Breakfast Menu "Carmela Cucina Italiana" San Marcos
Charming restaurant serving up dishes from central Italy in a classic, wood-paneled dining room.
Carmela Cucina Italiana, 823 Grand Ave, San Marcos, CA 92078
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Great local Italian, exceeded our expectations! The best, freshest, tastiest homemade Italian food. A hidden gem in San Marcos- don't know why I never tried it before now. Great service, went here late on a Friday evening, Alan, our waiter was so professional- attentive and on point! Will go here again for another special occasion celebration! Sweet spot, great wine selection too that's not overpriced by the glass.
My husband and I love going to Carmela's for special occasions. I've marked decor "excellent" - not because it's the most sophisticated or impressive, but because it is old-world and seasoned with little mementos of the owners' travels and memories. It's very homey. The food is authentic southern Italian fare, made from scratch by Zorro who, along with his wife, owns and runs the restaurant. Even the salad dressing is home-made! We're fans for life.
Fun old school Italian restaurant. They even did some gluten-free dishes. Good house wine. They had a little trouble accommodating our large group despite our reservation and made us sit slightly apart to accommodate another group coming in an hour later-- which was odd. The food was pretty good.
Possibly one of North Counties best kept secrets. Right out of Italy and the New York Italian community. A wonderful dining experience reasonably priced. Fine bar and lounge and restaurant area, great service. Independent old style Italian cuisine. Not stuffed into a restaurant complex.
They say you get what you pay for.......and at Carmela's, you get excellent food quality, taste and service! All the food is made fresh, including the salad dressing (I love it). I've been coming here on and off for the last 12 plus years (special occasions) and I feel so spoiled every time we go. In addition, we KNOW dinner is going to be delicious! No one is perfect but Carmela's has not disappointed us yet. The owners have been present each time we've had dinner there, and YOU see they care about you the customer. Bon appetit!
Celebrated my wife's 70th birthday with family and had a marvelous dining experience- the food was great, our waiter was attentive, and we weren't rushed when we were the last to leave after closing. We will definitely eat here again when visiting the area.
Carmela got us hooked us 12 years ago when we had her white chocolate bread pudding with brandy carmel sauce! Best desert ever. Wish we lived closer to eat here more often. This is our anaversary spot and special occasions. Favorite dish is the stuffed shrimp florentine! Hopefully she will make it again sometime June 1st!
Love this place! I'm an urban foody originally from the big city of Washington dc and so I've eaten at some incredible restaurants in my day. And while this is not Galileo of Washington DC, it is awesome. In a world of "food service Italian restaurants" this place is the real deal - in San Marcos of all places! Who would've thunk? These guys take great pride in their food. While it looks like an old man Italian restaurant it definitely is NOT. The cooking techniques and freshness of ingredients is molto modern. Pasta is al dente. Vegetables are crisp. The soups are subtle and sophisticated. You'll love it