Gypsy's Trattoria Italiana

“lowkey ok their cacio e pepe actually RESPECTS the dish - real pecorino romano, proper pasta water technique, doesnt drown it in cream like everywhere else. nonna would be proud”

“the garlic bread tho is basically an insult to italian food - just processed white bread with garlic butter from a tub not even toasted right ha”

“ok the chicken parmigiana sandwich is INSANE - crispy cutlet, melted mozzarella, and tangy marinara on this crusty roll that actually holds everything together. gotta say for like $12 near campus?? this thing could legit feed two people and beats literally any chain sandwich place”

“they don't have any craft beer on tap tho just basic domestics like bud and coors. like for an italian spot in berkeley i was kinda hoping for at least a peroni or something that would pair better with all those rich tomato dishes you know”

“ok so the meatbaaall sadnwich here is actually MASSIVE - homemade meatballs just swimming in marinara that has real kick to it, crusty bread that somehow doesn't fall apart under all that sauce. yo honestly perfect late night food after bar hopping on telegraph lol”

“no beer on tap which is like... criminal for a PLACE calling itself a trattoria?? just bottles in the cooler which completely kills the italian pub vibe theyre trying for”

“actually the tiramisu was actually divine - perfectly balanced mascarpone layers with JUST enough coffee soaked ladyfingers and cocoa dusted on top. each bite had that perfect creamy to cake ratio that most places totally mess up ugh”

“the cannoli came from a display case that honestly looked like it'd been sitting there all day. shells were completely soggy, no crispness at all, made the whole thing disappointingly mushy”

“the arrabbiata actually had SERIOUS heat - not like nashville hot chicken level but enough red pepper flakes adn fresh chilies to clear my sinuses. finally found an italian place that doesn't think black pepper is spicy lol”

“legit garlic bread was basically just buttered toast wiht some dried herbs thrown on. back in nashville even our italian spots know how to properly roast fresh garlic instead of using powder”

“tehir cappuccino actually surprised me - proper foam and they pull a decent shot for a place that'snt realy a coffee shop. the barista clearly knows what theyre doing”

“the whole cafe vibe is basically nonexistent with all the late night college kids being loud plus these awful fluorescent lights that make everything look terrible”

“their espresso is weirdly legit for a casual italian joint - like actually properly extracted with nice crema that holds its shape. the barista clearly knows what theyre doing which honestly is rare for places that aren't dedicated coffee shops”

“i mean cappuccino came way too hot and the milk was over steamed to death, just foam wiht nothing underneath. totally killed any chance of tasting the actual espresso under all that burnt milk”