Mely's Cafe — Restaurant in San Pablo

Mely’s Cafe is hands down one of my favorite restaurants EVER. It is truly a hidden gem and I’m so glad it opened in this neighborhood.

My first, number one reason why I say Mely’s is one of the best restaurants ever is because THEIR PASTA DISHES ARE SO DELICIOUS AND UNMATCHED. When I first tasted their pasta, I was taken aback by how GOOD it was. The sauce was SO flavorful, SO savory, and so fulfilling.

The taste of wine in the sauce was so strong and potent, but not overbearing, that I was surprised that there was a restaurant nowadays that is still generous with the sauce and not skimping out on anything! Combined with great herbs and seasoning, their pasta dishes come out perfectly every time.

The pasta is the perfect consistency and texture with great mouthfeel. They don’t cut corners, and from what I was told, they use whole, fresh ingredients instead of processed ingredients, such as pre-made sauce.

I am always on the lookout for good Italian restaurants and delicious, authentic, well-made pasta dishes; I’ve been to a lot of different Italian restaurants in the Bay Area, trying many of them in search of tasty, satisfying, rich pasta dishes, so believe me when I say that Mely’s is actually one of the best places to eat pasta in all of the Bay Area!!! You might not think it because they serve other cuisines as well, which is why I was surprised at how well they do pastas!! I cannot sing the praises of their pasta ENOUGH; I truly am not exaggerating 😄😄😄.

No one does pasta like them. I am always craving for their pastas and always defer to Mely’s as my restaurant of choice whenever I want to dine out by myself or with other people. Their portion sizes are generous and they don’t skimp out on ingredients! The food plating and presentation are also very nice.

I can truly get whatever I want at Mely’s—it’s like they have everything!! They have such a large selection, their menu is so diverse and long that you wouldn’t be able to be bored with it.

I love eating brunch food, and Mely’s is the perfect place for that too! The first time I had their hash browns, I was wowed because they were so crispy and fresh and perfectly-made! I also go to many other brunch restaurants, so I could tell that in comparison, Mely’s hash browns were special! Their freshly-juiced carrot juice is so delicious and refreshing too.

I am also grateful that they have vegetarian options. The chef is so nice, attentive, welcoming, and accommodating. I like a particular vegetarian pasta dish they have, but prefer that they make it with fettuccine pasta instead. When I mentioned it to the chef, he readily complied and said I could just tell him and he can make it for me like that.

Their waiter is also very nice and has good customer service. He is attentive and efficient so it’s just a nice added bonus on top of this all-around pleasant, satisfying restaurant. The food comes out very quickly too.

Mely’s Cafe is a convenient stop and I always know I will be guaranteed a good, tasty, scrumptious, filling meal. It is also like comfort food to me. Going to Mely’s simply brightens up my day because I just love their food 😄. Their consistency in the quality they deliver makes them trustworthy to me. They have a small parking lot so it’s easy to just park and go in to eat.

I truly love Mely’s with all my heart and hope they are around for...

I just discovered the place on Friday -- we were feeling restless and decided to look just one-more-time for a decent, fairly-priced breakfast spot this side of El Cerrito. Well, this time I think there were a few angels listening...

When we arrived at this little hole-in-the wall strip-mall eatery, we were welcomed by their friendly staff. I looked at the breakfast menu and thought I was in heaven!

Years ago, there was a place in San Francisco, in Cow Hollow called Doidge's Kitchen, with a menu like this. Time and rising rents pushed it more and more upscale until it was almost impossible to get a reservation and almost too expensive to afford, but It didn't matter -- we were always very willing to drive to San Frantasia and brave the parking impasse, until the escalating rents pushed them out entirely. Since then, all we've been able to do is dream.

So ok, I decided to try an old favorite: eggs Florentine. They arrived in beautiful simplicity, two perfect poached eggs on a bed of perfect steamed spinach, with a housemade hollandaise that made my eyes roll up in my head. No unneeded gussying up -- if I wanted tomatoes, or mushrooms, etc. etc., they had other Benedict-style dishes to accommodate. I had chosen fruit as an accompaniment instead of hash browns, and was presented with an artistic arrangement of melon, sliced apples, oranges, kiwis and bananas...omg! I wafted home with my tummy and my heart full to bursting.

I called an old friend immediately. We used to have a 'usual suspects' breakfast every weekend at a local restaurant, until we ran out of really local options. I told him about our find, and he joined us there for Sunday breakfast this morning. Another wonderful meal, for the three of us: an Irish Benedict for my friend, and an egg tartine for my sweetie. And me? There were so many temptations I couldn't make up my mind...and then I thought about Friday, and how LONG it had been since I'd had my very favorite morning dish without making it myself, at home. You guessed it -- I did it again! Purrrr...

Now, I guess it's time to get busy and sample every dish on the menu at least once. Since we usually eat at home, that will keep a gleam in my eye for maybe a year or more! Maybe I'll add some pictures...

If I could afford to keep Mely's all to myself, I WOULD! I believe EVERY review of this restaurant, will be 5 Stars!! ALL points this is a phenomenal restaurant. Small Business - ☆☆☆☆☆ Boom for Your Buck - ☆☆☆☆☆ Variety of food - ☆☆☆☆☆ Flavor of food - ☆☆☆☆☆ Presentation of food - ☆☆☆☆☆ Cleanliness- ☆☆☆☆☆ Friendly atmosphere - ☆☆☆☆☆

We are getting ready to sail away to SoCa & Mexico for a year, MELY'S and owners will be truly missed😔. Living on our boat nearby Mely's has been a staple for me. I have brought my hubs, adult children, grandchildren... and for our final night, will bring my Aunt & Uncle and say Cio until next we meet. Thank you for always being so kind, so delicious, so beautiful. ☝️Update 4/8/22 ☝️

I have ordered & eaten 4 dishes in three days, all made to perfection. Sunday night I ordered the Ribeye w/shrimp & smothered in white sauce, picked up my to go and went home. To be honest, more times than not, I get distracted from eating for sbout an hour or so when I get home... so I wrap my togo container with a towel to keep it nice & warm and I say to myself... this will be the real test, can it withstand time sitting for what ended up being 2 hours.The answer is an unequivocal YES!! My food tasted as if it had just come off the grill AND it was still warm (although that was my doung...lol) & Amazing tasting!! I have no doubt, I will try EVERYTHING on their menu!! Tonight, I think I'm going for the Chicken Oscar!

Dishes tried so far; Chicken Valdostana ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ribeye Steak with Shrimp ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Croque Madame ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Crab Eggs Benedict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Chicken Oscar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Chicken & Mushroom gnocchi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Readers, do know that ANYONE who rated a one star, is either trying to get a free meal, lying, or hates everything and will...