Highest-rated Italian restaurants in San Diego by diners
Highest-rated Italian restaurants in San Diego by diners
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world, according to a 2023 study by The Picky Eater that tallied up Instagram tags. It's no wonder why so many people love it. Just thinking about dishes like chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs is enough to get your mouth watering—even though many of these world-famous dishes are actually Italian American creations more so than true Italian fare. Traditional Italian food embraces an assortment of sumptuous recipes that aren't dependent on fried breadcrumbs and red sauce—think frittatas and focaccia, or carpaccio and panna cotta.
Italian immigrants have been weaving their cuisine into the fabric of the American food landscape for generations since they arrived in the United States nearly 150 years ago. And the cuisine, like the culture it hails from, tends to give off warm and fuzzy "family" feels. For many people, the quintessential local Italian American restaurant—complete with its red-and-white checkered tablecloths, pour bottles of olive oil, parmesan cheese shakers, cute little jars of red pepper flakes, and wicker baskets of oven-fresh bread—brings back memories of special life moments, like first dates and milestone birthdays.
Luckily, today you don't need to be in a major metropolis like New York or Los Angeles or an area with a large Italian or Italian American community to score top-notch buon cibo. You can find excellent Italian offerings in almost every city from coast to coast. To celebrate all things mozzarella and marinara, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Italian restaurants in San Diego based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of January 2024.
Read on to see if your favorite is among the top-rated or to find a new spot in your neighborhood.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#30. Mom & Dom's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (336 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5025 Shawline St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Piacere Mio - South Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1875 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1947 Fern St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Scuderie Italia
- Rating: 4.5/5 (452 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1525 Garnet Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Ambrogio15
- Rating: 4.5/5 (716 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 926 Turquoise St. Ste H San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Lucca's Pizzeria and Market
- Rating: 4.5/5 (160 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2195 Station Village Way Ste A San Diego, California
- Categories: Desserts, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#25. MAKE pizza+salad
- Rating: 4.5/5 (265 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 699 Park Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Salad, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#24. RustiCucina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (879 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3797 Park Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Ulivo Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (433 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1776 Sunset Cliffs Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Parma Cucina Italiana
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1122 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3850 5th Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Seafood, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Monzu Fresh Pasta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (621 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 455 Tenth Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Pasta Shops, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Hanna's Gourmet
- Rating: 4.5/5 (689 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2864 Adams Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Modern European, Italian, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Al Dente
- Rating: 4.5/5 (201 reviews)
- Address: 4207 Park Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Pesto Italian Craft Kitchen - Mission Valley
- Rating: 4.5/5 (602 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1652 Camino Del Rio North San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Oltre Mare
- Rating: 4.5/5 (560 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4286 Cass St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Pesto Italian Craft Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2042 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1652 Camino Del Rio North Ste C San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Ciccia Osteria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (511 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2233 Logan Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Sisters Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (636 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3603 Fourth Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Cucina Caprese
- Rating: 4.5/5 (340 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3545 Midway Drive Ste East San Diego, California
- Categories: Caterers, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. RoVino Restaurant + Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1097 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2034 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Mom's Pizza and Pasta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (400 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3422 Tripp Court Ste A San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Ambrogio by Acquerello
- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 7556 Fay Ave. San Diego, California
- Categories: Modern European, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Sauced Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (225 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4475 Ingraham St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Cesarina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2400 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4161 Voltaire St. Ste B San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Sicilian-ish Cafe and Deli
- Rating: 5.0/5 (8 reviews)
- Address: 1025 West Laurel St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Delis, Salad, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Siamo Napoli
- Rating: 5.0/5 (1541 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3959 30th St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Vegan, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Tavola Nostra Pizzeria e Cucina
- Rating: 5.0/5 (529 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1040 University Ave. Ste B101 San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Concepto Pizza
- Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 342 Euclid Ave. Ste 404 San Diego, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Vinarius Wine Bar & Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (459 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1445 India St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Osteria Cotto e Mangiato
- Rating: 5.0/5 (135 reviews)
- Address: 702 Ash St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. IL Posto
- Rating: 5.0/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 2145 Fern St. San Diego, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jennifer Huizen, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 312 metros.
