50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lemon Grove

“Thee perfect fold with the perfect crunch! You can taste the true perfection in that the family takes pride in making pizza! Fresh ingredients. Perfect crunch! Not overcooked or undercooked. I have to say that this pizza dough was made to perfection! Airy dough paired with great sauce and fresh toppings. You have to give this place a try if you been looking at it or thinking about it. You will not be disappointed. Supporting small businesses.“

“The food is so good! 100% recommend the vodka sauce! Stuffed mushrooms are fantastic. Ambiance is fabulous and service is so good. Alex was our server, he’s a keeper. This is our new go to Italian restaurant.“

“Awesome family owned business. Great food. Been around for decades.“

“Food is good and the service is great.“

“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!“

“We absolutely loved our dinner at Monzu in the Gaslamp! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff struck the perfect balance of being friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. We started with the tartare di tonno, which was incredibly fresh and flavorful—an excellent beginning to the meal. The housemade focaccia deserves a special mention: airy, perfectly seasoned, and quite possibly the best I’ve ever had. For the main course, I enjoyed the bucatini all’amatriciana. The pasta was clearly house-made, cooked to perfection, and the sauce had that authentic depth of flavor that only true Southern Italian cooking delivers. We finished with an affogato, which was the ideal ending—simple, rich, and satisfying. Monzu offers authentic Southern Italian fare with genuine hospitality, and everything we tried reflected both freshness and craftsmanship. I would 100% return and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an unforgettable Italian dining experience in San Diego.“

“Food always on point!!!!“

“Great food and great service! Food was fresh and expertly prepared! Probably the best service I have ever experienced and the place was busy at the time we were there!!“

“Fabulous food served in a no-frills, casual atmosphere. The service was excellent and Chef Luciano Cibelli comes out of the kitchen and checks with every table to see how diners are doing. Great place to celebrate a special occasion. We enjoyed the seafood fettucini, chicken parmesian, and the catch of the day, which was sea bass on a bed of roasted vegetables, with beet purée and a delicious beurre blanc. Delish!“

“cordialità,buon cibo e ambiente raffinato“

“The whole experience was wonderful. The view was beautiful. The food was delicious. The service was out of this world. David, our server went above and beyond to make this evening special for us. We were very impressed both by the restaurant and the service.“

“The Chefs Cheese Wheel pasta was absolutely amazing!!“

“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!“

“Excellent food and the service was splendid.“

“Me, my husband and my service dog went to order two pizzas at 8:50 pm on 10/29/2025 and the young man that helped us was polite and friendly. We're from of town and our experience was a great one. Our pizzas were delicious and the prices were good. We'll be returning to this establishment on our next trip. Thank you.“

“Spending my evening at a new restaurant in South Park called Il Posto. So far everything I’ve tried is spectacular.“

“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.“

“good pizza, sandwiches 🥪 at won't hurt ur pockets. nom noms“

“C est la troisièmement fois que nous venons dans ce restaurant italien et nous sommes toujours aussi satisfaits des produits authentiquement italiens et de l accueil, aussi bien pour un repas le soir que pour une formule du midi. Nous y retournerons dans doute à notre prochaine visite à Paris“

“This place is absolutely amazing. The service was exceptional and we felt so welcomed. The handmade pasta and dishes are to die for. My husband has the special and I had the pescatore dish followed with dessert. We will definitely be back!“

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

“Great service great food will be back soon.“

“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!“

“Was in San Diego for a family reunion and found this restaurant by accident. Great place for some good Italian food. After living in Italy for a number of years nice to discover a place who knows how to prepare authentic Italian food. Next time we come to San Diego we will be enjoying food at Tavola Nostra Pizzeria e Cucina. Grazie per tutte - cibo e buono .“

“I would give it a 5 star but I just paid $25 for two hours of parking when they’re supposed to have their own parking lot. There was a sign that pointed to the left for Filippi’s parking …. Rip off. Don’t know what they’re trying to pull here.“

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

“3/5 for a first timer during restaurant week… the special menu was $50 per person…. we never got any bread with our dinner (and didn’t realize we were left out until we were on dessert)… and, portions were small, so the bread would have been nice, especially for $50… also, the server made us make our food order at the same time as our drinks… personally, i like to have a drink or two before i order my food… so, the service was rushed in that sense… and no one asked me if i wanted a second glass of wine i had the veal and my friend had the lobster ravioli… both tasted decently but, again, small portions… the burrata was amazing and the desserts (tiramisu and lava cake) were pleasant i think i’d like to try again on a night that isn’t as busy, and order off of the actual menu“

“This place food, ambience, decor, patio, services, etc, etc, etc gas not competition around san diego,“

“Enjoy the atmosphere and great food.“

“I had the arancini, pistacchiosa on my first visit. Both were excellent choices. The arancini were well crusted on a delicious ragu bed. I decided not to add any extra parmesian or red pepper in order to enjoy the original flavor of the pistacchiosa. I look forward to returning and trying other items like the risotto and tiramisu. Grazie Trattoria da Sofia for a pleasant experience!“

“The Margarita pizza was the best . Thus far from any pizzaria I’ve had“

“The food the service is amazing. VERY bad experience that little Roma restaurant I should’ve known better that there’s no place like Nonna’s.“

“A wonderful evening! I'll be honest was wonderful and it really seemed like a hot place to be. So many beautiful people! The food was flavorful and well balanced, however, my pasta was overcooked which is a big No-No in an Italian restaurant. I'll be back!“

“To sit and enjoy The entire staff is friendly and the owner and his son are amazing!! They have the best atmosphere, food freshly made! Lasagna is so good - pizza is seasoned well and the dough is good“

“We love Parma Cucina!! The food is authentic and they treat everyone like family! Bellissimo!🇮🇹❤️“

“We had a phenomenal experience at Cardellino! Once we had our first bite of the lamb lollipops, we knew we were in for a real treat that night. The lamb along with the filet mignon and radiatori bolognese were there stars of the show. We also thoroughly enjoyed the prime ribeye, wild mushroom polenta, and the unique twist on the cacio e pepe. We added black truffle to our meats and I highly recommend that addition. We will surely be back!!“

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

“We had my birthday celebration at The Godfather and their private room is ideal for large parties. The food was delicious and the service superb! A huge thank you to Salvatore Ercolano, the new Godfather! He was the perfect host for our event and made sure that everything was perfect!“

“I really enjoy their lunch specials, order a penne pasta and it came with a side salad. Food was excellent and the staff was so friendly.“

“Outstanding waitress . She was by herself and still managed to keep her cool. Definitely liking this place one thing, the. Chicago beef gravy is way too salty and you guys need to roast the green peppers . pizza was outstanding. Thank you.“

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

“Never had a bad experience here. The staff are always super friendly and make you feel welcomed and take good care of us. This is our favorite no-frills, reliably good food, hole in the wall spot. Our son loves the food here too! Highly recommend“

“Great food and atmosphere!“

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

“the food is SO tasty, welcoming honey atmosphere, wonderful service in an intimate setting.“

“Highly recommend for your next Italian dinner. Delicious food and well portioned. We ordered family style and enjoyed a little of it all. Everything was fresh and full of flavor. My 2 and 4 year old absolutely loved the kids bolognese! Will be returning next time we are in SD!“

“Excelent food and service !!!“

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

“had takeout spinach lasagna tonight. Outstanding meal! I definitely recommend 😍😍💯💯👌👌“

“The best restaurant in San Diego ❤️“