Matteo

We came down for a friends birthday and the food was absolutely amazing. We shared family style to be able to try everything since their dinner is the newest addition and to say we were blown away is an understatement. The broth from the muscles is to die for, the chimichurri on the steak is out of this world, but one of the home runs was definitely the pork belly. The Chef fuses, almost Mexican with Italian flavors So you can definitely tell that everything is cooked with love and passion. Definitely adding this as a staple to one of our date nights. The atmosphere was also very chill super friendly staff even the Chef came out to explain what was in the dish and the hard work that goes behind scenes. Also, the caramel espresso martini was incredible. It was not harsh like martinis sometimes tend to be.

This was a very beautiful open air space. You can hear the sounds of the city all around you in a good way. If you're looking for a quiet place to eat, try something else. The food was delicious! The service was amazing. Checked in with us mutiple times and answered all our questions. The owner came by and checked on every one eating and chatted us up for bit. They gave some great recommendations on places to visit. We will be back again for the tinga tostadas and french toast!

It’s going to be a long review because I am astonished at the experience here. We had the most wonderful date night at Matteo’s with my husband and our baby girl! This spot has always been known for their incredible breakfast, but now that they’ve opened up for dinner — wow, they’ve absolutely outdone themselves. Located at the corner of Juniper Street, Matteo’s offers amazing views and is nestled in a calm, peaceful area. The decor and atmosphere immediately put us at ease, creating the perfect setting for a relaxing evening out. We started with a refreshing glass of Sangria, which was tasty and a great way to kick off the night, and ended with a delicious IPA — the perfect finish to an incredible meal. 😋 We began with the truffle fries, which were perfectly crispy, fresh, and seasoned just right — every bite was flavorful and balanced. Then came the honey glazed matcha wings and fermented Fresno chili wings — both had the perfect level of spice (though the honey matcha ones packed a surprising little kick!). For our mains, we had the short rib pappardelle pasta, which was absolutely amazing. You could really taste how the chef masterfully blended Mexican and Italian influences — it was rich, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The New York steak with chimichurri was to die for — tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. To finish, we had the limoncello cake for dessert — it was the perfect ending to an already incredible meal. Light, zesty, and perfectly sweet, it had a refreshing citrusy kick that left us smiling. A huge shoutout to Natalie, the Chef, and Alex, the Sous Chef, for coming out to explain each dish personally. They were not only incredibly friendly but also super attentive, making sure every table was well taken care of. Their passion for the food really stood out and made the evening even more special. And of course, a big thank you to Lupe, who was our server and hostess — she did it all! Her outstanding customer service and warm, welcoming personality made us feel right at home from the moment we walked in. We left feeling so happy, full, and truly impressed. If you’re looking for a cozy, elevated dining experience with creative flavors and top-notch service, Matteo’s is an absolute must-visit. Can’t wait to come back! 💛🍝🥩🍰

I can’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant and it felt like I was at a family dinner. I felt like I was at nonnas house eating meals her mom taught her and her mom before her. Great staff great food. Will be here so many more times to come.

What a beautiful place to have a weekend brunch! So light and airy, with a wide open feel. Service was fantastic, food was delicious.

Had a fantastic breakfast at Matteo! We didn’t have to wait to be seated, and the food came out surprisingly fast, which was a great start to the day. I ordered the eggs benedict and they were absolutely delicious. Everything was spot on: great food, friendly service, and really reasonable prices. A relaxed and enjoyable spot that I’ll definitely be coming back to!

Recently visited Matteo’s for the first time and left disappointed. Despite the restaurant being only half full, we waited over 10 minutes to be seated, and the staff didn’t acknowledge the growing line. Once seated, the table was sticky with leftover syrup, which set a poor first impression. When our server arrived, I asked a question about a specific dish, but he assumed I was ordering it. The interaction felt rushed and inattentive. Around us, several guests were having similar issues. Some mentioned that their meals didn’t taste the same as usual, while others said they had asked for certain ingredients to be left out, only for their requests to be ignored, forcing them to send their dishes back. The staff seemed disengaged until negative feedback started to surface. When our food arrived, the main dish was excessively salty and hard to finish, though the salad was fresh and enjoyable. The bill then came with an extra charge for adding chicken to the salad, even though the menu clearly stated a choice between eggs or chicken at no additional cost. Fortunately, my wife noticed it, and the server corrected the mistake after checking with the chef. Overall, Matteo’s has potential, but the inattentive service, inconsistency, and lack of care for customer requests make it hard to recommend at the current stage.

Great brunch spot which gives you the South Park neighborhood vibe. Friendly staff and orders come out quick. Great food and drinks selection. The food portions are very generous. I can definitely recommend this place and will come back.

I have been meaning to write a review for Matteo one of my most adored places in SD for a while now. When I first moved here it was one of the first places I went for breakfast and now continue to go almost every weekend. Lupita is one of my favorite waitresses and I forgot to ask her name but there's another woman with pretty dangling earrings she's awesome too. You can really tell the buena forchetta owners care about their staff because the staff here are EXTREMELY friendly, they are always helpful, happy, smiling and dancing (on weekends they have a live DJ) the live DJ is such an INCREDIBLE touch to this restaurant I absolutely love the music! Throwbacks for my 90s babies out there. I always come here with my dog and they are treated like royalty given fresh water and treats. The best thing is their Ricotta corn cakes don't mess around you have to order them for yourself...for the table just get them. I always get the South Park omelette with no mushrooms and light cheese it's excellent. The huevos rancheros is good and the porchetta sandwich. I can't comment on the coffee because I usually walk over to dark horse after (which is across the street) and grab something from there but I'm sure the coffee is great too. It's also a nice place to bring your friends from out of town for a brunch because they do have mimosas and other drinks. Also another huge plus is matteo reinvests in the community all the profits from their quarter get donated to different charities please tell me which other restaurant does that??! Love this place :) P.S. I did see some other reviews about the waiting at the front to be seated by the hostess - yes you are correct it SOMETIMES has a tiny bit of a wait (5 min or less) and they aren't trying to be rude or anything this is just a very busy restaurant don't worry someone will come to seat you and greet you just wait a couple minutes, chances are if you are coming here on the weekend you probably aren't in a rush and can wait a few minutes to go to this GEM of a spot.

Very disappointing, mostly due to inadequate sevice. If i hadnt gotten up and chased down the waitress or a supervisor we'd still be sitting there waiting for drinks. We got menus pretty quickly but then the waitress seemed to forget about us. Meanwhile she was serving other tables that arrived well after we did. When i got her back to the table we gave our drink order and told her we wanted to order the food also, which we did. We had to repeat the food order many times because she kept misunderstanding us. She left and again disappeared for at least ten minutes. Out of fear the food would arrive before the drinks i got up to find her. After about 20 minutes and having found her twice, I told her and the manager we wanted our drinks. Once the food finally arrived there were several mistakes. For example, i ordered chilaquiles with mole but she brought it with green salsa. The person i was sharing it with did not want salsa so i told her and she brought over a small bowl of mole, when she should have made a whole new plate. We were so frustrated with her and other food mistakes she made, we just ate what she served us and left. The food was ordinary anyway. My wife left her food because it did not taste at all good, but the waitress avoided it and didnt offer a replacement or take it off the bill. We wont be back.

Please bring back the old menu! New menu is a downgrade :( The Mexican Benedict special was a great dish!

Pretty and casual ambiance and love the fun wall art all over the restaurant as well as the hanging plants. Visited on a Saturday morning for breakfast and there wasn't a wait around 9:30 am. However, service was still pretty slow despite the place not being packed, so I would recommend visiting only when you're not in a hurry, and also with the mindset that you may need to flag someone down whenever you want to order anything or need anything. Iced tea was tasty and refreshing, and the Monte Cristo sandwich was deliciously decadent with its buttery brioche bread, ham, and Swiss cheese. Love the option to add sunny side up eggs for a slight upcharge. Side salad was also a generous portion. Would revisit for a leisurely breakfast with friends!

Really nice ambiance. Service was just ok. My eggs Benedict were really good. A little pricey but aren't they all...actually this place is different. It's. Non profit. Not sure exactly how it works tho. The area around it is cute too, those store and record store around the corner. Street parking not too difficult to find. My salted Carmel latte was just ok. Overall good experience and would recommend.

I was going to lead with 3 stars, but the service has definitely improved so I'll bump it up to 4. We've been here a few times and I can say they are more attentive and friendly today. The menu offerings and ricotta corn pancake has slightly changed, though, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. The ricotta corn cakes have been my go-to when we come here. Subtle, yet unique and delicious flavors; the ricotta complemented the cornmeal. It seems as though the recipe and preparation has changed. It definitely tasted more like a cornmeal cake vs a ricotta pancake. When they printed a new menu, it's like they changed recipes as well. Still a great place with tasty offerings and coffee, and I'll probably order the ricotta cakes again next time in hopes that I recognize the original flavors that had me walking to SP from NP.

The vibes were great! Casual spot to have brunch with friends or family, dog friendly at least outside. Cute decor and servers were lovely. Unfortunately the food did not match up. The orders were missing a few things and the overall taste of the food was quite bland. We were a bit disappointed with the food and probably wouldn't come back

Very cute location, with indoor and outdoor seating. Loved the vibe of the place overall and especially their cause of giving profits back to the community. Service was slow even trying to get seated, so that was a bit annoying, but once seated, our server was very sweet with providing all sorts of information and was happy to bring us waters right away. Ordered a crispy prosciutto sandwich and it was delicious. The heirloom tomatoes in it was super fresh but I was wishing for a sweeter counter balance to the high salt content of the crisped prosciutto. Would absolutely come back again to try something else on their menu and continue supporting their cause.

This place has been on my list for quite a while and we finally got to try it on a Fri over lunch. Not too busy at all. We sat on their small outdoor patio. I decided I wanted a pastry which you could either order to go or as part of the sit down service. I got the gluten free almond poppyseed muffin and my sister got the salmon Benedict. The muffin texture was great! Not too dry or crumbly like some other gluten free items I've had. It had a good amount of poppy seeds but I felt like the almonds only flavor was from the ones sprinkled on top. I wish the muffin had more almond flavor. The salmon Benedict was a hearty size and they gave a bunch of breakfast potatoes on the side that were nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Nothing mind blowing but good overall. Service was very fast and extra friendly. The lady serving us was very helpful and patient.

First time coming for brunch. Surprisingly there weren't as packed as they typically are on the weekends. I've come for dinner awhile back and have stopped in to get pastries to go, but today was my first time dining for brunch. I love how open their restaurant is. They had a DJ as well playing music. They were out of their croissants by the time we came so we got their blueberry muffin and berry scone. Saving these for later. I got their Seafood Benedict which a special on the weekend. It had a generous amount of shrimp and shredded crab. I also tried their porchetta sandwich - so good! It comes with a salad as well. The staff were super helpful. Adam made great recommendations and Lupita checked up us often.

PASTRY BREAK (3.25 stars) Sunny days, a cookie, and live music! This place is always packed, especially on weekends. When u first took interest in the place was during the times of the Pandemic as I thought this was a "neighborhood corner store" because they were selling imported goods from Italy and I bought Italian flour here (instead of waiting in long lines at the grocery store) for my homemade pasta noodle making. Those days have long past and I got to come here was a restaurant/cafe. Needed a snack but not a meal. Live music paired so well with a latte and a cookie. VANILLA LATTE - decaf! nothing special. Quickly ordered it to quickly grab a seat. Didn't get a chance to really assess the way I assess LOL. Foam art was none existing, it was quickly made and poured into the cup. SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE - I love anything snickerdoodle and honestly never in my life had a bad snickerdoodle. Their cookie was on the fluffy soft side and didn't have as much cinnamon and sugar but it was still good. Until the next review...

I love Matteo! I will say the veggie pizza sandwich (panini with pizza dough as bread) was pretty meh. I love Matteo so I won't knock it... just know my recommendation is for something else on the menu! Perhaps a different pizza sandwich because their bread sure is delicious! The house potatoes are divine. I could eat a whole plate full!!!

An important thing to remember about Matteo is that it's a non profit restaurant! the entire restaurant is for a cause. so yes, they're understaffed & running their but butts off, but they deserve your patience & your money. grab a coffee at the counter & chill out front. If you're in a hurry don't come. I love sitting in the window seat with my baby girl & coloring! A necessary South Park neighborhood spot.

I got the avocado caprese toast. It was alright, maybe too much balsamic to taste the avocado or the salad. When I ordered the toast, the waitress asked how I liked my eggs - I said the toast didn't come with eggs unless I got charged for it. Not sure if she was just trying to add something to the plate to charge or if she genuinely forgot the toast didn't come with eggs. The waitress was largely MIA, didn't come back for refills of water or drinks or give us suggestions on what to eat the entire hour we sat there. She was also not very friendly or warm. The restaurant had open windows all over, it was a super windy and cold morning and my friend and I could barely focus on eating because we were so cold. There's street parking. Music is very loud toward the back of the restaurant. Overall, an okay experience. Neither of us were impressed because of how dang cold the place was to eat in! Even with heavier jackets!

I walked by this place the last time I was in South Park a few months back & finally had time to try it for a weekday brunch! We came around 11 am on a Friday - we were seated right away. We ordered the South Park omelette, sausage burrito, and a hazelnut latte with oat milk. Both food items were really good, but the burrito is more generous in size compared to the omelette. The latte was also good. Service: The service was impressively quick - the coffee arrived within 5 mins of ordering, and the food within 10 minutes. The customer service throughout was also great - servers checked in on us often. Price: The price is on the higher average end, but food was good so we didn't mind. Parking: Matteo is located in a busy area of South Park so it's all street parking only, but there's options in all directions so I haven't had too much trouble looking. Just a heads up to consider this if you are coming during a busier time. Ambience: Love all the natural lighting that the large windows bring in. The inside is bright and refreshing.

Location: this place is located on the corner of the street! There's no parking lot but it's located near a residential neighborhood so there's some street parking nearby! Service: I went for a brunch on a Monday and was seated right away. What I ordered Monte Cristo Sandwich White Mocha (not on menu, requested) My thoughts: I was expecting the bread of my sandwich to be a little in the sweeter side and dusted with powdered sugar since it's French toast, however, it was a little drier than expected but was fine with some maple syrup. The cheese and ham paired well together. It was a decent sandwich but I wouldn't order it again since they had other menu options I would liked to have tried instead. I couldn't really taste the white chocolate in my mocha sadly and probably wouldn't order again. I would rate them both 3/5

We had high expectations after reading several other reviews raving about the food. The atmosphere is very cool- with accordion style windows that open fully to the outside. They had seating at the window bar top area, and tables inside and out with a cute bakery counter. Unfortunately, we waited at least 5 minutes at the podium to be seated without so much as a "hello" or "we'll be right with you". There appeared to only be two severs on staff, taking orders, greeting/seating people, bussing tables and running food. When we finally got sat, we waited another almost 10 minutes with no service before deciding to leave. We will likely be back, as we love the cause they support- but hope to get better service next time.

Very aesthetic and alluring! Always passed by and finally had to go in. The server was chill and nice. The ambiance was good music and open concept. Stroller friendly. I ordered the meat lover omelette. The first bite was delicious, but as i kept eating it was TOO cheesy for my liking. I only ate half of it and i was over it. The house potatoes though were amazing, and the sourdough was so flavorful and toasty. I would go again just for those 2 sides. I would come back and try something else.

Street parking only, some are metered and some are not. All outside seating and the parklet wasn't set up when I visited. They offer to go and sit down seating. I don't really understand why they do sit down ordering. The interior layout is set up more to order at the counter, get a number/have your food delivered. Tried: Sausage burrito $17: this was the most expensive breakfast burrito I've ever had. It was also the healthiest tasting. I could only finish half, it was a lot of food. The sausage was more like sausage crumbles which left it feeling like it needed more meat. Glad they offer Tapatio as it needed some kick. Menu said you could pick a side but I was told it only came with potatoes. They were too herby/oily for me. Chilaquiles $15: added eggs for $2 extra. Friend said this was one of the most disappointing chilaquiles they've ever had, they didn't finish. Not sure why but it did not come with a side even though it was under the area of the menu that said it came with it. They have a cute store inside that sells things like oils, pasta, sauces and drinks. Everything is a little pricey. I was disappointed with my overall experience and wouldn't be back.

Updated menu sucks. They had a perfectly good lox bagel and look what they did to it. Tomato and onion replaced with grilled zucchini. Why? Also the audacity to increase the price by a dollar while no longer serving potatoes on the side. $18 for this sad looking thing? Please just go back to the classic lox bagel.

It never fails!!! We've been in this place several times, the food is always good, and the customer service is great! The place is cool and a family oriented place: We'll never tired of coming to this place! Highly recommended!!!

I am so happy to report that the baker must be back! the almond croissants and Cardomon Coffeecake muffins are back! They have an early morning special for a coffee and pastry for $6. I still miss the sandwich cookies, but the other items appear to be back, and the ones that I've tried have been up to the old quality.

Amazing new brunch spot I discovered after my friend brought me! I brought my family and they loved it too! It can get busy but it moves along fast, service is great. Best chilaquiles I've tasted in a long time. Def new brunch spot.

Very good brunch place for everyone! My friend found this restaurant and she was attracted by the beautiful mural outside. The restaurant is not that busy on Saturday morning, we didn't need to wait for seats. The foods here are delicious and large portions, and the prices are very reasonable as well. We enjoyed our brunch! The only problem is the service is kinda slow, they need more staffs.

First time here can't believe this is a non profit !! Got the lavender latte it was excellent. Monte cristo sandwich wasn't my favorite- came on French toast. Husbands breakfast burrito was top notch tho

Super cute spot to stop and get some American-style breakfast. I got the caprese toast and it was very good. Street parking only, but you should be able to easily find nearby parking. Theres tons of cute spots in this area, so make sure you take a little walk after brunch!

I am such a big fan of this place. The workers are always hustling and bustling. The food is always awesome (and don't forget about their breads/pastries! If you have the chance to try the Filone - do it!). This past visit, I tried the veggie burrito which came with a side of balsamic-dressed greens. The burrito had great flavor and I really enjoyed my breakfast. I usually do walk up/counter serve but you can sit at a table and eat too!

The flies ! The flies ! The flies !! The food was great ! But i couldn't enjoy it cause I spent my whole time there swatting flies away from my food . It was unsanitary in my opinion

I recently visited Matteo and was really disappointed with the new menu. The changes just didn't hit the mark for me, and it's a shame because I used to enjoy coming here. Also, I was really looking forward to hearing the DJ on the weekend, but it seems that's no longer a thing either, which takes away from the vibe. The one bright spot was my server, Lupita. She was fantastic and provided excellent service, but unfortunately, that couldn't make up for everything else that was lacking.

Tasty food, large portions! Friendly and engaging servers and staff. Went on a Saturday morning and didn't have to wait long for a table. Nice ambiance, music a little loud but not unbearable. They had nice table fans to keep flies away which we appreciated. It feels like you're sitting outside with the wall of windows wide open so bring a sweater if you get cold easily like me. Will be back for sure!

This place could be awesome! I wanted it to be awesome. it's a great location. And it is kind of a cool place Unfortunately, the service is terrible. And the food is not great. They do have some good gluten-free options. I've given it a few chances, but I don't think I'm coming back. Bummer.

10000% recommend this breakfast place. It's so darn cute, located right at the corner of the street. Dog friendly, walkable from the neighborhood, open space, so you can sit on the sides facing the streets. I'm a sucker for restaurants like this, and you'll find them especially in San Diego. Come here to hang out during breakfast, grab a coffee and enjoy the ambience. Staff here are super sweet and attentive. My friend and I shared the vegan chorizo burrito and the tiramisu Brioche toast - and both were so good. Definitely 10/10 and would come here again!

Love the Matteo. I visited for breakfast on a Sunday morning. My party of 5 was seated immediately. We sat outside and it was so pretty. Our waitress was so nice! Service is quick and the food was great! The raspberry oat milk latte is amazing! I highly recommend.

We went to Mateo 2 days in a row for coffee and bfast. We had such an amazing experience at Buona Forchetta (same owner) so of course had to visit Mateo. My sister (shoutout Kenya) worked at Buona Forchetta and made sure I came here as well. Chilaquiles - S P I C Y AF! Great limey lick to them as well. So good. Mexican stamp of approval on these bad boys. Veggie omelet - talk about FRESH ingredients. This is what every omelets should strive to be in life. Great bfast potatoes with great seasonings. Nothing worse than bland/ no seasoning potatoes. Homemade granola with Greek yogurt and fruit was so delicious and fresh. Best granola ! Buttermilk pancakes (no picture ) so fluffy so good! But not heavy at all. Coffee was strong and smooth. Customer service here was so amazing and it helps kick your day off to a nice start. Jenny out waitress was all smiles and gave us good recommendations to Mexican restaurants. Abramo was so helpful , chatty and working hard both mornings with a great smile the w tire time.

Matteos is a cool place to hang with friends. The only complaints I have is that the tables are a little clamy (sticky), specs of food inside of water pitcher and smashed bugs on the menus. But the food looks and tastes good. Overall I would come back.

If I moved back to SD, this restaurant would be one reason I'd make South Park my new home. Very little wait, surprisingly, on a Saturday afternoon. Service was a little spotty, meaning one server was helping us then switched to two others -- was a little confusing. With that said, everyone who served us was super nice. The food, overall, was a hit: - ricotta cornmeal pancakes were light and fluffy (I wish there was a bit more cornmeal, but that's just a personal preference). The butter had some added flavor to it that made the cakes even better! - I didn't eat it, but my partner loved the fennel sausage that came with my breakfast combo - the potatoes were cooked crispy with lots of (olive?) oil, which was much better than I thought it might me - my partner loved his Belgian waffles, but I was too busy devouring my pancakes to try his dish. - we didn't have room after breakfast to eat it, but we took a peanut butter chocolate cake home from the bakery and it was DA BOMB! The thick peanut butter frosting layered on top off the chocolate cake was like silk. Lastly, the outside seating and open windows made the whole restaurant feel open, light and airy.

My husband and I used to be regulars at Matteo, however, our last two visits have left poor taste in our mouths. Service - service used to be exceptional, but not anymore. The last two times we have come, we have been serviced by a server/hostess (spanish-speaking) who always talks back. When I asked which pastries they had, she just said "We have all." She brought me the monte cristo and when I asked about strawberry jam, she stated "It's in there." Very short, belittling. Also, the place opens at 8:00am. We got there at 8:20, only one customer was inside and the hostess took more than 10 minutes to acknowledge us. Took another 10-15 to take our coffee order, mumbled "I am gonna have to brew it now", another 15-20 to take our order. Didn't check in and only offered a coffee refill when we asked for the check, which took a while to flag server. If a place is said to open at 8am, then ensure you have the adequate staff and start brewing coffee as soon as you see first customer walk in. Food - before, food was tasty and well-seasoned, not anymore. I ordered the monte cristo based on what it looked like on instagram. It was not tasty and it had ham instead of proscioutto as advertised. No powdered sugar, not plated like the one seen in social media. I was expecting the strawberry jam on the side but per the server, it is "cooked inside the monte cristo" (didn't taste like it). Atmosphere - flies everywhere, even with the table fans they wouldn't go away. Like I said, we used to be regulars and staff used to be more friendly, but not anymore. The last two visits we have been assisted by the rude hostess/server and she has a poor attitude.

Matteo is an indoor and outdoor restaurant in South Park. It has great food ranging from salads, breakfast, burritos, to pastries! The service was attentive and friendly.

What a cute and charming restaurant in the heart of South Park. This restaurant might deserve 5 stars just by virtue of being a non-profit restaurant -- all of its proceeds go to community-based charities. But I won't stop there because there are other reasons I love this place too! -- I came during peak brunch hours (around 11am on a Sunday) and got seated immediately which was a huge plus. You're not going to find too many tourists in South Park so this place really feels like a local gem -- Open air dining room makes it a very breezy and Covid-friendly experience! -- Lots of holiday-themed decorations during various times of the year -- Food was delicious! I wouldn't say it's anything super unique or to write home about, but it was great food at great portions for a great price and I would still come here for all the aforementioned reasons -- Parking: not the easiest but doable. Neighborhood street parking but you'll definitely find a spot if you're willing to walk a few blocks at most Definitely hoping to come here for their happy hour next, which stood out to me because in addition to weekday happy hour they also have weekend happy hour! Sunday 4-9pm and Saturday 4-6:30pm which is pretty unique.

An almost perfect experience! I decided to come in for my birthday dinner for multiple reasons: to support a great cause, because I trusted the food would be good as part of the Buona Forchetta family, and most honestly- because I'm a sucker for Christmassy decorations. Unfortunately, there's no heating inside the restaurant where I wanted to be, near the adorable tree! The chairs are also cold metal, and the windows were open despite it being below 50...! This was a little disappointing, but we made do with our jackets on the whole time, and the food and service made up for it. We shared the octopus and mussels + fries as appetizers- while both good, the mussels won out and were definitely more friendly for sharing amongst 4 people. We all kept remarking on how big and meaty the mussels were! I got the ribeye with smashed potatoes which was delectable and a massive portion (I brought home leftovers and I'm a solidly clean plate kind of gal) for the $36. I tried the salmon pasta, which was ok in my opinion but not something I would get personally, and the pork chop Milanese was solid but could have used some more balance in the flavors (it came with an arugula salad only). My boyfriend did some whispering to the servers and we ended up with a birthday dessert, a tasty mango mousse in a chocolate cup! Complete with a sparkler and singing staff, definitely an experience to remember. I wish they would get indoor heating and more comfortable seats, and this would be a 5/5 for sure! Regardless, looking forward to coming back to Matteo to try out their much raved over brunch, and still loved the friendliness and sweetness of the servers and the manager!

Came here for brunch, so good! No wait time for a busy Sunday. Got the Nutella pancakes and the pizza sandwich. So good and the service was good too.

We had "brunch" at around 9 am. I had my two dogs with me so we sat out in the patio. Service: 1/10 There were probably 5 tables with patrons. No one was at the hostess stand. When I was finally greeted by the hostess who I later found out was the server, she said she needed to clean a table for me and then just walked away and never did. 4 other workers walked by buy and no one bussed a single table. Finally someone bussed a table. It took about 8 minutes to even get waters and the hostess/server never said she would be helping us out or being our server. Server came back 15 minutes later and finally took our order. I overheard her saying other workers called out and that she may have been alone. That I understand, but there was zero haste, urgency, or anything going on. At one point she was ok the phone while a line formed at the hostess stand and still no one helped, stepped in, or offered a simple "we'll be right with you" I had to track her down to get the check and then even though we wanted to leave she still walked away and I had to track her down again to actually complete the transaction. The food runner was nice and was busting his butt you could tell. However, he brought out only my food and then we sat for another 5 or so minutes before my fiancés French toast came out. Food: 1/10 The food was bland. We ordered the classic egg Benedict and the brioche French toast, and a side of bacon. The bacon and potatoes were the best thing on the plates. The potatoes were seasoned and soft, cooked thoroughly. The bacon was crispy and did not taste fatty which was good, but still not super flavorful. The eggs Benedict.. the eggs were poached appropriately and were the right runny consistency which was good. The "homemade English muffin" was bland, tasteless, and not at all the consistency of an English muffin. It was thicker wonder bread type consistency and it wasn't even toasted or anything. The hollandaise sauce was extremely bland. No lemon, no salt, no flavor. It tasted watered down. The French toast was burnt and had a very sweet and bitter type of taste almost like anise extract or maybe even almond extract. It was not a good taste and similarly it was bland. Dried out and off in flavor. Ambiance: 6/10 The vibe was fine. There was a guitarist setting up while we ate and I'm sure that would have been a nice distraction from the other deficiencies. The outside patio was nice and the tables were a good size. They placed these long blade floppy fans on the tables to keep the bugs away which is a nice gesture but honestly was a little gross and if you leaned forward they would hit you in the face. I would NEVER go back here. But you may have a different expectation of service or taste than we do. Not pictured: French toast. ALSO, Side note this restaurant claims to be a 501(c) non profit arm of their parent restaurant Buena Forcetta which honestly just sounds slimy to me and a way to avoid taxes.

Had the pleasure of attending this establishment in South Park (formerly the site of Rebecca's) earlier this week for Breakfast. The cappuccino was simply the best this side of Firenze! The Almond croissant was heavenly only to be matched by our wonderful server Michelle! Truly worth the trek down there. Buon Appetito tutti! Dennis Scripps Ranch

Some of the worst service we have ever received from a restaurant. After being seated, it took about 30 minutes for the waitress to come over. It then took another 20 minutes for the drinks to come out. No apologies, no offer for refills or to take these off of the bill. Unacceptable! The waitress wasn't knowledgeable about the menu. When the food finally arrived, it wasn't very good. The potatoes were average and the english muffin wasn't homemade like stated on the menu. Someone else ordered avocado slices with the eggs benedict and it came with guacamole instead. Another person ordered chilaquiles with mole and they made them with verde sauce instead. Needless to say, we won't be back.

Cute place. Very friendly service. Great selection of sweets and food. A friend and I went for brunch and catching up. We were promptly greeted by a lovely lady that asked if we wanted drinks and we ordered 2 lattes. We ordered the ricotta pancakes, chilaquiles and the caprese benedict to share. The portions are generous and we enjoyed everything. The green salsa on the chilaquiles was a little too spicy for me so be aware of that! This is a place I would want to come back to try other items and perhaps their pastries.

Our party ordered things from every part of the menu and everything was great. Service was great. There was a DJ spinning vinyls on the sidewalk on a Sunday morning. Great vibes. Would recommend making a reservation. It was very busy. I will definitely be back. Probably my favorite breakfast place in San Diego right now.

We were checking out the neighborhood on a Saturday morning, as we were contemplating putting an offer in on a place nearby (spoiler: we passed on that house for another.) Matteo was packed with people, and initially, the menu did not inspire my husband. We were walking away to find another spot when he noticed a guy in the window with a massive breakfast plate; two seconds later we were doing an about-face to ask for a table. It took a minute for them to clear the only open table, and then several more minutes for a server to actually stop by, which is why I removed one star. The four remaining stars cover the food, coffee, the rest of the staff and the space itself. I went with the Matteo's Special Roasted Benedict ($18) and my husband got the Soyrizo & Potato Burrito ($12). We each ordered a coffee and then sat back to enjoy the vibe and chat. The space itself is super fun, with gigantic windows, a small shop off to the side and a bakery on the other. They also had outdoor seating that may or may not have popped up during the height of the pandemic. I must say that the Benedict - roasted tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and spinach - was delightful. The eggs were perfectly poached, the hollandaise was the right consistency, the vegetables expertly roasted. Even the side potatoes were excellent. Those side potatoes were so good, in fact, that my husband ate his entire serving! This guy doesn't usually love the homestyle potatoes, so it shocked us both when he polished off his pile of potatoes. He did like the burrito, as well, and was so proud of himself for going with a meatless option (we're both trying to wean him of his meat obsession, and soyrizo is a good substitute.) The burrito was massive, as well, so if you're ordering that, either come hungry or plan on a to-go bag. I would be interested in stopping by for another meal, but since it's kind of out of our way these days, that's not likely to happen. Still, it's a good stop for friendly staff and filling, delicious food.

We stopped by one day spontaneously, it was a Friday. The lattes were good! We order a French vanilla latte and cappuccino. We got the breakfast sausage burrito, it wasn't my favorite, but my husband loved it. The service was also a little slow, it took a while to have someone come over and help us, but other than that, everyone was super nice.

The 2 stars are because the food we ate that didn't have hair in it (that we know of) tasted good. So we have been here many times before and liked it, but after this particularly bad experience, won't be back for the foreseeable future. Today my wife and I went for breakfast. After my wife took a couple bites of her food she noticed 2 black slightly curly hairs in her potatoes. Gross, but it happens. So I motioned to our waiter that we needed him when he was able to come over and he asked from afar if we needed the check and i shook my head and tried to discreetly mouth and point that there was hair in our food. He then did several more tasks and took his time to come over and proceeded to confirm he had understood me by asking if we said we had hair in our food. My wife then discreetly pointed out the hairs to him and he looked hard at her food as if carefully inspecting it and acted as if he couldn't see any hair. Then, as he was starting to take the plate away he literally tried to tell us it was NOT hair and was just the potatoes and that they get these strings from how they're cooked but that he'd still get us another one anyway. My wife, who is as nice as can be but also doesn't take any BS either, then asked that he let her show him and then lifted up the hair with pieces of potato hanging from it several inches above the plate in front of him and said "that is a hair, not potato." He finally said you're right, that is a hair. Only then did he apologize - without really seeming apologetic - and was basically not very friendly from the start, even before all this. After having to be called out as described above and prove we can tell hair from potato (and apparently he can't), he said he wouldn't charge us and would get her another one. I just politely said we don't want another one and asked for the check and a box for my meal (which may or may not have had hair in it somewhere). I paid for my meal and still definitely tipped way too much under the circumstances and we left. That was not very good service even if things went right but when something goes wrong like that it should never be handled that way. We get that those things happen and if it's handled as it should then no problem and even would still tip well, as we usually do. But also, I have to point out the fact that I noticed a guy who came out of the kitchen shortly before all this happened, who may or may not have been handling/cooking the food in back, and who had hair that looked very similar to those in my wife's meal and who was wearing an apron and looked like a cook, who did not have any hair restraint of any kind on his head. Anyway, I usually, and prefer to, write good reviews but this was so bad and unfortunate (since we liked the place and have been many times before) that I thought it had to be posted if nothing else so that hopefully management will try to address these things for their sake and for their restaurant and customers' sake. Bummer, for sure.