MidMoDiningGuide.com staffers were put to the challenge by our Facebook fans to try out Babbo's for lunch and report back with our observations.
Babbo's is located on Grindstone Parkway in Columbia past Walmart and next to Taco Bueno. The Italian restaurant replaced Plush Pig BBQ recently and just started serving lunch! The location is a little off the map, but the house made sauces and salad dressing doesn't disappoint, and the chandalier mood lighting is sure to be a hit with your sweetheart for a romantic dinner date.
Babbo--which means "daddy" in Italian--features gormet dishes like eggplant parmigiano, neopolitan pizzas and their famous house made lasagna. The menu is very short and to the point--three antipasti dishes, three salad options and a handful of pasta and pizza choices. Everything was rich and hearty--even the salads had a crisp zing thanks to the special dressings and a variety of cheese flavors. Our MMDG Crew even enjoyed the fresh bread and olive oil served before the meal!
Antipasti dishes ranged between $4-$6, salads just a dollar more and almost all of their pasta and pizza dishes are $10. You can even get the half and half combo to combine salad with your choice of pizza or pasta.
The restaurant wasn't busy at all when we went at 12:30 p.m., but we're sure as more people hear about Babbo's, they will start attracting more of a crowd. The only unsettling part about Babbo's is it's current interior design. The wall windows pour in so much natural light that it seems to contrast sharply with the moody yellow and magohony walls, concrete floor and overhead chandaliers. Also, a large blackboard containing menu items is the only decoration on the wall, which would look a little off in a dinner setting.
It was a little too early for drinking, but Babbo's does have a wide variety of wines (they have a menu just for it!) that would certainly spice up any dish for dinner.
Each of us ordered something different to taste, enjoy and experience for our readers. Here’s a summary of each of the menu items we tried, in each staffer's own words:
Pollo Alfredo and Caesar Salad (half and half combo) 
The caesar salad was excellent, and a generous portion! This mid-sized salad (a full salad-plate size) was the perfect precursor to my pasta, and had just the right amount of a good, classic-tasting caesar dressing. The only thing that could make it better is a bit of parmesan cheese to top it off. Following up my salad was the generous half-portion of Pollo Alfredo (chicken, cream, roasted garlic, parmigiano cheese). The pasta and sauce were excellent – and if you're like me, you find most restaurant alfredo sauce to be on the bland side). I also enjoyed the big pieces of roasted garlic in the mix. The chicken was just average baked chicken; I would have preferred something grilled or more special to hold it's own with the excellent pasta and sauce combo. Overall, it was a terrific meal in a great atmosphere at a very fair price.
Other items of note: there was no caffeine-free soda option, the concrete floor and open-concept design are visually impressive, but I worry that the restaurant could get too loud on a very busy day, and business lunch-ers beware: the white linen napkins left major white fuzz all over my black pants!
Homemade Lasagna
This lasagna was to die for--absolutely the best ever! It even rivaled my mom's own recipe. There was plenty of meat and the sauce just melted in my mouth, not to mention the large flakes of parmesan cheese gave the pasta an overall zing. The portion was large and a very fiar price. Great atmosphere and terrific service. I am a fan.
Babbo Pizza and Del Pietro Salad (half and half combo)
The Del Pietro salad came out first and I have to say their special house dressing made this salad amazing. I'm not usually a salad fan but I devoured this half salad within a few minutes of it arriving in front of me. The salad consisted iceberg and romaine, cheese, pimentos, onions, salami, olives and topped with the special house dressing I mentioned earlier.
Next came my half Babbo pizza, and half was just enough for me. The four slices of Babbo pizza were topped with sausage, caramelized onions and a balsamic glaze. I'm not a fan of finely chopped sausage on my pizza, but the flavor of this pizza made up for that. I didn't get a chance to ask our nice waiter if they also used a special pizza sauce on their signature pizza, but it did have a little bit of sweetness to it that hit the spot.
Spaghetti and Meatball and House Salad (half and half combo)
Babbo's Spaghetteria was casual, delicious and perfect for lunch and dinner. I ordered the half pasta half salad combo with the Del Pietro house salad and spaghetti and meatball. The waiter brought out warm house made bread then salads. When I got my lunch I was surprised with how huge the meatball was. Everything was delicious! At Babbo's they make their own spaghetti sauce out of fresh tomatoes and their own salad dressing. The menu is small, but this is great because you won't get overwhelmed with what to order and they can concentrate on making every dish really good.
