Goodfellas Cafe

Spending nearly a decade in New Jersey, it was impossible to not fall in love with the diner restaurant model. And whether it’s a hearty breakfast to start the day, or making a quick stop to enjoy a generous lunch or dinner offering, there’s something deeply Americana about diners. The wide assortment of menu offerings, the smells of bacon frying or desserts baking wafting into the dining room to tease your tastebuds, or the ever present rich aroma of coffee lingering in the air, diners are a heart-filled aspect in our desire to hit the road.

At the Goodfellas Café, an Italian-American diner that shares a name with the 1990 classic Scorsese film, the treatment of food and recipes embodies what good diner food is. In that film, amidst the romanticized imagery of gangster life, tucked between the whirlwind of violence and crime, there is a scene that pays homage to the beauty that comes in the comfort of delicious food. And while you might not find a mob boss thin slicing garlic cloves with a razor blade in the kitchen, you’ll find the same level of care, warmth, and love in their food.

Serving delicious food for over 15 years, Goodfellas (located in the heart of Corona, just off the 91 freeway) feels exactly how a classic café/diner should. The seating was close and cozy; the place always busy on weekends during breakfast and brunch hours is a testament to how amazing the food is. And from breakfast to dinner and dessert, everything that was tried on the menu was something special. 

Breakfast is served daily from 6am to 12pm (6am to 2:30pm on weekends) and a variety of classic options are available. The food at lunch and dinner is where this place really stands out. With an old-school Vegas charm (many of their menu items feature names of Rat Pack members), the food is nothing short of spectacular.

What to eat at Goodfellas Cafe in Corona, CA

Beef Barley Soup:  A delicious blend of beef stock, carrots, onions, and celery settled against a good amount of tender beef and barley. This was the perfect cup of soup for a dreary, grey day. Good balance of flavors and seasoning, without being overly salty.

Split Pea Soup: Smoky ham and green peas work so well together. This diner staple is excellently done at Goodfellas, though a touch more smokiness from the ham would be welcomed. 

Garlic Cheese Toast: Served with all soups (or your choice of a dinner roll), this thick Texas Toast is great for dipping or eating on its own. Grilled on one side, with a sprinkling of Parmesan and just enough garlic & herbs that isn’t overbearing, this is a fantastic accompaniment to a cup of hot soup.

Pita Fries: Such a simple idea that is absolutely exceptional. Strips of pita are fried and served with an incredible tzatziki sauce. Pro-Tip – the Pita Fries also doubled as a delicious addition to the split pea soup. If you get no other appetizer, you must try this.

“Rat Pack” Combo Platter: With such an amazing menu of appetizers available, it would be hard to pick just one… so Goodfellas offers a sampler platter that has all of their hit favorites. A generous portion of chicken strips, chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, and zucchini sticks, this platter is an incredible way to start any meal. The sauce on the chicken wings was a slightly peppery, but sweet sauce that wasn’t overbearing. The zucchini sticks were a standout, as they didn’t suffer from the mushiness that usually comes with fried zucchini.

Goodfellas Burger: An absolute unit – this burger easily feeds a family of four. Paired with deliciously crisp seasoned fries (or your choice of soup, salad, or fruit like many of their menu offerings), this barnyard behemoth is perfectly cooked, well-seasoned and downright sinfully delicious. Four (yes, four) 1/3 pound angus patties, bacon, black forest ham, and two kinds of cheeses are piled high atop a bed of your typical burger accompaniments. But the tomatoes, onions, and lettuce are merely wallflowers at this carnivorous rave. Absolutely delicious with every bite that you can attempt to take. Make sure to ask for extra napkins for this bad boy.

Goodfellas Salad: Interested in a lighter fare? The Goodfellas Salad tries its best. A sort of antipasto salad, towering with salami, turkey, bacon, mozzarella, provolone, (okay, so definitely not lighter fare) tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, olives and avocado. This salad is built to share but could serve as a delicious meal (or three) on its own. Your choice of dressing, the Italian is sharp with its acidic vinegar, which helps to cut the fat from the Noah’s Ark inspired toppings. 

Turkey Melt: A wonderful mouthful of autumn: thick-cut turkey breast paired with melty Jack cheese on sourdough (or in our case, some of that delicious grilled garlic cheese toast), the turkey was tender, lightly seasoned (not too dry as turkey breast can sometimes be) and works as a perfect companion to the melted jack. Would recommend sauce and/or veggies to accompany it.

“Guido’s Original” recipe: Oh, these meatballs. These deliciously tender meatballs. While pasta is extremely hit or miss at restaurants, Goodfella’s take on the Italian-American classic of Spaghetti and Meatballs knocked it out the park. A mountain of well-cooked pasta topped with  marinara that was just the right balance of sweet and acidic. But the meatballs were absolutely the headliner here. Melt in your mouth tender, balanced seasoning, and just simply delicious. My only complaint was that there weren’t a dozen more. Goodfellas also serves a meatball sandwich and that alone is going to be worth a return trip.

Bread Pudding: Not your normal bread pudding but nothing short of delicious. It was served cold, with a nice hint of orange zest throughout the pudding that helped it from being too stodgy. A delicious rum frosting topped it off. Perfect with a hot cup of coffee.

While fusion restaurants and trendy dining experiences are far more commonplace, and the spiderwebbed freeways weaved throughout California pay more favor to chain restaurants and quick bites on-the-go, there’s still great comfort in settling down for a bite at a local joint. Goodfellas Cafe, with their cozy interior, friendly demeanors, and excellent Mom-worthy recipes, show that food is where the heart is, and when the food is this good… you’ll always feel like you’re home.