Present-day Caffe Boa bears little resemblance to Jay and Christine Wisniewski’s original shoebox-sized eatery that opened on the south end of downtown Tempe’s Mill Avenue in 1994.

Back then, its sophisticated sandwiches and pasta dishes seemed out of sync with a no-frills décor and college-hangout vibe. And there was always a challenge in getting one of the five indoor tables, especially when hot weather rendered a tiny patio inhospitable.

Thankfully, the Wisniewkis were able to move a couple blocks north in 2005 into a much larger space that formerly housed Mill Landing. Its covered front patio, a shaded oasis of green plants and red brick, alone provides more seating than the entire former location.

Inside, dramatic floral photography and colorful murals contrast the dining room’s greenish-gray and wheat walls. Weathered, butcher-block-like tables and dark hardwood floors soften exposed brick.

It’s an atmosphere — slightly upscale yet still casual and comfortable — that perfectly complements Caffe Boa’s mostly European-style cuisine, which emphasizes high-quality organic ingredients.

Meals begin with fresh breads (pictured at left) from Mesa’s Breadsmith bakery, presented in large baskets by servers who also deliver trays of olives and oil from the Queen Creek Olive Mill.

Handmade pasta dishes remain menu mainstays. Ricotta and spinach tortellini ($18.95) is one of my favorites. It comes with broccoli florets, sweet peas and mushrooms in a wonderful brown cream sauce that leaves a garlicky reminder on my lips for hours afterward.

Almost as good is goat cheese ravioli ($18), made with artisan goat cheese from Black Mesa Ranch near Snowflake and served with a sage-tinged butter sauce and toasted hazelnuts.

If you prefer variety, spinach ravioli filled with artichoke and ricotta ($17.95) provides two different tastes: Half the pasta is covered with a tomato basil sauce, the other half with a not-as-flavorable white garlic cream sauce.

Aside from pastas, the dinner menu offers a half-dozen entrees. The highlight is the poularde ($23, pictured at right), tender pieces of poultry in truffle oil and a mushroom cream sauce, with Forbidden rice, almost black in color and nutty in flavor. It’s an earthy and incredibly rich combination.

The free-range filet mignon ($25), perfectly cooked, comes on a chevre tart that’s a tad too crusty, but a side of delicious root vegetables and porcini mushrooms more than makes up for it.

I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese burgers, but I’d definitely have Caffe Boa’s version ($13) again. A half-pound of American Kobe beef holds its own against the sharpness of the Point Reyes blue cheese. I just wish accompanying Yukon gold potato wedges could do the same.

Desserts — such as a praline pyramid with caramel and Gianduja chocolate ($9), a triple chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ganache ($9) or tiramisu ($9, pictured at left) — are decadent but all surprisingly light.

Wine lovers may want to study Caffe Boa’s wine list on its website before visiting; it’ll take some time to get through all 25 pages detailing the Wisniewski’s impressive 2,500-bottle cellar.

Bottles are a little pricey because of the quality. Most reds and whites are north of $50, and more than a few exceed $500. But there also are two dozen selections available by the glass for $10 or less, so almost any budget can be accommodated.

Caffe Boa
Where: 398 S. Mill Ave., Tempe (northwest corner of Mill and Fourth Street)
Open: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Prices: Appetizers $7.25-$15.50, salads $6.95-$14, panini $7.95-$13, pasta $14.95-$18.95, entrees $18-$36, desserts $9.
Info: (480) 968-9112 or cafeboa.com.

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