Al Teatro Panini Grill

The owner is incredibly kind and welcoming—it really makes the whole experience feel special. And the surf and turf burritos? Absolutely amazing. Packed with flavor, loaded with shrimp and steak, and huge—like, seriously massive. You definitely get your money’s worth.

We came here because we were hungry and thirsty. Good food, most of the patrons were waiting, like us, for the SD Civic Center to open.

Came across this restaraunt walking around. EVERYONE MUST COME! Their food is made from scratch, homemade Italian food. 3 dishes, 2 drinks came to be $40. Everything was amazing. Atmosphere is very comfortable. Definitely will be back.

Amazing little spot in downtown SD! The owner is very straight forward and kind! I got a Panini and Mango peach soda which was amazing.

My wife and I stopped here on a whim before a show, place has a great family vibe with cute decor and great atmosphere. Woman that helped us was very kind and clearly puts care into the food, which was awesome! My wife got a caprese panini and I got a Chipotle chicken, both so so amazing! Will be back

Great food and serve. Lady up front was super kind. She made it a great experience for us.

Fantastic sandwiches. Fantastic coffee/espresso. The lady who runs it is great. Changing daily specials. Lots of snacks and Italian treats on offer. Little upstairs sitting area is nice. Have been several times in the past couple weeks and it's been the highlight of my day. We need more independent little places like this in all of our lives.

Well, maybe it’s not fair to rate the restaurant this way because I didn’t eat there yet. I purchased these cookies at Williams-Sonoma that a private vendor with their label was selling. If Do you happen to be at the Williams Sonoma in fashion Valley and you see this table with the cookies, pass it up. I spent a lot of money on two dozens and they are the driest cookies I have ever tasted in my life. Not much flavor at all.

Such a cute little cafe! I was working from our San Diego office and in search of a lunch spot. Based on the staff member's recommendation, I went with the special panini (smoked salmon with goat cheese... 2 of my favorite food items that I never thought to combine! with arugula). The sandwich was made fresh for me and grilled to crispy crusty perfection. It was also huge, and I got to bring home half for dinner. The staff were all friendly, welcoming and attentive, and I saw a few regulars there chatting it up. Looking forward to going back on my next visit and trying the coffees, pastries, and more delicious panini!

When a coworker recommended this spot and mentioned it was woman and immigrant-owned, I knew I had to check it out--and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It's just a short stroll from work, which makes it the perfect lunch break destination. I went for the Chicken Avocado Sandwich, and wow. We're talking pesto, perfectly sliced chicken breast, creamy avocado, roasted red bell peppers, fresh spinach, and gooey provolone--all packed into one glorious bite. The portion? Super generous for the price, which is always a win. The service was on point, and the vibe of the place is *chef's kiss*. Tons of options on the menu too, so there's something for whatever mood you're in. I'll definitely be coming back, especially on those days I forget to bring lunch. Oh, and no photos--because I straight-up inhaled the sandwich within minutes. It was that good.

A hidden gem! This feels likes a place where you can be a regular, the staff seem to know their customers and their orders well. I liked my super fizzy and sweet cherry limeade and the turkey chipotle panini was crisp and satisfying for a nice lunch.

Great little restaurant, small but cozy space. The owner was very friendly and helpful! The cinnamon hot chocolate was delicious absolutely recommend. I also had the sun-dried tomato chicken panini and it was amazing, very fresh and full of flavor! Will return soon!

Wowww i have been working for 5 yrs next door and never have bought anything from here besides a caramel coffee once ... but oh man that torta with extra jalapeños was delicious thank you definitely worth it

Al Teatro is has been a staple in my downtown SD lunch (and breakfast) rotation. Everything is freshly made and delicious. Always something new to try as well. Top quality and quick service. A great place to have some customer loyalty as a small business in SD.

A small place that had a pretty wide menu, from sandwiches to burritos to smoothies to pastries. I think the sandwich and chip combos tend to be pretty popular, but I didn't see the menu in full because some of it is on another wall so I went with Mac and cheese and a latte. The mac and cheese tasted pretty good but was pretty salty and the cheese got cold quickly. The latte was underwhelming. I enjoyed the meal here and the service was really quick. I probably wouldn't go here for any special dishes but think it would be a good spot for general food late at night- they have a lot of savory and sweet comforty options.

Come here often but haven't reviewed in awhile...still super good! Since they do catering, I ordered a tray of their home made lasagna and my family loved it! Had some of their home made cookies and truffles for Christmas which were also a big hit. Nancy & Luisa are so friendly and they will make pretty much any custom thing you ask for. Breakfast, coffee break, lunch or dinner, we are always happy - sometimes they close a little early, so call first to make sure they are open :)

Ordered the Buffalo chicken sandwich online. Cleart says served with chips the lady told me no they don't. Didnt bother to argue with her and the sandwich had way too much sauce. Just a soggy mess of a sandwich, one of the worst sandwiches I've eaten.

I'm sorry but it lacked flavor we ordered the carnitas burrito and the surf and turf. The people are great but the food just didn't hit the mark. The coffee drinks are good but maybe go for the sandwich instead.

I love, love, love this place!! All of their food is delicious I stopped by on 1/30/2023, and ordered the days special cheese tortellini with zucchini, sun dried tomato and sauce and it was exceptional and you get so much I will continue to order from this place. The owner is very nice as well! All other places should take notes from this place that takes pride in their food

Great food and great service. Popped in before a show at the theater and grabbed lunch. We had a great time and the food was delicious and the price was great. I would highly recommend

Great for lunch downtown. Fresh, quick, and delicious. Staff is always so friendly. I have never been disappointed.

So from the moment you walk in you notice like 20 different signs all showing a million different things they can make there. And I've always been a person that when seeing so many things you think huh maybe a lot of these things won't be fresh. And I was not proven wrong; I decided to get a bagel with egg, bacon, and cheese. The egg was a weird color and didn't taste right and the bacon was chewy (both definitely not freshly made) which is weird since I was the only customer in there. I did get a shake as well and the was pretty good. Overall the environment was just weird and the only person working in there was pretty rude. I won't be going again ‍

Definitely a good stop if you want a delicious meal! The chef there is very hardworking and the food shows.

Great homemade food. Delish. I eat lunch there regularly and she makes amazing pastries, quiche. Also has catering! Great Italian food.

I stopped for lunch on a whim, and was very pleased! The shop had very low-key vibes and provided a very casual and enjoyable quick lunch. Sandwiches/paninis were well-portioned and tasty! I would recommend.

Boy, the negative reviews weren't kidding about bad service. The ladies that took and prepared my order were curt and disengaged. The place was completely empty when I walked in and they STILL seemed annoyed by my presence. I witnessed the same behavior with 3 other customers while I ate my meal, so it does seem like the norm. Very strange way to conduct business. Also, passing the cost of credit card fees back to your customers? That's just bad form. No tap water for your customers? Unacceptable. In any case, the food was actually decent. I had a burrito of all things. Everything was cooked fresh, dumped into a massive tortilla, and pressed like a panini. Tasty. Huge portion. Satisfying. The coffee was also ok. Nothing to rave about, but solid. I won't ever be coming back.

Love this hidden gem in downtown San Diego, best panini I've ever had, nicest people working there. Their coffee is also great. Would highly recommend this place.

Literally AMAZING service n delicious food. The lady in the front is the sweetest soul I love her thank you!!!!

This is without a doubt my favorite place to stop by before I head into work! The food is delicious, the coffee is phenomenal (the Nocciola is to die for), and the brownies are the BEST I have ever had. The service is amazing, Nancy is always so incredibly sweet and helpful and is always good for a fun conversation. My little Al Teatro trips before work are the only thing that motivates me to actually go in for my shift at this point.

We ordered catering for my baby shower and cannot say enough good things about Nancy and her food! She was so kind and accommodating when we placed our order and everyone raved about the food at our shower. We ordered salads, sandwiches, wraps and macaroni/pasta salad and everything was so fresh and full of flavor. We haven't eaten at the actual restaurant yet, but we definitely plan on stopping by for good food and highly recommend their catering services!

This place is amazing! all the food is fantastic; the breakfast croissant and brekfast burro. also the chicken jalapeño torta is my fav so so good. pastries are made fresh by the owner and they are always different and have never dissapointed. They take orders for pickup over the phone and are very quick. The only thing is they do close early but for lunch it is a must try.

I had the chicken jalapeño torta..it was BOMB! The price is worth it because the torta is huge! Cant wait to try something else!

The panini was good. The coffee was terrible. The service ( attitude ) was worse than the coffee. I tried the house specialty coffee and didn't like. I asked to replace it with something simpler ~ a vanilla latte. The vanilla latte sure tasted similar to the drink I returned so I asked if it had been changed or if I'd picked it up off the counter too soon. Boy, was that a mistake. The attitude of the person at the counter got a bit ugly ~ and then it got really ugly. I'm standing outside listening to them complain about me to the other customers. Turns out they can't help themselves with their bad attitudes ~ they obviously read my review because they stepped outside to tell me to "leave now." I'm standing on a public sidewalk in front of a neighbor of theirs who happens to be closed.

Long overdue review for my favorite place to grab a bite in downtown San Diego. I have been eating here for lunch for the past two years, and I can't get enough of the food. The pasta and the panini are always fresh and delicious. The espresso is amazing. It is not easy to find really authentic Italian food in San Diego but the ladies in the kitchen are always whipping up something good and at times I feel like I'm in Italy! Buon appetito!

My absolute favorite is the black bean burger! It a great way to go meatless and still get really satisfied. Thanks Nancy! - Jaime

I had an awesome Albacore Tuna melt sandwich earlier today. It had melted parmesan bread, pickles, tomato, and spicy mayo. This was by far the best tuna melt I've ever tasted! Chef Nancy always makes the most delicious menu items.

Poor service. The restaurant was out of most items by 12:30PM. Took over 15 minutes in the front of the line to be waited on. You are better off elsewhere.

The panini I ordered was good. However, I will not tolerate being treated like a Spirit Airlines passenger during my dining experience. - Restaurant provides no water on tap - Restaurant charges $1 fee to use a credit card - Restaurant charges $0.50 fee to use a debit card On a $10 sandwhich, you're paying an extra 10% in fees if you swipe a credit card. Forget about a tip. Forget about me ever coming back.

From the decor,to the food, to the friendly counter staff, this place is all Italian. During several years of working downtown, we made it a habbit to take a longer walk about once a month to bring panninis back to the office. Luisa, the friendly woman at the counter, was very patient, as we often had her ring up our sandwiches seperately. The dark wood storefront displays puppets resembling a Palermo-style theatre. Each panini is named after an Italian composer, singer, or other perfomormer. My favorite is the Puccini which is something like a caprese salad with proscuitto and pesto on a grilled baguette. They are great about substituting types of bread and cheeses in a "made to order" fashion. Desserts are delicious. On several occasions I have seen daily specials written out which included things such as gelator or chocolate drinks. Though possibly a bit pricey for an everyday weekday lunch, this place is a nice alternative to a typical deli or fast food restauraunt. It is conveniently located downtown. Most panninis run about $6-7. To-go orders are quick and easy, and it is also a pleasant and peaceful place to eat lunch.

Such a cute place run by mother and daughter. Warm and welcoming atmosphere. Delicious food, and best damn panini I have ever had!

Just found Al Teatro last night while my boyfriend and I were waiting for Mary Poppins to start down the street at the Civic Theatre. Love it! The shop is tiny and quaint and, although I've never been to Italy, what I imagine an Italian sandwich shop would look like. There's a few tables downstairs and I heard that there was more seating upstairs too. I ordered the rigoletto (minus the bacon) and it was delicious! The turkey and cheddar mixed perfectly with the pesto mayo to create one of the most delicious things that I've eaten in awhile. My boyfriend ordered the the traviata with ham and brie. My only regret was that I had to eat the sandwich super fast to make it back to the theatre in time for the show. This is definitely a place that I want to sit back and enjoy every bite!

REAL HOMEMADE food (not that they bring it from home) Delicious American-italian food, made with care, attention, and genuinity! A must go for people that care about real succulent food.

Honestly the lady is very nice but I just don't like how the food has no flavor . It's my second time coming here and I thought the second would be different. But everyone has their own taste to their food. This is just from my experience and you want to go try the food go ahead .

what can I say about this family & their food? I stop in frequently as they always have a delicious Italian treat for me. I thought Italian had to be fattening, THIS IS NOT TRUE. They make a great lower cal chicken parmesan, vegetables sauteed in olive oil & skinny lattes. A breakfast & coffee for $5.00 and a sweet treat when I can no longer hold out. The ladies behind the counter are gems. If you are lucky you will get a taste of their Italiana charm & maybe a little cha cha dancing. It's a good time and there's always a lot of hot action on their block.

Had a shrimp and spinach salad here. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned. They added some special touches like almonds to the salad. It was a tad expensive since it was $12.99 and came with no bread. They also charge 50 cents for cards. However, a lady who'd just been there came back and said she decided to order a coffee, and the server said she'd add it to the lady's previous order so she wouldn't be charged the fee twice, so that was nice.

Wow! This place is a gem! I had the Caruso panini: avocado, marinated artichoke, spinach and Fontina cheese with a dreamy aoli. Soooo good! I washed it down with an iced green tea latte. I'll be back!

Service is amazing food is reasonably priced. Great spot to eat before watching our broadway shows. Big desserts too and great smoothies!!

Cramped little place near the civic center. We stopped in for a bite before a 2pm show. Not crowded at all, about 8 customers in all. They lost our order. If i had mot been standing at the counter, I might still be waiting. I ordered the roasted eggplant ravioli. The dish was not as special as I expected from a "Sicilian" restaurant. Will I go back. Possibly, but with less expectatio

I'm in love with this place! The owners are a Sicilian mother-daughter combo with great chemistry behind the counter. It's a great spot for lunch while you're downtown and they stay open with dinner specials when there are plays at the theater nearby. My favorite part is that I found out they do weekly meal prep and now I just can't get enough of it. You let them know what your diet goals are and what sort of foods you don't like or want and you can pick up fresh made meals for the week. It works great for me because I am a nurse and I work really long hours with the threat of emotional binge eating. I struggle to get to the grocery store and have healthy and comforting foods ready-to-eat. Now I just pick up meals twice a week that are completely satisfying and and I don't have to deal with the grocery store or being creative. I highly recommend for anyone trying to live a cleaner and easier life!

This place is awesome. My mom found this place one night when she came to the Civic Center for a show. They are not always open at night (M-F, 7a-3p are their usual hours) but when the owner, Nancy, can be open on a show night, she is. Have to say, some of the yummiest food. And their creamy marsala sauce was THE BOMB. The owner is awesome, the food was fresh, and the prices were beyond reasonable. Will definitely be back for more.

Great service... the food is phenomenal!!! We ordered the Rigolleto and Giocanda paninis with the House special Nocciola and caramel latte.

Al Teatro is a hidden gem in the heart of downtown with exceptional home cooked Italian food and amazing people managing this establishment. Nancy and her mom manage this place like clockwork and bring forth outstanding breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options. With outstanding flavors and amazing hospitality, this is a must visit place for anyone looking for authentic Italian fare at exceptionally reasonable prices.

As jury duty wore on, I was searching for another downtown lunch spot I've never been to before, yet Al Teatro was rated highly by other yelpers and occupied that sweet spot of the Venn diagram overlapping Italian and deli. I'm barely in the door when I share a moment of mutual recognition with Nancy at the counter; I had no idea that Bellagio, one of my favorite old haunts, owned Al Teatro as well. Any doubts I had about the high Yelp rating quickly evaporated. I tried a turkey panini (Turando, with red peppers, cheese, and avocado) whose ingredients melded elegantly in a light torta-ish roll without need of condiments. Good paninis are a rare find around these parts. I knew the deserts would be as good, so I took a few macaroons (at $1.50 for three, a nice snack; all were fresh, light, and chewy) to accompany my coffee. Al Teatro offers a number of coffee drinks I'd never seen before in addition to the usual cafe specialties. Lunch, coffee, and macaroons were a shade over $10, the best lunch value of the week.

L O V E love love the Nocciola (it has Nutella) it's a must for me at least once a week. They also have delishious pastries. I have tried their panini and salad and again it's a hit ! This place is a must to try! Plus it's very homestyle from Sicily

Adorable. Absolutely adorable. Wandered into this place in pursuit for coffee, and was pleasantly surprised by this adorableness. Good coffee and yummy treats to pick up. Sugar cooke with blueberry currant filling was dreamy. When I was waiting for my coffee, I observed the delish-ness coming out of the kitchen! This eggplant thing look absurdly delicious. Nice older woman with thick accent was super nice and sweet at the counter. Would definitely come back to sample more foods soon.

I went here for about a week, the staff treated me nicely and the service was adequate. Everyday I ordered the same thing to eat a croissant with a slice of tomato, a slice of cheese, and a little mayo, and a cup of coffee to go with it. Then one day I go in, the manager/ owner (not sure which one) is talking on the cell phone while ringing me up, takes about 10 minutes to get me put in, tells me that she is sick and tired of making the dish I had been getting, burns the sandwich I got instead, and very rudely tells me that my bank card is shotty (which is true my bank card is crappy and rarely works, it usually needs to be manually entered) and that I need to fix it, not in a suggestive manner, just in a bitchy one. I was extremely insulted, it was profoundly unprofessional, and in my opinion plain, vanilla flavored, stupid. To do that to someone who was beginning to make a routine of coming to your establishment, seems absurd. I literally had done nothing wrong, nothing out of the unordinary, and the person behind the counter flipped. Fuck this place, I'd rather have colon cancer then eat here again.

Egg scramble is great. Mocha great. People, great. But seriously, their food and drinks are pretty good. I stop by here on my way to work for breakfast.