Eddies Italian Cafe: Homemade Pasta and Red Sauce in the Midlands

What Eddies Italian Cafe serves and where to find it

Eddies Italian Cafe is a family-run restaurant in Columbia that specializes in handmade pasta and traditional red sauce dishes. The kitchen makes pasta fresh daily—ravioli, lasagna, fettuccine—and the menu centers on the kind of Italian-American food that has anchored neighborhood restaurants for generations. You'll find it on Devine Street in the Five Points area, a walkable stretch of Columbia known for local shops and established restaurants.

The dining room is small and unpretentious, with the feel of a place where regulars have sat at the same tables for years. Service is straightforward and attentive without being formal. The restaurant does not take reservations, so expect a wait on Friday and Saturday nights, particularly after 6 p.m.

Key Takeaways

• Eddies makes its pasta in-house daily, which means the ravioli, lasagna, and fettuccine change based on what the kitchen is preparing that day.
• The menu leans toward red sauce classics—baked ziti, chicken parmigiana, seafood marinara—rather than regional Italian specialties.
• The restaurant is cash-preferred but does take cards; call ahead if you want to confirm payment methods for your visit.
• Five Points location means street parking on Devine Street or nearby residential blocks; arrive early on weekends to find a spot.
• Eddies does not take reservations, so plan for a wait during dinner hours on Friday and Saturday.

The pasta and what makes it different

The draw at Eddies is the fresh pasta. Unlike restaurants that order dried pasta by the case, Eddies rolls and cuts its own. On any given day, the ravioli might be filled with meat, cheese, or spinach depending on what the kitchen prepared that morning. The lasagna is built in layers with that pasta, not the thin sheets from a box. Fettuccine comes tossed with butter and garlic or with one of the house sauces.

The sauces are red-sauce standards—marinara, meat sauce, vodka cream—made in quantities that suggest they simmer for hours rather than minutes. A plate of spaghetti with meat sauce or a baked ziti comes in portions large enough that many diners take half home. The kitchen also makes chicken parmigiana, veal dishes, and seafood preparations, all built around that same approach: simple ingredients, long cooking times, no shortcuts.

Entrees and what to order

Entrees come with bread and a choice of pasta or salad. The baked ziti is a reliable choice if you want to taste the sauce without deciding between a dozen pasta shapes. Chicken parmigiana is breaded, fried, and layered with mozzarella and sauce—the kind of dish that tastes better when it's been made the same way for twenty years. Seafood dishes like shrimp marinara or clams over linguine appear on the menu regularly, though availability depends on what came in that day.

Portion sizes are generous. A single entree often provides enough for two meals, which is why the restaurant keeps a stack of takeout containers by the register. Prices fall in the mid-range for a sit-down restaurant—entrees typically run between $12 and $18—which is reasonable for handmade pasta and sauce that tastes like it was made in someone's kitchen rather than a commercial kitchen.

Dining in Five Points and parking

Eddies sits on Devine Street in Five Points, a neighborhood that has housed independent restaurants and shops since the 1970s. The street itself is narrow and lined with street parking; on weekends, spots fill quickly. If Devine Street is full, parking is available on nearby residential blocks—typically a short walk away. The restaurant itself is small, so the wait for a table is often longer than the walk from a distant parking spot.

Five Points has other restaurants and bars within a few blocks, so if you arrive and the wait at Eddies is longer than you want, you have options nearby. The neighborhood is walkable and safe during daylight and evening hours, and the area has the feel of a place where people know the restaurants they go to and return to them regularly.

Hours, payment, and what to know before you go

Eddies is typically open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, though hours can shift seasonally. The restaurant is closed Mondays. Call ahead to confirm hours on the day you plan to visit, particularly if you are going on a holiday or during a holiday week.

The restaurant is cash-preferred but does accept cards. If you are planning to pay with a card, a quick phone call ahead removes any uncertainty. The restaurant does not take reservations, so dinner on Friday and Saturday nights means a wait—sometimes 30 minutes or more during peak hours. Arriving before 5:30 p.m. or after 8 p.m. typically means shorter waits.

What makes Eddies fit into Columbia's Italian dining scene

Columbia has several Italian restaurants, from casual pizza places to upscale dining, but Eddies occupies a specific niche: the neighborhood Italian-American restaurant where the owner has been making the same dishes the same way for decades. It is not trying to be trendy or to reinterpret Italian cuisine. It is trying to be reliable—to make fresh pasta, to simmer sauce, to serve generous portions at a fair price, and to be the kind of place where you know what you are getting when you walk in.

That consistency is what keeps people coming back. In a city with plenty of dining options, Eddies has survived and stayed busy because it does one thing well and does not apologize for doing it that way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to make a reservation at Eddies?

No, Eddies does not take reservations. Arrive early on weekends or call ahead to ask about current wait times. Weekday lunches and early dinners (before 6 p.m.) typically have shorter waits than Friday and Saturday evenings.

Can I pay with a card, or is it cash only?

Eddies accepts both cash and cards, but cash is preferred. If you plan to pay with a card, calling ahead to confirm is a good idea, particularly if you are visiting for the first time.

Are there vegetarian options on the menu?

Yes. Pasta dishes with marinara sauce, cheese ravioli, and vegetable-based preparations are available. Ask your server what vegetarian options are available that day, since the menu can shift based on what the kitchen has prepared.

What is the parking situation like?

Street parking is available on Devine Street and nearby residential blocks. Spots fill quickly on weekends, so arrive early or plan to park a short walk away. The neighborhood is safe and walkable.

Does Eddies offer takeout?

Yes, takeout is available. Given the generous portion sizes, many diners order for takeout or ask for a container to take half their meal home. Call ahead during busy times to place an order.