50 Best Italian Restaurants near Lemon Grove

“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.“

“Absolutely wonderful experience. Kind, polite. Nice to talk to and I absolutely appreciate that. But this pizza pie is on point. It's delicious. It's clean. It's light you eat a whole pot every few weeks and do it a dough cleanse and it takes everything out of your body. It's wonderful. Nothing else can do that.“

“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!“

“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!!“

“Food always on point!!!!“

“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.“

“Excellent food and the service was splendid.“

“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!“

“This restaurant is definitely a hidden gem! The happy hour deals are amazing, and I ended up coming here every evening during my stay at the hotel. The oysters were incredibly fresh, and they have an excellent wine selection. David and Monica were so welcoming and made every visit enjoyable. I’ll definitely be back the next time I’m in town!“

“cordialità,buon cibo e ambiente raffinato“

“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!“

“Great service great food will be back soon.“

“My fiance and I stumbled upon the Sizzling Pizza by chance and we were blown away with how fresh, perfectly cooked their pizzas are. Romone and Mark gave us outstanding service. We will definitely be returning for more of their delicious food! There's even a dairy free option for those who are lactose intolerant!“

“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.“

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

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

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

“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!“

“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!“

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

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

“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 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!“

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

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

“Picked up pizza for the family on vacation. They had other food there and lots of adult drinks, like wine and beer. The other food looked and sounded great too. Pizza was very good. We'll be back again with the kids and possibly for dinner with the hubby on a getaway.“

“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.“

“Enjoy the atmosphere and great food.“

“Excelent food and service !!!“

“it was really good I enjoyed it“

“Simple yet delicious Italian food. Who knew that a rigatoni marinara could taste so divine? The giant meatball and gnocchi were amazing as well. Excellent service. It was a cool and windy evening, so my only complaint is that the restaurant gets the wind blowing through it, so it was colder than comfortable, at least for me.“

“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!“

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

“My son, my husband, and I just came back from eating dinner at this restaurant and all I can say is that it is out of this world. First, our server John was so knowledgeable. He made everything sound delicious. We had to try lots of different dishes, including the steaks and everything exceeded our expectations by a million times. This restaurant has solidly become one of my top three of all time. Now for suggestions on what to get. Definitely get the sourdough bread with the butter sauce, the carpaccio, the $125 filet mignon and NY strip steak combo, and the carrot cake. All of these are out of this world!“

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

“I visited with my family, and overall we had a great experience. The location is incredible, and the food was outstanding. The dishes were generous in size, tasted amazing, and were reasonably priced. We paid about $160 for five people, which I think is a great value.

The only downside was the hostess’s attitude. I specifically asked to be seated inside because one of the main reasons we chose this restaurant was to enjoy its atmosphere. Instead, we were seated in the back, near the restrooms, in an area with little to no ambiance. That was disappointing and took away from what could have been a perfect dining experience“

“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.“

“Went there last night 07/14 for my husband and I's first wedding anniversary. We came about an hour to closing but despite that staff was amazing. Our server was very kind and attentive. The food was absolutely amazing as well and they weren't upset when we misspoke and accidentally ordered the wrong thing, they corrected it and were patient. Have always really liked this location for the friendly staff and will continue to be a patron!“

“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.“

“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“

“Amazing! Great options and friendly environment!!“

“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“

“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“

“Great food and atmosphere!“

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

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