I love Centifonti's. Their breakfast is amazing, they always have fresh fruit, great coffee, and great service. Their gelato is also made in-house and it is absolutely delicious. I've been going there for years and always have a great experience, every time. A family-owned treasure in La Mesa. read more

The food was above decent. The service was, until the bill came and the manager got involved, excellent. Amanda and Nicole were outstanding in their attentiveness, and we had a lovely time. At this point, easily 4 stars. We sat down at the bar for their Happy Hour until 7pm. We asked for the specials, and were handed two menus, the happy hour menu and the Wednesday special menu. Prices ranged, on the happy hour menu, from $8 - $12. There were no prices displayed on the second menu, which we-- mistakenly-- assumed to be in line with the happy hour specials for the day. We didn't ask, our mistake, and were given no guidance to suggest otherwise. My wife ordered, on top of our other happy hour options, a cobb salad that was part of their Wednesday specials. We didn't touch it during our meal, and opted to box it up so that she could take it to work the next day. We then went and perused their fantastic dessert, candy and gelato sections-- ordering a couple of scoops and a slice of blueberrry pie-- and then asked for our check. When we received our bill, that salad, on special, was billed at $22. We called that into question, since there had never been a price disclosed and this was wildly inconsistent with their other prices. Neither Nicole or Amanda were empowered to do anything about this, so they called their manager, Kyrstin (could be Keirstin or any other spelling). As we were standing at the counter, rather than offering a solution, Kyrstin told them that she was on her way and to have us stay. I responded that I had no interest in waiting for her manager to drive up to the store, and that we were just returning the untouched salad. It's not lost on me that this was an uncool move, but so was an undisclosed $22 charge on a salad supposedly part of their special menu. I told Amanda-- a wonderful server-- that we didn't have time to wait and asked her to get the manager on the phone. She did, and Kyrstin proceeded to tell me that I was screwing a small business by even asking, and that I should have asked about the price prior to ordering. She's not wrong, in retrospect, but the price probably should have been on the written menu that we were provided. This is not a country club where a specials menu prices might be hidden from the guests of the host (but always disclosed to the host). She hung up abruptly with the server, saying she was there, and walked up to the counter saying "the fact that I even had to come in to deal with this...," at which point I cut her off. She didn't need to come in to deal with anything. This was an easy customer service exchange and the fact that she felt she needed to drive back up to the restaurant (should she have still been there to begin with?) to argue with customers was shocking. It was a hostile exchange back and forth, with me saying that I would be happy to pay the entire $104 dollar bill, but that I would dispute the difference with my credit card company. We had already returned the packaged salad, which had been taken by the staff. I imagine that she would say that I talked over her; I would assert the same of her. It was not a nice exchange. The thing is, I have been in this business for almost as long as I've been alive. I've been a restauranteur or a GM for more than 30 years. Here's what I know: when a customer is not satisfied, you do not argue. We weren't asking for anything free. We weren't trying to game the system. We were saying, "Sorry, at this price, we never would have ordered this salad. The price should have been disclosed." We said that repeatedly. Kyrstin finally relented and discounted the salad. She also said that I was banned from coming back. Too bad. Their gelato was fantastic; my wife thought their fried pickles to be first rate. They combined their garlic and habanero sauces on our wings, and they were spicy and delicious. The one and only issue we had was a manager that doesn't understand what hospitality means. Customer service is the number one, most important part of running any restaurant, and she should not, in my opinion, be a manager of a restaurant. Her presence lessened the Centifonti's brand. read more

Another wonderful Mother's Day celebration with family. Exciting atmosphere, good food a perfect location to experience togetherness in a room full of families recognizing moms and appreciating all that we do and have done and yet to do. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2026(15) read more

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I never heard of this place. We just decided to park downtown and walk around, We were craving coffee, but instead of Coffee, I ordered the Stacy famous Bloody Mary and the Pastrami Hotdog and they were both so good. The bartender was very nice and friendly. I will definitely be back. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Bloody Mary - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The food here is fresh from the Friday market in La Mesa. The salads are all organic., Sent Fonte is really cares about what goes into their food and service. We give them five stars. read more

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Best Breakfast Spot in La Mesa! Centifonti's is such a cute and cozy, family-style restaurant and bar that truly has something for everyone. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and as if that wasn't enough, they also make homemade candy, caramel apples, and gelato. It's honestly a one-stop shop for everything your stomach craves! From the moment I walked in, I noticed how clean and tidy the restaurant is. Every table is decorated with an adorable sunflower-themed artistic vase, which adds such a cheerful, welcoming touch. There are also multiple TVs showing sports, so sports fans will definitely feel right at home. Our waitress was so kind, attentive, and professional, which truly made the experience even better. Parking is easy to plan for as there are parking meters lined up along the street in front, since it's located right in downtown La Mesa on La Mesa Boulevard. Everything about this place feels just right from the atmosphere to the attention to detail. Perfection all around. Hands down, the best breakfast place ever! Come on down, you'll be so happy you did! #yelpsandiego #sandiego #sandiegocalifornia #centifonti's read more

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Food here is the freshest and best you can get in La Mesa come in and try it. It's beautifully done and the people here it's owned by the family and they are very friendly and nice so come and enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch. The ambience is Restaurant and Bar delicious . read more

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well, I'm back and I can't understand what all the fuss is about. If you don't have enough time to wait for your food in a patient manner maybe you shouldn't come here. Maybe you should be a fast food person. This seems to be a great place to eat I'm having the same experience as my initial time here. Please come with patients depending on what day you're here. I came on a fairly dead day. It still took a while for our food, but it was quite wonderful when it did arrive. I never have a problem here t. They deserve top reviews. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - the special! so much caramel! - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

Our family of four visited on Thursday PM after cruising La Mesa Blvd checking out all the vintage cars. We had superior service and my son and I decided to try some gluten free pasta dishes. If you have Celiacs disease, you know almost everything gluten free tastes either awful or sub-standard. My son got the spicey marinara and I got the Cilantro Lime Shrimp. Both dishes we soooo good! Definitely 10 out of 10! My husband and daughter's meals were great too. But want to write this review and offer gratitude for superior gluten-free options! Our only complaint was they were all out of their yummy caramel apples! read more

A hidden spot in the busy street of downtown La Mesa, mom and pop shop oriented. Everyone that was working this day made us feel so welcome and were attentive, the food portions almost fills up two people. Nice spot to enjoy even a beer later in the evening but there is tons of goodies to browse left and right! Definitely will come back again. read more

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First visit for lunch and was impressed at huge choices of food, not all Italian, Begin with Bruchetta which is now our favorite in East county. I had an Italian Panini sandwich and it was large and very flavorful and not dry almost on the verge of too wet with Potato Salad which was also delicious and I also have to try the pickle served with and this is the first one I didn't make a face after a bite. The wife had the special Cobb Sliders and it was also excellent. The waitress was attentive and kept our Iced Teas filled and did not disappear as others are know to do. Generous booths and paper table mats were also fresh and not usual. We will be going back for dinner as if these food items were this good, we can't wait to get into their specialties! read more

Terrible service. TERRIBLE. We had to ask multiple times for a menu and to just simply be served by somebody. We finally were waited on after maybe 25 minutes and ended up ordering drinks only. We waited 15 minutes for our drinks and nothing, so we just walked out and left. Terrible. There were many workers there to help - some just wandering around looking for I don't know what, and they didn't seem to want to come to our table in the corner. Awful service. You guys need better communication and the simple initiative to help all customers, because you clearly do not have set tables assigned to designated servers. read more

Great service. We went in for breakfast and food was great. Good place for the little too.

Very welcoming environment. Fast AND attentive service. You can taste the love in the food. This is a definite place to put on your bucket list. Great location for group meetings. I told them 5-stars on YELP! read more

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Rate 3.5 Server/ Staff 5 We dropped by kinda late around 8:45pm to get some hot coffee and desserts. They close at 10 pm so we had time. Ordered hot mexican mochas. I noticed their brewed coffee is Cafe Moto. That's good stuff. I enjoyed the drink but I didn't tasted too much of the Mexican Mocha. The cookie was good. The Carmel Apple was different. I think the Carmel may have been off because unfortunately it didn't taste good. The staff is hardworking and friendly at this establishment. read more

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Such a bummer. We saw their happy hour and were excited to give this spot a try! We arrived at 6:20, during the Friday farmers market. Someone brought us water and menus right away. We then sat until 6:55 with no help. The table next to us had a server bringing them food and she never even looked our way. We stood up twice to bring the lack of service to their attention and they kept saying they would be right there. When we finally brought the menus back to the hostess, we were not even acknowledged. read more

My friend and I entered this establishment and noticed that, although it was lunch time, there were no patrons. Besides us, there was only a grandmother with her two grandchildren dining. The restaurant was a nice size with wooden tables and chairs. It appeared clean enough. The hostess was kind and attentive. The food, on the other hand, was inedible. I ordered the fish and chips and specifically asked if it was battered, because I only like pub style beer battered fish when ordering fish and chips. I also requested extra crispy fries and dry slaw. I was told the fish was battered. My friend ordered the reuben on grilled sourdough. Our food looked nice enough. However, my fish was panko crusted and NOT battered. Rather than complain, I decided to decided to give the dish a try. The coating was bland and tasteless. The small fish section underneath the thick coating was dry, rubbery, and chewy. I was unable to swallow the bite I had taken. The fries were brown on the outside but soggy throughout and not crispy at all. My fiend's reuben contained meat that was chopped/diced and not sliced and appeared to be ham rather than pastrami. The meat was also not grilled but appeared to be boiled and/or microwaved and had the consistency of chewing on rubber bands. We spoke with our hostess about our dissatisfaction, and she asked if we wanted to try something different from their menu. We both declined and were not charged for the uneaten meals. Our bill was $38, and we left a $20 tip, because the service was great! The food is the issue here. This is not a place I would suggest to anyone, and I do not plan on ever trying it out again. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Fish and chips - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

Wonderful service and food. We ordered the carbonara pasta and chipotle shrimp. Excellent authentic Italian food and our host Adam was excellent. Definitely recommend to try. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Carbonara pasta - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

Just found this hidden gem in LaMesa! Family owned & one of the best meatballs I've found in San Diego. Delicious espresso martini & great company. Thanks Kiersten! We'll be back! read more

This place is in downtown La Mesa. We were not greeted upon arrival. We figured out it's seat yourself. Took a while for waitress to come take our order, she was the only one. I ordered fish tacos with a Cesar salad. It was pretty good, different with cheese on tacos. They do have Gelato for sale. Got some and it was good. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Scrumptious gelato and sooo many flavors to choose from. Nice and friendly service... family feeling. Great place to grab a gelato to go as well and walk around the village area or sit a the bench and take it all in :). read more

Don't sleep on this spot, I'm telling you, if you've been eating/drinking on La Mesa Blvd and haven't slipped into Centifonti's, you've been missing out. Wake up, people! My love for downtown La Mesa has grown over the years. From the car shows, the farmers markets, a few little dive bars, and overpriced pizza, my hangout sessions on the main drag have increased from "on occasion" to "quite frequent" and Centifonti's has given me even more reason to spend a few bucks at a local business. Why? Giiiiirrrl, I'll tell you! The food was terrific, which I'll admit, I was surprised. While the sophisticated locals have been dipping in quickly for homemade gelato, the misfits like me and my friends will throw a few back at the bar and order a selection of food to pass around. The highlights: - The lasagna was legit! Seriously, the portion is big and served with garlic bread to soak up the red sauce that's surely going to left when you've tackled the layers of pasta and meat. - The mussels were our absolute favorite and are one of those dishes that I'd go to a restaurant for, specifically. Piled high in a bowl and drowned in a white wine/butter based sauce... these mussels didn't stand a chance against my friends and I. Once again, served with bread to leave not a trace of the carnage that happened when attacked by a gaggle of hungry dudes. - The tacos! I had the chicken tacos from the happy hour menu and these f#ckers were big and served two to a plate. Rumor has it that their taco Tuesday is quite popular with $15.00 landing you a taco, a Caesar salad, and a Mexican beer. See you Tuesday? Ah s#it, today is Tuesday... see you tonight? Welp, am I fan? Beyond a fan of Centifonti's. Great people, great food, and a very fun atmosphere in the bar area. Take my money. read more

This is our favorite La Mesa spot. The food is well-prepared and attractive. We especially enjoy the pastas, soups and salads. The portions are generous. It is a very good brunch place with great drinks. Kirsten our server/owner is very attentive and willing to fulfill customer requests. The vibe is family. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Soup and salad combo with fruit and shrimp added on request - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

Came here early on a Saturday evening as we had just dropped off the kidlet for a sleep over nearby. It was not super busy and we were able to seat ourselves in a booth. Staff came over to get drink orders, drop off menus etc. There is a lot going on in this space. There is a bar, the restaurant tables, a gelato case, a dessert case. Since we were sitting down eating it wasn't an issue for us. For drinks I got a happy hour red wine (I let the server pick and I think she picked a cab. It was tasty and not something I would have ordered $4). My husband got an old fashioned $12. I feel like it was on special too but I could be wrong. We got toasted ravioli for an appetizer $13. It was half meat, half cheese. I preferred the meat vs the cheese but both were tasty. For dinner I got clam linguine with jumbo shrimp $22 and my husband got the lasagna $19. Since we had got an appetizer we didn't get through a lot of the food. Overall a positive experience supporting a small local business vs the chain restaurants we have patronized. We will definitely be back to try a dessert or some gelato. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Clam linguine with jumbo shrimp $22 - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

I am only reviewing this restaurant's Gelato. The hubby and I were walking in The Village of La Mesa and stopped in close to their closing time (8pm) on a Saturday night, and were just wanting something sweet. This was our first time at Centifonti's. We walked up to the frozen desert counter and we're greeted with a warm, friendly, smile. Since we were not familiar with their Gelato, we were graciously offered tastings, which we accepted. We chose the peach and the salted butterscotch (2 small scoops was $7). The peach Gelato was somewhat creamy with small pieces of infused fresh peach throughout. Every so often we would get an ice crystal in our bite, a bit unpleasant. The salted butterscotch was a bit too sweet for our liking and tasted like artificial flavorings, but it was very creamy. There are other display cases with homemade chocolates and fresh pastries. Looks like a fun place to come and eat a meal when they have live music; so we'll come back to dine at another time and update this review. read more

I can't believe I have never been here! Came here during Friday Farmers Market and wanted coffee. This place is like the neighborhood bar. The it place to be which has food, desserts, coffee, gelato and even live music! I had the almond toffee gelato. I love that all of their gelato has some sort of toppings. I had almond toppings. I also got the Irish cream latte and it was sooo good! It has alcohol so they do check ID. It was sweet and creamy just the way I like it. My friend got Keoke Coffee which had Brandy and Kahlua. She said it was too strong for her. There's happy hour Monday to Saturday 3-7pm and all day Sunday. read more

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Had the best lunch today, pasta special,. 1/2 Meat sauce 1/2 Alfredo! The best! Service is excellent. Very friendly atmosphere.

I came here with my boyfriend on Sunday around 11am. The restaurant was pretty busy and half the bar seats were taken. We've walked past this place several times after eating nearby and have kept saying that we need to try this place....and we finally did! I can't believe we haven't been here sooner. The chalkboard in the back by the end of the bar is chalk full of reading material and great specials for every day of the week. We came here on Sunday which meant Happy Hour ran all day....woohoo!! My boyfriend got the Bloody Mary which he really liked and I just got a glass of Sauvignon Blanc ($4....what?!) :0]. Despite the fact that they were pretty busy we didn't have to wait too long before someone came to take our order at the bar. Server was very friendly and pleasant despite how busy it was. I had the Pork Chop and Eggs which was great. Very decent portion size and loved the hash browns. My boyfriend got the French Toast and he cleaned the plate. The vibe was nice too with whoever's playlist they were playing....funk R&B...it was nice and mellow. We loved it! We'll definitely be back again to try the martinis and their dinner menu. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Pork Chops and Eggs - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The service here was wonderful, I came here with my sister for a late snack, and the gelato I had was really good. I had the key lime pie gelato. They have plenty of seating inside and out. The service was great, both the lady and gentleman in there were helpful and nice. read more

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Huge portions. Excellent service. Good value. Great for lunch. Outside seating. Wednesday is $5 wine with lunch.

What a find in La Mesa Looking for breakfast place - this is the place e Food was tasty - all made to order - yummy french toast Service was friendly fast and accommodating Clean space mom and pop vibe Def coming back again read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - French Toast Platter - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

Everytime we stop in, we wonder why we don't come more often. The menu is extensive, service is fantastic, food is delicious. Happy Hour is great. Today I had their amazing beef stew, sitting outside having happy hour champagne. Love this place!!! read more

So it's a hit !! we enjoyed the appetizers! Calamari was delicious! My son and I decided to share a burger and it was good ! Next time I'll come And try the spaghetti and meatballs as I heard it from a customer it's pretty good and that's all he ever eats there so we'll be back again we are very happy with everything the service was good the food was good! We also got sone great for after dinner ! Candy apple and a jaw breaker ! Fun stuff we don't normally eat! read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Chicken chipotle quesadilla with AMAZING fresh made margaritas. The Gentleman behind the bar Adam, is always kind and polite and serves up the best drinks in La Mesa. Friendly. Fair price. Chill atmosphere. Delicious! Highly recommend read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Chipotle Quesadilla with Margaritas - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

From the food to the service!! When coming to downtown La mesa this is where you definitely should go! Brunch on a Sunday to dinner on a Thursday centifonti has great food and amazing service!! read more

They have a huge menu. I've had a few hits and misses here, but typically the food is pretty good. The portion sizes are large and they're reasonably priced. I really enjoy their various specials throughout the week. The staff are friendly and extremely attentive. The restaurant itself is very much a "Mom and pop" vibe. It's a little dated, but I appreciate it. Bonus! The gelato is amazing!! read more

Best tomato soup I've ever had. Our server was very friendly and took great care of us. I recommend it! We'll be back for sure.

The chicken wings were great but the service could have been better. The bartender could have been more attentive to arriving customers. I sat at the bar for 10 minutes waiting to place an order while he socialized with guests. The guests had already ordered. How would I know this, they were my friends who arrived before me. Again, the service could have been better. I'll try again. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Lemon Pepper, Garlic Wings tossed in Buffalo Sauce they were delicious. But.......... - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

The staff at Centifonti's is aaaaaaaalways incredible. The hubs and I love popping in for happy hour when there are events in The Village. And there are aaaaaaaalways events in The Village. The location is fantastic, their patio is super fun people-watching, and they make their gelato in-house! Did I mention the staff is incredible? read more

Wonderful family run business. Very friendly staff and service was great. They have a large variety of drinks and hot sauces. We tried maybe 10 different ones! The food was tasty and the extra crispy bacon was the bomb. The best I've had when asking for extra crispy. Cute little place in downtown La Mesa. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Cheese Fries - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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