Marchese Italian Market & Cafe

Small, inconspicuous, charming little restaurant! Owner greets you with a warm, sincere hello and welcome. Menu is not big, which I like. Perfect amount of paninis, salads, entrees to choose from. Menu does not overwhelm. And the food, INCREDIBLE. Simple fresh ingredients paired in a way I never expected and totally delicious. Example, Granola Salad: Spinach, strawberries, shaved Parmesan cheese and granola drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Amazing!
I have brought 2 friends here and both loved it. My one friend is from Germany. When she heard the owner engaging customers in her native Italian, my friend said "Ahh, I feel like I am in Europe again!"
Nice selection of wine and little grocery area in the back. And don't get me started on the desserts!!!
Enjoy a slice of Heaven and Italy in Virginia Beach!

Lovely little Italian place to enjoy an espresso or cappuccino and relax. Variety of food options and great desserts.

Love this place. Delicious food. A little Italian market. Good looking dessert... AND ALCOHOL. Well.... beer and wine but still... amazing. The owner is friendly. In and outdoor seating

Small Italian cafe offering Italian food,coffee, desserts. Etc. There is a small selection of Italian groceries as well as Italian cheeses, deli meats and wine. The owner is very nice and a great cook.

Really nice Italian Cafe only a couple miles from my house. On my early afternoon visit (230-330p 3/20/2018) Everyone there (a group of men, a guy behind me, the owner and the waiter) was speaking Italian other than me and a couple on the table next to me. So you get the ambiance of actually being in Italy.

The big screen TV behind the counter was playing music (looked like a cable station). I think it was italian.

I ordered the dish of the day which had small chubby pasta (the owner described as a sort of gnocchi), chicken and some sort of cheese/cream sauce (definitely not mac and cheese), a small balsamic vinegar dressing salad, a small cannoli for dessert, and a cafe mocha to finish. I should have gotten a plain cappuchino or an Americano (black) instead to not overwhelm the flavor of the cannoli. I'll likely swing by here for breakfast to try that out.

The main dish was quite good. If I find out what it was, I'll update the review. It did not have a heavy, overly seasoned or greasy flavor like you would find at a "chain Italian" restaurant. It had a distinct Mediterranean flavor to it. I liked it a lot since it did not taste common/familiar probably the type of cheese/cream. Smooth creamy flavor. Chicken was tender (small chunks perhaps only 2-3oz in the dish).

Portion size was good for my late lunch. Not monsterously large as you may find at a chain restaurant and not too small like at a gourmet restaurant. You won't be bringing home leftovers though.

The cannoli was good, but I'll have to try it again with a more neutral beverage.

The cafe mocha was ok, I'll try something plain next time to actually taste the favor of the coffee.

Like one of the other reviewers, I try to avoid the chain fast food joints and try to support my local small business owner.

The best place in the area! The food is authentic since the owner, wonderful woman, is from Naples! She is always so kind, and accommodating! The food is delicious as well. A must go to.

Fantastic place to have lunch. Great quality with ingredients from Italy. Good selection of sandwiches, in which my favorite is the Palermo, that is prosciutto cotto with ricotta, not the one that you find at the supermarket, but the authentic ricotta. The owner is something else, she is Italian from Napoli, therefore cooking good food is her culture and she excels at it.
The desserts are varied and excellent, from Cannelloni, to crostatas and cakes. The coffee is Illy so you know is good.
There is also a small market at the back with Italian goods.
Highly recommend!

My family just had a fantastic meal. We sampled their panini, pasta, and chef's special with three different desserts. We can hardly wait to go back. Great place to bring visiting family this holiday.

Quaint little deli w lots of imported items, coffees, desserts and wines.. like a trip to Italy.. Owner is very nice

Neat little Italian cafe tucked into a little shopping center on Pleasure House. The owner is friendly and all over the place, greeting, cooking, and serving. They have a nice selection of salads, panini sandwiches, and pastas. I had the Rome panini, which was delicious. It featured some tender Italian porchetta roast slices, tomatoes, spinich on ciabatta bread, dressed with balsamic vinegar.