I am so glad we discovered this place. Gelato and food are amazing. I highly highly recommend getting the espresso martini (they add gelato in it!) read more

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

Went back again! Very consistently good food and service. Tried an espresso martini and it had a scoop of gelato in it. Yes they have gelato and an assortment of pastries! It was different from any espresso martini I've had...in a good way. Definitely appreciated that it wasn't overly sweet. Also ordered a burger that satisfied my burger craving completely :) read more

Great ambiance, friendly staff and service. Bonus stars that they serve grits. It's not on the menu but grits is definitely available. Homemade gelato, candies and dessert. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - a plate of food - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Their caramel apples and dessert case looks impressive and drew us in to check out. I have a major sweet tooth and chose a big peanut butter cookie with homemade peanut butter cups. My husband was excited bit spit out because it had a rancid after taste. He will eat anything. Not sure what caused the bad flavor but we were sadly disappointed. read more

Worst service ever for our party of four yesterday at 11:30. Had to ask for everything twice, creamer, silverware, check at end. Left sitting for hours, drinks never came, after ten minutes we asked another server who said they don't have the type of drink advertised on the table, which we had ordered ten minutes before. Food came out in two shifts leaving the first two in our party to have theirs get cold while we urged them to start. What should have been an hour lunch took over two hours. Servers seemed oblivious. It was not too crowded nor understaffed. Don't know what was the matter, but we will never go here again. read more

Ssssllllloooowwwww. Writing this as I approach 20 minutes waiting at the Gelato counter.

Ice cream is great. Go somewhere else for anything else. They had two servers for the entire place. It took 10 minutes for anyone to stop by the table. Another 20 minutes for the beers to show up after we ordered. The red sauce on the pasta just tasted like eating a basil plant. The tequila lime shrimp was just lime juice. The "jumbo" shrimp are actually the same size as the shrimp in the 40 count bag of frozen shrimp at the supermarket. We had a little larger party but all the food came out at random times. Half the table was almost done eating before some got their food and some of the food looked like it was just sitting under a heat lamp waiting... Unfortunately this place tried to include some of everything, gelato bar, coffee shop, sports bar, restaurant, brewery (you can even buy yourself a Das Boot)....but doesn't take the time to make anything quality. I had the misfortune of using the restroom right after someone cleaned it. Props for thoroughness but they used so much bleach it was actually hard to breath and my eyes watered and burned. I sat down at our table after and my wife instantly commented I reeked of bleach without me even saying anything. read more

This is for Thanksgiving...really disappointed. The turkey was bland no seasoning, gravy did not help because it was flavorless.The dressing had a weird season in it and raisins...thats my bad not a fan of raisins. Mash potatoes flavorless no help with the gravy. Also felt the staff to be a little cold and not very welcoming. Wish we would have went to Marie Calanders but wanted to support local. read more

We go here all the time. It's one of our favorites. The owners are so incredibly nice! And staff is always amazing. They have happy hours that are always amazing. We love the fried pickles at happy hour and ceaser salad and potato skins. They have great breakfast great taco salad everything is home made! Candy apples , gelato and much more. It's a gem in downtown La Mesa They own the wonderful sushi place across the street as well. Freshes sushi ever! read more

I would like to start by saying that the service was fantastic. However, the food is not. The food tasted like it was cafeteria food. It is absolutely not worth the price you pay. I do mind paying over $100 for my wife and i to have dinner, I just hope for quality food. This is not the place. read more

After strolling down the quaint and charming streets of the La Mesa Village, after the farmers market, we decided to stop in for a scoop of gelato. I tried the Samoa and my husband had the strawberry... basic & just ok. It's got a little of everything, and is a popular little diner here in downtown La Mesa. read more

Wonderful family style restaurant. I had the vegetarian garden burger which was very good. And my partner had the original eggs benedict, which she said was great. Nice atmosphere and wonderful service. We'll be going back. read more

There's obviously a reason why Centifonti's restaurant does not attract the crowds that most downtown La Mesa restaurants are currently enjoying. I am sitting at Johnny B's because I just left Centifonti's after having waited at the bar to order dinner for a full 10 minutes... and no, they were not busy with only 2 others at the bar. The first wait person gave me a menu, then vanished...probably shift end...then a new wait person walked right past me...apparently feeling it was more important to pick up several empty glasses off the bar...then she headed off to clear a table...and no, there was no one waiting for a table...guess that is why the are called " waitpersons"...their job at this particular venue was to keep one "waiting". Having a patty melt at Johnny AB's and have yet to figure out how the nearly empty Centifonti's, with no service earned the whopping 3.5 stars. read more

Very extensive menu and extensive bar, lots of desserts and beers. Friendly and efficient service good food. The happy hour is a great bargain. The AC was welcome on a hot day. One big drawback is their use of Fabuloso or some similar cleaner with an overpowering smell. It really puts a damper on the experience. I would like to return but hope, hope, hope they will change their cleaner. read more

My Dad loves Italian food and I've never been here so this seemed like the perfect spot for dinner when he was in town. The drinks were reasonably priced and the beer was cold. The menu is very large and has a variety of options including non-Italian. The service was ok and the portions were very large. The food however was extremely plain and lacked the quality we were looking for when eating out. read more

This place is a perfect 5 stars. It's clean and inviting, they play good music, and the customer service is spectacular! Everyone seems to have a positive and welcoming spirit. The food is delicious!!! I wish I had taken pics of what my sisters ordered as well but we dug right into our food when it arrived. I like the atmosphere and the fact that the servers are attentive and friendly. I recommend dining here if you are in the area. Totally worth it. read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Chicken tacos and Cosmo. Happy hour - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

I do like the fact that the restaurant is never that busy so it's not too loud. The burgers are good. The chicken teriyaki salad was terrible. Instead of salad dressing they dumped very salty teriyaki sauce all over the salad. I believe teriyaki salad dressing is available or they could make their own, but that was a big mistake. Also, I think their tortilla soup is boring. read more

This was well an experience., but it was good. You can drink, eat gelato, have stew have a chicken sandwich. I was quite surprised how much I liked this place and wine weds! Can't beat that! I will say that the chicken pesto would've been better if on pasta. But it was yummy read more

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

I have never had a bad meal or conversation at Centifonti's. There are numerous TV's to watch sports or whatever is going on any particular day. Centifonti's is a family owned and run. All their food is homemade. They also make confections and gelato. We have been coming here for about 15 years, we bring the grandkids all the time. Great breakfasts too !!!! Go visit them you will not be disappointed. Kristen D. read more

I really love this family restaurant. For so many reasons. They seem to provide all the things people could socially do with friends or family. You can go here for lattés, or to share some home made chocolates for something sweet. But then you can also got hot drinks with alcohol which is perfect for winters patio nights during the pandemic. They also have a full menu, with appetizers, burgers, pasta dishes, hot soup, salads, grilled panini's. It's just kinda everything! read more

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This is the local spot to visit if you have a sweet tooth. They have everything from homemade gelato to coffee cake to red velvet cookies. Tonight I only got gelato though. I definitely recommend stopping here if you're on a date and taking a little stroll in downtown La Mesa. Their prices are extremely reasonable too! read more

Centifonti's Restaurant - Cookies and cream (brown) gelato Toasted marshmallow (white) gelato - Desserts Near Me - La Mesa, California

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The last time we went to Centifonti's, I drove past it and went elsewhere because I couldn't park. That's the only thing wrong with it. All of the restaurants in the La Mesa Village are pretty good -- you really can't go wrong. There just isn't enough parking. Shame, city council, shame. This is just a very comfortable place to go for a casual meal. If you need desert, they have good pie and candy. Sometimes you can tell the quality of the food from the smallest thing -- in my case it was a bowl of tomato-basil soup. My wife has a favorite sandwich. I liked the cherry pie. Reviewer Miguel V. wondered why lots of old people come here. It is because we all live in a condo two blocks down and don't need a parking place -- except when we're injured. Which is getting disgustingly frequently. read more

Absolutely loved the food and the atmosphere. The waitress that served me and mom had great recommendations and understood the menu. Small business but still worth the wait. Went twice. Once for happy hour and once for breakfast. They were attentive the whole time. Gladly will come again. read more

Food was good and our server was friendly. However, we ordered the French Toast Platter to share and were charged an extra fee. We expected it to be one meal and were surprised when it was brought out in two plates-- which was reflected in the check by a 2.99 "split charge." I would have appreciated more transparency on this ahead of time. read more

Drinks were good. Nice dessert selection. Food wasn't as good. Service was on point. Very family owned feel to the restaurant.

Great staff, I love the family friendly Italian American atmosphere this restaurant provides, one of my favs, will continue to go there as long as the owners keep doing what they're doing! read more

This is for their Gelato and the chicken strips!! Amazing!!!! I have a picky eater and she loved every bite!!! We will return!!!

We stopped here on Octoberfest Saturday. They had seating outside. There were 4 of us. It was very crowded outside. They were very busy inside. It took some time to get a waitress but it was well worth it. Amanda was our waitress. We didn't know exactly what we wanted but she was patient coming back a few times to get all the things we wanted. She was very pleasant and calm even though inside it was crazy busy. We had excellent margaritas, beer, garlic fries and a sandwich. All were tasty. Will be back soon. read more

This place suuuuuucks. Asked for the side pasta on the chicken parm to include a meatball and meat sauce, and they hiked the price up to $37! Oh, and the meal tasted terribly. read more

Today was my first time there. A very nice atmosphere. Food was okay except fried mushrooms fried a little hard for me. Going back to try breakfast. 4 starsno read more

I'm a regular. I've been coming here for YEARS (since 2018), and it's one of my favorite spots in all of San Diego County. The staff is beyond friendly, the kindest service people I've ever encountered. They've always been so generous and accommodating, from reserving tables for birthdays to allowing us to stay chatting until closing. Their gelato is the best I've had in Southern California (coming from someone who lives in LA now). They make it fresh every Wednesday! Seasonal flavors and year-round ones. My personal seasonal favorites are Samoa (spring) and Eggnog (winter). For year-round, you can't go wrong with any, though I am partial to the black cherry almond and marshmallow. Their Italian sodas are life-changing, with at least 10 flavors to choose from. As for food, I'm not a beef person, but my parents are. They swear their lasagna is the best they've had at any Italian restaurant. Meanwhile, I'm more of a chicken person. Their chicken parmesan is great. As for appetizers, their pretzel balls with nacho cheese are my friends and my favorite. And last but certainly not least, their fries are seasoned and have just the right amount of crunch. Back when I was a vegetarian, I used to live off of them. It probably wasn't the healthiest decision, but I don't regret it. I would order large sides all the time. You HAVE to check out this restaurant. The ambiance is cozy and familiar, a perfect place to bring family and friends. Also, they have great breakfast options! My favorite hashbrowns out of all the La Mesa breakfast places. They have the right amount of crunch on top, but softness buried beneath it. And if you have intolerances/allergies, trust me, there's something for you on the menu. I recently developed a wheat allergy, but I can still find something when I go! read more

Gelato is amazing, Food isn't ): I've come here multiple times for gelato but I am extremely disappointed to have such a poor experience in one of La Mesa's respected restaurants on the blvd. I decided to take my visiting family hereafter we strolled La Mesa's Friday Farmers Market. Moderately busy, family-friendly. Lasagna: Thick layer of dryness. Bland marinara and unappetizing chunks of meat. Chicken Parmesan: The chicken seemed old as it was extremely oily and separated from the batter as if it was refried. Bland spaghetti below. Spaghetti and Meatballs: Utterly bland pasta with what seemed to be frozen meatballs. We were craving Foccacia bread and ordered it as a side; but then, when the food came out, we realized each entree included garlic bread! The server did not mention this to us when were ordering & seemed puzzled about why we would order focaccia - I wonder if we could have substituted our bread options instead of being overloaded with bread & dry pasta. The server also did not seem knowledgeable of the menu & suggested mushrooms for an appetizer? They were understaffed; it took our server 20 minutes to bring a soda when the entire table was already served their drinks. I added as much salt/seasoning I could at the restaurant & when we brought it home; nothing worked to save the $75 worth of our dining experience. This was really embarrassing when I was introducing my family to a new neighborhood I just settled into. I would ONLY recommend this place for gelato; my flavors: pistachio, mint chip, salted caramel. read more

oh my god they have the freshest food. The tomatoes were awesome on my salad hardly ever get a grape tomato like that just saying in the service excellent fairy friendly owners. But most important, she makes the best drinks read more

We've come here every week now for months, but unfortunately tonight is our last time. We weren't greeted at the door by anyone, sat ourselves, brought high chairs over for ourselves, cleared dirty dishes off our table by ourselves, and also got happy hour menus by ourselves. Although it was clear they were severely short staffed, nobody even acknowledged us there and waiting for a long time. A simple "hey guys, we are running behind tonight" would have been great. We can walk here from our house, so it's unfortunate to be writing this place off. For way better service, try BeauBeau across the street or Trattoria Tiramisu down the street! read more

Wanted to support a local owned family business in La Mesa but it was a terrible experience. Friday night during Farmer's market. Our family of 4 came hungry ready to enjoy a great family meal and there was 4 service/welcomers yet no one could take our order. After water and a glass of wine and 50 mins - we still didn't get our appetizer or put in our dinner order. It's a lovely spot but not managed at all. Total chaos and disorganization. Will never go back read more

Loved the service, food, environment, cleanliness. Definitely a spot for the family. Did not try their bar but it looks very nice. Will have to come back and try their drinks! read more

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

Amazing food, really nice people who work there. From the time you walk through the door you feel like family and the food is so amazingly good. Highly recommend this place!!!!!!! Highly!!!!! read more

We stopped in and had an excellent brunch. Great service and really good food. Pancakes and French toast were excellent. Friendly staff. Great service and nice out door dining. Win win win read more

Food and service was great! Can't wait to come back! So yummy! Great beer selection too! read more

We just moved here. Sooooo good. Like so good we got the chicken pesto panini (boyfriend said it was a 10) I got the lasagna (it's a 10) drinks especially on happy hour are great. The server was amazing we love this place read more

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