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    Buon Appetito

    4.1 (3k reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Open 12:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Buon Appetito Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    BUON APPETITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Good for kids
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Buon Appetito

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    Linguine Neri
    Alicia X.

    I figured while I was in downtown SD, I had to try some place in Little Italy. Going up to the stand, they offered either indoor or outdoor. I went with outdoor. It was a pretty random time in the afternoon on a Monday to be having a lunch so it wasn't super busy. I was seated quickly and served water and bread. At this point, I'm surprised to be served anything before a meal anymore. I ordered the Linguini Neri because the pictures of it looked good. Immediately after I told the waiter, the woman in the table in front of me told me she'd ordered the same thing and it was good. So that set expectations. When it came out, it looked good. They ask if you want cheese and will add some pre-grated cheese. It's a pretty good portion size and compared to a lot of places I've ordered a pasta dish from, this one was definitely worth it. There is a decent amount of seafood and it doesn't feel like you're paying for just pasta. It was yummy and I would come back if I was in the area. The only bummer is that it's street parking only but that's expected in Little Italy.

    Jennifer H.

    Came here a late night with friends for some food and it was overall a nice experience. Our meals were good and nicely hot. I was so glad to have leftovers the next day as it was that good. Our server was kind and helpful. Very chill atmosphere for the most part as we sat outside.

    Risotto Piemontese
    Roozbeh Z.

    We arrived on a Saturday night. The place was fairly busy, but they gave us an indoor sitting and brought a high chair for us too. The staff were super nice and the area was very nice. I ordered Calamari, which was ok. A bit oily if you ask me. My wife got "Risotto Piemontese". She added sausage. The sausage was delicious, and the risotto plate was generous and delicious which is a very rare combination. My cousin got "Farfalle con Pollo" and he was pretty happy with his food. I would recommend this place for tasty food and peaceful dining

    Lasagna
    Alexa K.

    We stumbled upon this restaurant as we strolled through the area. We were drawn to this restaurant because the ambiance looked very authentic Italian, the restaurant had quite a few patrons for a random time (4pm on a Tuesday afternoon), and the menu had a large variety of what we were looking for. We were seated immediately and had the choice of inside or outside. Upon sitting down we were immediately served water and bread (the sauce served with the bread was amazing! It was a spicy marinara). We ordered the Rucola e Bietole Salad (beets, arugula, caramelized onions, walnuts, and feta cheese). The salad was refreshing and delicious! For the meal I ordered the Lasagna and it was honestly one of the best lasagna meals I have ever had. The portion size was great, the pasta sauce was so simple and complemented it well, and my husband ended up helping me finish it because it was so yummy. My only complaint is I prefer when Italian restaurants grate fresh Parmesan cheese at the table, rather than provide pre-grated cheese (you can taste the difference on freshness). Otherwise, great experience!

    Minestrone
    Bryan F.

    Very delicious pasta and dessert- the shellfish in my linguine allo scoglio were fresh and tender. The sauce was rich and aromatic with wine and chopped garlic. Gelato was heavenly and highly recommended! Everything that I had was of great quality and value. Service overall was attentive and professional. All my questions about the menu were thoroughly answered. Restaurant itself was clean and well maintained. I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

    Ravioli Spinaci
    Cassidy H.

    This place was so incredibly delicious. The service was fast- we came in on a Sunday around 3:45 and were seated immediately. We were brought a plate of bread moments after, and our food and drinks came quite quickly. The server was kind and helpful with us making choices on what to eat. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals and the pricing was quite fair for the large portion sizes and wonderful quality of the food. I will definitely be coming back soon.

    Ping L.

    A restaurant in Little Italy in downtown San Diego serving authentic Italian cusine. We visited the place around 1:00 pm on a Wednesday. There weren't that many customers. We were promptly seated inside. There were also outdoor seatings but the heavy traffic made it less desirable. Iced water and bread were served immediately. The bread was warm and very tasty with the slightly tangy and spicy tomato dips that came with it. Order was taken and food arrived shortly after. The Insalata Romana salad was so so. The grilled octopus was good. The fried calamari was so tender that it seemed to melt in your mouth. The rest of the order, including Lasagna Classica, Linguine Neri (seafood squid ink pasta) and Pappardelle al Cinghiale ( pasta in a slowed simmer wild boar ragu) were all very tasty. It happened to be the birthday of a member of our party. Upon learning that they bought out a slice of cake and 2 cannoli gratis for the occasion and that was very nice. Overall it was a memorable lunch and worth revisiting.

    Penne Bolognese
    Jenny T.

    The service was quite amazing and I really loved that everyone was so fast in providing whatever was being asked for. My favorite dish was the penne bolognese. It was absolutely delicious. The marinara was a bit tart and the penne was al dente. I would definitely get it again! The outdoor seating was so awesome; I really enjoyed people watching and seeing the beautiful sky while I enjoyed a nice pasta and drink.

    Spinach Ravioli
    Mei T.

    I met up with a friend for lunch. It was a nice day so we chose to sit outside at a table covered by an umbrella. We ordered the ravioli, sea bass, and tiramisu. All 3 items were ok, but I can't say that they stood out as being extraordinary. My fish was a bit on the dry side. The dessert was a bit too creamy and needed a stronger coffee flavor. Our server was friendly but not very attentive. My empty class of iced tea was not replenished until I asked for it. I did not have a great experience here so I will likely not have a repeat visit.

    Menu
    Jennifer C.

    Decided to stop here after walking in Little Italy for dinner. It was a little busy, but service was abnormally slow. The food was really good, and we didn't mind the wait much because we were chatting, however everyone in our group noticed how long it took to get our food and even water refills. The food was good enough, however, to where I'd come back and give them another chance! Maybe it was just a rough night. Location is great and I loved the beet salad I ordered.

    Farfalle con Pollo
    Kiran V.

    Came here for a Saturday evening dinner in a group of 6. We were able to be seated indoors right away or wait 45 minutes for an outside table. The patio dining would have been nice but we were hungry so sat inside. The waiter was very friendly and attentive throughout and came to check on us a few times while we were chatting. They gave us bread and a spicy red sauce to dip for the table and we started off with the eggplant appetizer and burrata. Both were delicious! For dinner I got the farfalle con pollo which was super creamy and not too heavy. Once they set our pleated down they had a separate bowl of Parmesan that they generously sprinkled. The food was delicious and for dessert we got the tiramisu which was heavenly. So creamy and decadent. Loved my experience here!

    Linguine Boscomare
    Mariness D.

    If you're looking for authentic Italian, look no further. This place has a great selection of appetizers, salads, and pastas... not to mention a wide range of wine selection. I had their Linguine Boscomare - a very filling and tasty seafood pasta with scallops cooked to perfection 10/10. I also had a taste of my friend's Borsettini Aragosta, that was also a 10/10. They have both inside and outdoor seating, perfect for people watching at Little Italy. You're greeted with bread at the table that comes with their amazing house marinara sauce. The only regret I have is not saving room for their famous cannoli. I'll be back for that, for sure.

    Had such a great experience here! The Italian food was absolutely delicious--everything was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. We started with the fried calamari, which was the perfect appetizer--crispy and so tasty! I had the lobster ravioli (I believe that's what it was called) and my husband had the pork--both were so good! And since it was my husband's birthday, he got the Italian pistachio cheesecake... absolutely delicious! Marco was amazing--so attentive, friendly, and made us feel genuinely welcomed the entire time. His service really elevated the whole experience. The hospitality here truly stands out. Definitely a spot I'd come back to and highly recommend to anyone craving great Italian food!

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    I got the ink squid linguine with variety of seafood....so good!!! Great service and delicious food

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    Buon Appetito Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Buon Appetito

    Do they server cocktails here?

    I would say yes! They have a small bar tucked in the corner near front entrance. We had wine, but I'm sure they'll make you your cocktail of choice.

    Is there a happy hour?

    There was not one when I went. The bar is very small.

    Is it kids friendly ? Has high chair?

    There seemed to be many adults and few children in the restaurant but we did have a two year old, eleven and twelve year old with us and they were fine. The restaurant noise is loud which is ideal for children. They do have high chairs and they have… Read more

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    Bencotto Italian Kitchen - Lamb Ragu pasta

    Bencotto Italian Kitchen

    4.1(3.6k reviews)
    0.1 miLittle Italy
    $$

    Bencotto was an outstanding fine dining Italian experience at a reasonable price. I had the cheese…read morewheel pasta and it was of an extremely high quality. On top of that they allowed me to take a video of them mixing my noodles and chicken in the cheese wheel itself which I thought was a nice touch. Additionally they had a large selection of bottled Italian beers as well as wine. The service was fantastic and so was the ambiance which was less Tuscan and more modern with some references to Italy which I appreciated

    On a Monday evening in San Diego, we stopped by Bencotto Italian Kitchen for dinner. Located in…read moreLittle Italy, I was surprised by how busy this part of town is. Restaurants and bars filled to the brim. Lack of street parking availability. With that being said, after circling around for a while, I found a free parking spot on the street five minutes away by foot. Ambiance (4/5): While Bencotto has a nice interior, I went with some al fresco dining on their front patio. There are 20 or so seats available right off the street, so it's not a large patio by any means, but it's nice. The weather was a little chilly by San Diego standards, so they had some heaters out there. It always reminds me of Europe when I'm dining al fresco. Service (3/5): A little slow at times, but overall, pretty good. My waiter was friendly, he just could have stopped by a little quicker. Still solid though. Drinks (4/5): They have a nice selection of wine. I ended up rolling with an Italian beer I had never had before instead. It was a lager and they served it with a chilled glass which is always a nice touch. Food (4/5): The reason I came delivered. Their most popular entree is pasta cooked in a cheese wheel. The pasta is in a creamy truffle sauce with mushrooms. No protein but you can add some for an additional charge. I added grilled chicken. What's awesome about this dish is that they cook it for you inside by the hostess stand. So you can go there and see it happening. My server didn't give me a heads-up (shame on him) but luckily, someone at a table close to me did after me, so I joined to see their food being prepared. I also ordered the gnocco frito which is puffy fried bread. You get four pieces and I had never had this type of Italian bread. Not amazing, but it complemented the pasta well. All of their pasta is made in house and you can taste the difference. The cheese wheel pasta was absolutely delicious. I was pumped to cross this bucket list item off my list.

    Photos
    Bencotto Italian Kitchen - View from window seating inward

    View from window seating inward

    Bencotto Italian Kitchen - Gnocchi neri

    Gnocchi neri

    Bencotto Italian Kitchen - Manhattan

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    Manhattan

    Rusticucina

    Rusticucina

    4.6(1.6k reviews)
    2.2 miNorth Park
    $$$
    Happy hour specials
    Locally owned & operated

    Delicious food and great espresso martinis. Our server Nathan was amazing and took such good care…read moreof us!! 10/10

    We had dinner here the other night (compliments of my sister as a birthday gift). Neither of us had…read morebeen here before and we were excited to try out a new venue. One thing we learned: if you decide to make a reservation here, especially on a weekend night, arrive early to accommodate the time it takes to find parking. The restaurant does not have its own parking lot, it's street parking-only and space is tough to come by. We circled around for at least 15 minutes before securing a spot and wound up a little over 20 minutes late for our reservation. Thankfully, we still had a table set up and waiting for us. It was very busy when we walked in, it appeared as though the restaurant was near-capacity. The restaurant has a nice, rustic charm to it, but I'll admit some of the charm is taken away by the crowd of noisy people. The restaurant space is small with as many tables and chairs that can possibly fit, which inevitably means tables are very close to one another. It would help if the restaurant acquired a much larger space, or if it got rid of maybe 30% of the tables/chairs so that seating could be more spaced-out. Service was initially slow, but understandable considering the completely packed venue. Our servers were incredibly friendly and provided exceptional service. They were patient and informative in answering our questions (particularly about the "cheese wheel"). We ordered the house specialty bread with 3 different spreads as an appetizer, the lamb shank was my date's entree choice while I ordered the pappardelle pasta with short rib. The bread was truly excellent, we both devoured it. My dish was also excellent, the short rib was very rich and flavorful and the pasta was cooked well. I tasted my date's lamb dish, which I felt was bland compared to mine and I wasn't crazy about it. My date seemed to enjoy it, though. We were too full to order any dessert, so I can't speak for their desserts. The food I did try was mostly amazing. We will likely be back, although we might try coming on a Monday or Tuesday night to avoid the crowds and have an easier time with parking.

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    Rusticucina
    Rusticucina
    Rusticucina

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    Piacere Mio - South Park - Calamari

    Piacere Mio - South Park

    4.5(2.3k reviews)
    2.3 miSouth Park
    $$

    This is my favorite resturant okay I said it. Great times here, what a great vibes…read more What Great staff here, so happy & kind too they are amazing here! I had pasta Orecchiette We raviolis with crab and shrimp Chicken parmigiana And a smoked mozzarella ravioli with eggplant Di Melazame everything was delicious And we had Caprese to start with a large heirloom Tomato slices the was so tasty too We all enjoy every bite until we couldn't And they bought out a dessert Nutella cheesecake That was sweet of them Plus tiramisu we ordered It was funny there was 2 ladies celebrating by our table their birthday's too same day also It was a perfect birthday

    A cute and charming little restaurant in a really fun neighborhood. They started with a basket of…read morebread, but honestly, it tasted like it came out of a package from the market. Would've been better if it was at least heated. I then had the Caesar salad and it was excellent. I've had many many many Caesar salad salads in my day and this one ranked right up there. The Romaine was in large pieces so I definitely needed to cut it before eating. The dressing was very tasty and they are very generous with the cheese. I moved on to the papperdelle Primavera with shrimp and it was very, very good and a large portion. It came out nice and hot. The sauce could've been a little more flavorful, but it was good nonetheless the shrimp were a little on the small side. We decided not to have dessert. I found the price is very reasonable and there is street parking in the area and a large Target parking lot across the street.

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    Piacere Mio - South Park - Spaghetti alle Vongole

    Spaghetti alle Vongole

    Piacere Mio - South Park - Caprese

    Caprese

    Piacere Mio - South Park - Lasagne alla Bolognese

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    Lasagne alla Bolognese

    Cucina Urbana - Mushroom goat cheese pizza and short rib pappardelle

    Cucina Urbana

    4.4(4.9k reviews)
    0.8 miBanker's Hill
    $$$

    Our family would definitely go back to this spot the next time we are in San Diego! Kid friendly…read morewhich is so perfect when you and your spouse want to enjoy a more sophisticated meal and not have the usual burger and fries that the kiddos usually want, although I'm sure they do have if that's what you are wanting and I am pretty sure that the burger would be amazing too! Ambiance was great with good vibes. Grilled octopus was so delish we had to order two because our kids (5 & 7) ate up the first plate all to themselves. Italian chopped salad, Butternut squash ravioli, and goat cheese mushroom pizza were all so good! Kiddos both enjoyed their own pepperoni pizza. Oh, and can't forget to mention that we also enjoyed our cocktails. Can't go wrong with the pitted martini and the Mezcal cocktail. Making me hungry just telling you about it! Yum!!

    Large, inviting, high ceiling, dark dining space that always seems to be busy. Came here to try…read morebecause it's Michelin bib gourmand. roasted delicata squash + farro salad: deep fried delicata squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and served with a cilantro salsa verde. This was the most unique thing we ate and quite good. red wine short rib mafaldine (short rib pasta): this dish is kind of a mess and there's a lot of things going on. I like short rib, but I think it would taste better not in this pasta. Nothing stood out. roasted half chicken fra diavolo: a well done dish cooked to perfection. Flavorful but chicken can only be so good. Service was excellent and very attentive.

    Photos
    Cucina Urbana - Inside

    Inside

    Cucina Urbana - Grilled octopus

    Grilled octopus

    Cucina Urbana - Squash blossoms with goat cheese

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    Squash blossoms with goat cheese

    Parma Cucina Italiana - Lasagna

    Parma Cucina Italiana

    4.6(1.3k reviews)
    1.8 miHillcrest
    $$

    While visiting from out of town, we decided to spend Mother's Day at this amazing place, and it…read morehonestly felt like we were back in Italy. We were greeted with warm smiles from every employee, asked which open table we preferred, and the staff did everything they could to make us feel like weekly regulars. I loved seeing the hugs they gave their regulars, and I completely understand why people keep coming back week after week. My definition of a great restaurant is simple: great service -- attentive, anticipates needs, and does everything possible to take care of guests -- plus solid food and drinks. This place was a home run, and we will definitely be back when we are in town. We started with the artichoke, and everyone loved it, even our kids. We ordered the chicken parm 10/10, bolognese 10/10, spaghetti with meatballs 9/10, and Pappardelle Al Brasato 7/10. With the brasato, there were a few questionable pieces of meat/fat, but overall it was still a solid dish. The highlight of the meal was the tiramisu. Damn -- it was light, airy, and full of flavor. It wasn't heavy, nothing was dry, and all four of us dug in and devoured every last bite. Loved the place, loved the service, and loved the food.

    We died for the first time with Parma Cucina Italiano for Valentine's Day…read more They had a nice price fix menu that you can choose from. We loved Barbara our waitress. She had a lot of great energy and excellent recommendations.. We started with the artichokes in Lemon for our appetizer. It was tender and flavorful. For the pasta , we had the boar Papperadella Ragu, which we really liked a lot and we had the squid ink pasta with seafood, which had a really light sauce that wasn't fond of. I have squid ink pasta with a lobster reduction sauce elsewhere which I prefer. We also had the brasata as a main course which went well with the paparedelli.... A few glasses of wine and the profiteroles with Nutella were a wonderful finale for the meal. I would love to try their fish some other night. The ambience is charming, but the restaurant is quite small and it was packed on valentines so it was a little hard to get around the tables. We will be back.

    Photos
    Parma Cucina Italiana - Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

    Tagliatelle alla Bolognese

    Parma Cucina Italiana
    Parma Cucina Italiana - Seafood Risotto

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    Seafood Risotto

    Buon Appetito - italian - Updated May 2026

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