Tavola Nostra Pizzeria e Cucina

We always have a great time.  The food and service are always exceptional.  Mark was our waiter.  He was absolutely the best.  In fact all of the service staff there are excellent. John Martin

The entire experience was meh. We had told them it was our first time there, that we were from out of town and specifically celebrating a birthday there. The background of the restaurant was provided to us and we were told to enjoy. The arugula salad was the best part. Pastas were meh and customer service was very lukewarm. I wish they had passed by more to check on us. I was especially surprised they didn't acknowledge our birthday. I wanted to try somewhere new in Hillcrest but Tavola was a letdown. The search continues...

Reliable, wonderful Italian food!! Great big ceaser salad perfect for sharing!! The Amatriciana pizza is perfect—crisp, delicious flavors. Please bring back the Amatriciana pasta!!! Definitely make a reservation on weekends. The patio is great for conversation and people watching!! Good value!!!

Honestly an amazing experience. Our waiter Tim was very friendly and super helpful. He recommended a wine that my girlfriend and I both loved. Food was spectacular 10/10 will come back.

Pepperoni Pizza was very good. Everything else was fair. "Bolognese" was not anything like the real thing, which should be a 4-hour simmered sauce where the meat is practically dissolved, served with fresh tagliatelle pasta. Instead, it seemed like marinara sauce with large chunks of browned ground beef tossed in, served with overcooked dried pasta. I ordered spaghetti with meatballs, but was served just spaghetti marinara. When I pointed that out, the server brought a separate dish with three (large, tasty) meatballs. Unfortunately, the pasta was way overcooked. When our grandson's pizza arrived, the server moved his plate aside and put the stand with the pizza right in front of his face. The music was way too loud when we arrived, but was promptly turned down upon request. This was our third visit to this neighborhood restaurant. Unfortunately, it was the second time that we were disappointed, and we will not return.

Service and food were excellent. Prices were a bit high, especially for the wine. I had out of town guests, and this was a great place to take them. We will be back!

We love the restaurant. Mark was an exceptional server. He made the experience even more enjoyable.

It's the gem of San Diego always spot on food,service the whole atmosphere feels like family.

Awesome Italian food! Great service and reasonable pricing! The meatballs are my favorite!

This was definitely one of the best Italian restaurants I've been in, in a while. I'm new to San Diego and I will definitely be coming back here to eat more.

My partner and I recently had the pleasure of dining here, and it was absolutely fantastic! From the moment we walked in, the warm and inviting atmosphere set the tone for a wonderful evening. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made us feel right at home.

Every dish was bursting with authentic Italian flavors. We started with the Brussels sprouts, hands down the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly cooked with a slight crunch on the outside, soft on the inside, not too sweet or burnt, truly addicting. The calamari was equally impressive: light, not too greasy, and beautifully balanced in flavor.

For our main courses, I enjoyed the creamy, rich pasta marsala while my partner had the lasagna della mamma. Both were outstanding. My partner, who’s Italian, even said it was healing her soul because it tasted just like the one her mom makes. We paired our meal with a crisp glass of sparkling rosé, and ended the night with their homemade tiramisu, which was the perfect finishing touch. You can really tell they use fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Overall, it was a memorable dining experience and I can’t wait to come back. Highly recommend for anyone looking for authentic, soul-warming Italian cuisine and excellent service in the heart of Hillcrest!

Wonderful menu, even better selection of wines and pizza. Their Patriótica pinsa is my favorite. Their arugula pizza is awesome. Try it with their primitivo red wines: Zin (a Zinfandel) is my favorite. Thank you Maristella!

Excellent pizza. Good weight staff. Quite expensive for a neighborhood place. $15 and up for dessert?

Showed up at 8:20, they close at 9 and we were turned down. Lady checks her phone and says.. “ummmmm, no we wanna go”

They close 40 minutes before the published time. “We have to go right now”.