Vitaly Caffe - Costa Mesa

I had a 7:30pm reservation this Sunday for a birthday dinner (indicated in the reservation). We ended up running late and I called in the car to let them know we were still on our way and would be there about 10 minutes late. Upon stating this the man who answered the phone replied uhhhhh......ok.........give me a minute and proceeded to put me on hold. When he returned he told us we could come but to be aware that the kitchen closed at 8. Since we were about 3 minutes away, I didn 't feel like that would be an issue but got the sense that he did not want us to come in. I asked if we would still be able to get food and he said yeah..... as long as you order by 8. I was surprised because I had a reservation and assumed the restaurant could see that they were still expecting guests, but the employee seemed thoroughly surprised and very annoyed that we were planning on coming. I asked if we should even come in as it was clear we were not wanted and he replied umm it 's up to you. At this point I hung up and we went to another restaurant that was absolutely delicious and very welcoming. We are new to the area and have been overall disappointed with the dining offerings but to have a bad experience before even entering the restaurant is a new low. I did some searching to find a place I thought would deliver for a special birthday dinner and was appalled and mortified by the attitude I received from the host in earshot of the birthday guest. I am a long time veteran of the service industry and I understand the inconvenience of a late guest but 10 minutes is really not the end of the world especially when the restaurant is open another 50 minutes. It was clear we were going to be rushed through our meal as the staff hurried to close down. I would suggest not taking reservations after 7 if you are in such a hurry to close and would also remind management and staff that ultimately you do need customers to make money.....this is the hospitality industry, hosting people is part of the gig. Again, I 'm glad I got a sense for the attitude here before suffering what would have likely been yet another disappointing experience but did not appreciate the rude interaction especially on what should have been a special occasion. We 'll be crossing this one off the list.

I walked in with my friend sometime in the afternoon on Friday, May 26. We were not entirely sure where exactly to join the line to get seated, because we weren 't sure whether there was a separate line for the pick-up and restaurant. Anyways, when we entered, the cashier (young girl with short brown hair) was helping out another customer. A couple moments later a group of women arrived. Even though my friend and I arrived first, the cashier helped out the group of women without even acknowledging us. Only when I got her attention, asking her Is this where we enter for the restaurant? did she say she would help us when she was done with those customers. Another cashier (young guy with blonde hair) came and asked if we were already being helped and we said yes. He seemed to be a lot more friendly. Anyways, when the first cashier came back, she said that dine-in was closed for a private event, but she would be willing to serve us outside the restaurant. We politely declined. First of all, she never acknowledged us until she got our attention. Second of all, when I asked about the restaurant, she only mentioned that dine-in was closed AFTER she helped the white customers who came after us? My friend and I are women of color so it seems like she was just being racist. Simply unacceptable.EDIT: I would like to clear up some confusion, since Barbara 's response indicates that she misunderstood the issue. The issue was NOT that there was a private event. Being busy during a private event is totally understandable. The issue was that the cashier NEVER acknowledged us UNTIL I went out of my way to ask her where we are supposed to wait for the restaurant. She never even made eye contact, even though she helped out the customer before us (a man picking up coffee who didn 't seem to be involved in the private event) as well as the ladies after. Why attend to them and not us? That question remains unanswered. And when I finally was able to get her attention and ask her where to wait for the restaurant, THAT was her opportunity to let us know that there was a private event going on. Instead she just said Yes, I 'll be with you, and made us wait longer (even though we had already been waiting a while) before letting us know what the situation was beforehand. I can excuse a little negligence, but being blatantly ignored and disregarded when other customers (involved with the private event or not) are being attended to is unacceptable. Earlier my issue was only with the cashier, but now I find Barbara 's response of expressing a lack of accountability and gaslighting the customer equally appalling.

This little place is great! Beautiful outdoor area with a fire pit and heaters, greenery and a cozy feel. Inside is a nice Cafe feel with an open view kitchen ! The menu is pretty big considering the small space. You can have dinner, ice cream, Italian cookies and coffee, tea and other Italian style drinks. I absolutely LOVE the Burrata Mediterranean salad! It is Devine, delicious and huge! Arugula tomatoes, a medium size ball of fresh burrata, covered in prosciutto and drizzled with balsamic glaze.... ih help me! I have also tried a few of the calzone 's and those are more like a grilled meat pie to me. Stuffed with lots of meat or veggies depending on the selection, and some cheese blends... also very tasty! I would like some marinara personally but the cheeses are so flavorful, covering that up may not actually be a good idea ?Last time I was there, a very sweet batista came over and said I can see you yawning, and I have an extra latte here that was made by mistake, would you like it? He was so sweet so of course I gladly accepted! It was delicious! I would have never ordered a coffee drink there but now that is no longer true! Their fresh and tasty cookies are typically things I buy and take home to have for a few days but those go so well with the latte, I will likely end my next meal there in that manner! Give this hidden little gem a try... great atmosphere, quiet space (usually) and really good food!

Delicious fresh pastas, piadine and gelatos, quality ingredients. Service was very friendly as well although they were very busy. It does seem like parking can be an issue on the weekend but the camp does offer valet as well for $8. We were a group of 9 and sat outside. Fettuccine was fresh and al dente, the roast beef piadina was also very delicious. The homemade gelato with and espresso is just the perfect way to finish your meal. Highly recommended.

Food and service is excellent. Parking is always a little tricky in this part of the mall. Loved their chococcino and their American breakfast is super filling! The ambience is very open and casual. I like how much light comes into the caffe