There is NOTHING more satisfying than a hidden gem. You know what I mean, the type of place that you discover, either from a friend's recommendation or from a chance walk around town. You proudly give yourself the symbolic “pat on the back,” and almost don't want to recommend it to others for fear that it will become to crowded?

That's how I feel about Caffe Galleria in Lambertville.

An friend of mine had mentioned it to me a year or two ago; she had dinner there with a Lambertville resident (Lambertvillians, I am sure find my news to be a little late). Come to think about it, my friend was pretty strong in her recommendation, so I cannot believe it took me until now to actually follow through. She was particularly impressed with how fresh the food was for the money. And now that I've been there twice, I have to agree. You can get a solid home-cooked meal for near fast-food prices.

Clearly we loved everything, there's no food left!!

My first trip to Caffe Galleria occurred about a month ago. We arrived on a routine weekday to the bustling eight table dining room. You cannot help but feel bohemian as a diner at Caffe Galleria; between the murals, the cozy pillows sprinkled around the benches, the mismatched plates and the cappuccino machine which faces the dining room, it's as the place has been plucked from a hip East Village corner, driven down the New Jersey Turnpike and left on a somewhat random Lambertville street. A quick trip to their website confirms my suspicions. In fact, Caffe Galleria features local and regional artists in monthly displays (“When you visit us, please be sure to check out the current show—it's there for you to enjoy and, if you wish, to purchase.”) A friendly chalkboard outside announces the day's specials. As with many restaurants in Bucks County and Lambertville, Caffe Galleria is a BYOB.

Paparadelle alla Vodka, lunch portion

Perhaps it wasn't wise of me to choose a restaurant to which I had never been for a business meeting with someone I had never met; I was so wrapped up in our discussion that I didn't have the chance to peruse the menu very thoroughly. At that particular lunch, all three of us ordered a rice bowl. There are about a half dozen options for rice, ranging from vegetarian chili, to eggplant tofu (which is what I had) and more. At it's whopping $8 price tag, this was a no-brainer. We were all content with our meals that day.

Then this past week, I was able to “steal” my husband away for a rare lunch opportunity. With so many vowels in our names, my husband is very inclined to opt for pasta whenever offered; this day was no different. In his words, his paparadelle alla vodka tasted “very authentic.” “Authentic?” I asked, “but this is not an Italian restaurant!” To which he clarified that the ingredients were most definitely fresh and handmade. He ate the whole plate (as evidenced).

"Carmelized" pizza

I was tempted to order another delicious rice bowl, but as my eye wandered over to the beautiful brick oven in the corner, I decided to give the pizza a try. Always a sucker for anything featuring garlic and onions (just ask the people I cook for regularly), I ordered the “Carmelized” pizza: olive oil, garlic, caramelized onions & goat cheese. Sweet and tangy, this dish tasted sinful. Entree and dessert rolled into one.

So hopefully you weren't incredibly hungry before eating this; because by now I am sure you are ravenous. And guess what guys? They have take out too!!

On another note, can anyone enlighten me to the reason why “Caffe” has two f's? That's new for me. One f, two f's, you can call it what ever you want, Caffe Galleria will for sure become a regular spot for me.

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