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Catania, San Diego, CA
Award-winning

Catania

4.8 (2172)
$31 to $50
Italian
7863 Girard Ave, Suite 301, San Diego, CA 92037

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 40 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
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.)

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.
  • 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

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What 2,172 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
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Catania delights with "excellent food and service," offering an authentic Italian dining experience in La Jolla. Guests love its "creative, tasty cocktails" and "amazing sunset views." The "pizza focaccia" and "branzino" are highlights. Despite occasional service hiccups, the "ambiance is perfect" for a memorable meal. Highly recommended!
2,172 Reviews
  1. Ruben

    Orange County32 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Very Authentic and deliciously prepared Italian dishes! The menu is full of items that you can not go wrong with. The view is okay from the third floor, but better for ambiance than for sunset watching. The real treat is the dishes, pizzas, pastas, and top-notch service. The bar has some good craft drinks and a nice wine selection, but I wish the pour were more generous. Excellent place for an intimate dinner and elegant gatherings of friends.

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  2. Robert VIP

    San Diego14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding on every level. One of our favorite restaurants in San Diego. One of our favorite restaurants anywhere.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Marcia VIP

    Los Angeles9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and spectacular views in La Jolla Village.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Hyeon Bin

    Tahoe / Reno Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was good. It was my girlfriend’s birthday and she got free dessert. The service is great. The crispy octopus was delicious

    Is this helpful?

  5. Copani

    San Diego2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always go above and beyond, staff is super friendly, service is very promo and the food is simply amazing along with the view

    Is this helpful?

  6. Matt VIP

    San Diego68 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a wonderful experience! Great options, ambiance, and service.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Susan VIP

    San Diego28 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We took some friends there for lunch to celebrate their anniversary. Jared pulled out all the stops to make them feel special (he had anniversary greetings printed on the menu--they were so impressed!). Everything was delicious, as usual; we were especially pleased that they were so enthusiastic about the food, since one of them is a chef.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Kelly VIP

    London10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We could have eaten anywhere, but we chose Catania to celebrate our 15th anniversary. The staff always makes us feel like we're part of the family, the atmosphere is warm and unpretentious, and the food is always delicious. Even on a busy night, the entire meal was a perfect experience. Thank you!

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  9. stephanieb VIP

    Philadelphia County3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 19, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The restaurant and staff were amazing. Our server was very upbeat every time we took a sip of our water someone came to top it off so great experience. The food was okay nothing special for $120 for one appetizer and two pastas.

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  10. Lesley VIP

    San Diego14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our favorite restaurant. Delicious food and excellent welcoming service.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Catania is rated 4.8 stars by 2172 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. La Jolla

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 40 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
  • 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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