Great food. First time out in La Jolla without the kids and what a great choice. Exceptionally busy for a Tuesday. Didn't expect that big of a crowd. Had the foie gras on a crostini, arancini, large prawns and then the duck entree. Some Italian wine, an Amaru Montenegro and a godfather (whisky and amaretto). Great food, great wine and amazing service. Not a place to take kids I'd say but definitely a place to try Italian food that is made with authentic love (flavor).
Berthold
Das Restaurant Catania in La Jolla San Diego können wir nur wärmstens empfehlen. Das Essen war phantastisch, eine sehr moderne, geschmackvolle italienische Küche. Der Service perfekt und zugewandt, die Beratung kompetent, offen und fair. Wirklich sehr zu empfehlen!!
Sylvia
Seriously bad host Maddy stuck us in the wind on bar chairs (we not young !) when there were 8 open tables on the patio saying those were for reservations = no one came for those tables till 8pm We had a reservation for the patio too, we probably were not important enuf lol Then an equally rude manager confronted us on the way out :((( never again oh and 2 of the main course meals we came for were sold out at 6:45pm there were very few choices left and restaurant was at 50% capacity.
Brian
Went for 3rd anniversary. Excellent food, service, ambience. The restaurant gave my wife and I a prime table for our celebration (which is always appreciated) The patio is very nice, there are heaters for a lot of the tables but would still recommend bringing a light jacket if you are prone to coldness. Food was excellent. The kale salad and arancini were delicious. The duck orecchiette was flames. The crab and corn pasta was also superb. Will definitely return.
Holly
This is our favorite local restaurant, I can say with confidence that everything we have ever eaten here has been delicious. The staff is great, the selection is great, the ambiance is great. The only problem is that it is sometimes difficult to get a table - but that's because it is so good!
Daisy
Catania is a personal favorite. I was so happy to celebrate a friend's birthday. The drinks, food and service was outstanding. Valerie was awesome! She made the evening extra special. We love the Blackberry & Pancetta Pizza!
Chas
We love Catania. We dine here every time we're in La Jolla. The food is creative and well prepared, without being “over the top” in any way. It's a lively, comfortable atmosphere, and priced fairly.
Ferhat
Just a super slow service. Took about 15-20 min to get our glass of wine after we were seated. And then we just waited about 30-40 minutes until we could pay and leave. Not a very attentive waitress.
Julian
Catania was a great Italian restaurant in the heart of La Jolla. We loved the tagliatelle and duck ragú. The Barolo by the glass was excellent as well. Arancini was standard but good. We would go back for more pasta and to try pizzas.
Angela
My friend and I had a really great dinner at Catania on Saturday evening. It was to celebrate my birthday. Our server, Valerie was wonderful. She gave us time to choose and think about what we wanted. We never felt rushed. We had the peach and prosciutto Cristini, the swordfish puttanesca and the crab and corn cappelletti. All were really great choices. Valerie said they were the seasonal favorites. We also had an amazing glass of wine. AustinHope Cabernet Sauvignon. The table was wonderful. The view was lovely. Watching the sunset was amazing. But really the service from Valerie and the rest of the staff was really great. Catania continues to deliver high-quality food and top-notch service. They also treated us to a lovely Nutella semifreddo - so good!!! Can't recommend this place enough. And can't believe it's been so long since I've been back. Will try not let too much time pass between the next visit. Thank you again for a wonderful evening. 
We had a very nice dinner at Catania. Spring salad was delightful, fish was very well done. Coffee was very good and desert was wonderful. Overall great experience in a nice setting. Great place to meet friends.
Kelly
It was another fun night at Catania! I'm currently loving the Hugo Spritz, the shrimp appetizer, the peach and prosciutto bruschetta, and the ricotta ravioli. Everything is so fresh and delicious, and the service is always top-notch. Can't wait to go back!
Brook
Our dining experience at Cantania was exceptional. The service was great and our meal was phenomenal. The branzino was the best we ever had. We look forward to dining there again soon.
Jodi
I ordered the Tagiatella pasta, and it was very bland and plain, with nothing but the pasta and sauce. For the price, I was hoping for something more interesting and for it to include other ingredients. Cori Pacifica in North Park still wins as best Italian in SD in my opinion.
KellyG
Catania always delivers. Not only is the food delicious, but the atmosphere and energy of the restaurant always make me feel at home. The servers are so warm and professional. It's always a treat to dine here -- one of my favorite spots in La Jolla.
Great food. First time out in La Jolla without the kids and what a great choice. Exceptionally busy for a Tuesday. Didn't expect that big of a crowd. Had the foie gras on a crostini, arancini, large prawns and then the duck entree. Some Italian wine, an Amaru Montenegro and a godfather (whisky and amaretto). Great food, great wine and amazing service. Not a place to take kids I'd say but definitely a place to try Italian food that is made with authentic love (flavor).
Das Restaurant Catania in La Jolla San Diego können wir nur wärmstens empfehlen. Das Essen war phantastisch, eine sehr moderne, geschmackvolle italienische Küche. Der Service perfekt und zugewandt, die Beratung kompetent, offen und fair. Wirklich sehr zu empfehlen!!
Seriously bad host Maddy stuck us in the wind on bar chairs (we not young !) when there were 8 open tables on the patio saying those were for reservations = no one came for those tables till 8pm We had a reservation for the patio too, we probably were not important enuf lol Then an equally rude manager confronted us on the way out :((( never again oh and 2 of the main course meals we came for were sold out at 6:45pm there were very few choices left and restaurant was at 50% capacity.
Went for 3rd anniversary. Excellent food, service, ambience. The restaurant gave my wife and I a prime table for our celebration (which is always appreciated) The patio is very nice, there are heaters for a lot of the tables but would still recommend bringing a light jacket if you are prone to coldness. Food was excellent. The kale salad and arancini were delicious. The duck orecchiette was flames. The crab and corn pasta was also superb. Will definitely return.
This is our favorite local restaurant, I can say with confidence that everything we have ever eaten here has been delicious. The staff is great, the selection is great, the ambiance is great. The only problem is that it is sometimes difficult to get a table - but that's because it is so good!
Catania is a personal favorite. I was so happy to celebrate a friend's birthday. The drinks, food and service was outstanding. Valerie was awesome! She made the evening extra special. We love the Blackberry & Pancetta Pizza!
We love Catania. We dine here every time we're in La Jolla. The food is creative and well prepared, without being “over the top” in any way. It's a lively, comfortable atmosphere, and priced fairly.
Just a super slow service. Took about 15-20 min to get our glass of wine after we were seated. And then we just waited about 30-40 minutes until we could pay and leave. Not a very attentive waitress.
Catania was a great Italian restaurant in the heart of La Jolla. We loved the tagliatelle and duck ragú. The Barolo by the glass was excellent as well. Arancini was standard but good. We would go back for more pasta and to try pizzas.
My friend and I had a really great dinner at Catania on Saturday evening. It was to celebrate my birthday. Our server, Valerie was wonderful. She gave us time to choose and think about what we wanted. We never felt rushed. We had the peach and prosciutto Cristini, the swordfish puttanesca and the crab and corn cappelletti. All were really great choices. Valerie said they were the seasonal favorites. We also had an amazing glass of wine. AustinHope Cabernet Sauvignon. The table was wonderful. The view was lovely. Watching the sunset was amazing. But really the service from Valerie and the rest of the staff was really great. Catania continues to deliver high-quality food and top-notch service. They also treated us to a lovely Nutella semifreddo - so good!!! Can't recommend this place enough. And can't believe it's been so long since I've been back. Will try not let too much time pass between the next visit. Thank you again for a wonderful evening. 
Restaurantji Recommends
We had a very nice dinner at Catania. Spring salad was delightful, fish was very well done. Coffee was very good and desert was wonderful. Overall great experience in a nice setting. Great place to meet friends.
It was another fun night at Catania! I'm currently loving the Hugo Spritz, the shrimp appetizer, the peach and prosciutto bruschetta, and the ricotta ravioli. Everything is so fresh and delicious, and the service is always top-notch. Can't wait to go back!
Our dining experience at Cantania was exceptional. The service was great and our meal was phenomenal. The branzino was the best we ever had. We look forward to dining there again soon.
I ordered the Tagiatella pasta, and it was very bland and plain, with nothing but the pasta and sauce. For the price, I was hoping for something more interesting and for it to include other ingredients. Cori Pacifica in North Park still wins as best Italian in SD in my opinion.
Catania always delivers. Not only is the food delicious, but the atmosphere and energy of the restaurant always make me feel at home. The servers are so warm and professional. It's always a treat to dine here -- one of my favorite spots in La Jolla.
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