Operacaffe

4.7

1366 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 22, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

At Operacaffe we are passionate about our culinary business and our customers. The reputation for excellent cuisine, top-notch service, the quality and freshness of ingredients are the reasons we are so proud of our brand new restaurant!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(619) 234-6538
Website
http://www.operacaffe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Patrizia Branchi

Location
835 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood
Downtown
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Bruschetta$7.95
Italian toast topped with chopped tomato, fresh basil, and EVOO
Fried Burrata$12.95
Shrimp and Calamari Fritti$18.95
I Coccoli$12.95
Fried pizza dough stuffed with stracchino and mascarpone cheese, topped with prosciutto
Tagliere Toscano
Selection of cured meats and cheeses
- Serves 2$19.95
Carpaccio di Manzo$15.95
Raw beef sirloin, lemon, arugula, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
Carpaccio di Salmone$16.95
Smoked salmon, arugula, oranges, and pink peppercorn

Insalate

Add Salmon $9.95, Shrimp $6, Chicken $5

La Mista$6.95
Mixed greens, tomato, carrots, and cucumbers
La Cesare$8.00
Patrizia$14.95
Mixed greens, arugula, hearts of palm, mozzarella, avocado, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano
Caprese$14.50
Fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil
Prosciutto di Parma e Burrata$15.95
Ahi Tuna Salad$15.95
Mixed greens, tomatoes, caper berries, in a citrus dressing
Insalata di Salmone$18.95
Grilled wild salmon filet, arugula, fennel, shaved Parmigiano Reggiano and EVOO
Insalata di Mare$17.95
Seafood assortment, arugula mixed greens, tomatoes, cannellini beans, lemon and EVOO
Burrata Salad$15.95
Arugula, watermelon, radish, cherry tomatoes and EVOO

Zuppe

Zuppa del Giorno$8.95
Ask your server

Pizza

Margherita$14.95
Tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil
Capricciosa$16.95
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, champignon mushrooms, black olives, artichokes, ham
Hawaiiana$15.95
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, ham
Vegetariana$15.95
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, seasonal vegetables
Pepperoni e Salsiccia$16.95
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and italian sausage

Pasta

Add Shrimp $6, Chicken $5, Meatballs $5

Penne Carrettiera$14.95
Tomato sauce, garlic, chili peppers, parsley and EVOO
Spaghetti Pomodoro$14.95
Fresh tomato sauce, garlic and basil
Penne Bolognese$16.95
Bolognese style sauce
Farfalle Campagnola$16.95
Chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, broccoli, light cream sauce
Penne Speperina$17.95
Spicy sausage, mascarpone cheese and mint
Fettuccine Alfredo or Al Pesto$15.95
Farfalle al Salmone$18.95
Smoked salmon, shallots, light creamy vodka sauce
Penne alla Kika$20.95
Shrimps, manilla clams, white wine, light cream sauce
Spaghetti di Mare$20.95
Seafood assortment, chopped tomatoes, chili peppers, white wine sauce
Gnocchi Gorgonzola e Mirtilli$20.95
Sweet gorgonzola cheese and blueberries
Ravioli Porcini e Crema di Tartufo$17.95
Ravioli stuffed with porcini mushrooms in a creamy wild mushroom and truffle sauce
Ravioli Fattore$17.95
Ravioli stuffed with ricotta and spinach in a mild spicy vodka sauce and porcini mushrooms
Ravioli Boscaiola$17.95
Ravioli stuffed with porcini mushrooms in a creamy butter sauce with sage and pine nuts
Bucatini Mare e Monti$19.95
Spicy sausage sauce with mushroom and shrimp
Linguine alle Vongole Veraci$19.95
Manila clams, EVOO, garlic, parsley, white wine and chili peppers
Paccheri alla Carbonara$18.95
Pancetta, eggs, parmigiano and a touch of cream
Meat Lasagna$16.95
Penne Portofino$24.95
Flambe jumbo prawns, pink vodka sauce and chili flakes

Secondi

Pollo Contadina$21.95
Breaded chicken breast milanese style topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and arugula with fries
Pollo Limone$19.95
Chicken breast in a creamy lemon sauce
Pollo Parmigiana$19.95
Breaded chicken breast, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti
Vittella alla Parmigiana$27.95
Breaded veal, tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti
Salmone al Rosmarino$27.95
Wild salmon filet, shallots, white wine and rosemary
La Tagliata$30.95
Filet mignon, arugula, polenta, tomatoes and gorgonzola sauce
Pollo alla Pizzaiola$19.95
Chicken breast, capers, garlic, parsley, tomato sauce, mozzarella and oregano

What 1,366 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.3Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Operacaffe in San Diego is celebrated for its "wonderful" ambiance and "delicious" Italian cuisine, making it perfect for pre-theater dining at Balboa Theater. Guests rave about the "excellent" service and "amazing" pasta dishes. While it can get busy and slightly noisy, the "authentic" flavors and attentive staff make it a "hidden gem" worth visiting.

1,366 Reviews

B
Brittney
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had the filet mignon and it was amazing. Probably the best cooked steak I’ve ever had. The cheesecake and cannoli for dessert. This may sound silly, but one thing I absolutely hate about restaurants is when the water they give you tastes dirty like grass and their water actually tasted good. The service was wonderful.
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M
Mike
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful dinner with my wife last night. Our first time at this establishment and we will 100% be back. Excellent everything. Thank you Operacaffe for a wonderful memory. 👍🏻👍🏻
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D
Debra
Los Angeles
14 reviews
3.0
14 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We chose Operacaffe for dinner because it was walking distance to the Civic Theater. They took reservations which was also convenient. The menu was standard Italian fare and I would rate the food as good, but not excellent. My biggest disappointment was the tiramisu - my all time favorite dessert. It was served in a pudding or mousse dish rather than a plate which was their first mistake. There wasn't much coffee flavor and the whole thing was so watery and tasteless that I couldn't finish it. We also ordered a limoncello cake which again, didn't have much lemon flavor and was rather tasteless. The service was good, but the restaurant was extremely noisy. All in all, I don't think I will be going back.
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K
Kathy
VIP
Minneapolis
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic food, great ambiance, and phenomenal service!
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J
Joshua
VIP
San Diego
112 reviews
5.0
112 reviews
Dined on January 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always excellent and authentic !! The quality is always superb and the menu is fantastic !! We love the Operacafe !!
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d
david
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Best meal we've had in San Diego. Just a wonderful experience in every way.
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S
Steven
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Excellent experience with food. A little understaffed. Would definitely go back.
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C
Carol
VIP
San Diego
216 reviews
4.0
216 reviews
Dined on December 28, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
We enjoyed another delicious meal at Opera Cafe before heading to Balboa Theatre last night. I had the fettuccini alfredo with chicken and my husband chose the black ink pasta with seafood and a spicy sauce. Both of us were very pleased with our selections. We then shared the tiramisu which was amazing! The only criticism I have is that our server never returned to our table after the food was delivered to check on us - we would have appreciated some salt and pepper but couldn't flag her down to get her attention. I realize that since Covid, few restaurants have salt and pepper on the tables - all the more reason to check and see if patrons might want that after receiving their food. Otherwise, it was a delicious meal and we will certainly return.
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W
Wilson
Orlando
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful Christmas dinner. Nice atmosphere, busy but not too noisy. We enjoyed our entrees but sadly didn’t have enough appetite to try one of the desserts. We will have to come back next time we’re in San Diego!
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E
Elizabeth
VIP
Phoenix
23 reviews
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on December 25, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We came from out of town and just picked this restaurant what a hidden gem. Food and service was amazing. Would definitely recommend!!
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FAQs

Operacaffe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 234-6538.

Operacaffe is rated 4.7 stars by 1366 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 22, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Order delivery or takeout

835 4th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Additional information

Neighborhood
Downtown
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Patrizia Branchi
Additional
Banquet, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.operacaffe.com/
Phone number
(619) 234-6538

Operacaffe

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Margherita

Bruschetta

Tiramisu

Antipasti

Bruschetta$7.95

Fried Burrata$12.95

Shrimp and Calamari Fritti$18.95

I Coccoli$12.95

Tagliere Toscano

Carpaccio di Manzo$15.95

Carpaccio di Salmone$16.95

Insalate

La Mista$6.95

La Cesare$8.00

Patrizia$14.95

Caprese$14.50

Prosciutto di Parma e Burrata$15.95

Ahi Tuna Salad$15.95

Insalata di Salmone$18.95

Insalata di Mare$17.95

Burrata Salad$15.95

Zuppe

Zuppa del Giorno$8.95

Pizza

Margherita$14.95

Capricciosa$16.95

Hawaiiana$15.95

Vegetariana$15.95

Pepperoni e Salsiccia$16.95

Pasta

Penne Carrettiera$14.95

Spaghetti Pomodoro$14.95

Penne Bolognese$16.95

Farfalle Campagnola$16.95

Penne Speperina$17.95

Fettuccine Alfredo or Al Pesto$15.95

Farfalle al Salmone$18.95

Penne alla Kika$20.95

Spaghetti di Mare$20.95

Gnocchi Gorgonzola e Mirtilli$20.95

Ravioli Porcini e Crema di Tartufo$17.95

Ravioli Fattore$17.95

Ravioli Boscaiola$17.95

Bucatini Mare e Monti$19.95

Linguine alle Vongole Veraci$19.95

Paccheri alla Carbonara$18.95

Meat Lasagna$16.95

Penne Portofino$24.95

Secondi

Pollo Contadina$21.95

Pollo Limone$19.95

Pollo Parmigiana$19.95

Vittella alla Parmigiana$27.95

Salmone al Rosmarino$27.95

La Tagliata$30.95

Pollo alla Pizzaiola$19.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Operacaffe offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Operacaffe restaurant rated?

Is Operacaffe currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information