50 Best Italian Restaurants near Santee

“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!“

“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!“

“Food is great, atmosphere very comfortable... but service is hit or miss. One day it's great; another day the server keeps disappearing and you can't get a breadstick to go with your soup until the soup is cold... very frustrating.“

“Randee is great! I’ve been coming here for a couple of years and the customer service is always solid. I came in about 10 minutes before closing and Randee was already starting to close up, but he still took my order without any issue. I told him my hungry girlfriend sent me, and he got straight to work. Really appreciate the great service.“

“We picked up food yesterday during their grand opening in Santee. Best pesto I’ve ever had! Staff was great too. We will definitely be back.“

“I have been coming here since they opened and they are the best !!!! Everything I have ordered has been beyond delicious and the owner Zak is the best !!! It’s a must try !!!!!“

“cordialità,buon cibo e ambiente raffinato“

“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“

“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!“

“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.“

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

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

“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!“

“Enjoy the atmosphere and great food.“

“There is a covered patio dinning outside area and a enclosed dining area in the back of the restaurant.
Both would hold a large group.
We reserved the enclosed dining area.
This was perfect for the group.
Only, problem...the room requires more lighting for evening dining especially above the buffet/food table.“

“nice place and very good and taste“

“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.“

“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“

“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.“

“very delicious pizza great amount of toppings and cheese , really enjoyed their cheesy bread😋😋“

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

“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👏“

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

“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“

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

“We had an outstanding experience at Olive Garden thanks to Ari, our server, and Jesse, our food runner. Ari was incredibly attentive, professional, and proactive throughout our entire meal. We never had to ask for refills, extra napkins, or anything else. He was always one step ahead and made sure everything was perfect.

Jesse was equally impressive, delivering food promptly and checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. The teamwork between them was exceptional.

This was honestly one of the best dining experiences we’ve had, and it surpassed the level of service we’ve received at some fine dining restaurants. Their attention to detail, friendliness, and genuine care for the customer made all the difference. We will definitely be back and hope to be served by them again!“

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

“Excellent pizza! Great food & love the atmosphere!“

“.......this is the best deli in san diego county period !!........2 of my favorites are the meatball (of course !) and the muffaletta.......that meatball sammie has some of the best meatballs i've had on this planet.........and boy, does this deli have delicious bread which we all know can make or break the sammie, irregardless of what's stuffed inside.......a bit crusty on the outside but pillowy soft wonderness on the inside.......drenched in tasty marinara, some goood melted provolone and them tasty meatballs.............my soul ascends somewhere while i eat this tasty treat, every time..........and that muffaletta is a nice, lighter surprise than the one in the big easy.......the olive spread is nice and brawny like a good olive spread should be..........i've had a few others as well but wanted to highlight my faves...........you can't go wrong here and your tastebuds will say grazie grazie grazie.........“

“This family does everything right, the food is authentic and always delicious, huge portions and a great value for the price. the young man who I believe is the grandson is so kind and polite when he delivers the food, he even remembers me. Thank you to the entire family for old school food and service. 🙏“

“Placed an order for pickup, showed up at the pickup time and there were like 20 people standing around upset. The girl at the counter didn't say hi, wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. After 10 minutes of standing around I left. Eventually, my girlfriend went in and got our order (like 40 minutes after the pickup time). Food was great as always, service was garbage. I won't be returning to this location“

“Pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. So much delicious food! Chicken plate was fabulous, moist, and seasoned well. The lamb was tender and flavorful. Will be returning.“

“Very fast service, friendly people. Delicious food especially the ramen.“

“Same great flavor! Brought back some great childhood memories!“

“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.“

“Excellent service, friendly atmosphere..food very satisfying“

“4/4/2022 My first time getting a pizza from here, and it was amazing! I look forward to trying other items as well.“

“It's great thin crust pizza! You can't beat the prices either.“

“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.“

“Sandwiches are incredible! The lasagna is out of this world! Pizzas are the best! Service was amazing! GREAT PLACE!! If you have never tried, just go!“

“Our waitress Laurie was absolutely amazing! She went above and beyond to make our visit unforgettable, and every dish we tried was bursting with authentic Italian flavor. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto in Mission Valley continues to deliver the best combination of delicious food, warm atmosphere, and outstanding service in all of San Diego.“

“I went as a solo traveler and sat at the bar. The staff was so sweet and friendly. They cleared extra space for me so I could order food (it is a pretty small bar area and I get the feeling food is not often served there) the house wine and eggplant parm were so good and again the staff were so mind and warm. Will definitely go again ❤️“

“One of the best pizzas I’ve had. The staff was very helpful guiding me thru the menu, everything i got was super delicious and tasted homemade! Would highly recommend this place to my friends and family, especially with the big menu they have. I live how there is variety here for everyone :)“

“Pasta and pizzas are delicious. Prices are very reasonable.“

“The restaurant is quite lovely, as was our server Brenda - the best I've ever personally had the pleasure of dining with. We split our entree and still had more than enough for each person's portion. Brenda was very considerate and generous with every accommodation we requested of her. Everything was great and served promptly and thoughtfully. Fantastic food and service.“

“Wonderful! Excellent service delicious food and great atmosphere .“