Built right into the residential neighborhood, Rafaela's is easy to miss. Just a few blocks up from Garnet on Cass, this Italian restaurant consists of all outdoor patio seating and a small residential house that holds the kitchen, restroom, and a few inside tables. While it may sound bizarre, it works. Fitting seamlessly with the northern Pacific Beach neighborhood, Rafaela's has amazing ambiance and provides a very casual dining experience.
While the food at Rafaela's is far from noteworthy, there is comfort in the consistent. Staple dishes like fettuccine alfredo, gnocchi, and vegetable lasagne provide the perfect palate for long, relaxed conversations under the outdoor heat lamps and heavily-hung white Christmas lights. Paired with a fairly light bill at the end of the night, the combination seems almost too good to be true.
One of the biggest draws for many is that the restaurant has a BYOB policy - patrons are encouraged to bring their own beer and wine to enjoy, without a corking fee. Due to the expense of a liquor license (and of buying beer by the glass), this seems to fit nicely into the budgets of the younger crowds that gather here nightly.
Insider Tips: Because seating is outdoors, be sure to bring a jacket if the evening seems a little sharp - even with the heat lamps, it may not be enough to keep you warm enough while enjoying your meal.
Don't be late. While it may feel like you can hang out until the wee hours of the night, because Rafaela's is part of a residential neighborhood, they close promptly at 10pm most nights.
Stick around for dessert! Every meal at Rafaela's is accompanied by a free piece of cake. While the options have often included chocolate and vanilla, the lemon cake is their signature delight and is most likely to appear in front of you just as you're breathing a sigh of genuine relaxation and reaching down to grab another bottle of wine.
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