Today we went to the grand re-opening of Cafe Roma.
Hello, again. My dad and I, and sometimes my mom comes along too, have been going out on the town to find some of the best not so well known cheap eats, mostly family-owned, restaurants that we can find. We go out almost every day, finding some new little place, or big place, to tell you about and review the food and prices.
Yesterday was the grand re-opening of Café Roma, and I’m aware it was really popular at it’s previous location at Isla Cuale, so me and my dad thought “why not” and decided to try their food and write a review. Right off the bat I’m going to say their food is good, great even, but not necessarily spectacular. This is because they are a music venue first, a bar second, and a restaurant third. Their focus is to make sure you have a great time! And everyone does!!
When Café Roma first opened in August of 2006 the food was a big priority, and the previous owner opened the business as a restaurant. But, when the new owner, Cassandra, bought it and re-opened June 28 of 2021, it was different. Cassandra never went to culinary school or took any culinary classes. Though, she did study bartending, and she ran multiple bars in Canada. Basically, she is a professional bartender. Food isn’t her strong suit or her focus, and when I talked to her today she said she still is learning about it, which is why she hired someone to take care of the kitchen. But, I think that the majority of her costumers don’t come for the food; they come to have a fun evening! When I was there I noticed that everyone was smiling and laughing, plus instead of focusing on their own table, everyone was getting up, talking to people, and mingling.
The drinks at Café Roma are all very low-cost, and there is always some sort of entertainment! From 2:00 pm- 6:30 pm live music plays on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. From 6:30 pm-9:00 pm there is karaoke on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And there is always a TV, which is playing sports the majority of the time. So, if you’re into great music that’s a little too loud, sports, and inexpensive drinks, then Café Roma is a great place for you! I, personally don’t like loud music, plus I have a busy agenda, so we didn’t stay long today. We only came for a quick lunch, but I can say it was a good lunch!
On Mondays pizzas are 2x1, so I ordered a Mexicana, and my dad ordered a Meat Lover’s. He also got a caesar salad since pizzas are so easy to take home. The caesar salad had romaine lettuce, anchovies, croutons, and a homemade caesar dressing. It was a very simple dish, but my dad really enjoyed it. And he says the dressing was amazing! His pizza had ham, pepperoni, chorizo, and ground beef. It was definitely meat-y! And super full of flavor! It was a great pizza, but I personally liked the Mexicana better.
The Mexicana had pepperoni, red onion, and jalapeños. The onion got slightly caramelized in the oven and had a faint sweet flavor, and the jalapeños were still a bit spicy. They went really well together! I also want to say that normally I don’t like flat crust pizzas because the crust is generally more of a flat brick than an actual crust, but these pizzas had a pretty good crust! They weren’t very hard but they did have a bit of crunch to them and somehow they were soft at the same time. Long story short, it was a good pizza with a really good crust!
So if you're looking for a great place to meet with friends, have a great time, listen to live music, and enjoy some good food then this is the place to go! Plus you can get 2x1 food specials everyday and great prices on the drinks.
If you enjoyed this article, and would like to recommend a place that you know about, then please let me know. Or, if you are an owner yourself of a place that you would like to see written about, contact me.
And to see the rest of my food reviews go to the Dining Out section here in Vallarta Bay Times.
Cafe Roma's Phone Number: 322 224 2102