This is a special place for my husband and me. We come to this restaurant when we want to treat ourselves. The people here have always treated us well. We love their food. They also have a good selection of wine. It isn't too loud or crazy, yet it is a lively place in a good way. The staff speak in Italian, which adds to the ambiance. My tried and true is the branzino. Clean, mild and flaky. My hubby likes the filet mignon and chicken dishes. He describes his filet mignon as buttery and perfectly pink ( medium). The chicken is succulent. You can't go wrong with their house made pasta. We like their clams and pasta. We can't speak about many other dishes. I guess we're boring that way. We had their panzanella tonight, delicious. If you're looking for a solid Italian restaurant-this is it. read more

My dear friend + colleague and I came to Celestino in celebration of our birthdays. I recommended this restaurant as I heard great things about it. They specialize in Italian cuisines. It was her treat. Thank you my friend! Outside and inside seatings were available. Decor was how a high-end Italian restaurant normally looks like. Love the blue on the exterior. Color scheme inside was on the darker side maybe because of the slightly dimmed lighting. Tables were nicely set all around, but the space between the tables was a bit tight... it was a challenge to get through especially when the tables were preoccupied with people. Service was extraordinarily top-notch. Everyone was super friendly and hospitable at entrance greeting to menu describing to water refilling to food delivering to table clearing. Thanks for the 5 stars exceptional service! Menu selections were very specialized. Pricing ranges from $17+ to $30+ per dish. I got the Capelli with no protein. My friend got the Special Fettuccine Chantella minus the shrimps. Both dishes were scrumptiously and divinely delicious! Flavors were dynamite. Portions were decent. We both enjoyed our dishes very much and finished our plates with nothing to take home. It was that good! My only gripe was that they charge for bread. It was $2 per person. They asked if we wanted bread and we said yes thinking that it was complimentary. It came with bottles of balsamic vinegar and olive oil for bread dipping. For an upscale fine dining restaurant to charge for house bread was a surprise to me. Minus 1 star! Nevertheless, I am glad we tried this place. Thanks Celestino! read more

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Zero accountability and shocking customer service from ownership. I ordered dinner directly through Celestino's official website (celestinopasadena.com), not through a third-party app. The driver delivered the food to the completely wrong address. When we called the restaurant, we were told someone would call us right back to resolve it. That call never came. Because we still needed dinner, we placed an identical second order while waiting for them to fix the error on the first. When I called back, I spoke directly with Mario, one of the owners/partner. Instead of handling a basic delivery mishap, Mario immediately washed his hands of the situation. He bluntly stated there was nothing he could do (even thought he could), insisted it was "a DoorDash problem" (we didn't use doordash) rather than his, and made it clear we would simply be charged twice. When you order directly from a restaurant's own website, the restaurant is responsible for the fulfillment partners they choose to use. Passing the buck to an outsourced delivery fleet while charging a customer double for food they never received is unacceptable. Mario put me on hold and handed the phone off to Carol. To her credit, Carol was polite and professional throughout this entire ordeal. She provided a DoorDash support number and an order reference number, which turned out to be for the second order, forcing another round of calls to get the right details. When I finally reached DoorDash, they confirmed the restaurant had to handle the issue and bounced the call right back to Celestino. Carol answered again, only to tell me that "Bob the manager" would have to call me tomorrow. I work in the service industry. Resolving this would have been effortless: apologize, refund the meal delivered to the wrong house, and retain a loyal patron, and then the restaurant deal with their delivery service at another time. Instead, Mario chose to dig his heels in to save a few dollars on an order his system botched, completely disregarding the value of a repeat customer. If ownership cares more about being "right" than standing behind their service, they don't deserve your business. read more

The low score is mainly on the food. Service is friendly, food came out fast, the place was packed. The food was just that underwhelming. Honestly believe Buca di Beppo and Olive Garden are better than this. The appetizers had oddly small portions. Only 2 scallops in the appetizer special of the day. The vegetables under the scallops were bitter which I did not expect or enjoy. The calamari looks like it's half eaten. They asked us if we wanted bread but didn't say it was $8 extra and it wasn't even good. My filet mignon was dry and chewy. The cheesecake was more like a sweet quiche. The pear tarte was ok because the ice cream was the best part of the meal. read more

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I came to celebrate my friend's mom and we were a party of 16 so they do accommodate large parties. We sat outside in the patio. They have a parking lot in the back. And I found it by luck so it is tricky if it is your first time like me. I ordered the lasagna which was good. I was shocked to see peas in the lasagna which apparently is the Sicilian way. It was creamy and filling. It was a good portion. I then ordered the panna cotta and that was great. It was very lightweight, flan like. The inside was pretty big. read more

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Such an unexpected and amazing find! My boyfriend and I were having a cheat meal/date night and originally planned on Uovo, but the wait was 1.5 hours. We were about to leave when we spotted Celestino across the street and decided to give it a try. Best decision! From the moment we walked in, everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Our server Nicholas was amazing and gave us the best recommendations. We started with the calamari -- tender, lightly crispy and not oily at all. The bread with olive oil and balsamic was delicious (and they kept it coming! ). But the star for me was the beef carpaccio. Nicholas, thanks for ruining me for life because now I'm going to want it everywhere! We shared the seafood pasta, and they were kind enough to split it onto two plates for us. We finished with the pistachio cake, which was SO good. My boyfriend enjoyed an Italian beer and I had a Sauvignon Blanc. We loved our experience so much that we actually booked a reservation before leaving to come back next Friday and celebrate my boyfriend's birthday here with our family. Amazing food, service and hospitality. Sometimes the best places are the ones you find by accident. See you next Friday, Celestino! read more

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One of the best Italian restaurants ever, Amazingly delicious foods, their pastas are among the best I ever had. Staff are so friendly and accommodating. The restaurant itself is very beautiful and cozy. Highly recommended. read more

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Came here for lunch on a weekday and it has all the fixings of what I imagine to be the archetype of an upscale italian restaurant - white tablecloths, a mix of appetizers, entrees, and pastas, knowledgeable wait staff, indoor and outdoor seating, extensive wine list. I was shocked at the extensiveness of their specials - it seems like he just kept listing options (maybe a good idea to have the specials on a separate menu?). I tried the white fish entree and seafood pasta, both were cooked perfectly. Service was professional, not necessarily a stand-out, must-eat at place but it's a solid italian restaurant and your experience here will be based on the company read more

Came here to celebrate a birthday for lunch, and what a lunch it was. Started off with some complimentary house bread that you can add olive oil and balsamic to. Ordered a bottle of Cabernet and off we were. I had the server recommended veal special ($68) which had an amazing mushroom sauce. I think this was the clear winner in comparison to the ribeye steak the birthday boy had. Though $68 was the most expensive dish compared to the rest of the menu, and quite a hefty price tag for a lunch, the veal exceeded my expectations. The mushroom sauce complimented it so well, I will admit I can't help but think that was a really good chop. The decor inside is very old fashioned, dimly lit. Service was really good, and I'm torn giving this restaurant 4 stars instead of five, but I can't see this as a 5 star must go to restaurant. I would likely rate it 4.4 stars. The spacing between tables is pretty small, I imagine if it was incredibly busy, you could hear every conversation. read more

Celestino Restaurant - veal special $68 - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had a date night with a bunch of girlfriends celebrating birthdays and catching up. First time here and it was quite a nice experience. There's plenty of parking out back. There's a massive lot that shares with other businesses. I'm not sure if there's a fee during the day time but when I arrived mid week for dinner, it was free. Restaurant itself was quite nice. Seemed like the hangout for the Italian mob... lol.... So you know it has to be good. Mid week and it was pretty busy, also another sign that the place must be good. Menu, pretty much whatever Italian dish you want, they have. Their wine list was very extensive to add to the menu. Full bar also available. Service was great as every single member of staff were very friendly and attentive. If you needed anything, someone was there to help. Very good customer service. Of course bread and dipping oil was brought out to start. We took a while to order as everything looked great. Finally started off with an order of the burrata with tomato and arugula salad. WOW, let me say that was great. The cheese was so tasty and perfectly paired with the salad. Also two orders of the Cesar's salad which honestly was one of the better salads I've had in a long time. Simple but so delicious. And an order of the mushroom soup which was delicious. Entrees, there was a mixture of everything. The mushroom risotto, rich and creamy and very flavorful. The gnocchi, a classic Italian favorite which was pretty tasty paired with a cream sauce. There was also the lasagna which was recommended by the waiter. I believe it's not always available but a favorite. That too was quite flavorful. Very simple but delicious. The linguine with seafood. If there's a restaurant with seafood pasta, it's alway a given for us to try it out. It was good but not like a wow factor. Lastly, a steak with roasted veggies. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. The veggies paired with it were great. Food was great, least favorite was the seafood linguine. The dish that takes the cake for me, the Caesar salad. Simple yet delicious. Also they brought out some panna cotta for the birthday celebrant with a candle which was a sweet gesture. Not only that, we also had an order of the chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream. Let say that went down very well and fast. Service was excellent and amazing. The staff were all very friendly and sweet. Food was enjoyed by all. read more

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Went to celebrate my birthday today. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable!!! I highly recommend the Chicken Parmigana! Their bread is fresh and delicious and they topped it off with my Birthday Flourless Chocolate Cake!!!! read more

Celestino Restaurant - The Flourless Chocolate Cake - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food is fresh, real Italian. The bread is warm & phenomenal. I was craving ravioli, so we got that, burrata, arugula salad & Caesar salad. My bf got the meatballs & loved them. They have their own parking lot! We had the pistachio tart that wasn't my fave but they have 15 other options! We'll absolutely be back. Everyone was friendly too! read more

Came here with our friend to celebrate his birthday, and wow -- what a surprise! We never even knew this restaurant was here, but we're so glad we decided to dine at Celestino. The food is amazing. We especially loved the ravioli with burrata cheese and the vodka penne pasta, both absolutely delicious and full of flavor. Service was great, attentive without being rushed, and the dining environment feels truly five-star. Another plus: free parking in the back, which is rare for Pasadena! read more

My husband and I celebrated his birthday at Celestino on Lake Avenue in Pasadena, and it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. We were seated on the patio, where the ambiance was absolutely perfect--elegant, relaxed, and ideal for a special evening. The staff provided exceptional hospitality, making us feel genuinely welcomed throughout the meal. Our waiter was attentive, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to have serving us. The bottle of wine we selected wasn't our favorite, but it paired nicely with our dinner. My husband ordered the Branzino with spinach and crispy potatoes, and it was perfectly prepared--fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. I had the Pappardelle pasta with four cheeses and freshly shaved black truffles, and it was outstanding. The pasta was incredibly thin, delicate, and perfectly cooked. It was one of the best pasta dishes I've had in a long time. Celestino offers a classic Italian dining experience with excellent food, outstanding service, and a beautiful atmosphere. The prices are comfortably mid-range and well worth the quality of the experience. We will definitely be back and are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

Solid 4 stars. Food was great and the servers are very friendly. Ambiance good. I think food is the best thing there, less the ambiance. read more

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A classic Italian cucina in old town Pasadena. Celestino is old school hospitality and new school innovation. Service is nonpareil and the menu adds some interesting curves to some old favorites. My pappardelle bolognase with pheasant as the featured protein had me sleepwalking towards that heavenly aroma. A flat out five star revelation.Never sleep on the restorative powers of pheasant. read more

We have been loyal customers of Celestino for more than 10 years and have ordered delivery from them many times, which makes what happened last night especially disappointing. We entered the correct delivery address, yet somehow our order was delivered to the wrong location. We immediately called the restaurant to explain what had happened. At the same time, because we still needed dinner, we placed and paid for another order. Mistakes happen. What matters is how a business responds when something goes wrong, especially with customers who have supported that business for many years. Unfortunately, the management at Celestino was dismissive and, in my opinion, completely out of line in the way this situation was handled. There seemed to be very little concern about making things right or about the fact that we had been loyal customers for more than a decade. For comparison, Arroyo Chop House understands what customer service means. On one occasion, we wanted to order the King Crab, but the item had not been updated on their online ordering site. The next day, their General Manager personally delivered the King Crab directly to our home. That is how you treat longtime customers. They understood that something had gone wrong and simply made it right. I am not suggesting every restaurant needs to personally deliver something to a customer's home. The point is the attitude: acknowledge the problem, care about the customer, and make a genuine effort to correct it. Celestino's management did the opposite. After more than 10 years of supporting this restaurant, the dismissive way we were treated was unacceptable. They have lost us as customers. We will not be returning or ordering from Celestino again. read more

Great service and great food. I got the truffle pasta and it was well worth it! Everything we had from the bread to the burrata was delicious. We'd definitely comeback again. read more

Came here unexpectedly with my 83yr old friend Bob. It's always tough cause well he's 83 lol. The Hostess-sat us outside as it was perfect SoCal weather, and we arrived just before the lunch rush. Bob really wanted spaghetti and I am glad we came here. Lots of parking behind the building. The waiters were attentive and polite. The drinks were brought out quickly and the service was fantastic. Dining with an elder can be challenging yet the staff were patient and not condescending. The salads were brought out , along with bread and everything was evenly spaced out. The Ravioli was delicious and Bob enjoyed his spaghetti. The restaurant is very nice and I wish I'd taken more photos. Great food and excellent service, what more can you ask for read more

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Was looking for a restaurant close to my house.This place was amazing. Wish I can eater there every day. Employees and Mangers where like family. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The seafood risotto was incredibly fresh -- each bite bursting with the delicate flavors of the ocean. Perfectly cooked rice, rich and savory with just the right creaminess, paired beautifully with tender shrimp, scallops, and calamari. The dish was both comforting and elegant. The service was amazing, attentive without being intrusive, and the ambiance made the whole dining experience truly enjoyable. My son absolutely enjoyed his Ravioli and we shared the Branzino. I highly suggest that you order the Branzino. read more

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Excellent service. Our gentleman server knew every dish and ingredient on the menu and pronounced them and the specials all from memory. Always enjoyable to be treated to real professional wait staff. The food was great. I got beef carpaccio which was paper thin and very tasty. My main was pappardelle pasta with mushrooms. Also perfect. Ambiance is an Italian bistro with an open kitchen and a small bar to your left as you enter. We were a group of six and had a round table which was nice. We arrived at 6pm on a Friday with a reservation and by 645pm every table was taken with a line out the door. We would return when in the area. Mark & Nancy. read more

We haven't been here in years and sort of forgot about it. But we were taking some out of town friends for dinner, and an in town friend recommended it. So glad we went! We all loved our meal. The restaurant has a big outside patio, several smaller offshoot rooms but we were seated in the fun main room. Our server was incredible...so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We brought our own wine (only $15 corkage fee!) and although they have a great wine list, we were happy it was an option. We started with a delicious beef carpaccio, wonderful crisp Caesar salad, and the spinach, pear and pecorino salad. Mains were an amazing cacio e pepe which has added saffron, lamb bolognese with cool garganelli pasta, duck ragu with parpadelle, and the bistecca della Fiorentina. The pastas were cooked perfectly and were so good! And the steak was a win too. All in all, a very delightful meal! We won't wait as long to visit again. read more

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Dined in with 6 of my friends today and had the BEST experience!! Our server (and all of the staff) was so so kind, and took great care of us!! The restaurant was so cute, vibes were good, and food was great! Everything was very reasonably priced, and we can't wait til we can come back! read more

Celestino's is our "go to" restaurant when we are in or near Pasadena. It has a wonderful staff (especially Mario and Carlos), delicious food, and a great ambience. read more

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this cozy Italian spot for a holiday party and it was a great experience. The ambiance was warm and inviting, perfect for a holiday party where we were seated in our own room The service was excellent, our waiter was attentive and made sure our glasses were always full and that we had everything we needed throughout the evening. The food was served as a set menu for the event. The carpaccio was amazing. The filet mignon was a bit too peppery for my taste. The restaurant has their own dedicated parking area at the back of the restaurant. This is a huge plus, especially given how challenging parking can be in busy Pasadena. read more

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My favorite restaurant! Celestino's has always been more than just a restaurant to me--it's a great-grandmother and great-granddaughter tradition. I was named after my great-grandmother, and the first time I ever visited, I ordered the exact same meal she did. I didn't know until my mom told me! So every time I visit, I order the same meal she always did. That little tradition makes every visit feel special, and it's one of the reasons I keep coming back. The food is always delicious, the service is incredible and accommodating, and they truly make you feel like family. The restaurant is beautiful. It's rare to find a place that values its customers enough to remember the little things. If you're looking for amazing food and a restaurant with heart, it's Celestino's! (And I'm not being bias just because I'm a Riboli and Italian) read more

Will not come back ever again. This is the second time we have made a reservation days ahead. The first time we arrived on time and had to wait 90 minutes for our table. Yesterday we arrived on time again and once we waited 15 minutes just to check in, we were told it would be at least 60 minutes until our table was ready. How can a restaurant consistently not be able to honor the reservation times for their customers? This just shows me they don't prioritize customer satisfaction. read more

Celestino is a cute little Italian restaurant on Lake in old town Pasadena with a small private parking lot in the back. It can be hard to find if you're not looking for it, as we have driven up and down Lake for years and never noticed this restaurant until we were referred by a family member to try out our for my husband's birthday tonight. Pros: The menu is inexpensive in comparison to other restaurants of is kind in the area and seems like it's been here for decades. They have a variety of homemade pasta dishes and the staff are very friendly and give you a full rundown of the specials which are not listed on the menu. I actually went with the special ravioli stuffed with beef in a mushroom sauce. My husband LOVED his seafood pasta (linguini mare) Cons: My dish was kind of bland, needed more salt although it had a nice presentation. The parking situation is a little weird where it looks like it's a $6 plus 50 cents service fee to park but then once inside there are many signs that say complimentary parking for Celestino patrons, kind of confusing. The bread that was brought out was $3 and we didn't actually order it, but we did enjoy it. I just wish it was something you have to ask for if you are going to be charged for it. Overall it was a decent dinner and I'm glad my husband chose well for his birthday meal, perhaps I will try something else next time and have better luck. read more

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We found this place after another nearby restaurant had an hour-long wait, and since we were on our way to a movie, we decided to give it a try. It was busy, but we were seated quickly. When we looked it up on Yelp and saw the 3.5-star rating, we weren't expecting much. After our meal, though, we couldn't understand why it was rated so low. The food was excellent, the service was friendly, and the overall experience exceeded our expectations. After reading some of the reviews, I noticed many of the complaints were pretty minor. Judging by the crowd, maybe some of the older regulars are just keeping the tradition of finding something to complain about. Either way, don't let the rating discourage you this place is definitely worth trying. We'll definitely be back! read more

Food was good, better than average. Service was amazing. Friendly and tentative. It was a cozy restaurant. They had "paintings or pictures" hanging on the wall that kinda made me dizzy. They were blurry on purpose maybe? Caught my eye a few time but had to look away. Not sure where there parking lot was so I parked in the structure that was around the corner. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Background On Visit: Year after year after year, Celestino would participate at the Masters Of Taste Food Festival. Thought to myself that I would finally come into the shop to try out their food at the restaurant. Credit Cards: They're accepted. Restrooms: They have restrooms available. Location/Parking: Free parking on Hudson! There's also meter parking up front along S. Lake Ave.. Ambiance/Decor: Ambiance was okay, but wished the lighting was better. Had to use my cell phone's flashlight to see the menu. It was quite loud inside also. So I had to project my voice higher when I was talking. Service: Service wasn't great. Waiter didn't give a heads up that there was a splitting fee and told us that there is free refills on bread, but in actual reality, it was not. We ordered another order of bread thinking it was free and refillable. Also, it took a while to get our check. After seeing the check, I was fuming. We just paid the check and left without complaining to the staffer. Food For Thought: 1) Fruite De Mari: Thought the dish was good. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was quite addicting. I was having a great time layering the spaghetti on top of the bread that was ordered. 2) Eggplant Parm: No complaints about this dish. Celestino For Thought: Probably won't come back, but hope this review doesn't deter other from trying out the shop. read more

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They are First rate. Wonderful management & staff - always ready to help & provide service. Food is awesome. So many choices & always cooked to perfection. They are the best of all things Italian & they make us feel like family. read more

Service at this restaurant is outstanding. I cannot praise it enough. It was exceptional. The atmosphere is very nice. Quite a beautiful restaurant. Otherwise, that's all the praise I have. read more

So I'll start by saying I'm usually a very generous reviewer. We sat in the back as part of a larger group and I quite liked being away from the main room by the kitchen. The table had a couple starters bufallo mozzarella, tomato and arugula, calamari, arugula salad, and a pear, goat cheese and beet salad. Then for main course the table tried so many things I was privy to taste the Osso bucco with saffron risotto which was yummy, along with the pheasant both had a very home like taste, I however, had the whole Bronzino, which was pretty mediocre and unfortunately fairly fishy. The desserts were also subpar. Our server was OK but spoke very fast and we had a hard time catching what all the specials were . I might try the place again, but might is the keyword read more

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Wow This is one of the best restaurants I've been to in a while Beverly Hills type of hospitality staff were very welcoming and kind We had the rabbit and I had the cacio e Pepe Super good combination Also had mushroom soup, lentil soup and eggplant Parmesan. Super tasty too! Our server Nicholas was wonderful Definitely recommend and coming back for the seafood ! Smelled heavenly at table behind us hehe read more

A cozy Italian restaurant with friendly staff and good food. It's not mind blowing, but it's good. I've visited a few times over the course of 10 years. My most recent visit was last weekend, and I will say that they are consistent with the quality of their dishes and service. While a reservation never hurts, we've come on a busy Saturday night without one and had no issues being seated. The food comes out in a timely manner and the menu has a wide variety of options to choose from. Menu highlights: Spaghetti with meat sauce - my children loved it. Pumpkin Tortelloni- absolutely delicious. I love having it in the fall. Could do without: The meatballs with red sauce. A little bland, and undersized. read more

Celestino Restaurant - My kids loved the spaghetti with meat sauce - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Place wasn't good, food was cold and the crew kept saying things in Spanish in which I completely understood. Let's just say they weren't saying nice things about their customers read more

Good food excellent service We enjoyed everything I highly recommend this restaurant read more

If you are looking for a pretty good Italian restaurant to eat at in Pasadena, this is definitely one of the places you should consider. While not the best in town, it's certainly not the worst. Across the street is Uovo which is, quite frankly, almost impossible to beat in my opinion. But this Italian restaurant has what Uovo does not: more variety. The service is also quite good and very attentive. I think what makes this restaurant stand out is that it is more traditional and Uovo is perhaps more modern Italian. The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant is perhaps showing its age but not to the point where it's a problem. In terms of recommendations, on this particular visit, I had the Lobster Linguine and my girlfriend had the Fettuccini with Duck ragu. Both were very good and I would order wither one again for sure. Can't say for sure either of these will be available in the future since they were specials. read more

Celestino Restaurant - Lobster Linguini - Italian Near Me - Pasadena, California