50 Best Italian Restaurants near Santee

“Came here with the family after a day at SeaWorld, the service was great the food was too. The wings were nice and crispy just how we like them they gave us the Buffalo sauce in separate little bowls something new but the Buffalo sauce was really good and the ranch was nice and creamy. We ordered 2 pizza's it was more than enough for all of us there were seven of us, if you like really and I mean really cheesy pizza this is the spot for you. The drinks all tasted great the only thing I found a bit silly is they limit the refill on fountain drinks to 3 if that was removed my rating would go up to 5 stars no doubt. Will definitely eat here aging next time we visit California.“

“Olive Garden Review
I had a fantastic dining experience at the Olive Garden last night! Our server, Jay, was absolutely amazing. He was attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed.
We started off with a delicious Italian margarita and a strawberry lemonade. The drinks were perfectly refreshing and set the tone for a wonderful meal. For our main course, we both ordered the shrimp and scallop fettuccine, and it was absolutely incredible. The pasta was cooked to perfection, the sauce was flavorful, and the seafood was fresh and tender.
Overall, I highly recommend the Olive Garden for a delicious and enjoyable dining experience. Be sure to ask for Jay as your server!“

“Been going to Nicolosi's since I was a kid when they were on El Cajon Blvd. Always have had good experience there. The one area they need to improve on is adding the points to the rewards card. The last two times they took my card but didn't add the points. Waitresses need better training.“

“I never realized Fox's pizza location was very close to our house. The pizza is delicious and the service is great. the pizza was ready in 15 minutes. Although it wasn't quite ready when we got there, the wait was only about 5 minutes. The employee who helped us was very professional, courteous, friendly, and helpful.Highly “

“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 !!!!!“

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

“Very good italian delicious fresh food.“

“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.“

“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,“

“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“

“I ordered The Works with extra cheese and this pizza hit the spot. This is my first experience with them but certainly not my last. Yum“

“The best and freshest italian food I've found in San Diego! Try their fresh daily pastas!“

“Get the white sauce gnocchi! Omg! An explosion of cheesy goodness in your mouth. I wish the plate was bigger, cuz it’s that delicious! It does need some bread of some sort to soak up the extra sauce… because I’m not licking my plate again ?“

“Enjoy the atmosphere and great food.“

“nice place and very good and taste“

“I love this place they are always polite and the food is crazy good & a slice of pizza with a soda under $6 and it's a huge slice!

Parking: It's next to an Albertsons so the parking can get crazy

Wheelchair accessibility: 2 spaces right in front“

“It's our place to dine. Great food. Antonio and all the staff are wonderful. John Adams“

“This food is off the hook and this husband and wife owned restaurant is the best I've ate at in my entire life (57 years). Great customer service. 8:00 pm and we have been moving all day. I happened to call and they said they were closing but would stay open for us. We got there and seated right away., they never rushed us. This is by far the best authentic Italian restaurant I have ever eaten at and I have worked in 2 myself. I would highly recommend stopping by while your in town“

“Stopped at Pappalecco for some gelato and left extremely satisfied! We had one with the pappalecco signature flavor and agave pistachio and the other with Nutella and pistachio. Delicious! We sat on the dog friendly patio (although dogs aren’t allowed inside). The server was very friendly and quick. Recommend!“

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

“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.“

“Loved this place! Great food, great service, great atmosphere. They do BYOB and there’s no corkage on Wednesdays. The off menu gnocchi with beef rib was amazing.“

“Their original restaurant on 6th Ave used to be a family favorite back in the 60's and '70's where you could watch the pizza makers tossing the dough. They currently have 2 locations. This family run Italian restaurant is a real gem. Their menu is fabulous and the food is outstanding. You must give them a try. You can thank me later.“

“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“

“This place is beautiful— everyone that works here is so friendly they went above and beyond to make sure that me and my wife were taking care of, the food is so delicious (best itialian subs I’ve had) and the atmosphere is so cozy (10/10)

Parking: Side of street or in back“

“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.“

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

“Might i suggest on the weekend...have a reservation in advance. Parking is tuff on a Friday night. Once inside you feel like you have escaped to somewhere other than a strip mall. Very cute and quaint place. Our service was excellent! The drink "the other woman" was quite delightful, we also liked the Barbera wine. Favorable vegetarian options but limited at the same time. The bolognese was quite the presentation and had good flavor but overall it was dry. The bread (yum) and sauce (yum) are excellent. We added the left over bread sauce to the bolognese which made it more enjoyable. You have to try the sweet potato gnocchi dish maybe even share it as an appetizer. Delish! Just a heads up, on the weekends the bar is not available for regular use. We are the type of people to pop in and have a drink or two and learned that wasn't an option. Too bad, seems like a fun place to hang out especially when they have music but it is small so you have that. Check it out!“

“Their add claims to have "The best pizza ever" or something along those lines. I asked my son how it was and he said top 5 for sure! Mind you he was born in Manhattan. We are also currently on the tail end of a one year, four corners of the United States, camping trip. So needless to say, we been around.It was magical in my mouth!“

“This local spot boasts a inviting atmosphere. The bar's dark red seats create a cozy ambiance, complemented by the dining room's wood chairs and classic red-and-white checkered tablecloths. Outdoor seating is available for larger groups. We had a gathering of about 50 people, half adults and half kids, on the rear patio. Our server delivered exceptional service, keeping food and drinks readily available.“

“We've been patrons for 61 years; spent our 60th. Anniversary dinner here along with all our family mile stones: birthdays, wedding rehearsal dinners, etc. We love the staff, lovely people and family and the food is always great. We love the atmosphere; calm and private booths... they are family as far as we are concerned...“

“Military here. Just came off a deployment of 9 months. Friend suggested this resturaunt. Fantastic food, payed over $130, seems decently worth due to great food very easy to handle table, very clean. Few drinks and some food. Came down to pay, the gentleman serving us, watched as I put in a small tip, I do not believe in huge tips, especially for an easy table, and a $10 tax. But he said only that much? And gave me a stank eye. I then finished and thanked him, he was extremely kind and nice the entire time until the end, where he said nothing else after and looked at my like I was a homeless man walking in and pi**ssing on the floor. Ruined the whole night.“

“The pizza is great! It's perfect California style pizza with a medium crust and quality classic toppings. The staff is friendly and those places is really casual. I highly recommended this neighborhood pizza place.“

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

“After dining at Buona Forchetta, I can't imagine enjoying pizza and pasta anywhere else in San Diego. From the moment you step in, the warm and friendly staff make you feel like you're family. They're sociable, upbeat, and ready to make your meal a memorable one. Our dinner began with two different wines. I'm a wine enthusiast, and I didn't snap any photos or recall their names, but rest assured, their wine recommendations are spot-on. The Regina Margherita pizza was a revelation. With its incredibly flavorful thin crust and the heavenly sauce, it was a pizza-lover's dream come true. The Spaghetti in Due Pomodori was, hands down, the best pasta dish I've tasted in California. With a simple yet tantalizing blend of organic tomatoes, garlic, and basil, it was sheer perfection. The nightly special, Pollo Milanese, was another hit. The chicken was tender, brimming with flavor, and cooked to perfection. And then came the desserts. We indulged in every option on the menu, and each one was a delight. We didn't leave a crumb behind. I highly encourage you to channel your inner foodie and savor each one, just like we did!“

“No wait for 2 of us in mid-afternoon on a Sunday. The waitress introduced herself soon after we were seated. The food was very good! I like the interactive monitors on the tables that allow you to call the waiter/waitress and pay without waiting for a paper check.

Parking: Small shopping center with plenty of free parking.“

“When I craved pizza today Gaetano's filled that craving 100%. Exactly how I wanted the pizza-tender but slightly chewy crust, tasty sauce, just the right amount of high-quality toppings. Our go-to pizza restaurant! Their meatball sub is outstanding as well. Thank you, Gaetano's!“

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

“This small pizzeria is just getting under way. In addition to pizza, they also offer calzones, sandwiches, pastas, wings, salads, and gyros sandwiches and plates. I had the latter in the form of a sandwich on a pita for $9.99 plus tax a la carte.The gyro sandwich was good. I liked the gyro meat. It had good crispy edges, was tender, and tasted good. I would have liked a little more meat. The pita bread was good, too. It was soft and warm. The sandwich came with plenty of lettuce and tomatoes and some red onions which I liked.The gyro sandwich definitely needed more tzatziki sauce. I suggest that they offer a small container of sauce on the side or, at the very least, add a nice drizzle on top.Service was friendly enough. The pizzeria offers some inside seating.“

“DiLeone’s catered a party for us (20 people) and the food was delicious. We called when another Italian restaurant forgot about our order and we had nothing to serve our guests. We called DiLeones and they had our order ready for pickup in 45 minutes. The rigatoni with meat sauce was delicious - nicely cooked pasta with a rich and tangy sauce. They also prepared two pizzas and garlic bread. It was so much food that we brought our leftover pasta to the fire department. They loved it too. We were beyond grateful that they could help us out with our last minute order.“

“BEST PIZZA and food! Always fast and good service! The owner is hands on and super nice!!!“

“The staff and owner are amazing and truly care about their customers and their experience. I ordered food to-go and was trying to catch them before cooking the pizza to alert them of an allergy. Samantha was so sweet, and went above and beyond, to ensure I had something to eat. She spoke with her manager/owner Lucas and they surprised me with a medium-sized cheese pizza on the house to ensure I could eat too.

The food was perfect and the staff was even better. Highly recommend!!“

“My friend and I were looking for a new Italian spot to try out and found a nice restaurant that was a pleasant surprise. Aromi has some delicious options with an attractive interior theme. I ordered the spicy rigatoni with vodka sauce and my friend ordered the Pistacchiosa, which is a pasta with a pistachio type of sauce. Everything was delicious. The food tasted fresh and well seasoned. The decor in the restaurant is interesting. There are mirrors on the ceiling, which I think is a fun idea. There are a couple reasons that the I don't give this restaurant a perfect 5 stars. First, there was a table next to us that was not cleaned and there were no other customers present while we were there. Also, typically you would receive complimentary bread while you wait, the bread here was $9. I think the price for that should be less considering how much customers spend on everything else. All in all it was a good experience. I am curious about some of the other dishes, so I will be back. Eat up!!!“

“tha best place to eat italy food“

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

“The service here is usually really good and quick. They're attentive and bring your food out quick. We once had a really nice waitress that was quick, nice, and gave us everything we needed without asking. She was waiting on the bar area, which is always a good place to go if all the tables are full. However, their food is not the best and is overpriced when you could go to Chili's and get great service and better food. It is often too salty and the breadsticks are never consistent. The atmosphere could be a bit nicer as well, the Santee location is a much nicer date spot in terms of atmosphere.

Vegetarian options: There are pastas to choose from and some vegetable pasta dishes but aside from the breadsticks and salad there is not much else“

“This place is excellent! I crave it often. Their antipasto salad is fantastic. I lived in New Jersey for 9 years, so my standards for pizza are unreasonably high. But what Filippis may lack in crust quality and sauce, they make up for with tons of cheese, which works just fine for me. This is good pizza... maybe the best in San Diego.“

“Food was excellent , Our family have been going there for years. Many drinks to choose from. Many dishes to choose from. My kids love the pizza , garlic bread . We love the food and atmosphere.“

“My first time at Yannis tonight, and I enjoyed my dinner so much. I will be back.“