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Catania, San Diego, CA
Award-winning

Catania

4.8
4.8
2121 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

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2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 39 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Great for scenic views
Inspired by an Italy road-trip Chef Ryan and I (Arturo) took back in 2008, we’re pleased to introduce Catania, the newest member of the Whisknladle Hospitality family. Here, we’ll be featuring simple, seasonal and authentic Italian Coastal Cuisine (None of the Italian version of TexMex you see most other places). Our commitment to authenticity will be evident in our use of wood burning ovens and grills, an all Italian wine list as well as an exclusively craft Italian Beer program. (Yes, Italy has an amazing craft beer movement nobody’s heard about.)

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Ryan Johnston
  • Private party facilities
    Whether you’re planning a party or a meeting, enjoy the attentive service and personalized touches that take the average private dining experience to the next level with Whisknladle Hospitality. With four restaurants to choose from & a wide selection of menu options, the possibilities are endless. Email events@wnlhosp.com for more info.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Cross street
    Girard and Wall
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,121 people are saying

Catania reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Catania offers a delightful dining experience with "delicious" food and "outstanding" service. The "authentic Italian" cuisine, including standout dishes like duck sugo orecchiette and crispy octopus, is beautifully presented. Guests enjoy the "beautiful view" and "great atmosphere," making it a "must-visit" spot in La Jolla.
2,121 Reviews
  1. Whitney VIP

    Tulsa14 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant is beautiful. I wish I was able to sit on the patio to enjoy the weather and views, but it was full. Next time! I got the arancini for my appetizer. It was good, but nothing to write home about. For my meal I got bucatini alla’ amatriciana. It was the star of the show. It had a ton of flavor and I really enjoyed it.

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  2. patrick

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Every single detail was positive. Our server Jared was exceptional, the very talented chef stopped by the table, and the food was A+. Highly recommend asking for a water view table and trying the dessert trio

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  3. Anthony

    Phoenix3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time, as we were in La Jolla for the day, and it was wonderful. Server was outstanding, thorough knowledge of the menu, and had more to say than the typical “everything is good”. The staff kept my water full without asking. Now the food? Delicious. Cauliflower app was divine, octopus was cooked to perfection. The pasta also delightful. Cool vibe, views if yo pundit on the patio. We will be back.

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  4. Annabella

    San Diego35 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We ordered carne pizza, charred octopus and arancini and wine. Everything was well prepared but a tad salty for my taste. We particularly liked the garbanzo beans, lamb sausage, mint leaves and capers which accompanied the octopus tentacle ( once again on the salty side). Oceanview seating, terrace with heat lamp, warm decor creates ambiance unique to La Jolla. Early pre-concert dinner, easy walk to Baker Baum Concert Hall. Reservations recommended.

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  5. Eric VIP

    San Francisco114 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Since it opened, we've dined here a few times a year. It's a favorite of ours. The food was excellent, as usual. The service was a bit rushed initially, but then fine thereafter. Wine by the glass selections were excellent and fairly priced. We'll be back again soon!

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  6. Mark Paul

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Jared always gives an outstanding 5 star service! Ask for him if he’s there.

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  7. Daniel

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server was amazing and very quick! Thank you for another amazing dinner!

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  8. Beverly VIP

    West Palm Beach235 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Dinner with colleagues. Great menu for sharing plates. Loved the cauliflower appetizer. We’ll be back next time we’re in the area.

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  9. Edward VIP

    Toronto7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Authentic Italian in an upset contemporary setting!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Unfortunately we were seated next to a family with a little girl who was very loud, and had problems staying seated. I was probably about two to three feet from her chair. And after that family left, another group with a small child replaced them. There was a puddle from the rain. Both seemed compelled to play in it, splashing water about. I’m not going to say that the evening was spoiled, but their noise and very young children seemed out of place and unexpected.

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Catania using the Order Online button.

Catania is rated 4.8 stars by 2121 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation


Booked 39 times today
Google Map for Catania

7863 Girard Ave, Suite 301, San Diego, CA 92037

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross street
    Girard and Wall
  • Neighborhood
    La Jolla
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ryan Johnston
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Whether you’re planning a party or a meeting, enjoy the attentive service and personalized touches that take the average private dining experience to the next level with Whisknladle Hospitality. With four restaurants to choose from & a wide selection of menu options, the possibilities are endless. Email events@wnlhosp.com for more info.
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