente. I highly recommend trying any of their dishes with the wonderful pesto!
4-cheese Ravioli w/spinach.
This practically melts in your mouth and is soooo delicious. I could eat 2 (or 4) plates of this! Nothing beats freshly made ravioli — you gotta try it.
Cappellini w/meatballs
Refreshingly light and bright sauce with freshly made meatballs. I love how they keep their pastas fresh, light and flavorful.
Pasta with clam sauce (Pasta al vongole)
Very nice with a kick of spiciness. I appreciate that the chef was not afraid to make this spicy!
I can’t forget to mention the bread! The chef actually brought out fresh loafs and cutted them up for the guests. The bread was so wonderfully yummy straight out of the oven. We couldn’t have enough!
Creme Brule
Soooooo so good! Highly recommended!
Tiramisu
Light, refreshing and swimming in rum 
— not too rich like many other Tiramisu’s.
The chef also serves a free homemade “digestive”, sorta like a limoncello, but with his own flavors. He makes different flavors all the time. Tonight it was fresh ginger. Don’t turn down the opportunity to try it! It’s a perfect ending to the meal.
If you haven’t yet tried this place, you are missing out. Definitely one of Hilo’s gems. A meal for two is well under $40 yet tastes like a $100 meal.
Cafe Concerto
808 Kilauea Ave., Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 934-0312 (call to check their hours/days open)
March 6th, 2009 at 5:50 am
[...] Big Island Grinds Reviews Cafe Concerto in Hilo [Big Island Grinds] [...]
March 6th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I’m sorry but I’ve eaten here a handful of times and I’m constantly disappointed. The pasta has never been al dente.it’s always mushy. And in the tradition of italian cuisine and culture the portions are small and the flavor is bland. It should be robust!
However, it is great to be next to Grapes and the homemade lemoncello is very tasty and it’s the only eatery with a nice outdoor dining area.
March 6th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Anonymous, thanks for your thoughts.
To me, real Italian food is all about light, fresh flavors, and smaller portions than the more Americanized places. The pasta to me has always been cooked well here and flavor spot on (not overpowering or too salty). And have you tried their ravioli? You can tell it’s made fresh in the kitchen. What did you order?
March 6th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Brother will you take me here next time I visit? hehe …. sounds SO perfect! oh my gooshness. I need a vacation.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Sounds Ono! Time to go visit the folks.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:52 am
This is definately one of the best places in town.
Wine tasting at grapes, grab a bottle and head over to Lando’s.
I’ve never been disappointed.
June 7th, 2009 at 6:18 am
It looks so delicious
I’ll definitely to come back to your blog again.
http://www.ahacook.com
July 18th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I took an Italian cooking class with Lando back in 2001 (If you’re reading this, Lando, you might remember me as the youngest student in that class, and perhaps the only non-teacher). Though I haven’t yet eaten at Cafe Concerto, I can say he knows his stuff.
September 28th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Thanks for sending the photos of delicious food. Italian food is the number one on my food list. I wonder if they serve pasta in extra large plate. I would be a happy camper if they do. I think we have to pay this wonderfull people a visit.
December 26th, 2009 at 2:33 am
Spaghetti was very unimpressive; ravioli or manicotti (don’t remember which one was it) was better. In both cases, I had to arrange for second dinner. I am willing to pay extra for larger portions, but certainly not the price for a second order.
January 4th, 2010 at 8:17 am
[...] Cafe Concerto I’ve been meaning to post about this place since my first visit in 2005 and can’t put it off no longer! [...]