shopping local and having a consistent product mean quality to me…read more I love being able to find what I need at the shop in little Italy or at the farmers market in ocean beach- I have been loving all the new holiday option and am such a huge fan of tea bazaar if your looking for quality and knowledgeable tea tenders this is the spot highly recommend

Tea Bazaar is located in Little Italy. We first saw them on the Market in little Italy every…read moreWednesday or Saturday. My wife bought some tea there and over the weekend my wife sent me to their actual store. So many good ones to choose from, I just picked whatever I think she may like the most, I got her the Jasmine Pearl. So if you are looking for a good tea, this is also a good spot to get it. The place is so organized and so clean, staff is nice, the parking is side street, but if you can't find one there's a paid parking lot only a few steps from their store.

Took a stroll through downtown and somehow ended up exactly where I needed to be--at Love Portion…read more I was on a mission for matcha, but not just any matcha... I wanted something a little extra, and this spot delivered. I ordered a custom lavender iced matcha with honey cold foam and wow... it was such a good call. The lavender wasn't overpowering, just light and calming, and paired so well with the earthy matcha. That honey cold foam on top? Chef's kiss. It added the perfect touch of sweetness without making the drink feel heavy. Every sip was smooth, balanced, and honestly kind of addicting. What really stood out though was the service. It was my first time and I had zero clue what to get, but the girl at the register was so sweet and patient. She took her time helping me figure out a combo I'd love and made the whole experience feel really welcoming instead of rushed. You can also customize your milk (coconut, etc.), which I always appreciate. The shop itself is adorable. Think soft pink, super cute, aesthetic vibes all around. There's even an upstairs area that's set up for tea parties, which is such a fun touch and makes it feel a little more special than your average coffee spot. They also have pastries and small bites, so it's not just drinks if you're feeling snacky. Overall, this place is such a vibe. Great drinks, genuinely kind service, and a space that makes you want to hang out a little longer. Definitely coming back to try more of their menu.

One of the happiest cafecito spots we've ever been to! So many pink flowers and butterflies and all…read morethe fun stuff! Thank you for hosting us! Everything was perfect. And thank you Ashley for your hospitality and giving us a brief history about your cafe! - The Cafecito Couple

Didn't realize this was a chain at first, but the food and service still felt high quality and well…read moreexecuted. Located right in Little Italy, this spot was busy nonstop, but the staff kept things moving quickly and everyone seemed well taken care of. I ended up hanging out for a couple of hours before my flight home since it's conveniently close to the airport, and it was actually a great place to work from my laptop. Never felt rushed or like I was overstaying my welcome, which I always appreciate at a busy café. The food was genuinely delicious. I'll almost always order shakshuka if it's on a menu , and theirs did not disappoint. The tomato, spices, and cream were really well balanced. Also highly recommend the maple latte with oat milk.. slightly sweet & cozy.

Love this place. Try to go here every time I'm in San Diego. Their journey to local, whole foods…read moreis similar to our family's journey: medical issues that were fixed by changing diet. The food is so tasty and fresh. The coffee options are very flavorful, but also contain ingredients that are good for you. Cold pressed juices are must have. The staff is friendly and attentive. And the line to order never seems to dwindle below 6-8 people. Keep up the good work.

First time having an affogato..... DELICIOUS!! Felt like I was visiting a little caffè in Italy…read more Service was great. They were very helpful and didn't rush us. The vibe inside was great. Nice & peaceful. #DiningWithTheAndersons #LittleItalySD #Italia #Affogato #Caffè

After a stroll from the Wednesday farmer's market in Little Italy, I had a craving for Italian as…read morethe establishments nearby caught my interest. I've worked in Little Italy in the past but have never tried Caffe Italia. I got their Italian sandwich, with the default bread being focaccia. Inside there were prosciutto, salami, ham, provolone, tomato, and house made balsamic vinaigrette. It had a good balance of deli meats, and the focaccia bread was thick to hold it all together. I thought it was tasty as well as their coffee, however my coffee wasn't filled up all the way. It is strong and their roast is bold! I liked it a lot, although a lunch meal can get costly so it would just be from time to time if I were to revisit. Not only that, but they also have a small selection of gelatos which look pretty authentic like Spumoni! Other desserts I saw were mousse, tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, carrot cake, and rugelach. The cafe is small and the service may take a bit if you are waiting for the food, but overall, I enjoyed my coffee and sandwich.

NONNA has me in a chokehold and I'm staying there forever!!!…read more Chicken Parmigiana is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, and no one can convince me otherwise. Located in the heart of Little Italy, Nonna's is just one of those places you have to visit. The service is AMAZING, the food is DIVINE, and the energy is always so warm and welcoming. Parking can be a bit stressful, especially on busy evenings (which is pretty often), so be prepared to park a little farther away or pay for nearby parking around $25.

I was hired by Nino Zizzo in 1996 to be a server for Trattoria Fantastica. My other two jobs were…read morebartending at Bacci Ristorante for Tony D'Amato and day work as a food broker for Anderson Chamberlain in Solana Beach. Anderson Chamberlain's sole customer was Costco. Joe, Sal, Frank and the others would come and go and everything seemed to be profitable. So much so that Joe decided to open up the wall to the unit next door and open up Cafe Zucchero. So I ended up working for both places until New Years Day. Nino was always swearing and berating employees and one day he decided to take out his personal issues on me. He yelled at me, "Get the f.ck out of here"! So I obeyed him and left. When I filed for unemployment due to the firing, Joe Busalacchi and the Busalacchi Restaurant Group fought my $234 per week unemployment. They forced me to go in front of an administrative law judge to claim my rights for unemployment compensation. The money I saved from these three jobs while living in 460 square foot condo at The Bluffs in Fashion Valley allowed me to invest and buy my first home a couple years later. When I sold that home, I used the money to buy a nicer place to raise a family. Then came Jennifer and Mark Creighton with a barking dog. They sold their home to John and Brenda DelMastro, a prominent Italian family with ties to Qualcomm. Brenda and John decided to put their barking dog outside for the next 5 years. I am wondering if that was payback from the Italian community for leaving an abusive confrontation initiated by Nino Zizzo. If anyone has any information of the connection to the loss of my life savings as a result of the DelMastro and Creighton barking dog harassment, private message me please. Thanks. P.S. Prior to Nino's outburst, I had never had problems working for the Busalacchi's or been reprimanded in any way for disciplinary issues. I never worked for Nonna but I'd imagine Nino hasn't changed one bit.

Excellent coffee drinks. I like the one with the nutella…read more Nice patio. I think I'll try a jam n cheese croissant. Someone else ordered it and it looked yummy.

super cute spot to stop by and get some gelato! got the pistachio and tiramisu and both were super…read moreyummy!! pistachio was sweet and very nutty, while the tiramisu was sweeter. only thing was that i wished there was a one scoop option, but gelato was great! yummy rating: 8.5/10

Solid coffee spot that came through when we needed it most. Huge plus that it was open at 3pm while…read moremost other coffee shops in Little Italy were already closing. The Americano was smooth and rich, and the vanilla latte with the cream top was honestly the standout. Super well balanced and just really enjoyable. Definitely a spot I would come back to.

Delicious coffee and food that never disappoint! Everything tastes fresh, and the menu has a great…read morevariety whether you're grabbing a quick drink or something more filling. Prices are very reasonable for the quality. There's plenty of seating, which makes it a comfortable spot to relax or get some work done, and the free WiFi is a nice bonus. Definitely recommend for a cozy café with great vibes!

If the portal - in portal coffee - is passing through the threshold to a land where cortados are…read moremade with punchy, fruity, flavorful espresso beans, close the gate like demogorgons are about to break through and leave me here for the rest of my days. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for long but would have loved to explore the dimensions of this coffee shop with a good book and possibly a second (or third) cup of espresso perfectly mixed with just a few ounces of steamed milk.

-- Some Places Serve Coffee. This Place Serves Community. I…read morewalked into Portal Café looking for nothing more than a simple, honest cup of coffee. What I got was that -- and a whole lot more. Hannah and Jessica were working, and from the moment I walked in, the vibe was just right. I'm a straightforward guy -- black coffee with a splash of cream, print newspaper, no frills. When I mentioned I was old school, Hannah gave me exactly the kind of response that makes you feel seen rather than teased. These two have a gift for reading their customers and making everyone feel like a regular, even on a first visit. I asked Hannah for just a splash of cream -- I told her I wanted it the color of my skin. She nailed it on the first try. That might sound like a small thing, but it isn't. It means she was actually listening. I mentioned I was still reading a print newspaper -- an increasingly rare habit, apparently -- and Jessica didn't miss a beat. She told me they needed more of that, and invited me to sit down and read the paper and tell them what was good in it. I had somewhere to be, so I took my coffee to go -- but I genuinely wanted to stay. That kind of warmth isn't something you can fake or train for. It's just who they are. When I tried to leave a tip on the way out, Jessica looked at me and said I had great energy. I took that with me along with my coffee. The coffee itself? Excellent. Clean, well-made, perfectly calibrated -- in more ways than one. I came back later in the day. They were closing up, short-staffed and winding down. I left a tip then too, and they told me I was "extra." I told them if that's extra, the world needs more of it. They laughed. I meant every word. Here's the real tip though -- and I'm leaving it for you, the reader: just go. Go in, order something simple, and pay attention. Hannah and Jessica are putting something genuinely good into the universe, one cup at a time. You'll feel it the moment you walk through the door. Don't walk past this place.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Still my go to place when I'm craving something sweet and special. Their cakes may be pricey, but…read morein my opinion, for the amount of work, effort, and quality of ingredients, I think they continue to be fair. For example, some other specialty bakeries/shops are charging similar prices for cakes and cheesecakes that are much simpler. In comparison, Extraordinary Dessert cakes take 3-4 days to make, have 6-8 alternating layers, and are typically adorned with edible gold and/or flowers. The key is to find which items you like and which are okay to pass on next time. What we ried this time: -Match Misu Cake (7/10): ricotta cake layers soaked in matcha and layered with marscapone whipped cream. This one was pretty good and ranks in my middle to high range. I only wish there was more matcha flavor (maybe if you dine in and get the sauce, this would help) or the matcha was paired with another flavor ... either go fruity (maybe a raspberry sauce, strawberry pieces, white peach pieces, or like a peach oolong cream layer) or go chocolately/coffee (maybe had some crushed up chocolate covered espresso beans). My go to's: -Ivoire Royale (10/10) - my ultimate favorite still. If you like light desserts, white chocolate, berries, and moist vanilla cake, thus one is for you. Classy and unpretentious -Shangrila (10/10) - my other favorite and will make you feel like a princess with all the pink chocolate curls. A little bit adventurous and innocently elegant. Ones to skip: -Au Chocolate / La Bete Noire / Dame Chocolate - get the Viking instead. That's my favorite of all their chocolate cakes -Lemon ricotta - get the Passionfruit Ricotta instead -Torta misu - the matcha misu is better. The tortilla misuse made me want a regular piece of tirmaisu than a cake version -Coconut cream - not bad, not amazing though

We normally come here weekly after dinner with family for dessert, but after this last experience…read morewe will not be returning. Also just so everyone is aware they're also liars just to mention & stupid.. she tells us her name is Karen thinking we don't know the owners name lol .. She was at the register at 7:20pm and was extremely rude and dismissive after we placed our order, especially regarding a child's dietary restrictions and health concerns. We politely asked if it would be possible to purchase a small cup of fruit , even just a couple strawberries cut up, because one child in our group cannot have sweets due to very strict dietary restrictions . Instead of simply saying they were unable to accommodate the request or offering another option, we were told to "go somewhere else," despite already spending the amount we did . The complete lack of professionalism and basic customer service was honestly shocking. It's disappointing to be treated that way at a place we have supported so consistently. This place has been going downhill , management for this place needs to step up .

Listen they don't need my 5 star review. Right in the heart of Little Italy. Inside outside…read moreseating. Lots and lots of foot traffic. But they are going to get it! First up the staff: Trinity took my order. So friendly and helpful. Efficient but welcoming. Never stopped moving the whole time I was there. I ordered the egg salad croissant. I have to say the best egg salad sandwich I've ever had. Texture but creamy. Eggy and briny from the capers. The croissant flaky but held up to being used to make a sandwich. I got the chips. I highly recommend the chips!! Peppery, crisp, salty. I also got the hazelnut croinut (sp). Flakey, buttery, not overly sweet To drink I got an iced dirty chai. Not overly spicy. I ate everything for there and it came out on real dishes which I love. Otho h worse than eating a beautiful meal on paper plates. The portions are large so when I needed a to go box they were quick to provide, with a bag. It's dog friendly and they provided treats for my two. Outside area has umbrellas for the full afternoon sun. It's little Italy so street metered parking or paid garage.

What an incredible find!! We stopped in and bought some cupcakes for my mother-in-laws 70th…read morebirthday. The staff were amazing and very kind. They even offered us a complimentary "happy birthday" cake sign and a candle! The cupcakes were beautifully decorated and they tasted even better. 10/10 would recommend!