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    Operacaffe

    4.2 (1k reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Operacaffe Photos

    OPERACAFFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Romantic
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Operacaffe

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    Bruschetta Toscana*
    Jason B.

    3 stars... Hungry after catching a matinee, hit up this joint on the way home... Promptly seated on the sidewalk for good people watching. Not a great beer selection so I just had water. Split the bruschetta with buratta... crispy, creamy, warm and cool with a hint of sweetness from the roasted tomatoes...it was good! For the main we had the bucatini with sausage and mushrooms. Nice sized portion for two, though it was pricey and a bit greasy. Ambiance is sidewalk minimalist, service was friendly, and prices were average for the location. With so many great Italian places in this town I can't commit to an encore, but you should give it a try!!

    Kimberly L.

    I loved this place but the food and experience isn't the same! Their calamari wasn't good. The portions are small now. Also, the Cesar salad was very small! However, our main dishes were very good.

    Capricciosa Pizza
    Daniela W.

    Family and I had a wonderful evening celebrating a birthday, I forget but I think our server was Catarina and she was so wonderful. Parking $12 when you park at Horton Plaza across the street and get it validated. The food is very fresh. Fresh ingredients and tastes high quality. Loved the ambiance it was so cute inside. Pictures included are the Arancini (deep fried mozzarella) which were so good, fresh and hearty. The Patrizia salad, Capricciosa Pizza, and Ravioli Fattore. The Ravioli Fattore was so good, it has a slight spice to it so just keep that in mind

    The fresh bread - the olive oil is poured into a small bowl, not in this photo!!
    Edward T.

    My wife and I went to see The Stylistics at the Balboa Theater on Thursday, 9-Jan and I was searching for a restaurant in the proximity of both parking and the Balboa Theater and my YELP search suggested Operacaffe was a great option - literally across the street from the Balboa Theater. It's a wonderfully smaller restaurant and we were greeted immediately and when I said we had a reservation, we were immediate given the seat next to the front door, the bay window with great comfortable padding and not in the path of the cold ness when the front door opened and a great view of the Balboa theater! We started with the Prosciutto Di Parma e Burrata with an order of bread & Olive Oil - fabulous!! The slices of prosciutto were HUGE!! The burrata, . . . . what can you ever say about burrata but "WONDERFUL!" The dish had some arugula which is the perfect blending element when you have burrata with prosciutto. The bread with olive oil was the perfect accompaniment with the Prosciutto Di Parma e Burrata - the bread was fresh and the olive oil great! Having read the Yelp review, I was pretty fixated on anything with their vodka sauce and I ordered the Ravioli Fattore - FABULOUS and that vodka sauce was soooooo delicious!! I had to use the bread to sop up every last pool of that delicious sauce! My wife had the Fettuccine Al Pesto with added Shrimp. She also thought the dish was delicious and the pesto sauce was really exceptional with a depth of flavor that was memorable. She said she would order it again when we return. For dessert we shared the Limoncello Cake and again, delicious!! The wait staff was really great and attentive. Our waiter was Juan Carlos and he did a great job with recommendations and checking on us. The restaurant was fairly busy with the show at the Balboa Theater and it was just two staff working, Juan Carlos and another young man, but they did great with trying to be attentive with the needs of the diners and the seating and serving and attentiveness to the diners. The inside of the restaurant was a little too cold for my preference, . . . . but that was my only issue but I also know I am typically cold and I HATE cold weather having grown up on the beaches of central Florida. I wish YELP allowed you to give x.5 stars - I would have rated Operacaffe 4.5*

    Karina U.

    This was actually my second time here and both times were a delicious experience. I got the tuna carpaccio, GF penne bolognese, and a flourless chocolate cake with an added scoop of ice cream. The one thing that could probably be improved upon was the bolognese since it was missing a tomato sauce and was mostly meat and pasta and just felt dry. The server was able to get me a hot tomato based sauce from the kitchen and it was exactly what the dish needed. Otherwise, everything was fantastic, especially dessert. I also enjoyed the peach Bellinis I had with my meal. Overall a great time and they ensure that you leave happy.

    Ravioli Fattore
    Christina H.

    Everything we ordered was so delicious! I loved the spicy vodka sauce that was on the ravioli fattore! It was so flavorful and the flavors were balanced. The portion was a bit small, I wish they had given me more than 6 ravioli. The pollo parmigiana was cooked perfectly and was a good portion size. Lastly, the tiramisu was so fresh! I loved that there was so much cream but it wasn't too sweet! The coffee flavor was a bit light but the texture of the lady fingered was great. The restaurant ambiance was casual and the noise levels were low. I went on a Tuesday night and it was very quiet. We sat outside on the patio which looked out to the street. This place had many small tables so definitely call ahead for bigger groups. Overall good food and good service, but portion size varied.

    Nami M.

    My coworkers and I came here on a weekday and we were seated right away. The food was so good! I highly recommend the ravioli. It was some of the best tasting ravioli I've ever had. I will definitely be visiting again next time I'm in San Diego.

    Danon Teresa S.

    A quick last minute dinner option that was a beautiful find. Small and intimate. Seated right away, offering of a regular menu, specials and drinks. We started with the Carpaccio. Who knew something so complex could be offered in a simple manner, delicious and refreshing, an excellent start. We then ordered the Lobster filled ravioli and Fettuccini with lobster tail in spicy tomato sauce. Both so flavorful! My husband asked for a spoon to drink up the sauce from the sauce in the raviolis. The homemade pasta makes a difference and is memorable. Our only regret that we had to leave quick due to an other obligation, if not we would've stayed for dessert and coffee. This place needs more recognition, small family run restaurants are a must.

    Farfalle al pollo
    Elizabeth A.

    Food is amazing. The service is even better. Everybody here is very attentive and helpful when picking items from the menu the environment is excellent with great music playing 10 out of 10 all the way around.all the dishes are delicious

    Quality Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza Pie
    Carlos O.

    Walking around Gaslamp ran in to this place. Waitress was extremely impressive asking for any needs very intensive service top notch. Grabbed a quick bite very surprised of the quality of their pizza! I will return next time I'm in town.

    Glen N.

    The food tastes amazing! I had the Fettuccine Alfredo & added meatballs and I honestly can't remember ever having a better one. I highly recommend it!

    Cannoli
    Todd H.

    Went here for (day after) Valentine's dinner before a show. We had wine, bread, caprese salad to start and shared the gnocchi and penne bolognese. Although we took half home, we couldn't resist getting dessert. Cannoli was okay. A bit small for the price. Will get Tiramisu next time. Good meal portion sizes, especially if you start with the bread. Pasta and gnocchi was well prepared, and the staff was fairly attentive. My only nit from our dinner would be the size of the 2-top tables. There is barely enough room for plates and glasses. Had to put menus on the ground to make room for wine and appetizer. All in all, solid restaurant. We will we here next time we have plans to go to the Civic theater.

    Lobster Ravioli

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    4 months ago

    We highly recommend Operacaffe! Cozy restaurant with amazing food! You won't be disappointed.

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    Kika P.

    Thank you for the kind words can’t wait to welcome you back soon

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    Page 1 of 25

    Operacaffe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Operacaffe

    Do they validate parking?

    Yes we valid at for the old Horton plaza parking lot The entrance is on 4th and Fst The rate is $12… Read more

    Do you have a corkage fee? If so, how much is it for a 750ml bottle of wine?

    Yes we do $20

    Happy hour specials?

    Sorry we don’t have happy hour

    Does all menu items include garlic?

    Most of the red sauces yes because we make our marinara with it (although we only use one garlic in a large pot) but you can request no garlic on our creamy sauces

    Is this the same operacaffe that used to be in Sorrento?

    Hello, No it’s not (that was Opera Patisserie) This is Italian food… Read more

    What is the noise level? We would like to be able to converse without having to shout or tortured by annoying music.

    On a Monday evening in March, there was only moderate background music and conversations from the surrounding tables.

    Does this establishment offer gluten free pasta?

    Yes we do

    Do the servers sing?

    Sorry they don’t

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Cesarina

    Cesarina

    4.7
    (3.5k reviews)
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    Have been here a few times, the food quality is amazing. It's truly the only place I've been able…read moreto find where the pasta tastes exactly like the one I had in Italy! Along with that when we went, we were celebrating my mom's birthday and the service felt extra attentive and kind! Overall, this place is amazing, it has a great ambiance for going out with friends or family to enjoy some great food!

    Cesarina is one of the most popular Italian restaurants in San Diego for a reason! Highly recommend…read morecoming with a reservation, otherwise you'll be waiting for a while. The interior is so cutely decorated and they have some outdoor seating as well. The paccheri vodka & scampi is a bit on the pricier end compared to the other pastas but sooo worth it! I don't really crave seafood pastas too often but I think about that pasta often and would 100% go back to get it. So if you're on the fence, take this as a sign to get it. The flavor of the pasta is so good. The funghi pasta is also amazing and my husband craves that one often as well. The arrabbiatissima sounded really delicious from the description but was too acidic for me the couple of times I tried it. For my friend's birthday, they brought out a small dessert and also took a cute Polaroid for us to take home which was so sweet. I've recommended this restaurant to friends whenever they ask for San Diego restaurant recs and they have all said that they really enjoyed their meal here!

    Photos
    Dining room
    Dining room
    The signature chicken pitcher with their soft delish breads
    The signature chicken pitcher with their soft delish breads
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    Birthday dessert!
    Barbusa

    Barbusa

    4.2
    (3.8k reviews)
    0.9 mi
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    Fun! Had dinner on a weekend for a friends birthday. It gets pretty crowded and loud so don't…read moreexpect to have an intimate conversation. It was fun when it got a little later and they turned up the music while we all ate (mostly playing Beiber). Everyone was dancing in their seat. Kinda lame that most of the young patrons, 20somethings, were doing live streams the whole time. Can't we be without devices for an hour?! Food was good. I had the gnocchi and it was yummy. We also got the huge sampler appetizer it was waaay too big but we ate it all! There were 8 of us. Cocktails were good too. Can dress up or down there was a little of both.

    The ambiance was pretty cool, and I really enjoyed all the photos of famous people on the walls--it…read moregave the restaurant a lot of character. The service, however, felt very minimal and somewhat lacking. Nothing was necessarily wrong, but it didn't leave much of an impression. The food was definitely the highlight of the experience. The carbonara, served with a fresh egg on top, was memorable and something I would absolutely order again. The mussels were decent, and the ciabatta bread was delicious for dipping into the sauce. I also had a Pinot Grigio that was one of the best wines I've had in a long time. Overall, the food and drinks were the strongest parts of the meal and left a positive impression. The service was just okay. Would I come back? I'm honestly not sure, but I'd definitely be tempted by that carbonara and wine.

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    Interior
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    Bolognese Al Forno
    Bolognese Al Forno
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    Buona Forchetta

    Buona Forchetta

    4.4
    (3.8k reviews)
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    This place is wow…read more Came to San Diego for a weekend trip and we wanted some Italian. We were able to make a reservation on open table for 12pm on a Saturday for 6 people and a baby. There is only street parking so you may need to drive around a block or two. The restaurant has both patio seating and indoor. The patio seating feels like you're in Rome with the chairs and decor matching a Roman Fraschetta. Our server Cosimo was wonderful! He took the wonderful to a different level with his Italian charisma. There is an extensive drink menu, all the pastas, pizzas, and other Italian dishes. We went with all of the recommendations that Cosimo made- 4 pizzas and 4 pastas. All were delicious. We also enjoyed the Tiramisu. If you want authentic Italian food and vibes go to Forchetta!

    Second time at Buona Forchetta, and it brought back such good memories, plus instant dopamine from…read morethe chew of their pizza crust! I came here with a big group of friends on a Thursday night, and the place was packed. The restaurant is located in a quieter area of South Park with plenty of street parking available (no dedicated lot, though). We made a reservation, and they seated us right on time. We ordered a little bit of everything, including appetizers, pizzas, and pasta. What surprised me most was how light everything tasted. The brightness and freshness of the dishes really made the overall experience stand out. Our favorite dishes at the table were the Nicola and Juna pizzas, along with the gnocchi carbonara. By the way, this is a fork and knife place for everything. This place is definitely a carb overload, but absolutely worth it. Come for the classics, stay for the vibes :)

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    Sergio pizza
    Sergio pizza
    Smoked salmon, Brie, tomatoes, and capers. Are you kidding me? Best pizza in San Diego.
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    Piacere Mio - South Park

    Piacere Mio - South Park

    4.5
    (2.3k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    This is my favorite resturant okay I said it. Great times here, what a great vibes…read more What Great staff here, so happy & kind too they are amazing here! I had pasta Orecchiette We raviolis with crab and shrimp Chicken parmigiana And a smoked mozzarella ravioli with eggplant Di Melazame everything was delicious And we had Caprese to start with a large heirloom Tomato slices the was so tasty too We all enjoy every bite until we couldn't And they bought out a dessert Nutella cheesecake That was sweet of them Plus tiramisu we ordered It was funny there was 2 ladies celebrating by our table their birthday's too same day also It was a perfect birthday

    Came for a late Mother's Day lunch. The calamari was really good. Perfectly cooked and crispy…read morepairing well with the marinara sauce. I got the Orecchiette Con Salsiccia ($24) with ear shape pasta finished with sautéed garlic, olive oil, Italian sausage, pesto , chopped tomatoes, parmesan and mozzarella cheese in white wine cream sauce. It was very savory, creamy, and cheesy. It's one of the heavier pastas I've had but it's probably because I removed the rapini because I don't like the bitter taste. I thought the sausage quality was just okay and not the best. I loved the Al dente pasta. I would probably opt for a tomato base sauce here because I think they do the flavors so much better. My family got the Taglierini Neri Ai Frutti Di Mare ($27). Plenty amounts of seafood with really well cooked pasta. The portions here are massive! All of us had to take our dishes to go so I highly recommend coming here if you want to bring home seconds. Service was also attentive and I appreciated that the kitchen plated the panna cotta to celebrate Mother's Day. I never get panna cotta but this one was creamy and not too sweet with the blueberry sauce. Highly recommend.

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    Spaghetti alle Vongole
    Spaghetti alle Vongole
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    Lasagne alla Bolognese
    Cucina Urbana

    Cucina Urbana

    4.4
    (4.9k reviews)
    1.2 mi
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    Fab time here - I don't know why I hadn't come in a while…read more Current version of the patio is not huge - but it was sweet & comfy and on Laurel toward the park (not on 5th or toward the corner). So nice views into the park too. Josh was our server and he was super nice! I started with the pope's delight cocktail. It's listed online as "aged rum + amaro romana + salted cantaloupe olio + lime, $17." But they had decided to add a proscuitto crisp and make it $21. I didn't want the proscuitto so that was a little annoying. But it was a tasty little cocktail. Bread: it's amazing here. They change exactly how they do it from time to time - this version was so yummy and with great butter. App: I got the burrata + pluot | cherry tomato + arugula + almond + coriander + mint + toast appetizer. Very yummy! Huge also. I took half of it home. Definitely recommend. Entree: I always like when the corn agnolotti comes on the menu, but it changes each year. This version was pretty good - I think my pasta was just a tad undercooked, not quite al dente on the parts of the agnolotti on the edges (not the pillows holding the filling). Still good though. Also, if you're going to the theater, do you know they have a FREE shuttle that takes you to the Old Globe and back? We decided to walk there after dinner (easy, pretty) but take the shuttle back after the show. So easy! And then I ordered takeout dessert from Josh. Overall, a super meal and great vibes. Looking forward to coming back soon!

    Large, inviting, high ceiling, dark dining space that always seems to be busy. Came here to try…read morebecause it's Michelin bib gourmand. roasted delicata squash + farro salad: deep fried delicata squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and served with a cilantro salsa verde. This was the most unique thing we ate and quite good. red wine short rib mafaldine (short rib pasta): this dish is kind of a mess and there's a lot of things going on. I like short rib, but I think it would taste better not in this pasta. Nothing stood out. roasted half chicken fra diavolo: a well done dish cooked to perfection. Flavorful but chicken can only be so good. Service was excellent and very attentive.

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    Inside
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    Grilled octopus
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    Parma Cucina Italiana

    Parma Cucina Italiana

    4.6
    (1.3k reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    I walked into this little Italian restaurant and found it completely packed. I asked the gentleman…read moreat the front how long the wait would be for a table for one. Without hesitation, he poured me a glass of Prosecco, invited me to wait outside, and assured me he'd have a seat for me in just a few minutes. Sure enough, about two minutes later, he came out and seated me. This restaurant made you feel like you were in Italy with the ambiance and vibe. I had done my research beforehand, so I already knew what I wanted. I ordered the lasagna, and it was absolutely incredible. The portion was generous, and my server let me know it would take a little extra time to prepare, which was perfectly fine. It didn't take long for me to realize that the man who seated me was also the owner. As I watched him greet guests throughout the evening, it was obvious that he genuinely loves what he does. We had a great conversation, and he was warm, welcoming, and personable. After finishing my meal, I ordered a double espresso and tiramisu for dessert. The tiramisu was easily one of the best I've ever had. Exceptional food, outstanding hospitality, and a memorable experience from start to finish. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in town.

    savignon blanc 4/5…read more clam linguine white wine pasta: 3/5 white sauce was alright but not the best i've had and kind of too thick of the sauce, good large portion, noodles were amazing lasagna: 4/5 so delish. large portion, meat and cheese was so good

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    Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
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    Seafood Risotto

    Operacaffe - italian - Updated June 2026

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