Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated November 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Italian cuisine in San Diego? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Baci Restaurant - San Diego

4.9

4.9 (1886)

$31 to $50

Italian

Old Town

About the restaurant

Baci Ristorante offers diners a hint of old world Italian charm, with plush booths, white tablecloths, and gracious servers clad in tuxedos. While the decor is subtly modern, the menu is classic, celebrating Northern and Southern Italian cuisine. Specialties include classic pasta dishes, veal, and fresh seafood, with especially tempting daily specials offered by Executive Chef Domenico Alioto. In addition to the cuisine, the restaurant's charming and welcoming features--include an extensive wine list, elegant patio setting, and romantic main dining room--have made Baci a consistent favorite among locals for over 30 years.

Top review

Joel

Dined 2 days ago

Wonderful Dinner and atmosphere. Definitely a place to experience

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Popular dish

Parmigiana

Tavola Nostra Pizzeria E Cucina

4.9

4.9 (540)

$30 and under

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

San Diego, meet Pinsa.
An ancient recipe comes back to life at Our Hillcrest Restaurant.
Tavola Nostra Pizzeria E Cucina is a full-service Italian restaurant and pizzeria bringing a modern touch to family recipes and an ancient style of pizza called, Pinsa.

Tavola Nostra, which means “our table”, is owned and operated by Jeff Oliveri – a first time restaurateur from a family of longtime restaurant owners who hopes to honor his familial heritage and tradition with his Italian dining concept that creates one of the best Hillcrest restaurants.

Top review

Markvip

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent place to eat great food, drink fine wine, and enjoy the beautiful people who share it with you! Thank you!!

Mona Lisa Cocktails & Cuisine

4.8

4.8 (91)

$50 and over

Italian

El Centro

About the restaurant

Step into Mona Lisa, an opulent haven of Italian cuisine. Discover a culinary masterpiece where prime steaks are elevated to perfection, accompanied by meticulously curated sides that redefine indulgence. Our open bar offers an endless selection of finely crafted cocktails and wines, enhancing every moment. With an ambiance of refined luxury, Mona Lisa invites you to savor the art of flavor in every bite of our prime steaks, making your dining experience unforgettable.

Top review

Sterling

Dined on Nov 4, 2024

Loved it. Like stepping into San Diego. Food was great. Nice special occasion place to go

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Popular dish

Ribeye 16oz

Ambrogio15 Del Mar

4.8

4.8 (211)

$30 and under

Italian

Carmel Valley

About the restaurant

Ambrogio15 Del Mar is a more upscale, but still casual version than our Pacific Beach Restaurant. We will have gourmet Pizzas developed by our partnership with Michelin-starred Milanese chef Silvio Salmoiraghi, his partner Choi Cheolhyeok, and gastronome Paolo Tucci. Additionally, we will also offer a five-course gourmet tasting menu for 15-20 diners at a time featuring Italian dishes and global meat and seafood entrees, with a vast menu of natural Italian wines and French Champagnes.

Top review

Dined 2 days ago

Amazing food and great service. Fast and high quality authentic food

Vinarius

4.9

4.9 (366)

$30 and under

Italian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Vinarius is an Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar in Little Italy San Diego. We offer an extensive wine list with wines coming from different regions of the world; the best meat and cheese board with Italian cured meats and different cheeses to pair with our wines. Our chef Alex makes homemade pasta enriched with our homemade sauces, entrees, pizza, different appetizers to choose from, and desserts that pair well with our port wines and after-dinner drinks. You definitely have to try our daily specials!
Our cozy full bar is also the perfect place to enjoy your drink and food while watching some sports!

Top review

marinevip

Dined on Nov 7, 2024

Visiting from LA and happened to dine in this restaurant in Little Italy. After enjoying our food I kept thinking why don’t we have this in LA. The food was great and the service was superb.

Arrivederci

4.8

4.8 (81)

$31 to $50

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

Arrivederci Ristorante is an authentic Italian restaurant. Arrivederci means hello. The restaurant's name refers to Italian hospitality offered here. It has a decent semi-formal ambiance. The walls are decorated with paintings gathered from different parts of Europe. Antique lamps are hung from the ceilings to add a rustic appeal. Arrivederci specializes in preparing all dishes with authentic Italian recipes and ingredients. Grigliata vegetariana is prepared with a variety of assorted grilled vegetables. Rigatoni amatriciana is prepared with tabular pasta soaked in rich sauce, prepared with tomatoes and romano cheese. Italian bacon topping enhances the flavor. Pollo al funghi is the traditional chicken meal. The boneless breast of chicken is topped with mushrooms. The ingredients are cooked in wine sauce. Arrivederci serves Italian wines and beers.

Top review

Sarah

Dined 7 days ago

Always the best of the best!! Welcoming and cheerful place with the best service in San Diego. Authentic Italian atmosphere and the food outstanding! Generous wine pours and large plates of mouth watering Italian cuisine. We always feel exhilarated in anticipation of our nights at Arrivederci’s!

Cesarina

4.9

4.9 (5443)

$30 and under

Italian

Ocean Beach

About the restaurant

Cesarina is a grandmother, a mother, a daughter—our personification of a nurturer who feeds and cares for her community. From meticulous attention to detail and fresh ingredients to the warm and inviting atmosphere, this restaurant is a celebration of the power of food and family.

Top review

Lauravip

Dined 4 days ago

Simply the best! Thomas took great care of us. Fave restaurant in San Diego, always

Sorrento Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (25)

$31 to $50

Italian

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Sorrento Ristorante offers traditional Italian cuisines in its warm and hospitable ambiance. The restaurant is decorated with simplicity. Washed in decent shades of brown, it has a decorate ceiling. Tiny bulbs hang from the ceiling to create a romantic environment. Large pillars in the dining room are decorated with fresh flower arrangements and glasswork. The restaurant has a native Italian staff. It has a beautiful outdoor patio, serving the warmth of San Diego nights. Sorrento Ristorante is popular for its variety of authentic Italian dips and sauces. Guests can customize their meals by pairing up the sauces with their main meals. Pesto sauce makes a nice combination with all pastas. Chocolate mousse is served with chopped dark chocolate chunks and white chocolate cream topping. The lightly tossed bleu cheese is prepared in the craft kitchen. The bar at Sorrento Ristorante serves Italian wines and beer.

Top review

Nick

Dined on Oct 8, 2024

Food was excellent. Went with a group. Short rib was great. Lasagna was great. Gnocchi was great Formaggi pizza was great. And then all the desserts. It was a big group so we tried almost of them: cannolis, cheesecake bread pudding. Was a fantastic meal.

Pizzo's Pizzeria 2 at Millenia Otay Ranch

4.8

4.8 (240)

$30 and under

Italian

San Ysidro

About the restaurant

Located in the Millenia Otay Ranch, this eatery offers Neapolitan pizzas, cocktails, wine & salads, plus outdoor seating. Pizzo's Pizzeria offers a full Italian menu and serves the Otay Ranch area. area with dine-in options, online ordering and pickup.

Top review

Michaelvip

Dined on Nov 10, 2024

Our server Natalia was attentive, energetic and extremely helpful. We started with the beet salad and calamari for appetizers followed by the Diavola pizza, pesto penne pasta with chicken and fettuccine alfredo with chicken. We topped it all off with the tiramisu and chocolate chip bread pudding. Everything was delicious… if you’re a fan of dessert though, the bread pudding is a must try!

Rosina's Italian Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1196)

$30 and under

Italian

Poway / Rancho Bernardo

About the restaurant

Rosina's Italian Restaurants is traditional, casual and family friendly. We prepare our pastas and sauces fresh daily. Rosina's is a great place for a business meeting in our larger additional dining room, special gathering date night, or family dinner.
Hand Made for 30 Years
We serve healthy, Mediterranean recipes the Italian way: homemade soups, fresh vegetables, classic Italian cuisine from the heart of Italy. Our family has prepared meals for San Diegans for almost 30 years.
Find out why your neighbors are calling both of Rosina's locations hidden gems, and make sure to try the nightly dinner specials!

Top review

Gavin

Dined 3 days ago

The dinner was fantastic. Rosina, the mother of the head chef Giancarlo. Really helps this restaurant stay authentic. If you are craving good southern Italian cuisine I would highly suggest this restaurant.

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Popular dish

Fettuccine Mare e Monte

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