Gourmet Italia

From the moment we walked in, our experience at Gourmet Italia was special. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff immediately made us feel welcome. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive, guiding us through the menu with care and enthusiasm. As we were seated, we heard the soft, beautiful notes of live piano music filling the space. We asked if we could be seated a bit closer, and the staff was more than happy to accommodate—such a thoughtful touch that truly elevated the evening. The food was nothing short of incredible. We started with the Caesar salad, crisp and flavorful, then enjoyed the fettuccine bolognese and the tortellini alla Benigi, both perfectly cooked and rich in flavor. We added a side of grilled chicken breast, which was tender and well-seasoned. To finish, we shared a scoop of chocolate gelato—just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal on a high note. It’s rare to find a place that delivers both outstanding food and a memorable dining experience, but this spot does just that. We will absolutely be back!

Went with my 92 year old mother split a delicious chicken dinner and wonderful berry dessert. Great service. Great food. Intimate homey atmosphere with white tablecloths. Aptly named Gourmet Italia. They have a big party room for private parties off the bar..

Live music, great service, and delicious food with a nice selection of wines. Our whole group—large and full of kids after a soccer tournament—was well taken care of, and everyone enjoyed their meal.

I visited this establishment, hoping to enjoy some lasagna. The initial hospitality wasn't particularly welcoming, although our server was kind and attentive. We ordered two dishes with a Caesar salad and were surprised to find a fresh anchovy in the salad, which wasn't listed on the menu. Unfortunately, we couldn't decline the salad once it arrived, and we discovered the anchovy. Since the Caesar salad wasn't listed in the menu, it would have been nice to be told just in case someone dislikes fish/ anchovy. The lemon chicken with vegetables was excessively salty and oily. The lasagna was acceptable, though our experience was negatively impacted by the anchovy. The prices were high, and the overall quality of the food wasn't exceptional. I wouldn't recommend this establishment, nor do I plan to return. I was quite disappointed with my visit and the food.

5-Star Review for Francisco at Gourmet Italia We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Gourmet Italia, and a huge part of that was thanks to Francisco. From the moment we sat down, he was incredibly kind, polite, and genuinely attentive to every detail. His warm personality and professional service made us feel truly welcomed and well taken care of. Francisco went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed, offering thoughtful recommendations and checking in with perfect timing—not too much, not too little. His positive attitude and friendly smile made the dining experience even more enjoyable. By far, he’s one of the best waiters we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you’re dining at Gourmet Italia, ask for Francisco—you won’t be disappointed! His exceptional service is the perfect complement to the delicious food and cozy atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Wife and I have been looking for a truly authentic Italian restaurant with delicious food and home atmosphere. The wine was delicious, enjoyed a bottle of Chardonnay. Try the calamari appetizer, it is phenomenal and the best around. My wife had the filet mignon tips with mushroom and spiral pasta, and I had their clam, mussel, calamari linguine special. Can't remember the name right now. We then shared a spumoni dessert which was covered in chocolate. Everything was perfect and they were busy! The owner and server always checked on us, and the owner sung as he topped off our wine. Live band perfected the atmosphere. The whole experience was phenomenal and we will be making this our home! Thank you!

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Gourmet Italia in Temecula, CA, and it was an unforgettable experience. My waitress, Tiffany, was absolutely amazing—she even took me on a tour of the entire restaurant! One standout feature is their private room available for rent, which is perfect for hosting office holiday parties. The restaurant offers a curated selection of wines, including bottles made right here in California. On select nights, you can enjoy live music from a talented pianist, adding a touch of elegance to the ambiance. Speaking of ambiance, you can choose from different rooms to dine in, each with its own unique charm. The food was remarkably fresh and flavorful! I ordered the tortellini alla Benigni, which I highly recommend to all tortellini lovers. The olive spread served with bread was so addictive that I kept eating it throughout the meal. For dessert, the pistachio profiteroles were the perfect light and guilt-free finish to my meal. One tip: parking can be a bit challenging in the shopping center on busy nights, so plan accordingly. I will definitely be coming back to explore more options from their menu!

Andrea is an exceptional hostess at Gourmet Italia, from her warm welcome and impeccable attention to detail. From the moment we walked through the door, she greeted everyone with genuine enthusiasm and a bright smile that instantly sets the tone for a memorable dining experience. Andrea balances professionalism with a personal touch— accommodating special requests with ease, and ensuring that every guest feels seen and valued. Whether the restaurant is buzzing with activity or having a quieter evening, she maintains a calm, organized presence and goes out of her way to make sure everyone is comfortable and well taken care of. Her charm, efficiency, and dedication truly elevate the hospitality at Gourmet Italia.

We make it point to eat here whenever visiting Temecula from out of state. I was very disappointed in my fav dish, the eggplant parmesan. It was mushy and more like a dip than what it is to be, I didn't even eat it all!! But, my husband had the sea bass special and it was delicious!

Pretty good place Food was amazing The ambience is warm and very cozy Really happy With the service 100% recomended We had a great time

How the heck have I never written a review for this place before?? I've been coming here for years. One of my favorite places for pasta. My go to is always the seafood pasta. I'm usually a light white or wine sauce pasta girl, but the tomato sauce on there is so good. I'm obsessed with their complimentary olive tapenade & bread. I once tried to order something else & ordered their pasta carbonara. But I thought it was too rich. But I'll always come here for their seafood pasta & their olive tapenade. Service is always great, & we do enjoy the live music sometimes.

Fantastic service very romantic atmosphere and the food was absolutely delicious. I am Italian so I definitely approve of this place and would recommend anyone going to Temecula. Our waitress was Hailey L. She was very attentive, kind and generous an, over-the-top waitress that really did her job and made our night even more enjoyable. The food makes a place great but attentive service that is served makes the food and the establishment attractive to go back to. We had the specials, the seafood Linguini and the lobster ravioli. Both were really tasty and we ended the night when some sort of lemon dessert which was incredible .

Came here for a friend's birthday dinner! Located in a big plaza so parking was relatively easy. Staff was nice and accommodating. Restaurant itself is large and provided ample seating! The calamari was my favorite part of the dinner! The breading was perfect, perfectly salty, and the sauce was delicious! I ordered the fettuccine bolognese with a side of meatballs. I thought it was just OK. I tried their squid ink pasta with scallops and was upset I didn't order that instead!

Italian run restaurant just on the other side of old town Temecula. The ambiance is intimate, but has a very comforting atmosphere at the same time. Decor reminds you of the furniture and pictures you'd see at your grandparents (nonna's) house. The reservation my friends and I made were at 8:30 on Sunday evening, so being we didn't come during the height of dinner rush we were sat immediately, and everything we ordered came out quite quickly. For starters I had the Insalata fattore. The tomato and mozzarella were lightly seasoned but very fresh. It was a very tasty salad and was a pretty decent portion size as well. My only complaint is the menu claims there are Kalamata olives in the dish, but I didn't see nor taste any which was a bummer. For my entree I opted for the classic Bolognese. Very hearty meat sauce with fresh made noodles, and again was a decent portion so definitely expect to get full. The waitress who recommended the dish did mention that she usually adds red pepper flakes to offset the sweeter aftertaste you get with this dish, which I should've asked for & definitely will tell you readers to do, but even without it was a well executed dish. If you're a pasta lover like me I think you'll really enjoy Gourmet Italia. If you're a first time visitor of the Temecula area though just be sure to make an earlier reservation, so that you can also drive over and walk/shop around old town before the sun sets.

Best in town, hands down!!! Service is always on point! Wine is amazing and staff is always friendly!

My wife and I stumbled onto this restaurant after getting a pedicure in the same plaza. What an absolute gem authentic Italian cuisine my wife had the salmon and I had the chicken marsala and we finished it off with spumoni Bomba dessert Jennifer and Francisco were extremely friendly and attentive throughout our entire lunch check this place out for sure.!

Ordered the calamari and loved the crispy pieces with the sliced peppers and spicy marinara sauce. Excellent appetizer! My main course was a pasta with seafood which was delicious. Great service and will return in the future.!!!!

Gourmet Italia could easily be on "Kitchen Nightmares." Pretty good food hampered by the worst service I can remember in years. To that point, this will be my first true one star review in a long time. To set the stage, my dad made reservations for 7:30 for 8 for my mom's birthday. We came to Temecula as a destination and none of us lived particularly close. We arrived at the restaurant at 7;25 and were met with hostility. My mom (the birthday girl) was scolded for going in the wrong door to the restaurant (though there was no signage indicate you couldn't use it) and my dad and I were rather curtly told our table wasn't ready and we couldn't stand near the host stand. Time passed, 40 minutes in fact. At 8:05, 35 minutes after our reservation we began thinking they had been lying to us about having a table "almost ready". We scoured the restaurant and found only one table big enough to suit the party and then applied a bit of pressure asking the host stand why it is taking so long. Finally at 8:10, 40 minutes late. We were seated. The night progressed from bad to worse. We were informed many items were not available on the menu (including a Caesar salad, multiple beers, and some appetizer type items) and then had a confusing interaction over the specials. Our waitress told us the specials included a filet. When I ordered the chop (another special) the "manager" came around and informed me they were out of that too, so I asked for the filet. I was told they didn't have a filet by her. So I ordered lasagna. Then our waitress came back and said they did in fact have a filet. In the end I did get the filet... Which brings me to my next problem. Dinner took 70 minutes to arrive! So at 9:20 pm, almost 2 hours after we arrived, we had got dinner. During this time, the restaurant cleared out, and people coming near our table were few and far between. It felt like we were just forgotten about. We contemplated ordering DoorDash because we truly didn't know what was going on. Multiple times we had to go back to the kitchen and try to find somebody to check on the status of our meal. Even the band who was playing packed and left. When the food came out, it was good. Generally no big complaints other than the quality of a few of the items felt a bit cheap (e.g. gristle in the filet). But the notion of being nearly the last table in the restaurant, with a crying 2 year old an hour past his bed time, alone in a corner, really hampered the taste of any food and cast a shadow on my mom's birthday. The insult to injury came at the end. No discount or concession was offered. The only thing they offered was a free dessert, which we politely declined as my dad had a custom cake for my mom waiting at home. They forced the dessert on us however... and didn't even give us enough places or utensils to eat it with! My dad graciously tipped the waitress the full 20% as she was quite apologetic and seemingly embarrassed by the hellacious service. She took down my dad's number to have to owner/manager call and "make thighs right." They never did. If you are a party of 2 or 4 and want some good, Olive Garden grade food, Gourmet Italia may be for you. But otherwise, steer clear. This is an embarrassment to the restaurant industry. Ambiance: 3/5 Service: 0/5 Drinks: 3/5 Food: 3.5/5 Value: 2/5 Consistency: N/A

After a lovely morning of blueberry picking, we decided to stop at Gourmet Italia for lunch. We called ahead and were told they had availability and to "come on in." When we arrived, we were rudely greeted by a male host who abruptly told us they had no room for a party of 8 and that we needed a reservation. I explained we had just called and were told otherwise--but despite the restaurant being nearly empty, he told us to wait Thankfully, once we were finally seated, our waitress was wonderful--patient, informative, and genuinely friendly. Unfortunately, things took a turn again when the same male host brought out our appetizers. He aggressively placed the beet salad down, causing some of the frisée to fall off the plate. To our shock, he then picked the fallen greens up with his bare hands and put them back on the plate. It didn't stop there. He delivered the calamari and, rather than handing it to me or waiting for me to clear space, he placed the dish directly on top of dirty napkins that were still on the table--despite clearly seeing I was trying to make room. This level of carelessness and lack of hygiene is completely unacceptable. While our waitress did her best to salvage the experience, the actions of this particular staff member left us incredibly disappointed and uncomfortable. For a restaurant that presents itself as "gourmet," the standards--both in hospitality and basic food service protocol--were shockingly low.

We haven't been here in a while. This place is still SUPER CONSISTENT in terms of the flavor and the quality of the food! Francesca's & Trattoria Toscana doesn't even come close... We like to celebrate an occasion like an ANNIVERSARY, BIRTHDAY or CHRISTMAS. This place is beautiful and it has a winery bar lounge.... LIVE PIANO: SATURDAY & SUNDAY from 3-6pm. ( young girl playing Classical music ) LIVE MUSIC: Friday and Saturday at 6pm. SEAFOOD PASTA: 5/5 looks as beautiful as it tastes! The mussels were so sweet and the seafood was so FRESH! SQUID INK PASTA: 5/5 signature dish! BRANZINO: 4/5 Very good and doesn't smell. However, there are lots of bones! CHICKEN Parm with spaghetti : 3.5/5 PASTA was delicious but, the chicken was DRY! LOBSTER RAVIOLI: 5/5 muah! CALAMARI: 5/5 Magnifico! Lunch time is pretty open so we would definitely be back! Highly recommend making a RESERVATION for DINNER! SERVICE: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Very hardworking and nice people here! However, we didn't get our TIRAMISU birthday cake for the birthday boy ;) Who is the chef here? He deserves a standing ovation! We have people coming from LA and SD for this GEM in Temecula ;) BRAVO GOURMET ITALIA!!!!!!!!

Very nice establishment with amazing Italian food. Service was top notch and I would highly recommend. You can sit inside or outside.

Wow this place is pretty good! I'd give it a solid 5 star but we had to wait 45 minutes to an hour for our table to be ready - we had a reservation. They were really busy and short staffed. The food made up for it though! I'll be back...

They had live music which was great. They did covers of songs I listen to so I enjoyed the band. This place was a packed house. The food was delicious! I got the chicken parmigiana. You can choose what type of pasta you want on the side. I got angel hair. The portions are filling so I was able to take half of it home. The prices are fair for the portion and quality of food you get. The only downer was we had a reservation for 7:30pm and the table was not ready for about 45mins later. What made the wait bearable was the live music and the continuous communication with the restaurant owner who was very Italian and hospitable. He was funny and was rushing to get the table free and cleared as fast as he could.

If I could give Gourmet Italia 10 stars, I totally would!! This place is an absolute gem and hands-down one of the best Italian spots I've ever been to. From the moment I walked in, it felt like I was being welcomed into someone's (very chic) Italian home--warm, cozy, and full of love. The owner is actually friends with my uncle (small world!) and let me just say--he is the sweetest, funniest, most charming host ever! He was super attentive the whole night, made sure we were having the best time, and even gave us some amazing recommendations (which were all chef's kiss). You can tell he really cares about every guest, and that kind of energy makes all the difference. Now for the food... WOW. Authentic doesn't even begin to cover it. Every bite tasted like it came straight from Nonna's kitchen in Italy. We had fresh bruschetta to start (literally bursting with flavor), and a GIANT antipasto, followed by the most perfectly cooked pasta dishes.The carbonara was so good! I was actually speechless. Like, eyes-closed, savor-every-bite type of delicious. The vibes, the food, the service--everything was flawless. Gourmet Italia is the real deal, and I'm already counting down the days until I go back! Do yourself a favor and book a table ASAP--you'll thank me later!

Atmosphere is nice and quaint. The service was really attentive and they have a nice piano player to set the vibe. Some food portions are great for sharing. The seafood pasta was delicious.

Everything I tried was delicious. From the calamari to the carpaccio to the pastas and wine. I enjoyed this dinning experience. Make a reservation to avoid waiting !

Gourmet Italian serves some delicious food. In fact it was some of the best we've had in quite a while. If only... things were... a little less uneven. We arrived a few minutes before our Open Table reservation and stood for about ten minutes as the hostess tried to arrange things. Eventually we were told to sit on the couch and she would get us seated shortly. Interestingly, the two parties who came in after us were seated immediately. Not a good sign. After another ten minutes, we were seated in what I would call their grotto area, to the left of the entrance. Our server Ashley came by and introduced herself. She was incredibly nice and welcoming. She listed the Specials and asked if we're celebrating anything that evening. Nice! We started by ordering some wine and the Bruschetta. Ashley gave us some time to relax and then took our order. She was very professional and attentive, without being on top of us. We tried their Poghio Leano house wine, which we found to be pretty tasty. Their Bruschetta had a nice taste too. It came with fresh cherry tomatoes and had a subtle taste of garlic. See photos. For our entrées, we went with their Manila Clams in a white wine reduction sauce Spaghetti and Baked Ziti. Both were exceptionally tasty and generous in portion size. The only drawback to our meal, was the staff trying to bus some of the items off our table before we were done. In their defense, the table sizes here are pretty small and tightly located and you are on top of your neighbor. Btw our neighbors and us, were each celebrating anniversaries. So we were close enough to have some nice casual conversations with them during the evening. Our bill before taxes and gratuities, came to just over $100 including our wine, appetizer and entrées... which we thought seemed pretty fair. Four and a Half Stars.

Great Italian food and ambiance. Got the Manila clams pasta and the wifey got the salmon. Service from Ashley was exceptional!

We made reservations for party of 9. We were seated when the party was complete. The food was excellent and the serving was plenty . The servers were attentive and they allowed us to stay long and enjoy the food and company. I would definitely eat here again if I am in the area. Ambiance was nice and plenty of parking. It's in the pricey side but it was a special occasion .

We all chose daily specials. The boys went with the Veal Chop with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. I picked Lobster Ravioli. Everything was AMAZING including the chocolate gelato! We didn't have reservations but we were seated right away. The music was great and we loved the ambiance!

Absolutely fabulous place. A must try. From the service, the vibe, the drinks, and most importantly the food. Our server, Taylor, was excellent. We felt like part of the family. I recommend the capellini and the fettuccine Bolognese for dinner. The tiramisu is a must try. The espresso martini is also exceptional. 10/10

Wow! What an absolute gem. I wish I could give this place 100 stars. This is the ideal spot for a romantic dinner. I made a reservation, however this place is very busy! We were asked to wait in the lounge which featured couches and live piano. We were then seated in the red dining room. Christina was our server and she was wonderful. The bread with olive tapenade was life changing. Seriously, it was that good. For dinner I had the manicotti and my husband had the lasagna. We shared s side of meatballs. Everything was absolutely delicious. For dessert we had the frutti di bosco cake. It was one of the best desserts we have ever had. It was light, fruity, and the perfect amount of sweetness. We also shared a bottle of wine and some cocktails. Overall, the night was an absolute dream and we cannot wait to go back when we are in the area.

Darn it - no pictures! We had a really great meal at Gourmet Italia in Temecula that we came to ONLY to escape the June gloom in north county. Ugh! The sun was out and the service and food were great! We even had two desserts :) if we're back in Temecula we'll be back. Thank you Torey for the great service too!

We did the olive oil and wine tasting. Had a great time! Never did Olive oil tasting before and with the bread it was very yummy. I liked that we had our own private tasting room. I am terrible with names but i think it was Megan who helped us. She was so sweet and entertaining! We got a 20% discount of products for doing the wine tasting. They also offer pretty good packages for their wine club. If u guys ever come to LA i will e the first to sign up for it!

We dined at this restaurant for the first time for our daughter's Sweet 16th Birthday on May 20, 2025 ! We enjoyed the Ambiance, delicious food , and excellent service! I would highly recommend this restaurant! We went on a week day so it wasn't extremely busy and it was lovely .

This has been one of our family's favorite restaurants since moving to Temecula a few years ago. The owner, Alex, is wonderful. If you're lucky enough to catch him when he's here, he's always friendly and stops to say hello and chat a bit. It really adds to the welcoming spirit of the place. The service is great and the food is outstanding! We all have our favs by now but everything on the menu is delicious. My go to is the Tortellini, Fusilli, and Clam appetizer. A new favorite is the Bruschetta appetizer. OMGosh! Incredible! We also enjoy many of their specials like Branzino or the Seafood pasta. Salads are delicious too. It's a little loud on weekends when it's very busy. Some people like that, some don't. Just a heads up. I avoid taking my elderly parents on busy nights because it's too loud for them but they love to come with us for lunch.

This place have excellent customer service. More than what I certainly expected. The food was good. You can tell they make their food fresh with ingredients rather than so much seasoning. The fried Mozzarella appetizer was delicious. Great environment. Music was great, not too loud where you can have a conversation.

We decided to stop by after a long day at the famous Temecula Wineries! The place is very classy, waitresses are very authentic about the Italian cuisine. The plate I ordered this time was that great, it was good don't get me wrong. I should have just got something else. Great drinks, great vibes!

Excellent Italian cuisine with a vast selection, lovely atmosphere. Live pianist. Great wait staff. Might be the best we've experienced in Temecula or San Diego. Highly recommend.

This was a nice upscale vibe type of restaurant. We had great service on a Sunday night. The pasta dishes and complimentary bread were delicious, and blended olive dip was a nice unique touch! We'd come back again.

Long review The restaurant is a hidden gem so don't be thrown its location (the shopping strip it sits in is drab). Theres two different sides/vibes going on under one roof. One side is more casual than the other but that's just my opinion. The service and table setting is great on both sides. However, I tend to sit on the more casual side when grabbing lunch or dining after work and the formal side on date nights. Both side have outdoor seating!! I like having the option of choosing between two different vibes in one restaurant. There's a ton of parking spaces available close to restaurant. The staff is nice and knowledgeable of the menu and what they have to offer. The service is just amazing, they really cater to their guest. Our waiter checked on us often and the busboy was there to clear the table of finished items without being asked. Casual dining area: *The color is a little overwhelming and dated to me. *A little quieter Formal dining area: (you know that rich aunts dining room you walked pass as a kid and wished you could eat in that room, you get the visual..right lol) *Bar w/stools (would be better if the stools had back support) * Music: Live old school funk band (we enjoyed the atmosphere and band music selection so much we stayed till closing...sorry staff). There is different bands in the Friday nights lineup. I'm not sure if they have a calendar to see who's playing ahead of time. * Ambiance: Intimate, light, open, pretty/classy Our Friday night food selection: Wine: Vernaccia (red, sweet with a little fizz) Margarita: Spicy Pineapple (perfect combo of sweet/spicy) Rosemary bread: light, soft sinside (would have been better if served a little warm) Pasta with claims: delicious authentic Italian pasta Fries: fried light with a little crisp and just enough flavor (would have been better with a little truffle seasoning) *I look forward to trying the tomahawk steak next time. I was told it's a seasonal off the menu item so you might want to call ahead to see if they have any in stock.

The environment is lovely. They have added the wine lounge to the restaurant which is a nice area to wait. The service was excellent and it was our servers first day! The food was good but having been to Italy a few times, not as authentic as previous reviewers have said. Chicken Parmesan was decent but the marinara sauce was too sweet. Lobster ravioli was also good but did have a slight "fishy" taste. The veal was top notch! Not a five star just yet but we will be back.

This place has great food and great service. I have been here quite a few times and have never been disappointed with service or the food. The inside is nice with a relaxing vibe. Definitely recommend checking it out for quality Italian food in the area.

A little pricey...but really amazing food!! They've actually doubled in size (regarding the actual square footage) and even opened up another restaurant in Murrieta (I think)...just a testament to how good the food is!! They've actually doubled service is good and the ambience is dark and romantic, it's a real experience just to eat here!! My only complaint is that they started charging for bread. I don't understand why!??! It's like a Mexican restaurant charging for chips and salsa!! It really cheapens the restaurant and whole experience.

Once we arrived at Gourmet Italia, it was a quaint little spot which had a nice ambiance. The server asked " May I help you " and I answered with " we'd like a table for 3 please " she then replied with " do you have a reservation?" We had said no . This was our first visit and did not know a reservation is required, for lunch, this was around 2pm when we had arrived. There were plenty of tables available. She sat us anyway. Our actual server was very nice. The meal was delicious as well . I was noticing the first server never asked anyone else that walked in if they had a reservation. The meal & ambiance was very nice but I can't say the same for your server

Came on here to write a review for our server Samantha A. I've worked in the restaurant/service industry and i've eaten out a lot. She is hands down the best waitress i've ever had. She is charismatic, upbeat, and she knew what I wanted before I even knew. The food was amazing. Calamari is a must. Service was perfection. We'll be back!

Excellent restaurant, fun, loving ambience with a romantic twist. Our needs were always met from the time that we got there. Food was amazing.

Several of our friends recommended Gourmet Italia, so we decided to visit for my husband's birthday. We made a reservation in advance, which is suggested, and we were sat almost immediately (it was 2:30PM so the restaurant was pretty empty anyways). Despite being nearly empty, we were seated at a two person table in the hallway of the restaurant near the deli fridge where they keep the desserts. It wasn't exactly romantic nor secluded which would have been nice considering it was his birthday, but it is what it is. Not a big deal--maybe they sit the larger parties with 4 people or more in the dining room areas. The service was really excellent though--our waitress was quick, kind, and attentive. For appetizers, we ordered the calamari and mussels; the calamari was good and the mussels were decent. We found that they were pretty watery and lacked any real seasoning or flavor like garlic, butter, or salt--the juice was more like lemon, wine, & water--but the mussels themselves were cooked well. Some people like a more thin, wine sauce where you can taste the mussels more--we tend to prefer more creamy, garlic, buttery mussels. For dinner, we ordered the lobster raviolis (they weren't on the menu, so make sure you ask for them), the chicken parmigiana, and the Fusilli Al Filetto (Filet mignon tips, mushrooms in a red wine tomato cream sauce). The lobster raviolis were PHENOMENAL! Hands down the best dish we had for our dinner. The sauce was creamy, flavorful, and delicious--the lobster was cooked perfectly and sweet--and the raviolis themselves were amazing--you could tell they were handmade. The chicken parmigiana was also good, as was the Fusilli Al Filetto--but like the mussels, my husband thought the sauce was pretty watery and tasted like too much wine. He would have preferred a more creamy sauce with the filet tips. For dessert, we got the strawberry cheesecake and berry tart cake--all very good, very fresh, & absolutely delicious. Overall, it was a good meal but the lobster raviolis really put it above and beyond--they are the main reason why we would return to Gourmet Italia!

5/2024 Mothers Day Weekend Food ~ Great, delicious. Perfect size servings. Service ~ Impeccable Ambiance ~ Light, airy, comfortable, beautiful & classy. We really enjoyed our Mother's Day lunch .. our server & bartender were so nice to us and had great recommendations.. she knew the menu so well.

Service - 5 stars. Food - 5 stars. Ambience - 5 stars. Attentiveness - 5 stars. Highly recommend. We felt the need to pull the manager to tell them how impressed it was, despite how busy it was.

Thank you to the Amazing staff for making my son's College Graduation Unforgettable! The food was Absolutely Delicious!! The Staff was so Gracious from our first phone call to our arrival! Not to mention they were so Accommodating to my elderly mother. We drove to hours and you didn't disappoint! JOB WELL DONE! 100%

The food is exceptional! The service is above par! The local house wine is really flavorful and complex for Temecula! We love GOURMET ITALIA!

Came here with friends just because and we had the best meal and the best time. The service was impeccable. They were very kind and switched out a chair for me so I could be comfortable. They kept our water bottle replaced each time we emptied it and the wine we ordered was amazing! This is easily the best Italian food in the Temecula/Murrieta/Menifee area. Highly, HIGHLY recommend!

This is still my go-to Italian restaurant. The staff are always friendly and professional. The food is excellent and authentic. The ambiance is just homey and welcoming. The calamari is one of the best in my opinion.

This place is not good for large parties. Our party of 8 made a reservation for 7:30pm this past Saturday night and we arrived a little before then to check in. The place was pretty busy by this time and the hostess was not at all helpful and borderline rude (she really needs an attitude adjustment). We were not seated until 8:15pm, 45 minutes after our reservation time. Once seated our server was very helpful and prompt at taking our order, since we had a small child with our party they were able to get some penne pasta out quickly so he had something while we waited for the rest of our meal. Our server (unfortunately I can't recall her name) was the only highlight of our evening here). After placing our order we ultimately waited over an hour for our food to be delivered to our table which is also unacceptable given the start to the evening as well. In addition a different server approached one of our party members to say that what he ordered (filet mingion) was no longer available and the only alternate choices were a tomahawk steak or porterhouse (both options were significantly more expensive than what he had ordered originally). Our original server came back and said the filet was available after all. This surely seemed like a bait and switch tactic by the second server. Food overall was also nothing to write home about. I had the fettuccini with bolognese sauce and the pasta tasted firm (read rushed) the sauce was also middling at best. Finally, we were celebrating a birthday and our server asked if they would like chocolate or ice cream for dessert, we politely declined since we had a cake already at home, the server proceeded to bring an ice cream dessert anyway! Overall horrible experience from beginning to end. We looked for other options after waiting 20 minutes for our table but the only other restaurant in the area only had outdoor seating so we ultimately stayed here. Would not recommend for large parties and we definitely won't be returning.

First time here and we had a delicious meal and wonderful Sangiovese 2015 Poggio Leone Riserva from Temecula for a very reasonable price. It was a silky and delicious red. The Lobster Ravioli special was excellent and the Caesar met expectations. The atmosphere was fun with the melted candles and cliche Italian decor. The service was kind and attentive. I can understand why locals love it

WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR LARGE PARTIES Highly disappointed with Gourmet Italia's customer service. We had a reservation for a birthday for 16 people on Sunday, Labor Day weekend at 7:45 PM. When we arrived, the restaurant was short-staffed, and in their larger party room, they had only just began serving a previous party who was in there for 3 hours already. Other guests were outside upset that they hadn't been sat in a while, guests were leaving the restaurant telling people waiting they were out of bread and salad and the kitchen was taking a long time. We decided to not eat here and the waiter/host we spoke with literally thanked us for leaving (not in a rude way, but in a relieved way). Something you could do better Gourmet Italia, is that when you call to confirm a large party reservation, just say that you're short-staffed so we could have selected somewhere else in advance. It was disappointing to arrive and see upset other guests at the restaurant and then have to pivot our dinner plan on a holiday weekend for our birthday group.