The food is wonderful, the staff is terrific! There is seating indoors and out with plenty of space between tables. Live music ( piano & Italian accordion ) is very uplifting. Don't miss the Tiramisu! Homemade Pastas & the fresh bread are great! read more

Best Italian Takeout Let me take moment to encourage all of us living in La Jolla to take this unprecedented time of our lives to encourage you to take out a meal from Cafe Milano. Pasquale, the owner is one of the hardest working owners of a restaurant. Cafe Milano has been here for at least 12+ years. Year after year they are winners in the local paper. Now is the time they need us the most. Please when considering doing takeout order from this old fashioned good food location on Pearl. If we all order out one night a week hopefully when this life we are presently living is over he will still have his delicious restaurant. Loyalty is a great virtue. Let's be loyal to Pasquale. Hours 7 days a week 2-9pm. Enjoy. read more

Came to celebrate my friend's birthday! Most of us ordered the daily special! It comes with soup or salad, an entree, and a dessert for a great price! :) Loved my food! I ordered the Fettuccini Milano and asked to have the Alfredo sauce instead and it was really good! I gave it a four star because I heard that the Lasagna wasn't the best. read more

Cafe Milano - Fettuccini Milano with the Alfredo sauce - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I've only gotten take out from Cafe Milano, but it has been very good each time. I love gnocchi and I like that they have different gnocchi options to choose from. I had a gnocchi in a tomato cream sauce and it was very tasty. You can definitely tell that it is homemade! I do like my gnocchi to be a bit more firm, so that would probably be the only thing that I would change. My husband had the spaghetti and meatballs and enjoyed that as well. Our meals came with bread and our order was ready when we picked it up. They even asked if I wanted fresh grated parmesan cheese and put together a little container for us. The food was decently priced and portion sizes were good. I'd recommend checking out Cafe Milano if you are in the area. They even have early bird dinner specials. read more

The food, service, and ambiance - all exceptional! My bf had a lamb special and I couldn't pick between two pastas (Rigatoni Mare e Monte and Fettuccini Alfredo), so they allowed me to order half and half of each. Everything was so delicious. We also asked for a sweet red wine recommendation and the $30 wine our waiter recommended and we ultimately ordered was delicious, top tier quality. The prices were reasonable and the service was outstanding - the owner and waiters all went out of their way to make sure we had a special time. Towards the end of our meal, the owner surprised us with free dessert and a separate glass of wine to pair it with. Needless to say we were very full and happy with our choice to go there. Would highly recommend! read more

See all

I think the quality of this restaurant has gone down tremendously, I came here on a Saturday night and it was not very busy but for some reason the waitress was rushing our order and nearly spilled water she was pouring on us. We received the wrong pasta, but it looked good... well looks can be deceiving, the pasta was watery and had zero salt or flavor. The other waitress packaging the to go orders had her long hair inside the customers plates, not very sanitary. read more

Best food in San Diego hands down... the owners are the absolute best, the customer service was amazing and the food is even better. Everything is made from scratch and you can taste the authenticity. Highly recommend. read more

If you're looking for amazing and fresh Italian food in a cozy family setting, look no further. Everything we had was amazing. The tomato sauce is amazing as is the creamy tiramisu. We discovered the mozzarella sticks on the kids menu and they did not disappoint. Definitely treat yourself. The owner, his wife and their family are friendly and welcoming. Check this place out next time you are in La Jolla. read more

Veal parm with penne $25 is pretty good - only guest on a Tuesday at 5pm after a couple and a dog left - friendly fast service - I'll go back read more

Was greeted and seated quickly. Sat at a safe distance and enjoyed a quite table for two. Started with the bursts plate. Beautiful presentation with eggplant, roasted peppers, large slices of tomatoes with basil. And that star of the show the burrata. Creamy, little sweet, melt in your mouth with balsamic on top. I had veal, Prosciutto, spinach and other good items. Very well prepared, tender with a white wine sauce. My husband had a fish like Italian stew, shrimp, clams and a spicy red sauce. Amazing. All in all good service, great food and well priced. read more

Wonderful food, great service, but we come here for the ambiance and authentic Italian experience. Come for dinner when they have a pianist playing live. You will love it! read more

This place is so good! We will definitely be coming back during our next trip to La Jolla. The owners are super nice and very humble. We had the chicken parmigiana and fettuccine Alfredo. read more

Amazing authentic Italian food in La Jolla. The service was phenomenal. If the osso buco special is available get it with risotto; the chef really knocked it out of the park. The meat literally fell of the bone, and the risotto was full of flavor. read more

Cafe Milano what a hidden gem!!! Amazing Northern Italian cuisine! I split the burrata cheese, crab cakes, and a big dish of Lasagna Bolognese. Highly recommend coming to La Jolla and checking this place out. Service was amazing and Chef Pasquale brought out some delicious tiramisu on the house! Live music and ambiance read more

See all

I've seen a lot of things in my life. Been here and done that doesn't begin to cover it. I'm telling you now..this is IT. This is where I came for a pint of Pasquale's pomodoro sauce the last time I returned from Rome because I had been surrounded by tourist junk for 2 weeks in the "homeland". We literally made a stop between the airport and the house JUST TO HAVE Pasquale"s sauce as though it were an aphrodisiac. The staff is the best. This is where you bring your family..the people who are closest to you..because that's the way you're treated..like family When Pasquale shows up at your table, it's truly an experience. Big thanks to all of his staff who have made every last visit we've had so memorable. read more

Me and girlfriend just stopped by that place. All I can say is wow. Fairly priced, delicious food, great atmosphere, and I believe it was the owner took great care of us. I never write reviews but they really went above and beyond. Even gave my dog some treats. Love this place will definitely be back. read more

Man this place is amazing! Most up class restaurants treat me a like a peasant because I'm young and full of ink . This place so different no rush to get paid no employees waiting by the door . Now to the food Got Daymn I had the lamb shank and it was literally the most amazing meal I've had in years ! The meat fell off the bone I ate it with a spoon lol. read more

My husband and I were in town for a wedding and decided to yelp what was around and the reviews drew us into this place. Best decision we made the whole trip! Pasquale was so welcoming right from the get go. We were in Italy just a few months ago and this was the first place we have found to taste so legit since we got back to the states! We started with the bruschetta and then lasagna for our main entree. I could not believe how incredible it all was! Every bite was sensational! We were so stuffed but knew we had to try the tiramisu so we took it to go. It was hands down the best tiramisu I have ever had! The only negative I can find is that this place is so far from from my home in Portland, OR! But I can assure you, when back in the San Diego area, we will definitely make a trip to get a taste of Italy at Pasquale's! read more

Cafe Milano - Fantastic lasagna! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Absolutely DELICIOUS food. Highly recommend this Mom and Pop place. Everything made from scratch with lots of love and attention. Best Tiramisu I've ever tasted. This is a MUST!! read more

Excellent food and outstanding service. We arrived at the restaurant around 8:45 pm (late night date night) and we were seated immediately. Our waiter was extremely friendly and I believe the owner Pascuale made my husband and I feel like we were at home! We will definitely be back with our kids. read more

You just can't go wrong with anything on the menu at Cafe Milano. Everything is made from scratch and the food (not to mention the desserts) are delicious. The service is friendly, the dining room simple and warm. Don't miss this lovely little hole-in-the-wall next time you are in La Jolla. read more

Things are tuff at Cafe Milano. When they charge you $2.00 for three slices of French Bread?

They have outdoor patio dining, followed covid protocol, we ate burrata salad and lobster seafood cioppino, and house cab. Everything was delicious. Best Italian I've had in a long time. read more

Nice dinner on the patio for our first night in La Jolla. Decided to splurge for the Lobster Cioppino and was not disappointed! Tiramisu was fabulous! read more

Cafe Milano - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow! We went here after a great day of diving off La Jolla Cove to celebrate our two year anniversary. We found Cafe Milano and fell in love. The atmosphere was romantic and inviting. There was a couple signing and playing piano with lovely harmony. The food was delicious and the staff was wonderful. We were greeted promptly and received excellent service. The food was of good portion, we even had more to take home. We shared the Red Snapper and also a special that came with Lobster. Both of which were excellently prepared and satisfied us. We barely saved room for desert. Thank God we did though, the tiramisu and chocolate truffle were out of this world. Pasquale, the owner, was so kind and attentive. He made our two year dinner extraordinary. Thanks, we will be back! read more

Cafe Milano - Lobster Special!! Mmmm look at that Claw! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I recommend this place for good, homemade Italian food. Everything we had tasted fresh. We had the crab cakes, calamari rings and ravioli.

Yum!!!! I had maybe my favorite pasta dish last night, it was a veggie fettuccine with creamy basil, very well presented and the staff was super nice. Got to meet the son Pasquale and our waiter was so sweet don't know his name though. Also had the minestrone soho which I loved, would order the same thing next time for sure!!! read more

Cafe Milano - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The best little Italian place in San Diego, puts anything in Little Italy to shame! Came here for a rehearsal dinner and the the service and food could not have been better. The tiramisu here is out of this world! Highly recommend for both lunch and dinner. read more

Homemade authentic Italian food, owned and operator by genuine people. We dived into our main course before we could take any photos!! Real good food! We will be back for more!! read more

I was visiting La Jolla for my birthday and I was craving spaghetti. I stumbled upon this place because of the great Yelp review. Trust me it will not disappoint. It is very authentic so if you're craving Olive Garden this won't do. It's not greasy. Both things I got were very good. The kids size lasagne bolognese is huge!!! The bread is fresh baked to order. The minestrone soup is very light and doesn't have pasta in it, but was one of the best soups I have ever had. read more

Great Italian Spot! Our fam of 5 dined here and all of us loved our meals. The staff was super friendly and the overall vibe made us feel like we were in an authentic Italian spot. Would highly recommend and will definitely return! read more

Chicken Parmigiana was very good. Their marinara sauce wasn't great. Pasta with bolognese sauce was terrific. We had it delivered and they were on time and the food was hot! read more

Our new Italian spot. Authentic food, attentive service, and they even gave us a free dessert, just to be awesome. Will be back!

We just left. Horrible food!! My fish was served so hot that it was tough. When we said something we were told they served there good hot. Great but fish over cooks!! read more

Pro's: - pickup ready on time thru Yelp, payment easy too using Paypal - the staff were very friendly - small and cozy in case you want to eat there - good portion sizes Con's: - at 7:30pm it was less than half full. Good sign, bad sign, you decide - food was not quite my style of Italian. The tomato sauce for the Bolognese was actually sweet, never seen that before. It seems to have good local reviews from magazines, etc., so try it out. Not for me though. read more

My husband called the day before and made dinner reservations for our anniversary dinner. We drove over 30miles to dine here. When we arrived we were told we could sit anywhere and then the gentleman complained about where we sat because "he might get busy" then after sitting down he hands us menus and disappears. He then pops back out and decided to serve the people that showed up after us.... never offering us water or anything. Like he took their entire order and walked away. Absolutely inexcusable. We love this place but his customer service was a disgrace. read more

What can I say about Cafe Milano that would do, this oasis in the middle of a desert of normalcy, justice. You can taste the love that is kneaded into each flaky yet fluffy piece of their homemade bread. The aroma that dances from the kitchen to your nostrils, as if in tune with the orchestral symphony being conducted by the owner Pasquale in the kitchen, is a pleasure to behold. In simple terms Cafe Milano is a delight to the senses. An endearing endeavor that brings out the roots of a man, who channels the memories and flavors he recalls fondly from his adolescence. A home cooked meal years in the making, squisito! read more

When you walk in they are warm and friendly. It has a feel of a mom-and-pop restaurant. The food is homemade, fresh, and came out hot. They give you hardy portions. My son who's 13 years old was craving seafood. The waiter had a lobster pasta special. This dish was $30 with over a pound of lobster in it. This dish was so big it could feed two grown men. My son and husband loved this dish. I had a cannelloni with a creamy tomato sauce and this was yummy too. Luciano surprised us with his homemade Tara Mazzu and it was fabulous. **Great value** read more

We had been looking forward to this place all day.. Vacationing from Az with family and friends, we talked Cafe Milano up big time! Let's just say we were made to look like giant idiots. The service was absolutely horrible! We were sat on the patio and given water. 30 min later we still had not been spoken to other than a " I'll be right there".. we had 5 hungry kids who were losing their patience and hungry parents!! We were never asked if we wanted anything to drink, took 15 min just to get a damn menu. This visit was beyond disappointing and needless to say the gentleman working there could have cared less at the fact that we got up and walked away!! Did absolutely nothing when we left. We will find a new local restaurant to spend our money. read more

Can I just say wow!? This was our first restaurant experience eating out in 15 months since the pandemic started. We made a reservation to eat on their lovely patio. We got a table on the corner away from people. The waitress was extremely warm, friendly, and very social. The portions were outstanding. We got two appetizers, crab cakes and mozzarella caprese. Very delicious. Our main courses came out almost immediately after we finished our appetizers. Such fast service! We got basically fruitta di mare or their equivalent which had tons of delicious shellfish and vine ripe tomatoes and a chicken and sausage with mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a wine sauce. Both meals were so so good. The wonderful waitress talked us into their famous gelato which is made in a real piece of fruit! We tried the lemon one. It was a great palette cleanser and very good. The lemon flavor was strong but it wasn't over powerful and not super crazy sweet. Our bill came to about $90 not including tip but worth every penny. It's very rare nowadays to get great excellent food and excellent service with friendly staff. I'd give this place more stars if I could. read more

See all