Tuscany Cafe

I have never given a bad review based solely on the service but the staff at Tuscany are taking rude to a whole new level. I like to give the benefit of the doubt and I generally think it is unfair for an entire establishment to be held responsible for one rude employee, but I have finally had it and I will never go back. I have encountered rude service before, primarily from the same chubby girl with brown hair, but she is not the only one. Today, she had a gigantic chip on her shoulder for no apparent reason and refused to make eye contact with me or to acknowledge my presence for as I stood at the counter in the practically empty shop. I finally order edand she looked away, bored and irritated, before proceeding to turn on her heel and start a conversation with another employee without a single word to me. I decided to leave and as one final peace attempt at friendly say ""Thanks very much and have a great day"" and she rolled her eyes at me as she turned to her red-haired girl coworker. I was a regular customer and I spent many dollars in food, coffee and tips but I will never go back. When I left I went to the produce shop around the corner and started talking to a woman about Tuscany. Several others joined in and had nothing but bad things to say. I am a local freelance writer and author of a guidebook to Philadelphia and I will certainly not be including them. In a close-knit city like Philly, word gets around fast and their reputation is suffering greatly. It's too bad, as it is a convenient location and they have decent (not great) food and good coffee. It is just not worth the treatment. I have worked in the service industry for years and I understand the other side of the coin, but this is going to far. La Colombe, Bonte, and Remedy Tea are just a few of the other options in the area, and there is no reason for anyone to put up with this kind of service at a place where most people go to relax. I hope the owner reads this and does something about it. more

I have been a frequent customer of Tuscany Café for many years. I have used the café for lunch meetings, for coffee meetings with other professionals, for take-out meals and coffee, and for quick meals with my family when we are in the area for business or to attend concerts. \r \r Yesterday afternoon I arrived at the café at approximately 2:30 while my daughter was in an orchestra rehearsal at 20th and Locust. I purchased a California wrap sandwich and a drink for $8.51, then left the remainder of my $10 in the tip basket. I sat down at a table in the mostly-empty restaurant, took a single bite from my sandwich and was amazed to be suddenly confronted by your sign-wielding manager who informed me that I must stop ""studying"" or else leave the premises. \r \r I had been on the premises for less than five minutes and, I repeat, had taken only a single bite from my sandwich. The manager held her ground, repeating robotically that I would have to put my work away or leave. \r \r I was not ""studying"", in any event. I am an adult professional, old enough to be the manager's mother. I was about to grade a few papers of my students' for a class today. When I turned around I saw that your manager had also ordered the adult couple behind me to stop reading books (they were reading Nick Hornby novels while finishing their lunch) and the woman behind them had been told to stop writing in her notebook, and that she had five minutes to leave. Another woman was allowed to continue perusing her New York Times because, in the words of the manager, ""Reading a newspaper is not studying.""\r \r If I had had my wits about me, I would have asked for my $10 back and left on the spot. Instead I had the sandwich wrapped and took a short block to a more accommodating café where I was able to eat my sandwich in peace. Along with a $3.00 latte, because of course I would never simply use a café as a library.\r Pros: Great location, decent menu Cons: Rude waitstaff more

I don't know what the previous reviewer is talking about. I have been a regular at Tuscany for years and think the staff is terrific! One thing I like about the cafe is the fact that they prohibit studying on weekends. That means I can always find a seat when I want to enjoy my latte. I suggest the last reviewer keep studying, since they don't know how to spell ""waitstaff."" Tuscany is great!!! more

The wait-staff at this cafe is the worst in Philadelphia. The cafe has a strict no textbooks, note books and no lab top computers allowed during the weekends and limits the amount of time paying customers can sit at the tables. When the servers are not bickering among themselves behind the counter, they are yelling at customers for sitting over the time limit. Save you money, and the frusteration, and take you business elsewhere. more