Excellent experience, if you are looking for real home made Italian food, this is the place in California!!!

We were very excited to go, our daughter was home from college. Never been locals here. We had made a reservation. We got there, and we were told to sit at a table outside in the middle. No greeting. Okay. My husband suggested that we sit inside away from the staff walking back and forth. We were the only ones inside. At first, we were brought waters and our silverware. Then, after a bit, our waitress asked if we wanted something to drink. We didn't. Understandably, she and the other waitress were focused on the outside. We couldn't understand though why we were not given bread, or checked on after that. That was the last we heard from her. Two people without a reservation that got the nice table outside, and folks who took the outside table in the middle and came way after us were all set and getting tons of attention. The waitress and manager ignored us. Still no bread. Thirteen minutes after our reservation, we left. I made a comment to the manager and looked at the waitress about no one taking our order. The manager rudely said she tried to take our order three times. I said she hadn't. As I was leaving with my husband the manager yelled, "Don't come back!!!!!!" We were shocked! The manager here does not know how to run a restaurant. The waitresses and staff are doing all the work. Go to Two Guys from Italy in Glendale, the Italian places in Montrose Portobella's/Divina's, or the one cool Italian restaurant Villa Teraza in Sunland. Hey, even go to Scarantino's in Glendale off the freeway on Colorado. They know customer service, good food, and value their customers. This is not the only place in town. Your reservation, being, and sitting inside will not be acknowledged. If you don't order drinks, as we are water drinkers, they will not give you the time of day here. Highly Do Not Recommend read more

We came here about 10 yrs ago. We couldn't remember why we never went back, so we tried it again. The service is A+. The decor and environment are very nice. After we ordered, they immediately brought some bread and herb-infused olive oil. It's nice when restaurants take care of you as soon as you sit down. We tried the lasagna and ravioli stuffed with butternut squash. My spouse always orders lasagna whenever we go to Italian restaurants. He uses it as a gage to compare restaurants. He said it was just okay. My ravioli was yummy. The sauce was delicious! Although the restaurant was 1/2 full (we were there early on a Friday night,) we could still hear each other and have a conversation. We enjoyed our dinner, and we'll be back to try some other dishes! read more

Lasagna was delicious! Nothing else stood out. Food is good. Tastes fresh. Service was good. It's a family business. Very casual/comfortable. Ambiance was nice for a local dinner out. read more

Family owned,friendly staff..excellent Italian food. Been coming here for the laat 4 years ...food ia delicious, just like mama used to make. read more

Cafe Sole - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

IF YOU ARE A DOG LOVER AVOID THIS PLACE! Today is my 9th wedding anniversary, what should've been a celebratory occasion became one of the most embarrassing dining experiences in my life. Earlier this morning I called Cafe Sole to make a lunch reservation as it was one of my wife's and daughter's favorite restaurants in our area. As mentioned earlier today is our wedding anniversary. Upon arrival we were denied service on the patio because we had our 6 month old puppy with us. When I attempted to clarify that we wanted to dine in the patio in front of the restaurant, the host said that it was against the law to have a dog in their patio because it is a "covered patio" as he referred to it. Several rounds of irrational unsubstantiated excuses followed even when I pointed out that both of his neighboring restaurants are particularly welcoming of dogs. North Shore Burgers will even provide fresh water bowls for all visiting dogs. His rebuttal was that neither of his neighbors patio's were "covered." I found this rebuttal to be laughable and insulting to the neighboring establishments as if they were less than Cafe Sole. In the 12 years that we have lived in the area we have never been denied service because of our pets. The neighboring Starbucks will graciously give you a free "pup-uccino" treat for your dog, but this "covered patio" establishment denied us service because of our puppy; absolutely laughable. It bares mentioning that patio was COMPLETELY EMPTY at the time of our would-be reservation. The Montrose/La Canada/La Crescenta area is filled with restaurants with patio service that welcomes dogs much like Cafe Sole's neighbors do. To have to explain to my child that we would not be able to celebrate at the restaurant of her choice because of our puppy was heart breaking. So if you and your family are looking for a great meal and no discriminatory elitist attitude towards dogs do yourself a favor, go to North Shore, Joselito's, Hill Street Cafe, Elbow Room, Oceanview Cafe, New Moon or any other restaurant as they will be particularly welcoming of you and your dog's patronage. Let me offer some sage advice, as a business owner/operator it is your right to have a no "pets policy", but when denying patrons service because of this arcane policy, tell them truth don't try to hide behind laws/ordinances that don't exist. I would also suggest that you walk along Honolulu anytime in the afternoon/evening. Have a look at all of business you are loosing to all of the dog owners that populate the businesses in the area that are WELCOMING TO US AND OUR BELOVED PETS. Too bad because we really enjoyed your cuisine. read more

Absolutely amazing food! Kids really enjoyed the amazing pizza and all the yummy pastas! The staff was wonderful and very patient with all the kids we were there with! This was our first time but definitely not the last!!!! read more

We just discovered Cafe Sole last week and we're so impressed that we went back again last night. The calimari was very good, lightly fried. the prosciutto and melon with burrata was a special appetizer and very good as well. We both had the veal piccata both times we dined here, it's that good. This is a find! Our friends had pasta dishes that they thought were very good as well. read more

Don't eat here! my family and I came here yesterday for a what was supposed to be a nice family dinner but instead we left upset and angry. The customer service at this place is the worst I've ever seen. Our waiter ( the Owner's son) was rude and condescending and an Asians hater. We had to waive him down to get him to take our order. He spoke to us rudely and in a very racist manner. And when he came to bring us our food, he dropped the plates in front of us as if he was doing us a favor by serving us. The food was not that great either and with that kind of customer service, I am surprised that they are still in business. I wished I read the other bad reviews before I asked my family to meet me there yesterday. read more

Fantastic service excellent sandwiches, salads, pasta, and pizza. Alessandra and Salvatore have carved out a little, shaded Italian oasis between the freeways. The flour is imported from Italy and they make their own bread and pizza dough in house. Gluten free pasta available. read more

The food here is AMAZING, especially the gnocci. Ask what their soup of the day is, if it's zucchini and carrot it's delicious! Their bread is so good that it's hard to stop eating it before the entree comes out. The panna cotta dessert is perfect, I love this place. read more

*Before Covid* A few months ago we were visiting family at the hospital up the street. My boys and I were hungry and decided to come here to dine. It was 5 minutes till 9, and apparently they closed right at 9:00 pm. (at the time, now they close at 7:45) I know, odd! So when we opened the door, we were approached with "we are closed already". I thought that was unusual to be in a large shopping center and to close that early. Ok, no problem. That's their hours. Fast forward a few months and we were back. But, this time we were invited by family to celebrate a birthday. (16 of us) We were seated on 2 long tables. For a large crown, the service was not bad. The food was average. read more

Nice family run place with indoor or outdoor seating. We've been coming here for many years. Really authentic well made preparations. The friendly charm of a trattoria in Italy. Love their linguini Bolognese, the best I've had. They always have delicious filet of sole and salmon dishes, delicious pastas, and creative special offerings. They are pretty expensive, but the food is worth it. Great made in house deserts. My only complaint is their $25 corkage charge if you bring your own bottle of wine. We'd come here more often if that was more reasonably priced. read more

I came in on Thursday this last week, June 16th, the food was pretty good but I was not impressed with the service. I myself am a server and I would not have treated my guests how I was treated -even the most difficult ones. This review is not intended to get anyone fired only to provide constructive criticism. My friend and I had eaten there. Our server's name according to the receipt was Bertha/Berta, an older, I believe, Hispanic lady. Everything seemed good until she brought out the pasta and I saw that it was not Alfredo but butter. I am not angry that there was a misunderstanding, I am just irritated as to how I was treated after. I just added a side of Alfredo, I didnt even ask to have my plate remade which I could have asked for but I felt bad if the restraunt had to waste pasta. She gave me attitude and barely spoke to me. Everytime she lifted something from the table and we would say "Thank you" she ignored us and said nothing. At the end, I asked for my tea to be topped off and she got annoyed. I don't think that is such a big deal. Where I work I run around serving 35 people asking for to-go drinks, take- out orders, boxes, more dessert, and bread. In all candor, I didn't trust if she had done something to the tea since she seemed so irritated by few requests that I threw it in a bush. I wouldn't say not come here. I would just say ask for another server who isn't miserable. On a side note, I believe , the owner's son , judging by the conversation, seemed friendly who was talking to this couple next to us who was going to the Andrea Bocelli concert. Anyways, food 4.5 stars, service 2. The busser was helpful and attentive. read more

Cafe Sole - MARGHERITA PIZZA - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

I had a really yummy pasta dish. One of the menu pasta items had a choice of sauces. When I ask for a different sauce they wanted to tack on an up charge. I asked how is this different than the pasta listed with a choice of sauce? They came back and said no up charge. I thought that was fair. The food was enjoyable and the bread was excellent! read more

No soul at Cafe Sole. The food is very bland. I had a Caesar Salad that was mostly romaine lettuce with not enough dressing which was bland and a few croutons. Not pleasing on the eyes or mouth. Then the chicken Floratino or some such name. The chicken I'm pretty sure was industrial frozen and I think microwaved to table. Cheese was hot and okay over chicken but chicken reminded me of college and not in a good way. The potatoes that came with it were a very different temperature, barely warm. They needed another 30 seconds in the microwave. The only good thing, the bread. That was good. Hence the second star. So sadly, not ray of sunshine at Cafe Sole. read more

The best Italian food coffee and tiramisu. Gracias Salvatore. I highly recommend this place.

Absolutely wonderful!! Our party of six were so happy with our meals. Thank you for the excellent food and service.

Excellent food and service. Deliciously authentic food from Southern Italy. I will never eat cheesecake from any other place. Exquisite.

Best fresh homemade style bread ever!! Best Bolognese pasta! Excellent service ! I highly recommend this great restaurant and they have very nice covered outdoor seating, easy parking . Now this will be our "go to" place for best pasta! Prices are very reasonable . read more

Amazing food and amazing people! Highly recommend and definitely ask for specials, they are fire read more

Cafe Sole - Desserts are just on the next level - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

Wow! We had our office Christmas party here last night and had an amazing EVERYTHING...Food, Service, Wine & Fun! The owner Alessandra (did I get that right?) waited on our party and everything she recommended was great! The Pinot Noir, the Italian White Wine I couldn't pronounce, the calamari, burrata & prosciutto appetizer, pear & cheese salad for all... For dinner I had the Sole Piccata (no flour) and it was delicious. For dessert Alessandra catered to all our dietary needs, and gave us a selection of homemade desserts to share. The flourless chocolate torte, panna cotta, cheesecake and espresso. I forgot to mention the homemade bread and bruschetta, incredible! He makes it with 00 flour, the gold standard in Italy for all bread and pizza. I am gluten intolerant, but had no trouble eating this amazing bread. The outdoor patio was a perfect intimate and warm area for us to enjoy each other's company. Thank you so much Cafe Sole' for a wonderful evening we will treasure forever. read more

Cafe Sole - Outdoor Seating with heat - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

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Another gem in La Canada. Definitely recommend if you love Italian Food. Family owned great food

At one time, I was in Italy. In Cafe Sole, I was treated to a wonderful pasta with Alfredo sauce and chicken. I love this combination of flavors, and it lived up to my expectations. It was wonderful. It was also nice to see the owner who cares about the kitchen and the customers. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos because it was takeout food. Delicious, cute, original. I recommend it. read more

Wow! As a Polish-Italian-American brought up in my Italian grampa's house in Cliffside Park, New Jersey , I cannot believe I finally found an authentic Italian restaurant. The owner is from Naples, Italy. The food is authentic Italian. The pasta dishes are simple yet delicious. The bread is freshly made and served warm with oregano-infused olive oil. The salads are seasonal and fresh. The cannolis are home made with ricotta and real milk. No flour. And today I found out they make ricotta orange cheesecake!!! Once you taste this cheesecake, no other will compare. And they have a wonderful selection of wines. Bravo. We will be back. read more

First time dining at Cafe Sole Italian restaurant. Located in the middle of a strip mall with several restaurants and a movie theater, it's very close to Montrose. The place looks a bit run-down, like a hole in the wall. Our Visit: Group: Nine of us visited for lunch. Orders: We ordered a variety of salads, appetizers (calamari, carpaccio), and pizzas. Most of us chose pasta for the main course. I ordered the filet of sole with broccoli. Food Experience: General Feedback: No one complained, but no one raved about the food either. Pizza: One of the pizzas was undercooked and slightly doughy, so we asked them to put it back in the oven for a few more minutes. Caprese Salad: Lacked flavor. It needed fresh basil, a squirt of pesto, or some fresh olive oil. Calamari: Average. Filet of Sole: Exquisite with lemon butter caper sauce and lots of thinly shaved garlic slices. Service: They ran out of half and half, so I couldn't order a coffee or latte. How do you run out of half and half? Send someone to the market five minutes away to buy some! Hot food was served super hot, and cold food was appropriately cold. Service was amazing, with Salvatore and Michael as our servers. Overall Ratings: Location: B+ Venue/Decor/Curb Appeal: C+ Food Served at the Right Temperature: A Menu Selection Choices: B Parking: Plentiful and easy B+ Food Taste: A- (based on what I tasted; overall feedback from other guests: B) Service: A Overall: A- (rounded up to 5 stars). Will definitely come again! read more

12-17-23 UPDATE: Oh my gosh another AMAZING dinner! I live back East and I will come here every time I come to visit! My favorite is still the rollatini melenzane and I was a little bit sad to share it with my mom and sister haha! For entrees, I got the special fettuccine and my sister got the lasagne--both super delicious! Look forward to next time! read more

Best indie Italian, great wines & pasta dishes & pizza Love the pasta & shrimp dish Great breads Near UA Cinema Center by 2 Frwy Close to town Dine in enclosed patio. read more

Stopped by for dinner before going to the Enchanted forest of light at Descanso Garden. Luckily we made reservations or we would've waited. We ordered a spinach pear salad to share. The pear and parmesan cheese was a good mix of sweet and savory. The clams in in the spaghetti vongole was fresh and cooked perfectly. I loved that the spaghetti was al dente. Our server gave us a complimentary tiramisu for my girlfriend who was celebrating her belated birthday. Awesome service! read more

Cafe Sole - Spinach salad - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

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We did a dinner date with another couple here for the first time after driving by the place a million times and never once considered it. The ambiance on their outdoor patio is lovely on a summer evening. The food though was incredible! I got the spinach gnocchi and my husband got their spaghetti with clams in a tomato sauce. Both were outstanding! We can't wait to go back with our family! This is our new favorite local Italian restaurant. read more

Food was delicious - shared calamari and prosciutto/melon/burrata for apps with friends and everyone loved their entree. Very attentive and kind staff, even meeting the family chef who owned the restaurant. Small but cozy . Definitely will be back read more

Came here after my son's preschool graduation on a Friday night. I think that the corkage fee is only $10, which was pretty great to be able bring a nice bottle and not pay a fortune to open it. The restaurant was fairly crowded, but we had a reservation and were able to sit quickly. We were given a table in the back, right by the restrooms, but it is a small place and we had 2 kids, so it was OK. The food was quite good, we ordered a couple pasta dishes, all were good, and my kids shared a pizza that was also quite good. I like having a good Italian place in the area, and look forward to returning. The shopping center that it is in also has a great Poke place as well as the movie theater. Glad to see neighborhood places doing well! read more

Plenty parking in strip mall next to a theatre. Servers were nice, but it took a while for food to come out considering restaurant was less than half full. Food was good. Not bad, but it doesn't beat a couple of my favorite Italian places. We had the following: Pepperdelle pasta w artichoke and Italian sausage. Pesto gnocchi- i thought the gnocchi were more al dente than the pasta. read more

Cafe Sole - Italian Near Me - La Canada Flintridge, California

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I used to this restaurant for years and the owner was always friendly and the food good. One day I had a problem with an order as I had had radiation to my colon and could not eat food that was as oily as the food that I was served. The owner came to the table and started talking in a loud voice before I could discuss the problem. "This is what you ordered" He kept repeating that in a loud voice embarrassing me to my table and those around me. I have not been back since. I refuse to patronize anywhere I am treated rudely. read more

Amazing service!! Love the food especially the lasagna!! I would definitely recommend it! The lasagna Della casa is really good plus desserts!! I would definitely visit again!!! read more

This happened a while ago. We used to eat at Cafe Sole two- three times a month. During the pandemic, we tried to support them by ordering take out and - once it became available - outdoor dining, leaving at least a 30% tip. And even when they got our orders wrong - we once ordered a sausage, pepperoni and mushroom pizza, but received a pepperoni pizza AND was charged for the pepperoni, sausage and mushroom pizza - we didn't complain and paid the extra cost so the restaurant wouldn't have to remake our order. All to support this family owned business. When Salvatore, the owner, was at the restaurant, he was always warm and welcoming and we would chat with him. Bertha, one of the servers, would usually wait on us, and was friendly as well. However as covid restrictions ended and business resumed, we noticed that the servers, including Bertha, and some of the family members became borderline rude and uninterested in us as customers. Salvatore was never there and his presence was missed. Like a few other reviews mentioned, even though we were longtime customers, it was obvious that the wife and son had "favorite" customers and others, like us, were treated brusquely. Additionally, the food wasn't as tasty as before, and we experienced food quality issues the last two times we went to the restaurant. I ordered the tiramisu, but it tasted off, like sour milk. I informed the server after taking 2 bites. I was sick about an hour later. The next time we ate at the restaurant, my husband had the meatloaf and he got sick later that evening. Twice in a row was enough for us. That coupled with the brusque treatment turned us off. There are plenty of restaurants with good food and pleasant service. We voted with our wallets, and won't return. read more

Service is always great and the food is delicious and plated beautifully. It's the perfect spot fo a date night or celebrating a special occasion. I look forward to our next trip at this hidden gem. read more

I can't believe I didn't know about this place for all this time. Hidden gem in Montrose/ La Canada area. Ambiance: clean and comfortable, Service: great!! Kind and very attentive , quick Food: great!! We tried different types of salads, spaghetti vongole, penn pasta, fed read more

Great food and friendly service that will make you feel like you are back in the old country. Reasonable prices.

The food was excellent. We got pasta, pizza, dessert and appetizers. Everything was so good. All the staff was extremely nice and attentive. Will go back and frequently. read more