Cafe Maddalena

Stephanie K

After multiple recommendations, I drove an hour here to try this restaurant. It did not disappoint! The service was amazing, I sat outside and they moved me inside (At my request) partway through dining without any fuss at all. The meal was fantastic, I had the roasted cabbage appetizer which was good. The highlight for me was the beef tenderloin. I typically order filet, because I prefer leaner cuts of meat. This was amazing! It ordered medium, it was cooked perfectly. The Demi glaze is robust and a little salty which I love, (order on the side if that’s maybe not your thing). It was a large cut and I definitely didn’t need an appetizer, or dessert, but that didn’t stop me haha. I got the chocolate ganache torte, which paired perfectly with the Pinot noir. Would definitely come back, and would 100% order the beef tenderloin again. Thank you for such a great experience, and the fantastic service.

david pulice

What a great meal. Very attentive to you and the food. Truly a well crafted meal from start to finish. Did not get a picture of the appetizer, which was fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with shrimp. Butter leaf lettuce salad with creamy garlic dressing and smoked rouge blue cheese, I had the pan seared beef tenderloin and my wife had the chicken basquaise. Dessert was the fresh peach cheese cake. I cannot give a high enough rating for this meal and service.

Nora Rabah Rodden

Delicious dinner in Dunsmuir! First time in the town on our way to Bend and we stopped for dinner here. Got the house made fettuccine pasta Bolognese and I requested a vegetarian pasta and the chef made a Cacio e Pepe. It was very good! Not huge portions but filling enough, and the bread was delicious. Dessert and appetizer was great too.

Veronica Antal

We stumbled onto this fabulous restaurant! I was craving a Caesar salad, and this place was open. It’s a cozy upscale restaurant is a cute little town. I highly recommend it!

Shelbie Cheffet

Absolutely delicious birthday dinner, fabulous service. Felt like we were dining in San Francisco. The waitress opened up a bottle of their new Pinot Grigio for me one day before it was offered on the menu. She also recommended we try 2 different entrees so we can have more of a variety. My husband and I were going to both get the Ling Cod. So glad we ordered the beef filet, it was the best filet we’ve had in a long time. Perfectly seasoned. The potatoes served with it were phenomenal. The waitress also gave us their homemade vanilla ice cream with fresh nectarines topped with a meringue crumble on the house for my birthday. So nice, such great ambiance outside on their patio with the creek flowing underneath. We will definitely be back, next time we have to try the scallops, we’ve heard they are fabulous! Thank you for a special evening out Cafe Maddalena!

V

Best restaurant we’ve been to in Shasta County. Each of the dishes were excellent. We will be back!

Jamal and Meshell Pautsch

The food was delicious and the service was excellent as always. We are proud to recommend such an eligantly quaint restaurant to our family and friends.

Scott Shope

This place is a gem. Some of the best dinner in Northern California. Go enjoy yourself

Janice Hurley

We loved it. Excellent food and service. What a delight. Reasonable prices. Good wine selection. Wonderful

Anastasiia Zhidkova

excellent establishment. high level cuisine. real high level service. I definitely recommend. high quality products

This is by far the best Dining experience in Dunsmuir. The Cafe is long regarded as a great dinner or date night option and they have reopened strong! The short ribs were fantastic and the halibut was as fresh as it comes. Really happy to see these folks serving great food in a fun atmosphere.

What a find. Spectacular food, for anywhere. We split several things including the whipped feta appetizer, burrata salad and short ribs. Excellent quality cuisine and a treasure. Nearly had the place all to ourselves on a dreary rainy evening on a Wednesday. Staff was attentive and luck for us tried a day old new menu! What a treat. Will be specifically seeking this place out whenever we come down from OR again. Would recommend to any of my foodiest of foodies. Bravo team. So glad you're back open.

So amazing a must drive to Dunsmuir . The steak cooked perfectly as were the vegetables and the mashed potatoes the soup smelled awesome and tasted even better Caesar salad big and perfect. We ended our dinner with a fabulous dessert.

They are back and better than ever. You have to go and enjoy the great food and cozy atmosphere. Portions are healthy! Cheers.

As a local, I’ve been going to Cafe Maddalena’s for decades now. More recently, the business was sold and from what I understand, the employees purchased it. I’ve gone twice since they’ve taken it on and can say with confidence that the quality, ambiance, and overall experience is still 10/10 amazing! I’m so proud of the employees for taking this on and continuing to honor the qualities that makes this restaurant shine. The wait staff is incredibly professional and charming and the chefs continue to put their heart and soul into each meal. Great job guys!!

What a wonderful evening we just had. We ate here 3 years ago on our last trip up here, I understand it’s seems to of changed owners but it most definitely has kept its great reputation. We dined here years ago from a recommendation from a former local, I will be happy to report back to them how wonderful it was again. It’s so very cosy still, beautiful ambience and such lovely staff. Our server was so lovely and pleasant. I had the steak and it was beautiful, the potatoes (I’m Irish so I know my potatoes) were also beautiful. So very tasty! My partner had the pork special and they said it was delicious, we also had the sprouts special, big fans. We will definitely be back and wish the new owners all the luck 🍀 10/10

Hannagh Flanagan

What a wonderful evening we just had. We ate here 3 years ago on our last trip up here, I understand it’s seems to of changed owners but it most definitely has kept its great reputation. We dined here years ago from a recommendation from a former local, I will be happy to report back to them how wonderful it was again. It’s so very cosy still, beautiful ambience and such lovely staff. Our server was so lovely and pleasant. I had the steak and it was beautiful, the potatoes (I’m Irish so I know my potatoes) were also beautiful. So very tasty! My partner had the pork special and they said it was delicious, we also had the sprouts special, big fans. We will definitely be back and wish the new owners all the luck 🍀 10/10

Andrew Lawrence

This is by far the best Dining experience in Dunsmuir. The Cafe is long regarded as a great dinner or date night option and they have reopened strong! The short ribs were fantastic and the halibut was as fresh as it comes. Really happy to see these folks serving great food in a fun atmosphere.

Peter Berg

They are back and better than ever. You have to go and enjoy the great food and cozy atmosphere. Portions are healthy! Cheers.

Banks75

What a find. Spectacular food, for anywhere. We split several things including the whipped feta appetizer, burrata salad and short ribs. Excellent quality cuisine and a treasure. Nearly had the place all to ourselves on a dreary rainy evening on a Wednesday. Staff was attentive and luck for us tried a day old new menu! What a treat. Will be specifically seeking this place out whenever we come down from OR again. Would recommend to any of my foodiest of foodies. Bravo team. So glad you're back open.

Kelly Palmer

So amazing a must drive to Dunsmuir . The steak cooked perfectly as were the vegetables and the mashed potatoes the soup smelled awesome and tasted even better Caesar salad big and perfect. We ended our dinner with a fabulous dessert.

Chelsea Pritchard

As a local, I’ve been going to Cafe Maddalena’s for decades now. More recently, the business was sold and from what I understand, the employees purchased it. I’ve gone twice since they’ve taken it on and can say with confidence that the quality, ambiance, and overall experience is still 10/10 amazing! I’m so proud of the employees for taking this on and continuing to honor the qualities that makes this restaurant shine. The wait staff is incredibly professional and charming and the chefs continue to put their heart and soul into each meal. Great job guys!!

Great staff, great location, great vibe. But the food was a little subpar for the price you pay.

This fine dinning experience was just only good as my expectation was high since this restaurant has never disappointed us in the past! The appetizer was great but very small. The salad was also delicious .The Pasta Carbonara was over seasoned and pasta wasn’t quite cooked enough. The Short Ribs Ossobuco was also over seasoned. The Saffron Risotto was good. The ribs were very tender. The Lemon Curd Mousse Cake was excellent. So for the price of the meal I would think the food would be on point.

Michael D McElwee

This fine dinning experience was just only good as my expectation was high since this restaurant has never disappointed us in the past! The appetizer was great but very small. The salad was also delicious .The Pasta Carbonara was over seasoned and pasta wasn’t quite cooked enough. The Short Ribs Ossobuco was also over seasoned. The Saffron Risotto was good. The ribs were very tender. The Lemon Curd Mousse Cake was excellent. So for the price of the meal I would think the food would be on point.

Allen W.

Great staff, great location, great vibe. But the food was a little subpar for the price you pay.

I really pains me to leave this review, but I'm hopeful that some constructive criticism will keep Cafe Maddalena alive this time around. After months of anticipation and excitement, my family and I were eager to revisit Cafe Maddalena, once a benchmark for fine dining in the area. While the cozy atmosphere and familiar warmth of the space remain, the dining experience under new ownership sadly misses the mark on several fronts. The restaurant still exudes a certain charm with soft lighting, intimate tables, and a sense of nostalgia that instantly welcomes you back. Yet the effect is undermined by new decorative choices that feel out of place: quotes printed on mirrored panels that look more at home in a retail décor shop than in a refined dining room. These touches distract from the understated elegance the restaurant once embodied. I can't help but long for the days when the chalkboard specials (complete with prices) stood proudly above the wine bar and gorgeous plates lined the walls. We started with the escargot, which was the first disappointment of the evening. The crostini accompanying it was burnt black on one side and underdone on the other, while the escargot itself lacked the depth, salt, and garlic that should define the dish. It felt as if the kitchen was aiming for sophistication but overshooting the essence of good, flavorful cooking. The gougeres, on the other hand, were executed much better. The structure of the menu also seems at odds with its fine-dining aspirations. Offering a soup or salad alongside an entrée feels incongruous in a restaurant positioning itself at this level, and the portion sizes were unexpectedly large. Quality should matter more than quantity at this level and price point. The wine list, too, was underwhelming: limited in variety, overly marked-up, and offering few selections that truly complement the cuisine. For a restaurant aspiring to fine-dining standards, the selection felt disappointingly uninspired. To top it off, they quietly added gratuity into the bill but didn’t note it anywhere on the receipt (see photo). We were a party of 6 and an added gratuity is totally understandable, but it should definitely be noted on the receipt somewhere. This felt misleading, deceiving, and unprofessional. I question if this is even legal? What was once the crown jewel of the local dining scene has, regrettably, lost its luster. The intention to elevate the experience is evident, but the refinement, balance, and technical precision that once defined this restaurant are nowhere to be found. One can only hope that, in time, the new owners will honor the legacy they’ve inherited and restore Cafe Maddalena to its former excellence. I do plan to return in a few months, hopeful that the team will have worked through these early missteps and rediscovered the sense of care and balance that once made this place so special.

Kirsten Stevens

I really pains me to leave this review, but I'm hopeful that some constructive criticism will keep Cafe Maddalena alive this time around. After months of anticipation and excitement, my family and I were eager to revisit Cafe Maddalena, once a benchmark for fine dining in the area. While the cozy atmosphere and familiar warmth of the space remain, the dining experience under new ownership sadly misses the mark on several fronts. The restaurant still exudes a certain charm with soft lighting, intimate tables, and a sense of nostalgia that instantly welcomes you back. Yet the effect is undermined by new decorative choices that feel out of place: quotes printed on mirrored panels that look more at home in a retail décor shop than in a refined dining room. These touches distract from the understated elegance the restaurant once embodied. I can't help but long for the days when the chalkboard specials (complete with prices) stood proudly above the wine bar and gorgeous plates lined the walls. We started with the escargot, which was the first disappointment of the evening. The crostini accompanying it was burnt black on one side and underdone on the other, while the escargot itself lacked the depth, salt, and garlic that should define the dish. It felt as if the kitchen was aiming for sophistication but overshooting the essence of good, flavorful cooking. The gougeres, on the other hand, were executed much better. The structure of the menu also seems at odds with its fine-dining aspirations. Offering a soup or salad alongside an entrée feels incongruous in a restaurant positioning itself at this level, and the portion sizes were unexpectedly large. Quality should matter more than quantity at this level and price point. The wine list, too, was underwhelming: limited in variety, overly marked-up, and offering few selections that truly complement the cuisine. For a restaurant aspiring to fine-dining standards, the selection felt disappointingly uninspired. To top it off, they quietly added gratuity into the bill but didn’t note it anywhere on the receipt (see photo). We were a party of 6 and an added gratuity is totally understandable, but it should definitely be noted on the receipt somewhere. This felt misleading, deceiving, and unprofessional. I question if this is even legal? What was once the crown jewel of the local dining scene has, regrettably, lost its luster. The intention to elevate the experience is evident, but the refinement, balance, and technical precision that once defined this restaurant are nowhere to be found. One can only hope that, in time, the new owners will honor the legacy they’ve inherited and restore Cafe Maddalena to its former excellence. I do plan to return in a few months, hopeful that the team will have worked through these early missteps and rediscovered the sense of care and balance that once made this place so special.

We have been dining at Cafe Maddalena regularly for over 5 years. We estimate about 100 times over those years and with an average ticket price of 100.00 (and that is probably low) that equates 2 approximately $10,000 we have spent there . We own vacation rentals in the area and always recommend our guests visit the restaurant, it was our very top choice. Recently, after the long-term owner sold, there were two other ownership changes. We were always very understanding and had no issues with those changes. Having owned businesses we understand it takes a little bit to get back on track. The last three times we visited, and spent quite a bit of money ( it's not cheap there) we noticed the continued lack of quality service which we had become a very accustomed to, and the food quality was very different. The amount of food had also diminished. We finally decided it was time to discuss this issue and complained to our waitress and then to management. We were treated with such disdain and rudeness that we have decided to eliminate Cafe Maddalena from our dining repertoire and not recommended to anyone else. It is very overpriced for the amount and the quality of food you receive, and the service is sorely lacking. They are way too impressed with themselves and they have lost their humility and perspective and the reason good people go into the restaurant business, in my opinion. Save your money, go have a good meal at the Railroad Park or head up to Mount Shasta. There are several options there that are much better. There's no such thing as hospitality at Cafe Maddalena. So sad.

Laura Baldwin

We have been dining at Cafe Maddalena regularly for over 5 years. We estimate about 100 times over those years and with an average ticket price of 100.00 (and that is probably low) that equates 2 approximately $10,000 we have spent there . We own vacation rentals in the area and always recommend our guests visit the restaurant, it was our very top choice. Recently, after the long-term owner sold, there were two other ownership changes. We were always very understanding and had no issues with those changes. Having owned businesses we understand it takes a little bit to get back on track. The last three times we visited, and spent quite a bit of money ( it's not cheap there) we noticed the continued lack of quality service which we had become a very accustomed to, and the food quality was very different. The amount of food had also diminished. We finally decided it was time to discuss this issue and complained to our waitress and then to management. We were treated with such disdain and rudeness that we have decided to eliminate Cafe Maddalena from our dining repertoire and not recommended to anyone else. It is very overpriced for the amount and the quality of food you receive, and the service is sorely lacking. They are way too impressed with themselves and they have lost their humility and perspective and the reason good people go into the restaurant business, in my opinion. Save your money, go have a good meal at the Railroad Park or head up to Mount Shasta. There are several options there that are much better. There's no such thing as hospitality at Cafe Maddalena. So sad.