Diners' Choice: Italian restaurants in San Diego

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

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!

Vinarius

4.9

4.9 (438)

$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

Emily

Dined 6 days ago

We absolutely loved Vinarius! We are only in Sand Diego a few days and have eaten there twice! Beautiful restaurant, warm and inviting atmosphere and the staff and owner really care about you during dinner time. They take the time to check in. An overall atmosphere of warmth, sincerity, and incredible food!

Parma Cucina Italiana

4.8

4.8 (139)

$30 and under

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

Known for the Best Lasagna in San Diego, Parma Cucina Italiana is a charming and cozy family run Italian restaurant in the heart of Historic Hillcrest.

Our traditional Italian cuisine is inspired by generations of home cooking, fresh ingredients, and simple presentations. Our specialties originate from Northern Italy. The must try lasagna is decadent layers of Bolognese and béchamel sauce. Or try our tortellini with cream and prosciutto, or our pappardelle pasta tossed with slow braised short rib and porcini mushrooms.

We have an extensive wine collection with wines from the best regions of Italy. And an Italian meal wouldn’t be complete without our homemade desserts. We suggest tiramisu and profiteroles alla nutella.

Top review

Charles

Dined 2 days ago

As always food was delicious and service was great

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Pomodoro Ristorante Italiano

4.8

4.8 (72)

$30 and under

Italian

Point Loma

About the restaurant

Pomodoro features a rustic yet refined atmosphere, exquisite food presentations and a knowledgeable and friendly staff. Blending classic and contemporary Italian cuisine, Italian music and a colorful "Tomato Inspired" décor. Along the wall, a large wine rack houses many bottles and vintages, our wine list is designed to perfectly compliment your meal. Guests will indulge in the flavor of a true Italian experience the minute they step foot in Pomodoro, located in the heart of Point Loma, San Diego.

Top review

Sandro

Dined on May 26, 2025

Great service really great service food was very good

Tavola Nostra Pizzeria E Cucina

4.9

4.9 (574)

$30 and under

Italian

Hillcrest

About the restaurant

San Diego, meet Pinsa Romana.
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

Mary

Dined 7 days ago

Excellent pizza. Good weight staff. Quite expensive for a neighborhood place. $15 and up for dessert?

Baci Restaurant - San Diego

4.9

4.9 (1954)

$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

Erika

Dined today

Great service food and ambiance classic style love it

Cesarina

4.9

4.9 (5953)

$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

SabrinaVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Fantastic food and drinks, great atmosphere, outstanding service. Always love it here.

Rosina's Italian Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (1303)

$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

PatrickVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Great food, and service, as usual. I enjoyed a daily special with pasta, and shrimp. Half off on wine on a Wednesday was an added bonus.

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Popular dish

Fettuccine Mare e Monte

Elvira

4.9

4.9 (581)

$30 and under

Italian

Ocean Beach

About the restaurant

Benvenuti Nella Mia Cucina, Belli De Nonna! Before we dive into the delicious feast prepared for you, let me give you a little taste of my vita. I was born in the heart of Rome, and I've been cooking up a storm my entire life! My cucina has always been the center of the universe for my 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, their friends, loved ones, and acquaintances – everyone was always Benvenuto!

Now, we've brought that same love and flavor right here to San Diego. My beloved grandson, Niccolo', and his amore, Cesarina, are opening the doors of my Cucina with the same warm heart and passion.

Wondering how I made it to 95? Well, it's simple: I ate everything that's served here and filled my life with amore! So, Benvenuti! Don't hesitate to indulge in "Scarpetta" - dip that bread into the sauce, just like my grandchildren used to do at the stove when they thought I wasn't looking.

Here, Belli De Nonna, it’s all about food, family, and creating beautiful memories!

Top review

Morgan

Dined today

Server was soooo helpful explaining the menu and the entire staff was amazing. Cute little place and highly recommend. <3

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Popular dish

Margherita

Popular dish

TONNARELLI CACIO E PEPE

Popular dish

RIGATONI AL SUGO

Jack & Giulio's Italian Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (1178)

$30 and under

Italian

Old Town

About the restaurant

Jack and Giulio's Italian restaurant has remained a favorite of San Diegans for many years. This popular restaurant, formerly known as Giulio's of Pacific Beach, has proudly served the "Best Scampi" since 1961. In addition to this popular dish, this family-owned and operated restaurant offers many homemade pastas, veal, poultry, beef, and seafood specialties.

Top review

Michael

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Love this restaurant. The food is great (especially The Scampi Giulio). We had a party of mine and set on the beautiful patio. Our server Sergio was the best. Sergio has been our waiter on numerous previous occasions. He has always been wonderfully attentive, informative, and friendly. This night was no different. Thank you Sergio and Jack for making this a wonderful evening.

Anthony's Lounge & Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (379)

$31 to $50

Italian

Temecula

About the restaurant

Welcome to Anthony's Lounge & Ristorante!
Anthony's Lounge & Ristorante is the oldest family-owned restaurant in the Murrieta and Temecula area. Named BEST OF SOUTHLAND: ITALIAN RESTAURANT by LA TIMES 2022. The food is based on authentic family recipes brought by the owner's parents when they emigrated from Calabria, Italy in 1954, which led to them to following their passion and opening their first restaurant in 1963 in Anaheim, CA. Everything on the menu is homemade, from the sausage, ravioli and lasagna, to the crepes used to make their manicotti and cannelloni, ricotta gnocchi and over 50 traditional entrees from pasta, veal (vitello), chicken (pollo), seafood (pesce), antipasto, minestrone and other specialty dishes prepared by our experienced chefs.
Whether you are new to the area or your friends and family want to enjoy the best Italian dining experience, come enjoy our live entertainment and family atmosphere.

Top review

James

Dined 1 day ago

Awesome experience, food is great as is service. The empanada appetizer and Sea Bass are to die for.

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