Cafe Milano

The food and service here are both outstanding. The bread was amazing, the tomato sauce was flavorful, the noodles were fresh. The service was divine as well. Fast, welcoming, friendly and accommodating. It felt like we were dining in a family’s home! 10/10 would recommend, and will definitely be back.

We ordered melezane for an appetizer. The basil was fresh, and the eggplant was cooked well. However, the cuscinetti de pollo (day special, according to the owner) was too salty. The grounded chicken in the pasta had a pungent odor and sticky texture, which means the meat was not fresh. We also ordered a fettucini con pollo, but it was very oily and salty, too. Chicken slices also had the same odor. I was very looking forward to trying the desserts (tiramisu) before ordering, but after eating the food, I had lost all my appetite. Will not return again.

Very beautiful part of La Jolla especially for dinner if you sit outside where you can see the sunset off the Coast. Food was very well portioned and fantastic pricing.

Just found this place and we are so glad that we did. We were seated and served by Pasquale, the owner. Huge menu with great descriptions. We had the Mozarella Caprese as an appetizer, along with bread, made daily, onsite. They had several specials to offer. My husband went for the Eggplant Lasagna and I went with the Pollo Francese. My husband's was gone in no time and playfully, Pasquale asked what happened 😂. Dessert was Tiramisu, Cannoli's and cheesecake. We had a glass of Moscato with our dessert and definitely plan to return

I had the pleasure of dining at cafe Milano tonight with my daughter. As soon as we walked in we were made to feel like we were family. There was gentleman was playing piano and the restaurant had a home like feeling. Pasquale and his team could not have been more attentive and pleasant. They brought out bread with a dipping glaze. The bread was warm and fresh. I had veal Parmesan and my daughter had fettuccine Alfredo. The fettuccine was homemade and the veal was tender. I never touched my knife. It was a great experience from start to finish. Thank you Pasquale and team for a fantastic time. We will be back.

Food - 10/10. Best lasagna l've ever had. Best minestrone soup l've ever had. Excellent Italian wine menu. I could eat here once a week if I could. Service - Everyone seems to get a long and work together to get the job done. All servers spoke to me instead of just one. People constantly checked on me. I will say that when I first entered I waited about 5 minutes before anyone spoke to me and even when I sat down it took another 5 minutes before a menu was given to me or anyone speaking to me. However, I contribute it to everyone being busy. Nevertheless, everyone was pleasant! Ambiance - it's a very cozy restaurant. I loved how simple but well decorated everything was. It was a warm environment. It's perfect for a cute date night or just a family dinner one Sunday evening. The live pianist absolutely contributed to the overall experience.

I thought I was back in Italy! Absolutely amazing from the food to the service to the Italian to the live piano music to the known locals coming in! I enjoyed the fettuccine con Pollo, my son loved the steak and fries, the pizza and pasta e fagioli soup, and the pasta/seafood dish. What a great night!

Amazing food, amazing service everything was great 10/10 recommend!! 👌👌

4th times a charm i love it here! the staff care , truly , authentic italian food handmade in the back kitchen del bosco is my favorite salad the balsamic vinegrette is the best for the warm bread comfortable homey atmosphere with live piano and yellow walls , such a pleasure

My husband was working across the street and he loves pasta so when we got down there today, he wanted to show me this restaurant but we thought it wasn't open. It had just turned 2 o'clock and they were open so we went in and it was just beautiful and the gentleman that owns the place is just a sweetheart. It kind of feels like he's known you forever and he really takes care of you. It was a really good vibe, very welcoming. The food was very good. The desserts were worth every calorie.

Just found this place and we are so glad that we did. We were seated and served by Pasquale, the owner. Huge menu with great descriptions. We had the Mozarella Caprese as an appetizer, along with bread, made daily, onsite. They had several specials to offer. My husband went for the Eggplant Lasagna and I went with the Pollo Francese. My husband's was gone in no time and playfully, Pasquale asked what happened . Dessert was Tiramisu, Cannoli's and cheesecake. We had a glass of Moscato with our dessert and definitely plan to return

Lovely restaurant with great service. We ordered Fettuccine Alfredo which was perfect -not too greasy like some other places. Fettuccini Mare e Monte (salmon) was also very good. The ambiance is very nice room with a pianist and cute decor. The servers were outgoing and friendly.

Service was amazing. Food was very authentic. The ambience was great, like a little house. Everyone enjoyed their food and the desserts were very creative

Absolute gem!!!!! Milanos caught my dads eye so we stopped in, it was a little before two so the owner was setting up but he welcomed us in with open arms. The man and his wife are absolutely amazing, he's from Italy! Food was delicious but let me tell you, when the owner came out with a giant bowl of his tiramisu cream he was hand making, I was SOLD! I could never eat another cannoli or tiramisu elsewhere it was the creamiest heaven! He adds TOFFEE pieces! Also all kids meals come with Gelato! My dads been to Italy so it's a plus when he finds a good quality place and he was in love! The environment, the owners, the food, ALL of it! Reminded him of being in Chicago. After eating the owner came out to talk with us about his little red fiatt! It's an original from Italy! The owner puts bears in it! And it says on the license place "Italians don't die they just pasta away" the entire place represents family, good quality food and service, and that's what restaurants should be about!

Good food However a bit noisy The hostess was very descriptive about the good food in the menu Wine was lovely In general was a good meal

Food was soooo delicious!!!! Very authentic Italian. Estabon was the best server. Very kind and attentive. Highly recommend! The vodka penne is my favorite dish. Limoncello flute was very light and refreshing. Cannoli cream very fresh, haven't had one that good since I was a child.

I lived in Italy for 3 years and after leaving searched for an Italian restaurant that served Italian food that not only tasted authentic but was served with that authentic Italian life and love that only Italians and people who've lived in Italy know and understand...that search ended the day I walked into the Cafe Milano in La Jolla. First I met the owner Pasquale...who still speaks Italian to his staff...then there is the waitress who makes the Italian experience complete...Sabrina! She is an incredible server who will wait on you and make you feel like a family member rather than a customer...the tables are set with white linen table clothes and she'll bring you a 5 course Italian feast that you'll never forget! The wine! The calamari! The Osobuco! The Lemoncello gelato!! OMG you have to go! Hurry!

Service is great. Best tiramisu ever; it's amazingly delicious. I would drive over an hour for this tiramisu.

Just so delicious, the bread, yes even the bread is so good! This place is the real deal. When I order lunch I'm unable to get a glass of wine because I am working. I'm hoping to stop by after work to relax and have a glass, will update on that later.

My cousin had passed by Cafe Milano numerous times, and so she and I decided to go. We checked the website and learned that the restaurant was open until 10:00 on Tuesdays, so we headed over there around 8:00. The small outdoor area was adoroble and we were greeted by a bright entryway and a sign that said Benvenuti. When we walked in, the interior was colorful and bright as well, and it had a classy, yet quaint ambiance. I liked it already. I would say that the restaurant was about half-full at the time, but most of the customers finishing their meals or on their way out the door. We were promptly and warmly greeted and seated. The staff was all Italian. I asked it it was a family run business, but our server said, "No, just friends". However, it felt like a family. We were informed that they were known for their handmade pasta, and we were provided with a description of the specials for the night. We started with the calamari and a bottle of Chianti Riserva. The wine was great... they had a lot of options. The calami was just OK in my opinion, I felt that it was a bit too breaded and bland for my taste. My cousin chose the lobster ravioli and I chose the Tortellini Milano ( with prosciutto and peas). The pasta courses were excellent, and rather generous. Toward the end of the meal, my cousin had a hankering for dessert. We were then told that they "really" close at 9PM and that our server was leaving, but that we could stay. I was a little taken aback and felt ready to leave, but my cousin pushed on, and we shared a tiramisu. We were the last of the customers that night. The staff member who stayed with us was kind and did not rush us, but I feel that if the website says 10 and your customers want dessert, you should not tell us that the restaurant closes at 9. All in all, a delicious meal and a generally positive experience.

Excellent customer service & the food is spectacular. The owners will personally serve you and reccomend the best and most authentic food from SOUTH ITALY. HIGHLY RECCOMEND!!!

Lovely homely ambiance. And the chef *usually* cares about the food. But every once in a while they have truly spaced out servers, and then things disintegrate. A busy weekend evening a few days ago, our server forgot, in the first instance, to put in one order. When it finally came out, it was a dish we had not ordered. The initial wait having been 40 minutes, the next wait was 20 minutes. We thought that at least hopefully that meant they were taking care to do it right. But when the correct order finally came out, some of it was clearly undercooked and bore signs of haste. At the end of the evening, the bill was very high (this place is not cheap) for an ultimately frustrating meal.

Server was bad, food was worse! Don't let the cute ambiance fool you this place is bad Italian!

Food - 10/10. Best lasagna I've ever had. Best minestrone soup I've ever had. Excellent Italian wine menu. I could eat here once a week if I could. Service - Everyone seems to get a long and work together to get the job done. All servers spoke to me instead of just one. People constantly checked on me. I will say that when I first entered I waited about 5 minutes before anyone spoke to me and even when I sat down it took another 5 minutes before a menu was given to me or anyone speaking to me. However, I contribute it to everyone being busy. Nevertheless, everyone was pleasant! Ambiance - it's a very cozy restaurant. I loved how simple but well decorated everything was. It was a warm environment. It's perfect for a cute date night or just a family dinner one Sunday evening. The live pianist absolutely contributed to the overall experience.

Come for the food, stay for everything else!! Came here looking for Italian food, and we were blown away! Pasta was homemade and so close to pasta we've had in Italy! Some of our faves were the calamari fritto, the Caesar salad, lasagna, the fettuccini Milano and the spaghetti with homemade sausage. The star of the show was the tiramisu!!! I have no words!! I've eaten a lot of tiramisu and this one was just top tier. Would go back just to be able to have this again! The kids meals were also huge! We didn't order drinks but the table next to us did and it looked like they loved it. If I get to come back, I def would! And on top of it all- the staff!! The staff was soooo warm and pleasant. The fact that this is a family business shone through the entire place and the food. The ambiance was so warm and cozy and felt like your grandma was making your favorite warm bowl of pasta. Do yourself a favor and come here for date night, a family celebration or even just to show yourself some love! Thank you for the great meal!

Went here for date night and it was one of the best experiences ever. The place is small and cute and the decor outside is absolutely lovely. The food was AMAZING, I got the vodka pasta and it was the perfect balance of creamy and tomatoey. On top of that, the tiramisu was one of the best I've ever had. It would be a crime to go to Cafe Milano and not get the tiramisu. In terms of the service, the people were lovely and made us feel extremely comfortable. A recommendation I have is to walk towards the La Jolla tide pools after sunset!

Gotta this place... Feel @ home being taken care of as if your Nana was. The food is Homey, the service is amazing and the prices are from Last decade. That is why it is Always full! Keep it up

This has become our goto restaraunt when we go to San Diego. The food is always excellent, the staff very attentive. You can't miss on this one. And be sure to get the cannoli's, they are the best I have ever had.

I ordered the special with pasta an assortment of seafood and lobster. It wasn't cheap. My lobster tail was missing lobster meat on the tail. The claw had very little meat in it. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, my pour was so small. We couldn't believe it. They never asked if we wanted another drink. They charge you for the bread, incredible. . Deco needs updated. They stare at you while you're eating. The food is not that good. We left cheated and unhappy. We will never go back. Disappointed.

The moment you walk in to this cozy place, you feel like you are walking to your fav neighborhood restaurant. You immediately are welcomed by both owners who are busy taking orders, making sure you are enjoying the food and bringing you food, pasta is made from scratch, the sauces are amazing. Wr ordered fettuccine Amare and tortellini with lobster and word can describe how tasty and delicious these were that I can't wait to try other items on the menu. And also the wines and desserts, the prices are reasonable and well worth based on the quality...highly recommend!!

The place is super nice and cozy. It is a family owned restaurant. the Red sauce sphagetti bolognese was good but the dessert is the best thing I had. The Chocolate cake was the best dessert I've had in San Diego hands down!!

Home style cooking. Great service. And cozy ambiance great selections. Egg plant Parmesan was delicious.

The lady who I believe Was the host was very rude, made me and family feel unwanted and was told to eat across the street.

If you haven't been to cafe Milano you are missing out on authentic Italian food. The salmon pasta is the best dish you'll ever taste. The salmon doesn't taste like fish at all but melts in your mouth like warm butter. They have a 3 page desert menu. Check this spot out as soon as you can.

My first time at Cafe Milano. The service was excellent, food was delicious. We'll be back.

This restaurant is amazing and the customer service and food and ambience everything about it was wonderful! We had our employee Christmas party here and our entire team was blown away and left extremely happy. I highly recommend this restaurant. Kiddos to the managers and entire staff!

Feels like family when you are here! Excellent service and great value. Great dishes and pastas.

Great fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp and mushrooms Dessert was awesome. Service was awesome with owners giving attention to us as new customers.

This place is amongst my favorite Italian places in San Diego! The owners Pasquale and Sandra are SO sweet they greet you like family and you can tell Pasquale loves what he does and is so proud of his restaurant. The food was DELICIOUS we had the tortellini and the special of the day paired with a wine of Pasquale's suggestion. We finished with their homemade Tiramisu, which was lovely and perfectly balanced in flavor. Pasquale gave us a complementary moscato to go with our dessert. The ambiance takes you to an Italian Villa with live piano music at dinner time. A great place for a date or a meal with friends. This place is a gem.

Hands down a phenomenal dining experience, staff super welcoming, food rich in flavor. Buffalo Burrata, beets, sun dried tomatoes with house made balsamic Lobster Ravioli in Vodka sauce Ricotta Cheesecake

If the food delivery is any indication of this restaurant, I Will go in person ( have never been). The attention to detail, the quality of the menu is outstanding. By far the gnocchi with marinara sauce was the best I've ever had. The marinara sauce was smooth,subtle, wonderful!

Very intimate dining with eclectic decor. Fast and knowledgeable servers and kitchen turn-around time. Well proportioned servings with enough for take home! Our table choices were: Caesar Salad (around); Fettuccini Milano (loaded with scallops); Tortellini Milano (creamy and cheesy - take home); Veal (Italian - 3 or 4 large pieces of veal and lots of vegetables - take home about half); Spaghetti and Meatballs (fist sized meatballs and take home). Food suggestion is that the dip be served in a community bowl rather than merely drizzled on the bread plates (once). Because of the close tables, the noise level increased throughout the evening. Parking is also difficult, but that is the neighborhood (and most of the city!)

The best Italian food I've ever had. Staff is excellent. I've lived in San Diego for 35 years, I wish I had known about this place sooner.

Very disappointing. Came in with a party of four last night. We chose Cafe Milano due to the great Yelp reviews but wow. Maybe most of these good reviews are phony because this place is simply... not good. The atmosphere is nice, but that and the tiramisu are the only things that are. I ordered Fettuccini Alfredo, which is my favorite Italian dish. When it arrived I could tell right away due to the color and consistency that something was wrong. It was very yellow and there was little - if any - creaminess. The noodles looked like they were just swimming in a bunch of melted butter. I took a bite anyway because you never know and nope. Just tasted like noodles in way too heavily salted butter. When the server came back a few minutes later I told her quietly and politely that I would like to order something else because I did not like the pasta. Here is where our happy night was ruined. She became very indignant and told me in a harsh tone "This dish is wonderful. Many people like it. Did you try it??" I told her I did and repeated that I would like something else. She grabbed my bowl and stormed off with it, saying as she looked back over her shoulder at us, loudly and in an extremely condescending tone, "I don't know what kind of Alfredo you've been eating but you must not know good Alfredo when you get it". Unbelievable. My husband and sister literally gasped. I was just stunned into silence. The lady at the table next to me looked over at us with a horrified expression and said to me "WOW! That was crazy! Hope she doesn't spit in your next dish!" And then we all just kind of laughed a bit because what else can you do? This woman has no idea who I am or where I've been. I won't get into my credentials or experience and why it is I know a good Alfredo when I eat one because it would take too long in this already lengthy review, and it is irrelevant anyway. Even if I'd never eaten Fettuccini Alfredo in my life her behavior was completely immature, rude, and just plain bad service. When a paying customer says they don't like a dish there is only one acceptable response and that is: "So sorry. Let us get you something else right away." You don't get huffy and mad about it and loudly insult the patron from across the dining room. This is Food Service 101. I ordered a Caesar Salad because how hard can that be? It cost $12 and was the size of a tiny side salad. The grocery store bagged Caesars are infinitely better tasting and of higher quality than it was. The rest of my party said their dishes were just "meh" but they ate them regardless. (We were very hungry) My husband still left a tip after all that because we have a lot of respect for restaurant staff after my having worked in several over the years and knowing how taxing it actually is to work in one. Maybe our server was just having a bad night... But we will most certainly never be back and will make sure to warn our La Jolla neighbors about our horrible experience there. Additionally, our waters were never refilled during the meal. It was actually the first time I'd ever finished a glass of water at a restaurant in my life (I eat out very often). We were amazed at how long our empty glasses stood on that table. The neglect was impressive. They brought out a bottle of water at the end when we got our tiramisu, which was actually really good. But it was too little too late by that point. I just wanted to warn fellow hungry people - especially those who like Fettuccini Alfredo and service that is friendly and professional - that they might want to give this place a miss.

If I could give 0 stars I would. They got our order wrong TWICE, we had to send back the food, they sent my steak rare which I requested well done. Sent food out at different times for different people. Incredibly non-attentive. Then they "accidentally" double charged a $34 steak... it didn't help that they gave dirty looks to my black wife. Lobster Ravioli was so gross it literally tasted like microwaved frozen albertsons ravioli. Our bill came out to $175, that's something I wish I could get back. DONT COME HERE! WORST EXPERIENCE WE HAVE HAD IN A LONG TIME!

I had the misfortune to eat at Cafe Milano recently and it was literally the worst restaurant experience of my life and I am 63 years old! I had my son teach me how to make a yelp account for the sole purpose of warning other diners: Don't eat here!!!! The food was nothing special at all, and in fact, mine was outright terrible. I could have saved a lot of money by staying home and making far better meals for myself and my husband, and I'm not even a good cook. I wish I had read these reviews before I went into this place because I ordered the fettucine alfredo and it was indeed flat out disgusting just like the other reviews mention. I don't know where they get off calling that slop fettucine alfredo because it is nothing more than a few noodles in a lake of butter. NOT ALFREDO. But the gross meal was nothing compared to what I really came here to complain about and that was the terrible service. The waitress was a dark haired woman with an Italian accent and never in all my years eating in restaurants have I come across a more nasty individual. She was extremely rude and curt, with a very negative attitude emanating from her. This person is truly in the wrong line of work and now that I've read most of the other reviews here it seems like my terrible experience here was not an uncommon one. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! I know I will.

Absolutely FANTASTIC DINNER for four last night! The food was incredible for all of us, the service was friendly and fast ! All was a tremendous value for the price. I would highly recommend this place to EVERYONE!

We love this restaurant, the food is all made from scratch and there is a homey vibe that is really nice. The wine list is decent, the menu has something for everyone and the service is perfect.

So so so good!! Service was amazing, wine was smooth, felt so authentic and you can tell the owners really care. A hole in the wall GEM

I love Cafe Milano. I think I could say that this is my most highly recommended date night spot. They give you bread and the most delicious balsamic sauce to enjoy with it. We ordered the caprese salad for our appetizer, and it was fresh and delicious. Love. For our entree, my boyfriend and I shared the fettucine Milano. The shrimp and sea scallops, along with the fresh pasta, was absurdly good. They also split it into two plates if you tell them you're sharing. How awesome is that? The DESSERT So the first time I came here was actually for dessert. I ordered a tiramisu and a lemon ripieno. Both great, but the tiramisu is KILLERRRRRR. Second time I went we passed on the tiramisu because we were so full. We did share the orange ripieno which was also good. Portions are big. Service is AWESOME. Food is simple, and yummy.

Great Italian food and great service. Our server and the owner were extremely friendly. The atmosphere was great too.

Boyfriend and I were walking to a fish restaurant that was recommended and didn't like their menu, saw this place next door and man won the lottery of dinner!! This place was so amazing, it made other Italian restaurants we have eaten seem miserable. Even weeks later thinking about the place and just coming to la jolla for an eat and return home.. The sauces that our dishes were so delicious, i would drink it as a beverage. The employees were so friendly and welcoming like family, not like olive garden family, you want to be part of this family. We shared a walnut pear salad appetizer, I believe the dressing is house made. Cuscinetti di Pollo, the sauce tasted there was brandy in it not just a label ingredient on the menu and cooked out. It was very rich and filling. Fettuccini Milano the seafood was fresh and the sauce was bomb. Tiramisu we took to go since we were full, but once we were able to eat it. Oh man!! It had the coffee liqueur with subtle toffee crunch with the Coco dusting. Man man man seduction! That should be in 50 shades of gray! Totally will come back, stay successful!

This is the Italian gem of La Jolla. Don't let the small sidewalk cafe appearance fool you. Wonderful dishes done better than most. Decades of Italian heritage, great hospitality and simply fantastic Italian cuisine. We had the Cannelloni Vodka special and the Veal Parmigiana. Dinner was beautifully done and desert was irresistible. Tiramisu at its best! Don't miss stopping by for a great meal!

Charming & quaint restaurant with authentic Italian cuisine. Excellent service from our server & the owner. Fresh homemade pasta, amazing pesto, delicious fresh bread and the best calamari I've ever had. Finished with some incredible homemade tiramisu.

I found this place on Yelp - thanks! Take out was super easy. The gentlemen who answered the phone was very nice and told me the fettuccini was made fresh - and it sure tasted great! This is an authentic Italian restaurant. The food was so delicious. It brings back memories of Italy! Chicken Contadino - healthy and delicious. Great flavors! There was plenty of food! Fettuccini Milano - delicious. The flavors were really good. Plenty of shrimp, scallops and mushrooms! I ate the entire entree. Kids Bolognese - daughter ate her entire bowl. Kids lasagna - really good Mozzarella sticks - first thing that was devoured by my son I can't wait to try other items off the menu!

Overcooked and overpriced for the quality. Fish was so fishy tasting, it ruined the entire dish. Steak was so tough it could barely be cut or eaten. Food was horrible. Service was mid, was greeted rudely and treated that way until we ordered. Our first sign should have been the peeling label on the water that was obviously just refilled with tap. The second was when our food was served and garnished with Parmesan "table side" out of a plastic soccer ball bowl. We were brought bread to start our meal out with, after receiving our bill we were charged for the bread we did not ask for; I understand you have to make costs back, but at least ask. Expect at least $30 a plate for mediocre quality if even that. Would not recommend. If you're still looking to go here, I will give them credit for the tiramisu- wasn't visually appealing but was enjoyable. The only ok part of our visit was desert.

First time visitors but we will return! We went for dinner with friends from out of state and had an absolutely wonderful meal! The owner and staff are exceptional! Our waitress was right out of Italy and provided us with the best service anyone could ask for. From the decor to the live music everything was spot on. We will be recommending this quaint cafe to everyone! Ciao!