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    Cafe Milano

    4.3 (634 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 2:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order Cafe Milano Takeout or Delivery

    Cafe Milano Photos

    Business Info

    CAFE MILANO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Milano

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    It was the special of the day and it was fantastic. Squash ravioli. This was my husband's. I didn't think he would like it, but he loved it.
    Crissy H.

    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.

    Tortellini Milano
    Hannah G.

    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

    Fettuccini Mare e Monte

    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.

    Ashley G.

    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!

    Best tiramisu ever.
    kim l.

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

    Eggplant Lasagna

    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

    tiramisu

    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

    Having a bear of a  time in traffic, let's get Cafe Milano delivered!
    Carol F.

    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.

    Special of the day : lobster ravioli
    Leslie B.

    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.

    Cannolis and limoncello flute

    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!

    This is the cioppino special
    Enrique G.

    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

    Minestrone Soup
    David R.

    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.

    Cannoli

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    1 year ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    Page 1 of 16

    Ask the Community - Cafe Milano

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    Bencotto was an outstanding fine dining Italian experience at a reasonable price. I had the cheese…read morewheel pasta and it was of an extremely high quality. On top of that they allowed me to take a video of them mixing my noodles and chicken in the cheese wheel itself which I thought was a nice touch. Additionally they had a large selection of bottled Italian beers as well as wine. The service was fantastic and so was the ambiance which was less Tuscan and more modern with some references to Italy which I appreciated

    On a Monday evening in San Diego, we stopped by Bencotto Italian Kitchen for dinner. Located in…read moreLittle Italy, I was surprised by how busy this part of town is. Restaurants and bars filled to the brim. Lack of street parking availability. With that being said, after circling around for a while, I found a free parking spot on the street five minutes away by foot. Ambiance (4/5): While Bencotto has a nice interior, I went with some al fresco dining on their front patio. There are 20 or so seats available right off the street, so it's not a large patio by any means, but it's nice. The weather was a little chilly by San Diego standards, so they had some heaters out there. It always reminds me of Europe when I'm dining al fresco. Service (3/5): A little slow at times, but overall, pretty good. My waiter was friendly, he just could have stopped by a little quicker. Still solid though. Drinks (4/5): They have a nice selection of wine. I ended up rolling with an Italian beer I had never had before instead. It was a lager and they served it with a chilled glass which is always a nice touch. Food (4/5): The reason I came delivered. Their most popular entree is pasta cooked in a cheese wheel. The pasta is in a creamy truffle sauce with mushrooms. No protein but you can add some for an additional charge. I added grilled chicken. What's awesome about this dish is that they cook it for you inside by the hostess stand. So you can go there and see it happening. My server didn't give me a heads-up (shame on him) but luckily, someone at a table close to me did after me, so I joined to see their food being prepared. I also ordered the gnocco frito which is puffy fried bread. You get four pieces and I had never had this type of Italian bread. Not amazing, but it complemented the pasta well. All of their pasta is made in house and you can taste the difference. The cheese wheel pasta was absolutely delicious. I was pumped to cross this bucket list item off my list.

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    We had dinner here the other night (compliments of my sister as a birthday gift). Neither of us had…read morebeen here before and we were excited to try out a new venue. One thing we learned: if you decide to make a reservation here, especially on a weekend night, arrive early to accommodate the time it takes to find parking. The restaurant does not have its own parking lot, it's street parking-only and space is tough to come by. We circled around for at least 15 minutes before securing a spot and wound up a little over 20 minutes late for our reservation. Thankfully, we still had a table set up and waiting for us. It was very busy when we walked in, it appeared as though the restaurant was near-capacity. The restaurant has a nice, rustic charm to it, but I'll admit some of the charm is taken away by the crowd of noisy people. The restaurant space is small with as many tables and chairs that can possibly fit, which inevitably means tables are very close to one another. It would help if the restaurant acquired a much larger space, or if it got rid of maybe 30% of the tables/chairs so that seating could be more spaced-out. Service was initially slow, but understandable considering the completely packed venue. Our servers were incredibly friendly and provided exceptional service. They were patient and informative in answering our questions (particularly about the "cheese wheel"). We ordered the house specialty bread with 3 different spreads as an appetizer, the lamb shank was my date's entree choice while I ordered the pappardelle pasta with short rib. The bread was truly excellent, we both devoured it. My dish was also excellent, the short rib was very rich and flavorful and the pasta was cooked well. I tasted my date's lamb dish, which I felt was bland compared to mine and I wasn't crazy about it. My date seemed to enjoy it, though. We were too full to order any dessert, so I can't speak for their desserts. The food I did try was mostly amazing. We will likely be back, although we might try coming on a Monday or Tuesday night to avoid the crowds and have an easier time with parking.

    Nathan was the BEST server ever. Had the most amazing time. Second time with him as our server and…read morecan't say enough good things. Love this restaurant and the people

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    Piacere Mio - South Park - Calamari

    Piacere Mio - South Park

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

    A cute and charming little restaurant in a really fun neighborhood. They started with a basket of…read morebread, but honestly, it tasted like it came out of a package from the market. Would've been better if it was at least heated. I then had the Caesar salad and it was excellent. I've had many many many Caesar salad salads in my day and this one ranked right up there. The Romaine was in large pieces so I definitely needed to cut it before eating. The dressing was very tasty and they are very generous with the cheese. I moved on to the papperdelle Primavera with shrimp and it was very, very good and a large portion. It came out nice and hot. The sauce could've been a little more flavorful, but it was good nonetheless the shrimp were a little on the small side. We decided not to have dessert. I found the price is very reasonable and there is street parking in the area and a large Target parking lot across the street.

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    Cucina Urbana - Mushroom goat cheese pizza and short rib pappardelle

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    While visiting from out of town, we decided to spend Mother's Day at this amazing place, and it…read morehonestly felt like we were back in Italy. We were greeted with warm smiles from every employee, asked which open table we preferred, and the staff did everything they could to make us feel like weekly regulars. I loved seeing the hugs they gave their regulars, and I completely understand why people keep coming back week after week. My definition of a great restaurant is simple: great service -- attentive, anticipates needs, and does everything possible to take care of guests -- plus solid food and drinks. This place was a home run, and we will definitely be back when we are in town. We started with the artichoke, and everyone loved it, even our kids. We ordered the chicken parm 10/10, bolognese 10/10, spaghetti with meatballs 9/10, and Pappardelle Al Brasato 7/10. With the brasato, there were a few questionable pieces of meat/fat, but overall it was still a solid dish. The highlight of the meal was the tiramisu. Damn -- it was light, airy, and full of flavor. It wasn't heavy, nothing was dry, and all four of us dug in and devoured every last bite. Loved the place, loved the service, and loved the food.

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    Cafe Milano - italian - Updated May 2026

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