Simply a top notch restaurant. The food is always excellent, the service is very friendly but not over bearing. The prices are very reasonable, and the atmosphere is elegant but not stuffy. Try the... More

Simply a top notch restaurant. The food is always excellent, the service is very friendly but not over bearing. The prices are very reasonable, and the atmosphere is elegant but not stuffy. Try the Bolognese sauce, its simply the best my husband and I have ever had. We have lived in italy a number of years and I must say Cafe Allegre is the most authentic italian food I have found on the shoreline. The Frutti di Mare appetizer (seafood salad)is my husbands absolute favorite. We always order that when available (in season). The staff is very professional and courteous. The bar is a great place to relax with friends for a couple drinks and appetizers. When our kids come home from college Cafe Allegre is the first restaurant they want to dine in and is our place for special occasions.
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Right in the center of Madison. Great food and wines! Try the portabella mushroom appetizer. There is a dining room adajcent to the bar that is a bit more casual and then two rooms off the back that... More

Right in the center of Madison. Great food and wines! Try the portabella mushroom appetizer. There is a dining room adajcent to the bar that is a bit more casual and then two rooms off the back that are beautiful and more formal. Nice spot for a celebration dinner. Make reservations on the weekends or grab a spot at the bar and eat there. Usually has live music on Fri/Sat nights.
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Cafe Allegre looks like a charming New England Inn with a fancy-ish restaurant on the first floor. It often has a "live music tonight" sign out front and is generally inviting. When my husband... More

Cafe Allegre looks like a charming New England Inn with a fancy-ish restaurant on the first floor. It often has a "live music tonight" sign out front and is generally inviting. When my husband and I finally got around to trying it out one Wednesday night, we were incredibly disappointed. The service was slow, the space was cramped, the house wine was undrinkably bad, and the waiter kept touching my husband's shoulder in a very "buddy-buddy" manner that assumed way too much. The food was fine (when we finally got it), but that made up for nothing. This was the worst dining experience I have had around here. We will never go there again.
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