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!!!!“

“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.“

“Excellent food and the service was splendid.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

“cordialità,buon cibo e ambiente raffinato“

“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.“

“Genuinely the best pizza I've ever had, I try lots of places in my free time and I've gone all the way to LA just to try some good pizza, and that pizza was definitely worth the trip, this place TOPS that which says a lot, the service is great too and they gave me free ranch. Super nice staff!!!“

“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.“

“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!“

“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“

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

“Acqua Farina was amazing! Delicious food, a very special vinegar, incredible pasta and sauce, and wonderful fresh bread. The atmosphere, music, and friendly staff made it even better. Roberto, Cristiano, and Anel were the best servers ever—so attentive and helpful, and they made our first visit truly special. We loved the place and can’t wait to come back!“

“Went to Trattoria da Sofia again. The food is amazing. They make all their pasta from scratch. They have "Nonna" is in the back room cranking out pasta. The polenta is authentic and the pasta is al dente. The bolognese sauce is definitely home made. It all reminded me of home.“

“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 .“

“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!“

“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!!“

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

“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!“

“Enjoy the atmosphere and great food.“

“Excelent food and service !!!“

“it was really good I enjoyed it“

“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!“

“Originally we made reservations for a table, but the bar looked more appealing to us, so we chose to sit at the bar instead & I'm glad we did! Service was great, food was phenomenal and you can't beat their happy hour drinks. We ended up with the ribeye, cacio e pepe and asparagus - all were cooked to perfection. We will definitely be returning!“

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

“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“

“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.“

“best italian in San Diego“

“I can’t say enough about this place. Every time we go it feels like we’re part of a big family. The hospitality in the service are wonderful. The food is excellent. Tonight I had pistachio pesto with shrimp (Campanelle Pistacchio e Gamberi). It was excellent. Can’t wait to return.“

“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!“

“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.“

“I found the place to be really nice inside. I placed an order to go. Staff at cashier stand not real friendly but not mean eithier.
I ordered a meat lovers pizza. It was really nice looking FULL OF CHEESE. That was awesome. But I found it to be a bit salty. But doable.“

“Amazing! Great options and friendly environment!!“

“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.“

“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!“

“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“

“Great food and atmosphere!“