
Rooted in a legacy of culinary excellence, Il Gatto stands as a testament to the Salisbury family’s passion for Italian cuisine. Founded by Brendon Salisbury, our story intertwines with the rich history of The Cat & the Custard Cup, a cherished establishment dating back to 1979. With a deep respect for tradition and a commitment to innovation, Il Gatto is a celebration of authentic Italian flavors. Collaborating with esteemed chef Antonio Orlando, we meticulously craft a menu that pays homage to time-honored recipes while embracing modern culinary techniques.
Hours
| Friday | 4:30–10 PM |
| Saturday | 4:30–10 PM |
| Sunday | 4:30–9 PM |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 4:30–9 PM |
| Thursday | 4:30–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 800 E Whittier Blvd, La Habra, CA 90631
Phone: (562) 367-3670
Website: https://www.il-gatto.com/
Menu Photos
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Il Gatto – Authentic Italian Cuisine – La Habra, CA
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Reviews
Great food, great atmosphere. Don’t miss it!
Atmosphere is inviting, both inside and outside.
The food was delicious, including the drinks.
Meal began with a complimentary warm bread basket and oil and vinegar.
Calamari appetizer was crispy and tender.
Pastas were great, best Italian food in the area.
Lobster ravioli was creamy and flavorful, but the pesto risotto with scallops was absolutely incredible, plump, seared, and the pesto just right.
Dessert, tried the Panettone bread pudding, and loved it. Pudding was moist and covered in caramel, didn’t have, and didn’t need the usual ice cream pairing.
All portions were on the large size, which was perfect because otherwise, I wouldn’t have shared.
Suggest trying their spritz, which was a select either or menu. I did lemoncello with Sicilian lemonade and basil; it was awesome, and I had more than one.
Outside seating faces street, has a running water fountain, and firepit. I spotted some birds flying about, not disruptive, but added to the cute courtyard vibes.
Located on a main, sometimes busy street in La Habra but has a large free parking lot in the back.
Buon Appetito, Piatto Pulito
We were on our way to get sushi when my wife looked up the Yelp reviews and said, let’s try this place… ” Fair enough, I thought (and it was close to home).”
I vaguely remembered this place, but it seemed brighter than before. Parking was tight for a Saturday night at 830, but we got a spot. (Their closing at 1030 was a huge plus!). Walking from our parking spot under the veranda that fronted the small shops set the tone for our date night.
The open entrance with the bar front and center and the huge English fire place on the right with a smattering of tables and booths gave a cozy and romantic vibe that my wife commented on right away. We were seated almost immediately, albeit near the restroom (not a good first impression). But we had a great view of the open kitchen.
The head chef was expertly crafting the evening’s dishes with his sous chef following suit and the cook preparing the meals. I was captivated by the smoothness of the kitchen and the constant direction by the head chef.
Our waiter, Daniel, was top notch and attentive and very polite. I started with a draft Peroni and my wife just had water. The water was bottled still and was good. Daniel graciously poured for both of us. My beer was cold and delicious.
Warm sourdough bread was brought out along with the requisite olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread had the right amount of chewiness with a nice crunch.
Of course, if you’ve read my reviews in the past, the caprese salad was a must… And I must say it was absolutely wonderful. Unlike Vivo at Universal City Walk, this version was not deconstructed or with sliced mozzarella.
No, it was sliced heirloom tomatoes under a half ball of buffalo mozzarella with generous amounts of arugula decorating the entire plate. The balsamic vinegar drizzle was appropriate and not overpowering. I’m not sure if there was pepper and salt, but as far as I was concerned, the dish was seasoned perfectly.
In addition to the standard fare on the menu, there were two specialities of the the evening: crispy skinned black cod over risotto and linguine vongole (with clams).
We decided on the two specialties: the cod for my wife and the linguine for me. We continued to finish the two remaining pieces of bread when our entrees arrived.
Both were served hot, with the risotto creamy and cooked to perfection and the linguine al dente. The crispy skinned cod had a wonderful crunch when the fork pierced the filet, but the skin was a tad over salted. The saltiness continued into the broth/sauce of the risotto. When eaten without the skin, both the risotto and fish were delightful.
Likewise, the Manila clams were perfectly seasoned, but the white wine sauce was salty. When I mentioned this to Daniel, he said that the clams were naturally salty and that the white wine broth may have had additional salt added. Nonetheless, my wife and I did not send either plate back and we gladly finished our meals.
Btw, Daniel thanked me for my observations and told me he would relay it to the chef.
I couldn’t develop a comprehensive review without including dessert. I was excited to hear they had bread pudding (one of my favs) but with an Italian twist: panettone for the bread base!
I love, love, love bread pudding and this, by far, is my absolute favorite. The pairing of warm, soaked panettone with a vanilla brandy sauce with a hint of confectioners sugar was sheer artistry. If I just had this dessert, my review would have been a strong 5 stars.
Everything made the evening memorable, from the ambience, to the service, to the dessert and yes, even the entrees along with their salt. We’ll be back for sure, but I’ve already told my Italian friends to join us next time.
And that time will be sooner rather than later…much sooner.
If you love live music, come on over on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. They had a lovely trio band playing. And they’re adding live Latin music on the patio on Wednesday nights
Thank you IL Gatto ❤️❤️❤️
We ordered drinks and bottle of wine and both were good.
Now with the food, my wife ordered the soup which was
Lentil soup. The salt that was in it was very over powering
that she couldn’t eat it. The flavor was there, but way to much salt. My wife’s entry was spinach and cheese ravioli but inside there was only cheese. They apologized and sent a new dish that was according to what the menu description said. It was tasty. My order was Veal Marsala. Not only that it was very over cooked, but the Marsala sauce was tasteless. And the vegetables that came with it were very cold. Accordingly they were understanding and deducted 50% off our bill. After dinner we sat at the bar area and ordered a after dinner drink which took about 25 minutes to receive after placing our order. We ordered 2 Irish coffees. When they came after 25 minutes they came with no whipped cream. Our server said the restaurant didn’t have any.
????? What restaurant doesn’t have whipped cream??? Any way, they were quite delicious. Summary, We will be going back for another try, but only at the bar and not for the food. Although the pizzas looked good.
All in all I would not call this fine dining. More like a step above Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. But the wine selections
were very good. Sorry to say that the food was subpar..
The bread basket was really good! The salads were fresh and delicious! We had the Chicken Parmesan and the Bistecca Al Pepe Verde. We loved both dishes. We shared the chocolate souffle cake for dessert. It was fabulous! We will definitely be back for more!