50 Best Italian Restaurants near Rancho Santa Fe

“Amazing STAFF and food. The General manager was super engaging and grit, staff was attentive even under busy and stressful situations- it’s obvious they have a positive working model. Nice work!“

“Great food . Well prepared and tasty , but a rowdy table with loud guests ruined the atmosphere and enjoyment. I asked management to calm the table down , but nothing was done.“

“Had ordered Salad and pizza’s all were fantastic . Server was awesome !!!! We love your pie’s Buona 😍😍😍😍“

“Excellent food and service.“

“Rosinas is consistently excellent authentic Italian food. The only food downside ( which is why I gave Food a 4 out of 5 rating), is their Ceaser salad...it is consistently bland, really watery, and tasteless...such an unpleasant surprise given that ALL of the other salads are so delicious, and ALL of the other food is delicious. Rosina, PLEASE update the Ceaser salad..it is really awful.“

“Food was excellent and service was great!!,..will be back!“

“Out of the blue, craving spaghetti and meatballs. Did a google search in traffic and saw good reviews for Filippi's. So glad we stopped. A bit off the main road, seemed like it might be closed, but it's just tucked away in a corner.

The food was excellent. Good prices. Place was dark, but cozy. Service was a little bit of a wait to get seated, but it gave us time to look at all of the COOL photos on the walls. History here!

Regulars in the place, lots of friendly energy, and a very welcoming team. Like a hidden gem. We will definitely be back. Bread awesome, meatballs and spaghetti yummy, as was the ravioli.

Looks like they sponsor tons of baseball teams, families would LOVE this place. Nice patio for anyone not liking the cool dark bar seating (comfy booths!). So glad we gave it a try.“

“Food was delicious. We got the traditional carbonara (which is hard to find at most restaurants) and the beef short rib lasagna. We both got a glass of wine, and although the moscato wasn’t my favorite, they did an incredible job and switched it out for a Chardonnay. We finished off our dinner with a shot of limoncello which was thick and smooth. Thank you Francisco and team for incredible service.“

“As always, it was a lovely time at Firenze.  From the hostess to the waiters and bus staff, everyone was friendly and gracious. I had the simply grilled trout with a side of pasta and broccoli. Everything was done perfectly. It's especially nice that the broccoli is cooked but with some crunch left! Yum.“

“Always a wonderful experience with great food and service! I have loved every thing I’ve tried on the menu. This is our go to place whenever we want tasty and excellent cuisine👏“

“Delicious authentic Italian meals artistically served .“

“Tonight I visited Vittorio's for the first time and everything about my experience was first rate! I could see that the hostess had a smile on her face, even before I entered the building. the wait staff was great and the food was wonderful! I've never had a better spaghetti alla carbonara. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I'll be back for sure!“

“I've been eating at Joe's for about 20 years, and I still love his food. I was there 2 weeks ago and the food was outstanding. I usually order the Eggplant Parmigiana and it was even better than the last time. I'm grateful that he has his restaurant and offers us great food to eat. Thank you Joe!“

“My husband and I have been here for the very first time and we immediately fell in love with this place. The staff is amazing, they know how to treat you and make you feel at home. Alice is very passionate about her job and we loved her homemade desserts sooo much. A special mention to Michele, a very young yet extremely professional waiter, who contributed to create a cozy and pleasant atmosphere! As Italian, I can say it's hard to find place such Alice's where you feel so vividly the warm of our country. We will definitely come back!“

“Mama Cella’s Italian restaurant feels like a treasure passed down through generations, offering authentic Italian flavours that truly shine. From the very first bite of the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, I was in love! The dish is creamy and rich in flavor, a perfect example of classic Italian cuisine.

However, I found the meatballs to be a tad salty when eaten on their own. On a positive note, the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, eager to share their knowledge about the food and the restaurant. The cleanliness of the establishment was also impressive, which added to the overall dining experience.

Most importantly, the prices are very reasonable! I would definitely recommend Mama Cella’s, and it will be my go-to spot whenever I’m craving Italian food!

Parking: Yes, you can park in the front of restaurant Or find a spot along the avenue.

Wheelchair accessibility: It’s easy to access with wide doorways that accommodate wheelchairs.“

“Food: they have the menu pretty dialed in. Mid price range and pretty good. We get the take home meals for 6 bucks or whatever sometimes, not a bad price there.

Atmosphere: nice big spaces. Bathrooms and tables are always clean. Dean Martin type music in the bathroom lol.

Server: never had bad service. Treygan was awesome tonight.“

“I think the food is very good. I would give it five stars excellent service, beautiful wine had a wonderful night. 🍷🍝“

“Hello beautiful, I've seen quite a handful of your comments on my post and I just wanna go out of my way to appreciate those people whose comments and good wishes encourages me and I hope to bring you guys so much entertainment 2 Thanks a lot, I feel honored and blessed to have an amazing fan like you. Kindly name 3 of my songs you love so much...“

“fantastic food! one the best Italian spots in so. cal. friendly service.“

“Had a late lunch with friends on a rainy Sunday. It was pouring rain, the only way to park in the restaurant parking lot was to valet, otherwise you have to park on the street or further away in another parking lot. The food, service and view was excellent. I couldn't help but to notice how stained the dining chairs were and the tables looked worn and tired. It's too bad the management doesn't see this and address it. The prices are very reasonable, it's worth a try if you love fresh Italian cuisine.“

“What a sleeper!! We are thrilled to have found this gem. Authentic Italian food. Warm and genuine service. Exceeded our standard for local Italian for lunch. They say to arrive early for dinner, by 5:30 because this place gets busy. Make a reservation if dining later.“

“Excellent food, and the leftovers taste great even the next day when reheated.“

“I really like this place, especially the sandwich they call Venice, it is hard to get stuff like this in the USA. It is huge and I can live off it for two days, ask them to cut it in half for you.

I like the old world deli approach and they have lots of old world ingredients for sale as well,

If you are looking for alternatives to ultra processed food lunches, this is the ticket.

FYI no offense to Subway but this is beyond their wildest dreams and not the same league nor business model. Waaay better. Please go there and help them stay in business, it is close to my office and a little gold mine for people that cherish Euro food.“

“the best ! never disappointed“

“Generally they don't have pesto, but this time they are running a special menu items for couple of weeks. We were lucky to get our pizza and pasta modified to Pesta souce from the chef.
I believe they must introduce pesto version pizza's and pasta in ther menu.

Overall ambience and service was great and courteous.
Their cannolis are so great !!“

“Tonight was our first time at Colosseo Cucina Italian. My husband and I really enjoyed it. It was a wonderful experience: the atmosphere, the delicious food and the live music with Dora Bonaventura. The fact that everyone at the restaurant spoke Italian was a nice touch for me. We will be back soon!“

“My experience here was nothing short of perfection. This was my first time coming here. I was on my way home from a completely horrible day at work when I saw this shop. When I entered, I was met with smiles and warm greetings. The owners were very nice, outgoing, bubbly and attentive. Their food menu had a lot to offer, there weren’t any prices on the menus but they had a large selection. The shop was very cute on the inside and seemed very clean. I will definitely be back as I shared a love of excessive amounts of garlic with the owners! My pizza was amazing and probably the best pizza I’ve had in a long time. Their ranch was to die for!!!!! This definitely made my day 100% better.“

“I ate their Fish and Veggie Plate, it was the most flavorable Salmon I have ever had. It was cooked to perfection with plenty of savory juice left inside. The cubed potatoes and asperagus were seasoned just right. Highly recommend this place. It hit the spot. My final photo shows you just how much I enjoyed it.“

“Service and food here is amazing! A gem of Encinitas; the staff are professional, engaging, and go above and beyond. The owner is personable and greeted us in person.The food is absolutely amazing literally the best Italian we've ever had. Encinitas is worth coming back too just for this Italian experience.“

“Best pasta west of the Mississippi“

“It suits any kind of gathering. The food was amazing. The Manhattan on the rocks-I love when they use the single large ice cube! There was nothing I didn’t like except as the place filled up we got a little warm but still enjoyed our full experience there.“

“Incredible food and excellent service ! Everything is perfect! Michelle and all staff are so amazing ! Thank you for having us and offering such delicious pasta and pizza! Thank you all and happy holidays!!!“

“The restaurant brought memories back from my travels in Italy. The staff was amazing and treated everyone like family. It wasn't easy to pick one entrée. I have to advise to end your meal with a delicious TIRAMISU... We will be returning....“

“Great food, ambiance and staffs. Thank you!“

“I have been going to Filippi's for 40 yrs, my favorite is in Temecula, Michael de filippi told me he starts w/fresh ingredients every morning and throws away the leftovers, you can taste the difference, I stop Everytime on the way to LV and back, this week I stopped in Temecula for their lunch special it feeds a family then in Poway the food is just as good we were so happy and we took home leftover pizza which is the best in my toaster oven the next day. I'm going back this weekend for another pizza it's worth the drive. My waiter he was the best service I have had in a while I tipped him 30% , I wish I knew is him young Latino male, so pleasant the experience. I'll look for him to ask him name he was that good, dark blk hair. This is a place to go to regularly, big servings. I drive 40 mins.“

“Nice change of pace and it was easy to get A table outside during covid.“

“Greg the host at the front was cool and professional, he greeted us with a big smile and sat us at a nice booth next to the bar. Tone is the bartender‘s name and he was actually our waiter as we sat close to the bar . He was very attentive, very professional and friendly. The food was absolutely awesome. I ordered my favorites as my wife did the same. we had our niece and nephew with us. The breadsticks and chicken gnocchi soup were divine. I had the stuffed chicken masala, and it was absolutely delicious ! I love Olive Garden food and sometimes I just can’t get enough. I left very stuffed lol !!“

“My all time favorite, I love this place!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Grilled calamari… Brussels…. Yum!“

“The kids buffet is like $14, which is the same price as a kids meal at most places around legoland. The adult buffet is like $25 or $27ish (definitely less than $30). This includes a self-serve, all-you-can-eat buffet with fountain drink, salad bar, pasta, and pizza.

The buffet and tables are a bit chaotic since it’s a free for all (you find your own table and people/kids leave a mess on the tables).

The other diners at the restaurant can be gross, like touching food and not using the buffet utensils properly. Like, a lot of the diners are kids since duh it’s legoland. But still.

If you have celiac or a food allergy, tell the host or cashier. Michael (the cook handling allergy/celiac meals) came out to discuss options with me. He was fantastic! He offered to make a gluten-free pizza (cheese, meat lovers, veggie, etc.) that takes ~8 minutes. He also offered GF pasta, though it would take ~30 minutes since they boil it in fresh, uncontaminated water (a good sign!).

Michael made me a delicious GF pizza—thin crust, balanced toppings, and clearly made with care. I also asked if he could make a safe salad since the salad bar is a gluten nightmare (cross-contamination everywhere). He brought out a beautiful, tasty salad and even offered a box for my leftovers.

Shout out to Michael—super kind and accommodating!“

“Tasty ice cream, boba tea and coffee in one place“

“Clean, grate service,Perfect location.“

“Gluten free crust was amazing ! We are not celiac but sensitive and best crust we have tried. Gelato was great and made in house as well.“

“Our first time Sunday doing the brunch and everything was so delicious! Our server Nic was superb - very attentive, polite, fun and made sure our experience was perfect in every way. Highly recommend the brunch and be sure to ask for Nic as your server. ❤️“

“Very good pizza and wings. Pizza came out pretty quickly. Sauce is not sweet, which is a good thing. Crust is airy and crunchy. Hot wings were also good. Good sauce. Right amount of vinegar and heat.“

“Feels like You’re eating Sunday dinner at grandmas, but any day of the week you choose.“

“We enjoyed another fabulous meal and fantastic service at Yanni's Bar and Grill. Omar, thank you for your awesome smile and wine recommendation. If you have never been here you really must go and if you have been, go again soon.“

“great pizza. amazing atmosphere can't beat pizza by the beach“

“We came here with our dog on a rainy Saturday night. We were so glad to find a place with a covered patio. But then we were pleasantly surprised with how amazing the beer and pizza were. Duh. It’s in the name. lol. Anyhow there was some confusion about our pizza but Donny went above and beyond to make it right. It was a little hectic because it was so busy but if we weren’t visiting we’d definitely be regulars. Try the Detroit style hot honey, I’ll be dreaming about it.“

“I have been coming here for 45 years and it the best Italian good place around. The three sisters that run it are amazing women that take pride in their work always so uplifting and with a smile on there faces. If you haven’t tried this place what are you waiting for. Get in there and taste everything they have to offer you can’t go wrong with anything you order. And with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day😀“