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    Cavalletta Restaurant

    4.4 (212 reviews)
    Closed • 5:00 pm - 8:45 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Cavalletta Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    CAVALLETTA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Upscale
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cavalletta Restaurant

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    Prosciutto pizza
    Nicole L.

    Cavalletta is fantastic! If you are looking to impressed someone, this is the place. It's a cute boho chic vibe inside, fairly large inside and they also had a patio which I loved. We had reservations for 7 pm and upon arrival the restaurant was full - this is how you know it must be good. It remained busy throughout the evening too. They had fun spritzes on the menu, I tried the peach basil one and enjoyed it. It wasn't too sweet at all, was tart and crisp. We started with a special they had running for the evening, it was a halibut carpaccio served with avocado mousse and mandarins. The chef let us know he caught the fish on the beach in Capitola, I thought that was pretty rad. It was super fresh, light and delicious. We also shared the prosciutto pizza as a starter as well, so tasty! Literally everything was so good. The crust was easy to chew and eat, flavors were savory and sweet. For entrees my husband ordered the duck ragu and this was my highlight - wish I ordered this for myself as well! Savory goodness and as the dish cooled down the sauce thickened more. I had the mushroom campanelle because once I read truffle hollandaise I was like I must try this. I love mushrooms so anytime I see a dish with them I'm sold. I wish I could've added steak as a protein with it, but overall a yummy pasta dish as well.

    Counter seating
    Annie T.

    Cavalletta is a hidden gem on Soquel. There are no downsides... other than there will probably be a wait because it is absolutely magnificent. It's the type of place I dream about afterwards... like my mouth waters while I'm thinking about the flavors bursting with each bite. What I love in addition to the food is the impeccable service, which I believe is hard to find these days. I've been to some high-end establishments with tepid service. Cavalletta seems to have hiring down to a Science because we were treated like Kings and Queens from the time we were seated (and were allowed to choose our table and take our time deciding), then were taken the utmost care during ordering and dining while being checked on the perfect amount of times. When I first entered, I thought the decor was a little plain for an upscale Italian cuisine, but once we sat for awhile and got our food, I understood. Everything is plain so the important things can shine: the food and service. Cavalletta doesn't need the extra bells and whistles like some other places. In the end, we got a little cold because we were seated on the patio, so they had no problems moving us indoors to the counter for dessert and coffee. It was perfect. And, again, everyone I interacted with were so incredibly friendly in a genuine way. I loved it. And I loved every bite! The only thing I wished I could change is I wish I wasn't gluten-intolerant!!!! Argh!!! Because EVERYTHING on the menu was delicious, and pretty much everything we ingested had gluten. It was worth all the GI complications (haha), but I honestly wish I could eat there every week! Cavalletta has it all. It's where I'd bring out of town guests, a date, a special group for a celebration, or when I want a fabulous special meal while being treated by excellent staff.

    House focaccia... burrata, sea salt, preserved lemon.... omg!
    Lizz H.

    The food is simply devine! And superb wine list. Cavalletta is relatively a new comer to the Aptos dining scene. However, it has landed with a boom. The atmosphere is classy relaxed. The service is definitely high end. The food is, well, as I stated above... upscale, creative and delicious! Located on busy Soquel Avenue... parking can be tricky. There are a few parking places in front of the restaurant. If it is a first time visit you may want to call ahead for assistance. Some of the neighboring businesses allow Cavalletta parking after they close. The outside of the restaurant is understated with a simple, classy entrance as you walk in. But inside it is anything but simple. You are immediately welcomed by friendly staff. The large dining room has an open kitchen and feels cozy, warm and intimate. I love it. There is a small, inviting outdoor patio. A reservation will secure your spot wherever you want to eat. I have had the absolute pleasure of dining at Cavelletta on three separate occasions during the past six months. Once eating on the beautiful patio and twice inside in the most comfortable cozy atmosphere. Fun! Appetizers rule here. House focaccia, burrata, sea salt and preserved lemon or a wood fire cauliflower dish... TDF. Both eaten to the last morsel. Best caesar salad with killer croutons. Delectable pizzas and pastas. Main entrèes... many choices. I enjoyed a most succulent halibut. You cannot go wrong. Lastly, a big shout out to Katie our energetic waitperson who made the dining experiences so enjoyable. What a Pro! I can hardly wait to return. Cheers!

    Pasta special of bucatini with shrimp
    John H.

    So I've eaten here more than a half a dozen times. It's always fun to sit at the bar and interact with all the hard-working staff. Their menu choices are delightful particularly their specials, handmade, fresh pizzas, and other pasta dishes. One of my favorites is the Bolognese pasta. However, tonight, with Evanda's suggestion, I had the bucatini pasta special with shrimp in an herb butter sauce, along with some beautiful sweet tomatoes. This special was singularly the most tasty dish I've eaten there!! The perfectly prepared pasta with delightful and attentive service by Evanda made it a perfect dinner. Many thanks to Chef and the kitchen and the rest of the staff for a wonderful experience. My big hope is that they make this special a regular dish on their menu. I look forward to coming back and sampling more of their menu. Thanks again Evanda for this fabulous recommendation. Molto bene! Grazie!

    Beet salad
    Magda M.

    We had a great visit here on Friday night. Grabbed a reservation around 5:30 and sat on the patio with our dog. We ordered two salads (beet and Cesar) and a bolognese pasta dish. Everything was super tasty! We also got some red wines by the glass which were delightful. The service was efficient and friendly. We left happy and full! Highly recommend the pastas - so fresh and so tasty! Very filling too. Such a great vibe and nice night out. We will be back if we are in town again.

    Fried Risotto
    Judy S.

    What a lovely place for a delicious meal! Stopped in while in town visiting my daughter. Service was excellent and the food even better! The chicken piccata was delightfully flavorful and the pizza was very robust. The setting is a large open room with tables and an open kitchen off to the side.

    Caesar salad
    Maricarmen C.

    Have been here twice now, when they first opened, and again recently. Tried their Margherita pizza and Caesar salad both times. They add what I believe is a broccolini sauce to their pizza, which I haven't seen done anywhere else. Both dishes are very good. Their croutons are delicious, and their pizza crust is very crispy. The croutons were huge during our second visit though, which made them a bit hard to eat. They have a small patio in the back for outdoor seating. Perfect for the warmer weather! Parking is very limited. Service was good, would definitely go back.

    Kenneth C.

    Cavalletta is the second restaurant owned by Nick Sherman, whose other restaurant, Trestles, in Capitola, is also a must-visit. Service here was top-notch. From the moment we stepped in, we were treated with kindness and smiles. We were offered different table options, and we opted to sit outside. It was a cold evening, and the hostess maneuvered the heat warmer next to our table to make sure our dining experience would be warm and comfortable. Throughout the night, our server would always ask if we were warm enough. Ambiance - The indoor dining space is open and spacious. On this Friday night, it was packed, bustling with the sounds of friends and family conversing and laughing over their meals. If this night is any indication of other nights - make sure to make reservations, it is deservedly popular! Food - What can I say - immaculate, fresh, savory and delicious! We had: (1) wood fire cauliflower tahini, pistachio, caper salsa verde, raisins GF/VQ (2) short rib rigatoni creme fraiche, horseradish, carrots, tomatoes, pecorino (3) mushroom pizza arugula, mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano V All 3 dishes are memorable. The tahini pistachio sauce for the cauliflower was so good that we were compelled to order bread, so that none of the sauce went to waste ;) The rigatoni pasta was rich, homemade, and perfectly cooked, and the short rib complemented the red sauce with carrots. The mushroom pizza from their wood fire oven was one of the best pizzas I have ever had. The crust was nice and crispy, the fresh arugula topping made the pizza look like an art project, and the centerpiece ingredient - mushrooms were so fresh and flavorful. Every bite was bursting with mushroom yumminess. If you are a mushroom fan, don't pass this one up! Needless to say, we cannot wait to go back to try the rest of the menu! Go now!

    Cavaletta Restaurant

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    2 days ago

    Fantastic, everything our group of four had was absolutely wonderful. Definitely recommended.

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    1 month ago

    Food excellent, service amazing, and we really enjoyed the patio area. Weather was perfect.

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    5 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Neighborhood feel, delicious beet salad and fresh ricotta! The staff was very friendly !

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    Ask the Community - Cavalletta Restaurant

    On Mondays, is only the fixed price menu served or is it possible to order á la carte?

    The fixed price menu is in addition to the regular menu.

    Is this establishment pet friendly?

    At the moment we only have indoor seating which doesn't allow for pets. However our patio will be up and running soon and this area will be able to accommodate pets! Hope to see you soon.

    View All 3 Questions

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    We came for breakfast since we were staying nearby. The service was friendly and the food came out…read morequickly. You fill out a form with your preferred ingredients for breakfast. That process got a little hectic with some of the other customers. The ambiance is exactly what you would expect from an Oceanside deli, counter to order with some packaged items/drinks around the rest of the waiting area. They also have a decent size outdoor patio for seating. There are lots of options between different sandwiches, burritos, pastries and even whole rotisserie chickens. (Also French toast which my daughter liked) The food was good. The burritos were hot and had lots of filling. I could have used a bit more chorizo in mine, but it was still tasty. We will definitely be back if we're in the area. It's nice to pickup and take to the beach that's only about 50 feet from the restaurant.

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    The Hideout - Daily Special: Tomato Artichoke Bisque

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    Great Food, Great Service & a Manager Who Actually Says Hello!…read more Loved this place! My bride and I had a fantastic experience from the moment we walked in. This restaurant has an incredible indoor and outdoor space, a great menu, and an atmosphere that somehow manages to be both chill and professional. You'll find a wonderfully diverse crowd here, and everyone seems to fit right in. Now, let's talk about the food! I highly recommend the meatballs--they were fantastic! And the garlic bread? Fabulous. Honestly, I could have made a meal out of the bread alone, but I exercised some restraint...because I'm an adult. My bride ordered the hamburger, and she loved it. The salads were excellent, the bread was outstanding, and the dessert selection was enough to make someone suddenly forget they were "too full for dessert." Our server was incredible--attentive, friendly, and genuinely welcoming. And then, as if the experience couldn't get any better, the manager actually came out and welcomed us! You don't find that everywhere. That personal touch says a lot about how this place approaches hospitality. Everything was clean, the service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the ambiance made us want to hang around longer than we probably should have. One warning: Parking can be a bit of a challenge. But trust me, this is one of those places where you circle the parking lot a few times and say, "Lord, give me a parking space!" Yelp Elite verdict: Absolutely worth the hassle! Great food. Great people. Great atmosphere. Great service. And apparently, great managers who actually come out to meet their guests. My bride and I will definitely be back! #YelpElite #FoodieFind #DateNight #GreatFood #GreatService #Meatballs #GarlicBread #DessertLovers #RestaurantReview #WorthTheHassle #FoodAndFun #FiveStars

    Really enjoyed our first visit to The Hideout! We had the fried chicken sandwich with sweet potato…read morefries and the prime rib. The sandwich was delicious, and the chipotle aioli was especially good--creamy, flavorful, and one of the better ones I've had. The sweet potato fries were crispy. My partner really enjoyed the prime rib, and the portion was large enough for leftovers. Service was quick, attentive, and friendly. We sat outside with our pups, which we appreciated. The only suggestion would be to update the patio layout a bit. Our table was directly across from the waiting area, so it felt like we had very little privacy while people waited. Other than that, we had a great experience and would definitely come back.

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    Cavalletta Restaurant - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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