Little Napoli is a great little gem in Carmel! Â My boyfriend and I were walking around Carmel looking for a great place to eat dinner. Â We were lucky to stumble upon this place! Â We walked into Little Napoli and we could quickly see that the restaurant was full. Â We quickly discovered that you really need to make reservations if you want to come to Little Napoli, that is how popular they are! Â We gave our name to the hostess, and she told us that she would really try to fit us in and she did within 20 minutes! Â Wahoo!! Â We started with their famous cheesy garlic bread and it was delicious with nice chunks of fresh garlic! Â Even better the marinara sauce that it came with was amazing! Â Then I ordered the baked canneloni tricolore which basically has 3 sauces - a white alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, and pesto cream sauce. Â It was filled a generous amount of chicken and the marinara was absolutely delicious. Â The alfredo sauce was pretty good, but I was not a fan at all of the pesto sauce. Â If I were to order this again I would only get the marinara sauce! Â My boyfriend ordered the ribeye, which was nice, juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Â The ambiance of this place makes you feel like you are in Italy and can be a great romantic place for you and your significant other. Â We loved this place! Â I would definitely go back!
Review Source:Fiance and I were in Carmel for a few nights to plan our wedding, and we were in search of a great dinner spot. Â The Yelp reviews and the online menu helped us to choose Little Napoli. Â
First comment is: be sure to have a reservation!! Â We made the mistake of walking up at 7:00 PM on a Saturday without a reservation and judging by the population of the dining room, the wine bar next door (also part of the same ownership, and features the appetizer menu), and the back patio, we thought there wouldn't be a chance of getting in. Â However we were pleasantly surprised, as the very friendly hostess worked some magic and was able to get us a window table within 15 minutes. Â
Big thumbs up for all of the staff, as in addition to the friendly hostess, we also received friendly, attentive table service.
Now to the food. Â Overall, we were happy with the meal, although we weren't blown away. Â The Carmel location appears to demand higher prices than we felt the meal was worth, but one can't really knock the prime downtown Carmel location. Â
The gnocchi was fantastic. Â I'm not usually a big gnocchi fan because it's so hard to find great gnocchi, but Little Napoli just became my spot for it. Â If I'm in the area with a craving for gnocchi, I'll be sure to make a special trip.
We weren't very adventurous that night, so the remainder of our ordering included their famed garlic bread, Diavola pizza (Spicy soppresatta salami, basil, chili oil), and Chicken Parmigiana con Pappardelle with Alfredo.
I'm afraid we can't really agree with all of the rave reviews for the garlic bread. Â It was nicely toasted, but it was pretty bland. Â Certainly not the best we've ever had.
The Diavola pizza had great toppings, all of which were very fresh. Â The flavor was solid. Â However, the crust was a bit thicker than what we were hoping for since we were expecting a bit more of the Napoli style. Â Overall, probably wouldn't order the pizza again considering all of the other tasty looking options on the menu.
The Chicken Parmigiana was very tasty. Â The crust was nice, the chicken was juicy, and the sauce was fresh and full of flavor. Â We absolutely loved the incredibly fresh pappardelle that came with the chicken. Â It's one of the things we remember most. Â Would definitely order the dish again. Â FYI, the portion is pretty large (we took half of it home).
Overall, we felt the hype seems to be a bit overblown. Â The food is good, but I have to believe there is better Italian in the local area. Â The options are Carmel's answer to the dressed up traditional red-sauce type place, with a few tasty looking non-traditional options.
Would we go back? Â Honestly, would probably try a few of the other options in Carmel first, but eventually would likely make it back.
Finally I found it!! Best Italian restaurant I have ever been to .. The cheese just melts into your mouth and you want to have more.. Garlic bread is delicious, pizzas are mouth watering. We also tried the eggplant Parmesan it was fantastic.. The ambience is great the only problem wait time is usually 15-20 mins & sometimes it will be a while before you get your dish. Â Nice wine collection !!!
Review Source:Our first time trying out this little quaint restaurant in Carmel by the Sea. Â We were promptly seated despite being a very busy weekend afternoon in Carmel. Â
We didn't realize this until the next table got their serving, but we didn't get the bread before the appetizers came. Â The appetizers (Calamari Fritti and Arancini di Riso) and salad (Insalata Mista) were pretty good and temporarily satisfied our hunger. Â We ordered the Il Pescatore "Cioppino Rosso" for main dish and were very disappointed. Â The sauce was watery, no taste, and the seafood was not very fresh. Â The clams were few and puny. Â The two other main dishes were ok (New Zealand Lamb Shank and Veal "Osso Buco" Ravioli). Â I only ate half of the shank and packed the rest to take home.
Also, they only had one toilet next to the kitchen and the preparation area for the entire restaurant. Â There was always a line of 2-3 customers deep waiting to use it. Â Why?
For the $$$ we paid, we will try somewhere else next time.
This restaurant is an embarrassment to Carmel. At 5pm, my party (parents and husband) were told by a hostess that there just wouldn't be room for us that evening. This is of course, was after the hostess glanced about an empty restaurant and looked behind us at an invisible line of people waiting to be seated. The unnecessary pretentiousness was embarrassing to the restaurant - $$? - and, more shamefully, made my mother feel bad.
I've lived in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia and I understand high demand restaurants and reservation only requirements. I don't care how great the food is, I have no tolerance for the poor impression this place made with a mere 2 min interaction. I'd encourage you to do as we did: dismiss Little Napoli as quickly as it dismissed us and take our afternoon wine and snack across the street to Le St. Tropez.
If this review was exclusively about food I'd probably rate this establishment a 3.5- 4 star. The overall experience is where it all fell apart.
I called Little Napoli to make a reservation which was confirmed for 8:30pm. We arrived at the restaurant on time. Upon checking in with the hostess we were told they were just going to need to prep the table and that the current guests were wrapping up. After waiting outside for 15 minutes I went back to check. Apparently the guests were slow to move. We were told to hang tight. After another 10 minutes I went back in. The apologizing hostess suggested we go to the wine bar next door to wait and offered us a glass of wine each on the house- a nice gesture indeed. Sipping on some Pinot we waited another 30 minutes and finally got to our table 1 hour after our reserved time! Not entirely cool.
We reviewed the menu, which has a lot to offer and settled for some beef carpaccio, veal Osso Bucco ravioli, truffle gnocchi and an arugula salad. Items started to come out and were brought to us by a waitress who was nice enough but entirely frantic. She seemed so stressed out that she almost screamed at us as she presented us with the specials. The meal went down easily as one would expect after such a delay and overall the food was tasty and well prepared. At around 10:45pm we got the bill and were ready to head out. I noticed a $6.- charge for bread. It's the house bread the waitress offered us with the salad. I had two slices. Granted it's good bread but six bucks without a heads-up for the charge is entirely excessive. $6.- buys me a darn good loaf and so we at least asked to have the remaining bread wrapped to go. Now if it hadn't been for that bread charge I probably would have just forgotten about the entire experience but somehow the bread just put me over the edge! Funny how it takes the smallest thing to reach a tipping point.
.. I bet there are better places in town.
The Veal and the Milan Clams were great! Â The desserts are wonderful. Â I enjoyed the Italian setting in Carmel. Â It was my first time at Little Napoli and service was unbelievable!! Â It can get really crowded on Thursday through Sunday. Â Parking can be frustrating in Carmel on the weekends. Â I like to go visit Carmel-by-the-Sea during the week because it is less crowded and enough parking available.
Review Source:Managed to snag a parking spot directly outside Little Napoli! Sat outside in the cute courtyard.
Waitress forgot we were out there, or perhaps no one told her, and 15 minutes later we finally flagged her down. She kept a disgruntled attitude with us for the entirety of the meal, and was at times even rude.
Pizza itself was quite good and reasonably priced, salvaging the three stars. I'd give this place another try solely on the merits of the food.
Make a reservation or wait in the wine bar. We had a 45 minute wait around five on a saturday. The wine bar next door is nice and serves food. Â Sit next to the fireplace on cold days. The calamari is nicely breaded and tasty. Spaghetti and clams has plenty of large meaty clams. The meatballs are delicious. The garlic bread is garlicky and addicting. Go with an appetite and leave stuffed
Review Source:Used to love Little Napoli. Been eating here since the 80's. But the quality of the food has seriously gone way down hill while the prices have gone up. It's so sad for us. Love the atmosphere, the decor, the music and the service has always been great. But the food has been a huge disappointment for the last few years. Sadly, I think we have to give up and find a new favorite.
Review Source:The place was packed so we decided to try it on a whim. Â I was cold and they seated us in front of the firreplace, just perfect, not too hot. Â Really, really good bread to start. Â Hubs had a meatball paninni which was basically a meatball sandwich. Â Meatball was to die for, same deish bread, very good. Â BUT, We'd go back for the pizza. Â We got one with pretty much just meat and cheese. Â The crust was thin, but not too thin, the sauce just perfect and not too much (they sell jars of marinara on site) and it was nice and salty too, my fav! Â We may go up there again just to eat here, and we'll be splitting the pizza! Â Go THERE, GET SOME!
Review Source:One of the best Italian restaurants I've ever eaten at. Outstanding food, great service and beautiful ambience at this quaint little restaurant.
The garlic bread was fantastic, the veal ravioli was the most amazing pasta ever; so delicate and full of flavor, the hobo ravioli was fresh and vibrant and the tiramisu, OMG that tiramisu... I don't think I've ever had a better one.
They also have a very nice wine selection that pairs brilliantly with the food.
This place really made our evening. Definitely worth trying if you are in the neighborhood. Well worth the wait(15-20 minutes)
Charming, rustic, cozy, intimate euro style Italian bistro we stumbled upon after wandering aimlessly down the streets of Carmel. Â Caught sight of the small courtyard dining area (see pic) from the street. Â We were helplessly drawn in. Â The place was packed for lunch! Â Luckily, a table in the courtyard was recently vacated upon our arrival, so we only had to wait a few minutes.
Took a few minutes to review the menu. Â Everything sounded appetizing. Â I decided I wanted a variety of items: Â side order of crispy polenta, Arancini di Riso (lightly battered and fried risotto balls), and Meatball Lollipops. Â Loved, loved, it's amore! Â Then I realized how carb heavy my meal was. Â "Must go on 10 mile walk later," I thought to myself. Â Yeah, right.
Mothership had a bowl of Crab Bisque Mediterraneo. Â She must've liked it. Â The bowl was immaculate when she was finished. Â Big Sis had Smoked Salmon Carpaccio and a few glasses of white wine (Chardonnay?). Â Wonderful smoky creamy buttery and savory flavors danced across her taste buds as she enthusiastically consumed her dish.
Thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, food and hospitable and prompt service. Â
FYI: Â they own the Wine shop & tasting room next door - Pepe's Vino Napoli.
2.5 stars. I loved the food, and the environment and the service (once we got seated) but why the low rating? I made a reservation at 8:30 and it took us 45 minutes to get seated. A little ridiculous. The just comped us with bruschetta (I could have made better bruschetta at home).
Now on to the food.
The best thing we ordered was the veal osso buco  ravioli! It was great! Garlic bread was also okay too. I don't remember what everyone else got, but trust me on this...get the ravioli. You will not regret it. Maybe we will return to Carmel and go to this restaurant (on a nonbusy weekend.)
We arrived 5 min early, they were running 10 min behind... They were up front about it so we were ok with it. Â Besides, we were still building our appetite ( had we arrived starving it might have been a different story)
It took a loooong time to be greeted by our waiter and have our drink order taken, but the service picked up from there so we got over it . Â
The truffle gnocchi was TO DIE FOR
The pizza was ok
The chicken Parmesan was decent.
Bread was super yummy.
We ordered garlic bread to come out with the meal, which our waiter forgot. Â Oh well... We were so stuffed that we forgave this too. Â
The food at the other tables looked incredible but the portions were huge and we were not famished. Â Would probably give this place another try... Maybe for lunch and not on a weekend.
Definitely the best in the Monterey area. It was definitely outstanding food and service don't get me wrong and if you want a great Italian meal with great service go here.  If your a tourist go here. If you live in Monterey go here.  Definitely great meal, but I deal there was a little location location location. I have had just as quality of an Italian meal for  for 1/2-1/3 of the price. The tricolore was very good but I did not feel the magic. Maybe I didn't get the right dish?  I would definitely go again (if I had the extra cash lying around)
Review Source:This place has the best Italian food I've eaten in a LONG time.
We ordered the garlic bread, the pesto genovese, and the gnocchi alla gorgonzola. Everything was excellent, with the gnocchi being our favorite and probably the best gnocchi I've ever eaten.
Definitely recommended if you love Italian food. We can't wait to go back some day!
Quaint Italian restaurant in downtown Carmel with average food. Ambiance is nice but the food is mediocre. Prices are definitely on the higher end.
We tried the famous garlic bread and it didn't impress; we thought the garlic flavor didn't really stand out and the side of marinara was necessary to liven up the bread. The mussels and clams in the Il Pescatore Ciopinno Rosso were not fresh; the rest of the seafood tasted fine. The Al Forno was much better with great flavors in the sausage.
We came here after doing the obligatory Yelp audit. Little Napoli passed with friendly and attentive service and great food.
The bread they bring is memorable do at least give it a try. I had Grandma's Spaghetti with Meatballs and it was very good. The pasta was excellent and the meatballs were very soft and full of flavor. I'd suggest it if your craving a classic but I'll try something different next time.
We will be back.
We went to Little Napoli after reading reviews on Yelp. Â The bread basket was very good crusty bread and we enjoyed it. Â We then ordered more bread (yay) with a starter of bruschetta, followed by a side salad and grilled artichoke. Â We wanted to try a few different things and liked all the options of the starter.
For our entree, we ordered a pizza. Meh. It wasn't that great. Â For dessert we had a really tasty chocolate mousse.
Overall, it was good-ish food. The service was good, but painfully slow at the end. I find that we're such old people and early eaters, that we get good service until all the normal people show up at decent hours to eat. Then the service drops. Oh well, it was an okay dinner at an okay place.
We had excellent service during our visit and extra kudos for the dog friendly back patio.
The burrata mozzarella and beefsteak tomato appetizer was excellent. My family all got the lunch special 1/2 pizza and salad combo. The pizzas that stood out were the goat cheese and mushroom and roasted garlic. The best salad was the Gorgonzola.
Would definitely visit again to try some of the pastas. Again, we had excellent service during our visit that made the experience stand out.
I really wanted to like this place, but just can't.
Came here on a weeknight and had high expectations based on all the yelp reviews.
The place is nice and charming, a bit larger than the typical cute homey restaurant in downtown Carmel. Service was ok, waitress was mostly nice but sometimes indifferent. Nothing bad.
The bad part comes down to the food and the price. I saw the two dollar signs on yelp and figured ok, not so bad. And I didn't really pay attention to the price of each item on the menu. So wifey orders the Von gole with spaghetti noodles, and I ordered the margherita pizza. Â We first started out with the calamari.
The calamari was just blah. Bland bland bland. Â It just came out of the fryer (was super hot) and I liked it like that. Â Squeeze the lemon over the calamari, pick one up take a bite and...meh...just meh...
It was completely unsalted, unseasoned. Â And top it off the lemon was a little dry so we didn't get much juice from it.
The pizza was even more bland than the calamari. Ugh it was a disaster. They used corn meal on the pizza which gave the pizza a crunch but also the pizza was doughy in the middle. I don't think I've ever had that kind of pizza in an Italian restaurant, ever. Â It frankly sucked. Â Again, no seasoning in either the pizza sauce or the pizza dough.
The Von gole was ok, seasoned, but the spaghetti pasta made it seem like some cheap cafeteria food, and there wasn't much noodles in the dish. Use linguine! We should have specified linguine to begin with, but ugh, so frustrating, when the customer has to make these suggestions.
All this would have been easier to swallow if the bill wasn't so sky freaking high. The pizza was $17.50! For a margherita pizza. Dough, cheap tomato sauce, sparse bits of basil, cheap cheese, and a slice of tomato.
The Von gole with spaghetti noodles:$26! With spaghetti noodles!
Calamari was $9.
Total bill: $55. Ridiculous.
Afterwards we went across the street to see la bicyclettes menu. Their thin crust margherita pizza: $15, and I'll bet it tasted much better!
My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday around 3-3:30p. As we walked in, the hostess gave us a blank, unwelcoming stare. She did not say "hello". She did not say anything. She just stared, and looked quite annoyed. After learning they were no longer seating for lunch, my boyfriend and I decided to try again the next day.
The next day, my boyfriend and I came by around noon. We were greeted with the same unwelcoming attitude from the hostesses. I am not sure what their deal is.
Anyway, we were seated promptly next to the fireplace. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. My boyfriend ordered the New Zealand Lamb Shank "Osso Buco", and I (in an attempt to cure my wine hangover), ordered the Ravioli della "Hoboken". Both dishes were TO DIE FOR. I was a little jealous over the lamb shank; it was ridiculously tender and flavorful. My ravioli was fantastic. I really enjoyed the spicy sauce. And, the bread they provided was fresh and absolutely delicious.
Overall, Little Napoli continues to be one of my favorite restaurants. My boyfriend and I left feeling satisfied with our dining experience, and I know that we will visit again during our next trip to Carmel.
Not sure what these other helpers ate, but it was good Italian food (not crazy out of this world great) but good. I've had great Italian food all over the US, and this was not the write home to mom about type of lunch. Â
The garlic bread is red. Â I was thinking it was going to be a butter garlic bread, but its more like a pizza bread. Â Was okay. The marinara sauce served with it was very good and authentic. Â The bread was burnt & I would've preferred having the free fresh bread instead of what we were brought.
We also had spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, crab bisque, chicken Parmesan with  Alfredo noodles and a Caesar salad.  All very good but not raving lay fantastic like the other helpers were stating.
The staff was very friendly, and we did enjoy their hospitality. Probably will never go again, but its a alright place for Italian. Â I would have preferred Il Fornaio.
Well...where do I start? This is my paradiso gastronomico!
I keep dreaming about this place while I am here in San Diego...Seriously. I love Carmel but I love it even more because it has this place!
My boyfriend and I were blown away by the quality, authenticity, rich flavors, impecable service, amazing ambience. If you want to experience great quality Italian food in California - make sure you treat yourself with the a trip to Little Napoli.
Having lived in NYC for 10 years I got accustomed and, well, spoiled by authentic and delicious food and personalized service so stumbling upon this hidden gem in California was a true relief for me after getting disappointed by the variety and quality of food and in general by the restaurants in San Diego (I am not referring to burritos here!).
So, please do yourself a favor and run away from your daily life to Little Napoli - all your senses will say Thank You to you.
Everything is amazing here! Â I have only been here on Sunday evenings, so I have never had a problem getting seated, as others have mentioned. Â The restaurant is small and intimate, so seating may be a problem on busier nights.
The prices are a bit high, but the food is worth it. Â Everyone says to get the $5 garlic bread. Â The garlic bread is good, but in comparison to all the great appetizers, salads, and food, you really shouldn't fill up on the garlic bread. Â The bread that they serve with the meal is sufficient. The deep fried artichokes with chipotle aoli are the things to fill up on! Â The pizzas are wonderful, with dry flaky crusts and quality toppings. Â The "Hobo Stew" is different, but very good (and my husband's favorite). Â The "Chicken Vesuvio" is my favorite, and the potatoes that come with it are perfection. Â All the salads are great, and I am super picky when it comes to salads. Â I cannot tolerate "store bought" dressings, or low-quality cheese. Â But the salads here are wonderful. Â The Insalata di Gorgonzola is my top choice.
If you're looking for a romantic little spot to have great food, this is your place! Â I am not a fan of seafood or alcohol, so I cannot comment on those areas. Â Total bill for 1 appetizer, 1 salad, 2 entrees, 2 soft-drinks and 1 dessert = $80. Â Highly recommended!!
Can you say Hobo Stew? If not, you'll want to. I can't come here and order anything else. Literally, I've had it the last 3 times I've been there. Wonderful braised short ribs with some of the best gnocchi i've ever had.
The Penne with Vodka Sauce (Jackie O they call it) is also very very good and some of the best I've had. We love this place, it's casual, great food, reasonably priced and one of our favorite places to go in Carmel.
Bad service!! Â I've been there and there wasn't table available.. Any of the waitresses came to talk to me. So I waited a little bit because some people seemed to be leaving soon since they were paying, and then a couple arrived after me.
And the waitress got them this table I was waiting for.
It was ridiculous!!!
Pros:
- Cheaper prices than the typical Italian places in North Beach without sacrificing the quality of food.
- The staff was patient with us and was always there when we needed something. The garlic bread is a must order ($5?!) and so is the Baked Ziti with sausages, this thing got more cheese than Robert Kraft. They didnt have the Caprese salad on the menu but they were willing to make one for us!
Cons:
- Located in Carmel, where it's pretty dead after 5 pm, kinda looks like Silent Hill almost. This place gets packed pretty good so you should make a reservation if you're planning to come here for dinner.
Whether you're in town golfing or made the mistake of spending $35 at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, at least stop by here for some food!
Mamma mia, delizioso! Seriously though, if you ever find yourself in the Bay Area, unable to take a vacation and visit Italy, then Little Napoli would without doubt be your best bet.
Grab a pizza here for dinner and you will be blown away by one of the most authentic, traditionally prepared concoctions of exquisite melted cheeses, flavorful fresh herbs and delicious homemade dough ever conceived this far from the Mediterranean.
Rich and bold, and complemented by an impressive assortment of spices and fine wines, the pastas at Little Napoli will leave even a seasoned connoisseur of the Italian staple breathless and gasping for more.
Need I go on? It would simply be too cruel to you, my hungry reader. So suffice it to say, when you visit Little Napoli bring a caveman's appetite, some cash and a special person you trust to prevent you from driving home after dinner. Oh and did I mention to fast the day before? Yeah!
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