Caffe Italia
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Italian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Little Italy1704 India St
(between Date St & Fir St)
San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 234-6767
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Good for: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch
- Alcohol: None
38 reviews
Neighborhood: Midway
"Obsolutely delicious food. I came here after finding this place on yelp. It was a new experience to try pasta inside of a garlic bread loaf.…" read more »
28 Reviews for Caffe Italia
I ditch the mediocre atmosphere of Caffe Vero and come here for the same gelato and a much better vibe. The cappuccino is decent, the coffee is fine, but sometimes I just have some plain whole milk with my rich chocolate gelato.
This is my favorite after-dinner spot to hang out for a mellow night. There really isn't a bad seat here. If you can't snag a seat on the sidewalk, they always have their huge picture windows open so that you might as well be sitting outside. I recommend the little table in the back if you want some privacy on a sexy date or if you think the live music is too loud in the main seating area.
The staff has always been polite and personable to us.
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I ordered a blueberry muffin from here once early in the morning to eat on the way to work. All was fine until my teeth bit down into something gritty. I spat out what was in my mouth and there was a brown pea sized PIECE OF DIRT in my muffin.
Needless to say, I was so disgusted that I tossed out the rest and tried in vain to disinfect my mouth for about 30 min when I got to work.
Too bad I was 30 min away from this place, otherwise I would have informed management of my little discovery.
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Now on Ken and myself's quest to go on a lunch perv mission today we decided to walk around our hood until we saw something tasty..
Now I must've seen about 3 girls I found tasty before I reached a lunch spot... but being that I am trying to avoid my third strike and goin to the state pen.. I behaved myself and just had that mental sex guys have... ya know? when you look at a girl and just imagine all the raw doggy steez you would do w/her? Kinda like my favorite when the girl's face down on the floor and... well anyways...
Ken and I walk around Lil' illy...aka Little Italy.. and we look at a few restaurants and give it a shrug... We were in the mood for panini... and poonani.. but since a panini spot came up first.. we decided we'll settle for poonani later at night
So up comes Caffe Italia... pretty simple lunch menu of sandwiches and salads.. not tossed by your girlfriend/bf...and a few soups
There are about a few tables for sidewalk seating if you wanna eat your lunch and mad dog stare at girls when they walk by... that stare that guys give to girls when they're trying to mentally get a BJ from girls... you know what im talking about.. you've seen Gregory, Timothy, Bradley and his friends do that stare at Stingaree to you and your group of girlfriends making you feel uncomfortable .. but what makes you feel more uncomfortable is the fact that they all look exactly the same... i mean wearing the same stressed jeans, Aldo shoes, and express shirts they all bought together at the mall... thus causing you to think "What a buncha douchebags!"
So they also have indoor seating in there.. it's nice.. the windows open out wide so if your at the window eating you're pretty much on the sidewalk also... nice setting in there.. gelato, coffees, teas, magazines, periodicals, girls on periods, guys on steroids.. ya know?.. haha just playin..
We got the tuna melt... and no we didn't get some girl wet.. we actually ordered a Tuna Melt.. here it's known as the Tonno Melt... it was good
I order you to try this place.. especially on a busy weekend such as this artwalk weekend coming up!!!
This is doo doo baby!!!!!!! aka the shit!!! aka not bad meaning bad but bad meaning GOOD!!!!
Peace
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I've only had the gelato here and it's better than most I've had outside of Spain (the closest I've been to Italy). The dude with the dredlocks is a real character. Seating is kind of limited, but there are always loud Italians outside which adds a touch of authenticity.
some things to be aware of when going here. They are CASH only and the ATM is hit and miss in there.
Lunch: Good during the week, but ask about the panini bread on the weekend. They run out and sub the bread, it kills the sandwiches.
Cold Drinks: Soda and bottled water is over-priced.
Hot Drinks: The mocha is a good change from the normal. They use Mexican Chocolate, giving the drink a twist.
Desserts: Gilato is average for the neighborhod. Small selection but good. The Canoli's are good and so are a few of the others in the case.
Seating is somewhat limited inside, and out front. There is a small seating section out back.
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Long line in a tiny shop with a wait to get a seat, all the crappiest magazines they could find from 7-11. Baggy 50 year old women wearing big shades and tight pink velour pants. Negative rating for ambiance.
My Americano was too watery. My biscotti was quite adequate; not as crisp as I'd like but perfect vanilla taste.
Also serving gelato, belgian waffles, and panini. They're probably ok but I recommend any of the 15 other places in Little Italy with gelato, belgian waffles, and panini.
Needless to say, I won't be back.
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I don't come here for the coffee, which I find to be weak and watery. I do come here for gelato, tiramisu, and definitely the atmosphere.
The gelato is directly from Gelato Vero....not as big of a selection as Gelato Vero but I think it may be cheaper ($3.25 for a small and $4.25 for a large). Spumoni and mocha rum crunch are my favorite flavors. Last time I was at Gelato Vero, they sold their gelato by weight, which can get expensive.
The tiramisu is decent, although I've yet to find a place that makes it better than Zio Mario's (an old restaurant in University Heights that closed a while ago).
I've added an extra star for the atmosphere alone. I like people-watching from the sidewalk tables.
Little Italy needs a cafe like North Beach's Caffe Trieste in SF.
Talk about real capuccinos! This place has an amazing dessert display and a great selection of coffees. They have current magazines and newspapers if you're in the mood to just hang out so on a cool night like when I went, it was the perfect place to just unwind. Oh, and if you sit outside, the people watching throughout Little Italy is awesome :P
The only down side is they only accept cash in a society full of ATM cards.
If you find yourself wandering around Little Italy on a weekend morning looking for some breakfast, I suggest you check out Caffe Italia. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of eating at the Princess Pub across the street, so I missed out on the delicious smelling waffles that they serve. I did have an excellent iced americano and enjoyed sitting on the back patio. It's a great spot to sit and kill time with the newspaper, if say, you are waiting for your car to be detailed at Body Beautiful down the street. If you run out of newspaper, Caffe Italia sells magazines. They also have wifi. One draw back is that they are a cash only establishment. However, they do have an ATM just steps from the register, so it could be worse.
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I've been here a few times now and always gotten the cafe au lait and a lemon bar. None of the other pastries are particularly tempting, but I am always a sucker for anything lemon. The lemon bar is really tasty.
Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between the cafe au lait and what they would serve up as a caffe latte, since there was a few inches of really delicious foam. It's served in a pint glass, not a coffee cup, which was fine. It's really good coffee, even in decaf.
Here's something I noticed the last time I was there. The person at the table next to me got some tiramisu, which was served in a plastic container with a lid. Honestly, that bugged me. Would it be so hard to serve it in a proper dish? You know, like a little creme brulee type of cup? The plastic to-go container may as well be from the deli at Ralphs.
I like sitting next to the wide open windows and people watching, though you should know that the cigarette smoke (and ugh, cigars) will likely waft in from the sidewalk seating. Not sure if there's a way to prevent that.
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This place has a true neighborhood vibe that few cafes in San Diego has. If you visit, there will no doubt be a couple of old guys speaking Italian louder than anyone else on the sidewalk, a scooter parked out front, and the place packed with young intellects debating anything from politics, to the planned vacation next year.
They've got a pretty good black coffee, which is my standard morning fare, and if you have time, get a double toasted bagel. Theirs taste like the real thing from back east.
My wife and I sometimes stop by on a Saturday or Sunday morning, grab a couple of coffees and bagels, and relax in the small public plaza behind the cafe. It's a great spot to relax, gets enough sun to stay warm, and lets you forget about your weekly grind.
If you go in the evening, then you've got to try the gelato. This place has the best in downtown (I think they get it from Gelato Vera) and its not even a gelato shop. Its a staple if you visit any of the neighboring restaurants for a good after bite! Ciao!
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My neighborhood cafe. Best coffee in Little Italy hands down. I love sitting down at the bar reading the magazines and talking to the other regulars. The staff is always personable.
Never had the food so I can't review that.
If your in the neighborhood, don't bother going to It's A Grind or Starbucks. Oh the horror!
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It was a boring Tuesday night and my friend and I were craving gelato and all the gelato places in Little Italy were CLOSED! This place gets 5 stars for being open late and for the guy in the back who helped me decide what kind of gelato I wanted. But they don't accept credit cards, that gives them 1 less star.
Whatever. Yeah, it's cute inside.
Rude service and a stale espresso ain't gonna get you noticed anywhere else. Lucky for Caffe Italia it's on India; plunk center in the most contrived neighborhood around.
How can you cook espresso in Little Italy without a Rancilio machine?
...whack sauce
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Hands down - the worst f--ing food I have ever had. The panini was disgusting and the wait was ridiculous. Tired, tired, tired. The place should be shut down, a travesty of dining. Thank God it has atmosphere, but the design cant save the atrocious food, it is basically lipstick on a pig.
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per my dozen or so visits:
coffee/espresso=buonos
dessert=buono
gelato=delizioso
panini=buono
barista=simpatica
ample seating, though the patio seating in front is usually always full. 4 stars for the little italy atmosphere that spills in front the street, their coffee, & gelato.
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Pretty standard coffee shop. Good place to chill with your paper or laptop and sip a cuppa joe. Not a destination per se but if you are in the neighborhood, its a good stop.
Kudos to Jamie, the very friendly and helpful young lady who helped us on several visits to the shop. Ciao!
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They have gelato from Gelato Vero which is always delicious and rich, however it wasn't creamy! It was more thick and snotty... The capese (spelling?) panini wasn't very good, but today was Art Walk day so they probably didn't give a shit about me. The Italian bread was good, but the fillings (the tomato, basil, cheese) didn't seem ripe/tasty/appealing. I still enjoyed it more than I enjoy Crouton's though. It's a cute place with salad, gelato, paninis, espresso of course, and desserts. They had this lemon bar that made my mouth water. (Oh, I love cliches.)
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I know this will sound so cliche... This place was so much better back in the mid 90s... Yada-yada-yadaaa... I know, it sounds cliche, but how do you think that cliches become what they are? There's certainly an element of truth there...
Actually that's not quite fair. As far as the business is concerned, the quality of service is still the same. They make really good coffee and that's primarily all I've ever had the chance to sample here: their espresso drinks. I came here quite a bit back in '95 and '96 and I've come back here as recently as a couple of months ago...
What I don't dig at all anymore here and in Little Italy in general is the populace. This place was cool in the mid 90s because it was still pretty obscure. The economy hadn't fully rebounded yet and this place attracted the artists and the weirdos. Now? Puh-leeeze... How many yuppies can you fit in Little Italy? $750,000 lofts? What the hell have y'all been smoking?
I just remember back in the day when we could kick it in the small indoor patio behind Caffe Italia, listen to the water trickling down the fountain, smoke cigarette after cigarette to your heart's content, walk across to pick up the Reader, and converse with people that were seemingly like you. Now? The last time I was here some dumb 50 year old Carmela Soprano wannabe almost ran us down in her fucking jaguar... And then the bitch flipped *ME* the bird! How sad.
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The local hangout if you want to eat gelato (3$ for single). The expresso cafe items (coffee and pastries) are decent but this is the place to enjoy gelato for dessert.
There are other places across the street that sell gelato, but the gelato here taste the best. They're open till 11 I think.
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Caffe Italia is located in the middle of Little Italy, which is surrounded by lots of great restaurants. Caffe Italia has been recommended in the coffeegeek.com forums as one of the few places in San Diego where you can get good coffee. And by coffee, I mean espresso. This review is based on my taste buds, a coffee enthusiast/snob.
It's true, Caffe Italia is one of the few places in San Diego that does espresso pretty well. However, your experience may vary with the barista. I have found that if you go during lunch time, the barista there is quite bad. Not quite starbucks bad, but I had to force myself to finish my drink. In the morning, the quality is generally good. I used to go almost every day since I worked a few blocks away.
Gelato: Great, they get it from Gelato Vero down the street.
Paninis: Also great, huge portions for 6 bucks. Sometimes sloppy, but tasty.
Pastries: Also very good! Very authentic tasting, probably bought from the bakeries in Little Italy.
Salads: Great as well! Large portions and tasty.
I have yet to try their soups or blended gelato drinks.
Sit around in the cozy cafe or sit outside and take it easy.
Note: Cash only! There is an ATM nearby in the back, just ask the cashier.
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At my office we call this place "Italia". We love walking down there in the morning past all the older Italian gentlemen gossiping about the neighborhood (I speak Italian, but they don't know that). It is our favorite way to start our day - espresso and an everything bagel with everything on it from Italia. (Everything means cream cheese, pesto, and tomatoes). It is a delicious combination. Don't be in a Starbucks kind of hurry - that isn't how they do things in Italy, or Little Italy for that matter!
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The Emmeline coffee is delicious, and the panini are famously good as well. I love the decor with the ubiquitous Venetian masks, and I also fancy the fairly large magazine rack you can browse through while you wait.
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I ordered a soy mocha and they steamed the soy in a paper cup. Oh, hell no!
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I don't know anything about the food or coffee at this place. It's the spumoni gelato that I want to talk about. Jesus, it's good. Layers of flavor and fruit and nuts and whipped cream...mmmmm.
Little Italy is so cliche. You can get gelato at just about every store or restaurant lining India Street. I've tried a few of the places out, but I keep coming back to Caffe Italia for the spumoni.
Offers coffees, gelato, small food stuff, and magazines. It's a perfect place to grab an espresso and sit and watch the crowds go by. However, I haven't had the pleasure of tasting their drinks, but I did have a spumoni gelto. YUM! Creamy vanilla gelato mixed with cherries, pistachio, and chocolate chunks. I will edit and re-rate when I've tasted their coffee.
this place is really wonderful to get gelato in little italy, and they have sidewalk tables where you can watch the people go by, or you can take your ice cream and walk the street to look at all of the restaurants and stores.
i would love to live above this little place to get my coffee and magazines in the mornings and have brunch on sundays.
a great little cafe in the heart of little italy.
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Very VERY good espresso! Even the obsessively-fussy-about-their-coffee Italians go there.
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