If you like your coffee and pastries Italian style, then Il Giardino di Lilli in La Jolla is for you. Named for a family member of the owner’s business partner, Stefania Sciomachen, Lilli, “Lilli’s garden” in Italian, is owned and operated by Giuseppe Scognamiglio, who doubles as the eatery’s pastry chef.
“Il Giardino di Lilli is a tribute to my late grandmother, Liliana Carani, who continues to inspire me, especially my love and appreciation for good food and beautiful gardens,” said Sciomachen, an interior designer, at lillilajolla.com.
The retail space, beautiful and spacious inside and out, was formerly inhabited by Pannikin, which has relocated elsewhere in La Jolla. The coffeehouse and bakery is authentic Italian, with all its pastries and desserts inspired by family recipes passed down generations bringing a touch of Italy to the Jewel.
“We don’t have any regular pastries people find in a coffee shop,” noted Scognamiglio. “On the coffee side, we have multiple options including espresso, cappuccino, and macchiato. We try to be pretty authentic with the coffee. And 90% of the pastries we import from Italy. The only thing we get from local sources is the fruit, vegetables, and sugar. Everything we do we process in-house.”
Scognamiglio said Lilli has become a mecca for Italians. “If you come here early in the morning during the weekend, you hear only Italian spoken,” he said adding, “I found out there are a lot of Italians in La Jolla I didn’t know about.”
Scognamiglio said, when the retail space on Girard Avenue became available, he seized the opportunity because it was a perfect garden spot for their needs. He previously owned restaurants in both Naples, Italy, and in Point Loma.
The restaurateur came to the States “temporarily” seven years ago and liked it so much he never left.
“Stefania and I were looking to open something in La Jolla because we love it here, “Scognamiglio said adding they “changed the inside, the woods. She did everything with the design. Everything that looks pretty: It’s her choice.”
The breakfast and lunch menu at Lilli features a host of Italian sandwiches and salads along with Italian pastries and desserts as well as an assortment of teas and fruit juices.
With an indoor fireplace, Lilli has a very comfortable, homey feeling.
“Our ideal business is to make a place that makes us happy,” said Scognamiglio. “All our employees like working here because they like the way we handle everything. I would say it’s my first home because I spend more time here than at my house.”
The restaurant owner said he has lots of other coffeehouses to compete within the area, but added it is a friendly competition, pointing out all the coffee shops have their own niches and don’t serve the same products.
Above all else, Lilli is a welcoming establishment.
“This is a place where you come and enjoy your time,” said Scognamiglio.
IL GIARDINO DI LILLI
Where: 7467 Girard Ave.
Hours: Daily 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
Contact: lillilajolla.com, 858-203-3926.
