Caterina is a cute little gelato and snack bar by San Clemente Beach -- a great place to stop for a cool, sweet treat! We were greeted as soon as we walked in and offered samples, which was a nice touch. I tried the Berry Cheesecake (yummy!), Turtle (a little too sweet for me), and my favorite, Mint Chip. But in the end, I opted for the Dubai Chocolate -- and it did not disappoint! Gelato comes in S, M, and L sizes, with the medium and large an option a half-and-half option, which is perfect i read more

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I had a nice breakfast with my son and we ordered an avocado + bagel and yogurt parfait. It was expensive ($29), but that's expected by the water. The food was good and the place is adorable. What I found really baffling is when I asked for a single cup of water they told me they only "sell water" and refused to provide a cup even to a paying customer. I get that they don't want to be providing water to anyone just coming in off of the beach, but denying a paying food customer a cup of water is a joke. read more

I would come here almost every morning with my boyfriend and get a raspberry mocha. We had just been in there the other day and got some gelato. We are there a lot. Yesterday we went there and it was the ocean festival. We grabbed food from the stands outside and headed over to the coffee shop to get a mocha. As soon as we got to a table and set everything down, mind you in 80+ degree weather, the old lady owner I assume stopped us 10 seconds later and told us we can't sit down there. My boyfriend went in there to explain to her that we were gonna get a drink and before he even opened his mouth she opened the convo with "I'm not going to argue with you" and that even if we ordered a drink it wouldn't matter we'd still have to leave. We are NEVER coming back. I suggest you don't either. They don't care about their customers and there's plenty of other good coffee and gelato places in San Clemente I promise you. Now I can see why this place has under 3 star rating. That should tell you something in of itself. read more

Service is awful. No one that works there seems to enjoy it. Unfriendly is an understatement. Avoid.

As the other reviews have pointed out, the white old lady, I'm assuming the owner, is so disrespectful and should not be a business owner. I don't know why this place still stands. Not only is the drinks there below average, but the service is terrible. When I ordered, she gave a bad attitude. I assumed that she was just having a bad day, but when the person behind me ordered, she was all sweet. Probably because they're both white. I don't know if she is just racist or something but I noticed that she doesn't treat people of color kindly. Will never come back. read more

Caterina’s - do not come here - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

Conveniently located across from the pier. It offers several options for food and pastries. Their coffee/drink menu is ambitious. I appreciate the amazing staff for everything they are doing here. I made the mistake of sitting near a water bowl for pets. My daughter was bitten by mosquitoes while eating. Additionally, I did not appreciate one of the locals allowing their pet to roam while we ate. read more

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Great spot across from ocean. I use to come regularly for lattes but stopped since they charged $1 more for milk substitute. I hope they eliminate the extra charge for those that choose a more humane alternative. Came recently with some of town family for lunch so we could relax, eat and get an ocean view. I thought the food was just decent and overpriced. My vegan chicken sandwich ($18) was dry and hard. The truffle pizza ($22) was better but not worth coming back for. Clearly pay for the view not the quality of food. read more

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We've had their Dubai chocolate ice cream a few times when we go on a walk near the pier. Their drinks are always very good too. The ham and cheese croissant was a little soggy, but the portion was perfect for a light full meal (lunch). You cannot beat the view of the pier, the ocean, people watching, peaceful, San Clemente vibes. Metered parking in front. Also, the trolley stop is right across the street. Great location and a nice place to come with friends, enjoy a casual date, or a nice family spot. The food menu is extensive, serving: paninis, sandos, ice cream, hot or cold drinks, pastries, and much more! Friendly staff making you feel "at home". Thanks, guys and see you soon! read more

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Very cute location I very much love the way the shop looks! It's very cozy inside, the staff was pretty nice and very patient while we look over their drink menu! We got the peanut butter latte, lavender caramel latte, raspberry mocha and a s'moke latte! They were very comforting especially with how cold it was I do wish they had a bathroom since I struggle walking up and down the hills here but it was worth a visit. read more

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Food is good but old lady makes me uncomfortable. Asked if we ordered anything, we did, night before too.

Well, now I know about the rude old lady owner that everyone complains about. Extremely condescending and does not care about customers. Never coming back! read more

Friday am We decided to dine in our condo this a.m. I walked down to order to go. The restaurant is outdoor dining only. The menu has a lot of options some of the options are duplicated as wraps and/or paninis. The service was awful. The woman with gray short hair is kind of rude and curt. Not too helpful either. We ordered panini sandwiches one with smoked salmon, herb cream cheese, red onions, sliced tomato, capers and arugula. I ordered the porchetta with Italian porchetta, carmelized onions, , Dijon, mustard, arugula, Swiss and provolone cheese. I ordered an iced mocha with light ice it was a little on the sweet side. Everything was great tasty and perfectly toasted. Saturday afternoon We were at the beach and decided to grab a sandwich. We ordered their club sandwich it was tasty. A little overpriced for what you get. It is very conveniently located near the beach to order to go. Their outdoor seating is great. read more

Caterina’s - Italia Italian Club - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

I've never received worse service in my life. The old hag and her son that I'm guessing are owners kicked us out when we were sitting after ordering and finished eating the gelato from their store. The place was pretty empty and there were open seating everywhere. They said we have to order more, if we want to sit and I told them we just finished eating. They then said we have to leave now then. I asked to speak to the manager and owner and she proceeded to threaten to call the sheriff. Wow, what a way to treat customers. I should have listened to the poor reviews here. It's poorly reviewed for a reason. Also they charge $10 for the tiniest Gelato cup you have ever seen. Go next door for ice cream instead. read more

This is a wonderful cafe with everything one could ask for when spending time at the beach or walking around San Clemente. We enjoyed everything we tried, and sampled something from each section. We enjoyed a sandwich, two different flatbreads, and two of us went for the French bread pizza. The next night we went in for dessert. They have a great selection of chocolate, had a s'more that was a perfect nightcap to a day at the beach. The staff were pleasant and helpful to our kids that probably had too many samples before picking their gelato. It's at the trolley stop and right across from the pier, worth stopping in as they seem to have something for everyone. read more

My best friend, who is active-duty military, and I (a local registered nurse) came to Caterina's for lunch. My friend arrived a few minutes before me and sat down to look at a paper menu while waiting. When I arrived, I was about to sit down to look at the menu myself before deciding what to order when the owner approached us and told us we could not sit down unless we ordered at the front first. What was disappointing wasn't the policy itself, it was the way it was communicated. We weren't greeted, asked if we had any questions, or offered any assistance. Instead, we were immediately told we couldn't be seated until we had ordered. After I placed my order, I asked if I could now sit down, and she said yes. I then politely clarified whether customers are ever allowed to sit before ordering, and she replied, "No." Since there were no signs explaining this policy, I asked for her name. She responded, "You don't need my name. I'm the owner," and then said, "Do you want the flatbread pizza or not? Otherwise, you can leave." I found this interaction unnecessarily rude and unwelcoming. As the owner, first impressions matter, and this was not the type of customer service I would expect from a business. It's unfortunate because the employees we interacted with were very kind and courteous. I hope this feedback encourages a more welcoming approach to future customers. read more

DON'T GO ENOUGH SAID Owner is rude Take your business software. I went there a few days ago, and as I walked in, I got yelled out immediately and left. read more

Caterina Cafe What should have been a simple coffee stop on a beautiful pier turned into one of the most unpleasant customer experiences I've had in a long time. The service was shockingly rude and unwelcoming from the moment I approached the counter. No greeting, no patience, no basic courtesy -- just irritation and attitude, as if customers are an inconvenience rather than the reason the place exists. The coffee itself didn't come close to justifying the price. Bland, forgettable, and rushed -- which somehow made the bad service feel even worse. When you're paying pier prices, you at least expect basic quality and professionalism. This had neither. What really kills it is the location. You're standing on one of the nicest piers in Southern California, surrounded by ocean views and tourists having a good time -- and this place manages to suck all the joy out of the moment. There are plenty of nearby spots where you'll be treated like a human being and get better food and drinks for your money. This isn't one of them. Won't be back. Not recommend hmmmmm grrrrr read more

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Every time I have come to Caterina's lately I'm so surprised by how empty it is. They have great seating on their covered and non-covered patios. I love the outdoor couch and accent wall...and the pink umbrellas. Totally cute and really inviting. Their food is A+ and they have nearly every type of latte you could imagine. They also have delicious gelato and chocolate treats too! I will continue coming to Caterina's for the great food, drinks and views! read more

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I don't know why people are complaining about this place! How this place is rated below three stars has me doubting the rating system! We visit this location EVERY TIME we come to San Clemente and have nothing but great things to say. The breakfast bagels are great, the coffee is incredible, and the ice cream is fantastic! The patio is very accommodating and allows consumers to enjoy their food and beverages while looking out over the ocean! MUST VISIT WHEN YOUR IN TOWN!! read more

Caterina’s - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Owner or manager deliberately used his crutches to scare a small bird into a ceiling fan, which flung the bird across the room (landing next to me). As the bird slowly died, he then instructed an employee to dump the bird into the bushes next to the restaurant. He in no way addressed me or my son while this was happening, nor addressed his actions. I feel this was very unprofessional, as well as cruel to the bird (not to mention unsanitary). While the food was not the issue, I would not patronize a business that behaved in this manner again. read more

The owner told the staff to tell us that we couldn't sit outside at their table because we bought coffee from next-door, even though we bought gelato from their business. So incredibly rude! Super disappointed because I have been coming here for a long time but I will no longer give them my business. read more

I went here yesterday and ordered a couple of drinks. The employees there were all very nice so I decided to go back today. What a mistake. This time the old white lady was there. She took my order and was extremely rude, condescending and had a bad attitude making me feel as if she was doing me a favor when I am the one giving her business. I asked her a few questions and she got really annoyed and didn't want to answer me acting as if I was an inconvenience to her. I should have read reviews before deciding to try this place. Now I understand the low rating. It all came from this rude old lady. You would think after reading all these negative reviews about her, she would shape up and try to do better, but nope same old rudeness. I would never go back there again. read more

If I could put zero stars, I would. Probably one of the worst coffee shop/ gelato experiences I have ever had in my entire life. Quality of coffee is worse than cheap gas station coffee, hot chocolate tasted literally like it came from the Swiss Miss powder , and their chocolates are stale. On top of all this, whoever the guy is at the checkout is manager or the owner - had so much attitude l, was so rude, sour and un welcoming. Definitely not coming back to displace ever again. read more

Ugly old white owner doesn't want business. She kicked us out while we looked at menu. She told us ordering coffee alone would not allow us seating. Her front patio seating is covering a red firetruck curb which I found laughable honestly. When I made it known that the sidewalk was public, she agreed and affirmed her ownership of the tables and chairs. My boyfriend and I made sure to eat our delicious ice cream from next store right in front of her restaurant on the sidewalk. We stared at her while she stay customerless behind her counter. This place is a joke. This is a great restaurant for episode 1 if Gordon Ramsay ever wanted to reboot Kitchen Nightmares. read more

When I came here I couldn't be seated until I ordered and the person was kinda mean to me about it when I asked. So I didn't really order because this discouraged me from doing so. It was super hot too outside so I was kind of upset about the whole thing read more

I was extremely disappointed with my experience here. I paid $17 for a piece of toast, and when it arrived, it had been cut in half, making an already small portion feel even smaller. There was absolutely no reason for it the bread wasn't oversized, and it definitely wasn't worth the price. Unfortunately, the food itself was just mediocre. Nothing about it justified the price. What really sealed the experience, though, was the owner's attitude. They came across as incredibly rude, which made an already disappointing meal even worse. Between the tiny portions, overpriced menu, average food, and poor customer service, I won't be coming back and wouldn't recommend this place to others. read more

Their Vegan Breakfast Panini was so delicious. I'm definitely coming back. Glad that they had vegan options. read more

Caterina’s - Vegan breakfast panani - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

I went to Caterina's to get some ice cream and hang out with some friends, and we were playing a game after all of us had ordered a drink or ice cream. The owner later came up to us with an awful attitude and was very unkind in telling us that we couldn't play games even though we were paying customers. As we were cleaning up, which only took about 3 minutes, she proceeded to come out and shout at us again, and send her worker out to tell us to get out. As the only people of color in the store at the moment, we felt very unwelcome and will not be returning. The ice cream is not worth the horrible service, and the manager needs an attitude check because she's absolutely awful. read more

Caterina's was a godsend on a hot beach day, when we really needed some cold drinks, shade, and good food. The patio was spacious and misted, which plenty of comfortable outdoor seating. Their menu is super extensive, and they have every type of snack, sandwhich, dessert, candy, or gelato you can think of. I know they also have a lot of good gluten-free and vegetarian options as well. We tried their brown butter latte, and it was very creamy and sweet, I really liked whatever flavoring they used. The prices were all super reasonable, more so than many of the surrounding restaurants and cafes. I absolutely recommend for anyone wanting to spend the day on the beach or pier, or who is in the area and needs a quick pick-me-up! read more

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Gelato and cookies and more right by the beach. Lovely place to stop by after a walk on the pier. The outdoor seating area is so nice with great views. The gelato is good and they also have variety baked goods and drinks. The ambiance is great here. Customer service is ok could be more friendlier. Overall a great stop while in the area. read more

Caterina’s - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

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Absolutely terrible experience. The owner was incredibly rude and completely unprofessional. I had a coffee from next door, while my wife--who is 38 weeks pregnant--purchased a matcha from this shop. The moment we sat down, the owner came over and started yelling at us to leave because of my drink. Not a polite request--straight to hostility. There's a way to enforce policies, and then there's treating paying customers like garbage. Showing zero patience or basic human decency, especially toward a visibly pregnant customer, is unacceptable. If this is how they treat people, I would strongly recommend staying away. Plenty of other places nearby that actually value their customers. read more

I am fantasizing about gluten free bagels with smoked salmon but no cream cheese or red onion just tomato on top and found exactly what I needed at Caterina's. The crabby guy wasn't here this time, luckily!! read more

Caterina’s - Outside is so pretty - Gelato Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I have seen this place many times and never try it before, my first time here and it's such a nice place, I love everything from the menu, menu is very big they serve almost everything during the entire day, their selection of drink menu is also really good. Inside the place the do have like to go things when it is very convenient and big ice cream bar menu which I love. The whole restaurant is pretty, they do have a nice sit down area indoors and outdoor, but something that I did not like was the costumer service was not so great they were probably tired and about to close when we came and they seem not in their best mood. read more

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$20 for two itty bitty gelatos. Ok. We'll deal, kiddos were so excited for gelato. We sit, they eat, we move to padded benches to look up train schedule while my daughter rests a bit. She had spinal fusion earlier this year and has orthopedic impariment. Kiddo just needed ten minutes before we went to train. Ten. Minutes. The place was empty. Owner comes out all huffy because I forgot my bag at the table and someone might want to sit there. Then she sends out this middle aged man to kick us out for not ordering anything. She backs him up. We ordered from her. She kicks us out, won't even hear us out on we did actually purchase stuff, and that our little just needs 10 min. Nope. Don't go. Unless you want to troll a horrible human being. Then yes. Please. But don't buy anything. TLDR: Old lady owner kicks out family with special needs daughter, claiming we didn't buy anything when we purchased directly from her. Boycott this place. There is a lovely bustling shop up the block and I'd put money on them being better than these wretches. read more

Today I had one of the most unpleasant experiences I've ever had at a shop. I was simply trying to pay for my order when the owner suddenly raised her voice at me, saying something completely unrelated like, "We don't provide service here," and then rushed to take the next customer behind me. I was also a paying customer, yet she treated me as if I was in her way. It was shocking and extremely disrespectful. I honestly don't understand why I should spend my money only to be yelled at by the owner. I ordered two small gelatos and one coffee, and the total came out to $19.98. The coffee alone should be around $5, so I have no idea how the total ended up that high. To be fair, the employee working there was very kind, and I actually felt bad for them. It must be incredibly difficult to work under an owner who behaves so aggressively and hysterically toward customers. The gelato itself didn't taste fresh at all--it had that old freezer taste, like it had been sitting there for a long time. My kids wouldn't eat it and left most of it untouched. Overall, the experience ruined my mood for the entire day. I still don't understand why I had to be treated that way. read more

That surfer breakfast panini was so good! As were our lattes and cinnamon roll. A really delicious beach brunch!

I have to agree with others regarding the poor customer service and the overly strict policy about outside food. Unfortunately, the owners were quite rude about it, which made the experience uncomfortable. What shocked me most was when we asked for two takeout boxes, the owner felt the need to double-check what we were putting inside them. I've never experienced anything like that before especially considering we were paying customers who ordered two meals and a drink. I did enjoy their nitro coffee, but the food itself wasn't anything particularly memorable. I wouldn't recommend coming here specifically for the food. That said, the location is great, and the seating area has a beautiful ambiance. Overall, because of the rude and unwelcoming experience, I wouldn't return. read more

This place has some of the best food in San Clemente. Don't let the reviews deter you. Do they have a habit of chasing people away from their patio who haven't purchased anything from them? Sounds like it from the reviews. I'm legitimately wondering if any of these people have tried the food here, which is phenomenal. Two recent favorites were the Brie, pear panini and the Brekkie Biscuit, both some of my favorite meals I have had eating out in a very long time. Do yourself a favor, try it!! It's the bomb! read more

This place is amazing. I lived in Orange County for seven years and they have the most extensive gluten-free menu. People don't talk about that as much as they should. The food is delicious the people are nice and the ambiance is overlooking the San Clemente Pier. The cute pink umbrella tables are what brought us to look at the menu, but the food is what kept us coming back. It's open late as well which is a bonus! When everything else was closing at five, we could still go to them when we wanted a late night bite. Great food, great ambiance, amazing gluten free options! read more

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Needed a sweet treat after dinner so we stopped here for gelato. Cute shop with various treats and drinks to choose from. I went with a small cup of their hazelnut gelato, so good! read more

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