50 Best Italian Restaurants near Imperial Beach

“Best pizza, the wings are on fire“

“First visit. Nice restaurant. We tried the beef ravioli and lasagna; both delicious. Several other menu options sound amazing; look forward to trying those on our next visits.“

“This is the perfect place if you’re looking for a cozy Italian dinner outing. The staff were attentive and polite. We were seated right away and our server gave some good recommendations. Their bread and butter is so good, we had to control ourselves before the entrees came! Salad was big and we got the smaller portion. We tried the Works and that was so fulfilling. They are not greedy with their cheese. Our favorite was the garlic cheese bread. We could eat that alone and be happy. The ravioli was good the kids liked it with some extra seasoning. Lastly the chocolate cake was very rich and sent us home full and happy.“

“this place is 1 in a 100 I absolutely recommended this place“

“If you are looking for a true Italian experience in San Diego, look no further than Vinarius! We worked with Giuseppe (owner) to host our wedding celebration here back in March, 2023. From the beginning, he was amazing to work with. Incredibly positive and accommodating from the start, we couldn’t have asked for more. The wedding ceremony was planned to be outside and of course, it rained that day. Guiseppe and his staff went above and beyond to accommodate us, allowed us to have the small ceremony inside the restaurant on short notice and made an incredible meal to follow. Our guests were blown away and we couldn’t have been happier. We recommend Vinarius to everyone we know and that is thanks to Giuseppe and his awesome staff. Grazie mille!“

“Food always on point!!!!“

“Walked in last night and had the best pasta I’ve had in a while. I’ll be thinking about that pappardelle. Excellent portions and service.“

“The Last Meal of the San Diego Stay at My Favorite Dinner Spot. Its Downtown Little Italy. Great 10/10 Service. Bar Staff Outstanding. Overall Service. DESTINATION SPOT.“

“We recently hosted a company event at Garibaldi inside the InterContinental, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish.

M.J., the Restaurant Catering Sales Manager, was incredibly helpful throughout the entire planning process. He accommodated our request for a U-shaped meeting setup, coordinated seamlessly with Encore for our AV needs, and helped us plan the food and beverage service for both lunch and our afternoon snack break. He was proactive, responsive, and made sure every detail was handled.

On the day of the event, M.J. went above and beyond by creating signage so our attendees could easily find the meeting space. He also made sure our lunch presentation on the terrace looked absolutely beautiful and inviting. The terrace lunch setting was a wonderful bonus and added to the overall experience.

Ryan was also a tremendous help on the day of the event. After some of our printed materials were damaged by water, he quickly helped us reprint everything and kept us on track throughout the meeting. He also coordinated with the front desk to arrange a birthday surprise for our CEO that included a cake with lit candles. This thoughtful gesture exceeded our expectations and made the celebration extra special.

Overall, the venue, service, and attention to detail were exceptional. Our entire team had a great experience, and we would absolutely host another event here in the future.“

“Everything was incredible! Kika, our server, was so kind and helpful. I am celiac and she guided me through what would work for me! The food was delicious. We loved the vibe and greatly enjoyed our visit! 100% worth a visit!“

“2nd visit and again food and service were great. only complaint was they cleared my dessert when I wasn't finished without asking. took that as hint to leave.“

“Amazing food and a testament to being a good citizen of our planet.“

“Ordered the Torpedo sandwich and it hit the spot!!“

“Do not sleep on this hidden gem of a restaurant! You don’t need to go to Little Italy for a taste of Italy.

Omar is a wonderful character who provided us the BEST service. The Alfredo cheesy bread, salad and pizza were all amazing! Highly recommend!“

“Absolutely fantastic experience at Osteria Cotto e Mangiato! The service from Andrea (owner) was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. Every dish we ordered was incredible-from the rich, comforting Carbonara w/anchovies to the Captain's Treasure chest is unexplainable good, everything was cooked to perfection. You can really taste the quality and care in each bite. This place is a gem in San Diego for anyone craving authentic Italian cuisine. Oh, by the way, did I mention the Tiramisu... WOW!! Can’t wait to come back!“

“Excelent food and service !!!“

“My friend and I had a great time at dinner here on a Monday night. Everyone on the staff, especially our server Charlie, was very friendly. Service was speedy and the food was delicious. Also, on the practical side, I enjoy places with accessible parking. There’s a structure behind the restaurant with usually plenty of parking.“

“best italian in San Diego“

“Best cannoli of my life. This is an absolute must stop in Little Italy.“

“Went to RomaMia tonight for dinner and it was beyond expectation!! The food was exceptional and so flavorful. It was like it was home cooked by an Italian grandmother, with care and love. The bruschetta was delicious, and the Carbonara was absolutely amazing! We will definitely be coming back again!“

“Our favorite restaurant on the Island! Never disappoints 🥰“

“This was our second visit tonight. The first was amazing, hence the second visit. We’ve tried three pizzas now. Margarita, sausage and pep., and the works. All were absolutely delicious. The cheese pulls are insane! One pizza fills two adults for sure. Highly recommend this place. Shoutout to both Larissa and Lizeth. Amazing waitresses!“

“Easily the best sandwich shop in all of SD!!! While you and I might make sandwiches at home, none of us is making a Peperone Rosso. All their Sicilian sandwiches are made on freshly baked schiacciata bread. My choice, the Peperone Rosso balances unctuous salami with peppery arugula, roasted cherry tomato, creamy stracciatella cheese, Pesto di pistachio, and red pepper cream.

I can't wait to go soon and try their other offerings.“

“Great food and atmosphere!“

“Great food, excellent service, and reasonable prices…the trifecta“

“celebrating our 49th anniversary we asked friends for a recommendation of a good Italian restaurant. Hands down Pomodoras. So New Year's eve we made reservations. We loved everything! the food, ambiance and staff were all amazing! Thank you for making it special!“

“EVERYTHING! Best food and nicest employees in the area.“

“Amazing food great environment, a little hidden gem! Everything was great, except our server Jesus C  was a little bit short and not very patient with our service. Other than that, it's a great place. We are definitely gonna try again. “

“Amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to go back! From Boston😎“

“Went here last night after a concert at The Music Box. We were served by the owner. Such a genuinely nice guy. We had the best experience. Beautiful space and such hospitality. We’ll definitely be back.“

“I love the food. Fast Service and friendly . I recommend this place. The food is great.“

“Thank you for a wonderful meal, I truly appreciate the delicious food and great service" or "Your hospitality made for a memorable experience; thank you for creating such a welcoming atmosphere".“

“Amazing artichokes; age old Italian recipes with a twist — cheese and honeycomb deliciousness octopus 🐙 and out of this world beet salad just an absolute treat!!“

“Usually like their pizzas. Seems like there is no much flavor like before. No taste of spices. But they are very quike and curtious“

“Food is delicious, bruchettas are great and tomato soup was so good. there's a relaxed fun environment and most of all staff service is just excellent I highly recommend 👌“

“Their quiche is the bomb.com! I’m also a huge fan of the tiramisu too. The owner made a large tray for me to share with the nurses at my hospital.“

“Great apps and vino. Took my wife for the 1st time.“

“Loved their sandwiches. service and the cookies are to die for!!!“

“I went as a solo traveler and sat at the bar. The staff was so sweet and friendly. They cleared extra space for me so I could order food (it is a pretty small bar area and I get the feeling food is not often served there) the house wine and eggplant parm were so good and again the staff were so mind and warm. Will definitely go again ❤️“

“First time here, visiting from Portland, OR. I knew they had "Gluten-free" listed on their menu, as newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease, it's some comfort that I might be able to eat something. I let the host know when our group arrived. After being seated, our server came up and confirmed with me that I had Celiac Disease and let me know which items were Celiac safe and how they were prepared. The Gluten-free gnocchi were fantastic, as was the Burrata appetizer. Thank you so much. Our Triplet Birthday group absolutely enjoyed ourselves.“

“I am just absolutely speechless at how amazing the food was and friendly our server Peter was! I ordered the shrimp and crab linguini special and my husband ordered the chicken Alfredo. I am part Italian so I’m picky when eating Italian out but this was probably the best Italian food I have ever tasted in my life. And the dessert? Wow. To die for. I will 1000% be back when we visit San Diego and recommend to everyone. I’ll be dreaming about it the rest of my life.“

“First experienced Mimmo’s on my son’s 25th birthday, 2011. Good times with several of his military buddies. Really great food, a wide variety of dishes. Something for everyone. My son is gone now but I go back to Mimmo’s a couple times a year; think of the good times, the love and laughter💙; to feed his spirit, my soul. Oh - the service is always superior; friendly, attentive and kind staff!“

“Very friendly staff, nice traditional furnishing and very tasty foods!“

“Awesome experience!! Great gnocchi and the cannoli is finger licking good!! Will return very soon! Can’t wait!“

“The food was amazing. We tried the Fit for a King pizza. Crisp crust, tons of toppings which included meatballs, sausage, onions, bell peppers and back olives. Also, tried the eggplant parmigiana which came with a side of lasagna and I got to choose meat sauce for it. Garlic bread as well. The service was awesome. She refilled our drinks without us having to ask which is crazy because she was the only server at a pretty busy lunch time.“

“~ Muy rico todo ..Y el servicio excelente~ 🤗😘🍷😋“

“Me gusto la comida, el servicio todo super bien!“

“Everything by we had was amazing! I highly recommend!“

“Best Italian I’ve ever spent money on…been coming here from Atlanta for 3 years and it’s always my first stop…ask for Rudy, he took good care of me…fantastic food, even better people!“

“Fabulous atmosphere and excellent service and always amazing yummy food 🥘“