Cantalini's Salerno Beach Restaurant

My husband and I are from Northern NJ and were bummed about moving from Hoboken, NJ to L.A. knowing that it was going to be hard to find a great neighborhood Italian restaurant. So far, this restaurant is the closest to it. I recently had dinner here this past Sunday with my husband and my parents who were visiting. We ordered the Fried Calamari appetizer, which was great. Not greasy nor chewy, very tender. My mother ordered the Veal Saltimbocca, with a side of Fet. Alfredo (found it very interesting that not all meat/fish dishes came with a side of pasta with marinara, instead some of the entrees are served with a side of Fet. Alfredo) which at first was great. Again, not chewy and tender. But when I had the other half of her dish (I ordered Chicken Piccata but instead they gave me Veal, which I returned to the kitchen) the piece that I had was very chewy, it wasn't overcooked but the cut of veal itself was tough. My father ordered the Spaghetti with Sausage & a side of Meatballs which was delicious. I didn't try the sausage, but I did try the meatball which was very tender and HUGE. My husband ordered the Chicken Parm which was great and I had the Chicken Piccata, which I had boxed to take home. The Chicken Piccata was good, not over cooked and decorated with fresh lemon slices and parsley. Their sauces were tasty and delicious. Even the Fet. Alfredo was great.
We all had dessert, too. My Mom had the Creme Brulee, my Dad had a dish of Vanilla ice cream and my husband and I both had the spumoni. The spumoni was nothing great and I would not recommend nor order it again. It looked and tasted like cheap ice cream, very similar to Edy's/Dreyer's spumoni.
I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking for simple Italian home cooking. Fill up on their apps and main courses and skip dessert. Service was great (made reservations on a Sunday for 7pm and it was PACKED), food was delicious and the jazz band was a nice touch.

Pros: relatively cheap and delicious food

Cons: don't expect anything fancy

Posted 12/04/08

I have lived in Playa del Rey my entire life and if I got a nickel for every time I passed by this place without going in, I would have enough money to put a down payment on a house in Chula Vista. The problem is that the exterior decorations are so unbelievably cheesy that you couldn't possibly imagine that they actually served up a decent meal inside. But the fact is, the food is pretty darn good. If you go any time Thurs - Sun in the evening you will usually have to wait....and when I say "wait," I don't just mean for a table, I mean for your food as well. The service there leaves little to be desired. Though I will say this, they serve up one of the best eggplant parmigianas I have tasted in a long time. The marshmallow fluffiness of the eggplant has just the right amount of chewiness, and it pretty much melts on its way down. Their pizza is thin and made with a foccacia-like dough which is good enough that you wont see any remnance of crust on the plates of the people who order it. I would definitely recommend this place for dinner, but not if you are looking for a quick bite.

Posted 04/21/08

Cantalini's is a great local spot. The penne with marinara that is served with the veal parmigiana was so-so. But the veal was excellent. The homemade tortellini is excellent! To top it off the tiramisu is the best I've ever had. Make sure you order the homemade pastas if you can. It's much better than Caffe Pinguini down the street.

Pros: Tiramisu, easy parking, great local place

Posted 10/21/07

At the end of Culver Blvd. in Playa Del Rey, is one of the most charming, fine Italian dining experiences at affordable prices in Los Angeles. Cantalini?s Salerno Beach has a style and presence all its own. Lisa makes you so comfortable you feel like you are eating at the home of a good friend who can really COOK!!! Try it and you?ll love it, we do, frequently!

Pros: Incredible Food, Great Service, Free Valet

Posted 07/03/07

The food is terrific and the wine list has all the Italian favorites...but the best part is the family owned and operated feel. Small neighborhood resaurant near the beach in Playa Del Rey. Valet parking available since there is little street parking. A great local haunt!

Pros: Terrific food at a resonable price

Cons: Reservations recommended on weekend nights

Posted 12/17/06

We really like the basic ambience mixed with Homemade above average Italian food. Very good Tiramisu.

Posted 11/29/06

My wife and I love this spot for a night away. The food really is fantastic, and the ambiance is wonderfully romantic without being stuffy.

Posted 11/23/06

Good food. Mediocre service. Hearty portions. Very casual. Cozy area. Have a drink next door afterwards.

Posted 11/19/06

This is a great place for Italian food just like Grandma's, with a few modern twists (and great pizza although most people don't know it!). The service is really great and you can tell it's a real place run by real people, not some impersonal "Eye-talian" chain or something. Seriously, try the pizza.

Pros: Food, Pizza, Service

Posted 05/01/06

Who would think a little beach town could have a treasure like this one! Playa del Rey is the lucky one. It's a half block from the beach and it has free valet. (5 min from Marina del rey). I found CANTALINI'S 5 years ago and keep coming back every chance I get. The Homemade Pesto Ravioli & Portobello mushroom ravioli are my fav's. The gnocci salerno and eggplant parmagon is to die for. I also love the fresh Salmon picatta and veal picatta rocks too! This place is where the locals go and the out-a-towners wish they could find. So lucky to have this gem on my list! Ambiance is great, romantic and the staff is warm friendly too. Check it out you'll be back for more!

Pros: GREAT FOOD, GREAT STAFF, AMBIANCE, AFFORDABLE

Posted 02/10/06

I love this food. Top recommendations go to the Gnocchi Salerno or the Rigatoni w/ Smoked Salmon and Asparagus (both have an unbelievable cream sauce). If cream sauces don't do it for you, I love the duck ravioli (often on special), but don't worry every pasta here is fantastic and the wine list is one of the best in LA. The staff is fast and incredibly nice and helpful with recommendations. But the best part is the warm atmosphere and being one block from the beach, for a post dinner walk. Playa Del Rey is like the last small-town in LA... I can't recommend this place more.

Pros: food, atmosphere, wine

Posted 05/17/05

This candelit bistro is a great secret funky find. We stumbled in here looking for quick meal - and found heaven. Casual, comfy - with food to die for - this place is it. Owner Lisa, and superb staff (Bryan and Clive are our favorites) will treat you right! The portabello mushroom ravioli with the pesto cream sauce is to die for, but try the nightly specials - you won't go wrong. The cioppino is a fave! Can't believe I'm sharing our secret !!

Posted 02/23/05

Fantastic Italian-American food at very reasonable prices. Our favorite was the seafood ravioli with lobster cream sauce, but all the pasta dishes we've tried were fantastic. Pizza is also highly recommended, so we'll try that next time. I love this place.

Pros: Reasonably priced, Great food, Cozy atmosphere

Posted 07/05/04

Happened on this place on the way back to the airport. Stopped in and had some of the best Italian I've eaten: great meatballs, great spaghetti with Bolognese, etc.

Friendly staff, and good service. Reasonalby priced. Will dine there again.

Pros: Taste, Value, Portion Size

Posted 06/17/04

Great Italian-American food. Portions are huge. The only thing I didn't like was the cannelloni - no matter, I'm usually too full for desert!

Check out the funky decor!

Posted 07/10/02