This Nicolosi's location in Santee is closing on Oct. 1. A new pizza joint is taking over the…read morespace. "Pizzabilities" (Powered by Nicolosi's). The new signs were being installed over the weekend. Appears to be a different concept, same ownership. In the meantime, we ordered takeout for pick-up. Three pizzas and a salad to feed our visiting friends. Caesar Salad (Large) Organic romaine, parmesan croutons, shaved Romano cheese. $16.95 Medium Hawaiian Canadian bacon, pineapple and mozzarella $22.50 Medium Double Deluxe Pepperoni, salami, sausage, mushroom, onion, black olives, bell pepper no anchovies, no onions $27.50 Large Sicilian Pepperoni pepperoni on top, fresh basil, light fresh mozzarella on thin crust $28.75 The Hawaiian was easily the most popular. Everyone devoured it. We should've gotten a large. Becky and I always seem to get the Sicilian and once again, it was spot-on. The bell pepper was a bit overpowering on the Dbl Deluxe. Next time I'd get the Meat Lovers instead. The salad was fresh and refreshing. We did ask for and receive extra dressing which we definitely needed. For 11 of us, it was plenty of food.

Bye Nicolosi's! I loved you when you were off Waring Road, in San Carlos and in Santee! Family…read morerun is always fabulous! Pizza and pasta was so yummy, and service was great! Happy Retirement! Have a great last day!! I'm sure going to miss you! Cannoli cheers!!

Honestly can't remember her name but same server we always get. She's amazing! Bartender,I never…read moreremember names either. It's like what I do remember people for certain things and she was like hey haven't seen yall in a while! Recognized my girlfriend and I by our tattoos. One of the best places ever. Amazing food, amazing service and the family vibe I just love!!! Everybody here is so nice and welcoming. Think it was the owners daughter that was in tonight also. Absolutely sweet they all say thank you for coming in and appreciate their customers. Great food. Great atmosphere and just great people. Can never go wrong with this place. I love it!

Delicious, nutritious, and filled with ambiance! This place is absolutely authentic in everything…read morethey do. From the decor to the flavors, it all sings Italian! Our waitress, Francesca, was an absolute delight and helped my wife navigate their menu to suit her several dietary restrictions without any judgement or hesitation. She had great recommendations and was an absolute delight to chat with throughout the night! We had a wonderful time treating ourselves to all kinds of delightful dishes - especially the fried brie special. So, so good. I highly recommend this plane for a fancy date night. It's not the cheapest, but you definitely get the quality that you pay for. 10/10 will date night here again

I love Filippi's. I don't get to this location too often but today was fantastic. It was not busy…read moreand we were seated right away. Our waitress was so friendly and warm. I felt completely comfortable. Of course you'll always have the Chianti bottles hanging everywhere at a Filippi's, along with the red and white tablecloths. I always get lasagna and this time I got it with meat ravioli and a meatball on the side. All of it was delicious, but the lasagna steals the show for me every time. Best lasagna on the planet. I love ricotta lol. And their meat sauce is so good. The meatball was giant and perfect. Exactly what I've come to expect from this establishment. The chicken parm was immense. I could not believe the size of this thing. AND it was amazing. Just enormous. Thank you. Leftovers! Yessss!

This is the second time in the last two months we've ordered pick up and the order isn't ready…read moreuntil 15-+ minutes after the pick up time. Food is decent but it's hard to make plans when you need food at a certain time and they're inconsistent.

We found Limoncello on Yelp after seeing its glowing reviews, and after our first visit this past…read moreFriday evening, those reviews could not have been more accurate -- this place is a true gem in downtown La Mesa. We arrived at 6:15 for our reservation on a Friday night. Downtown La Mesa had a charming farmer's market wrapping up along the street, which added such a lovely atmosphere to the evening. We found free street parking easily, and from the moment we walked up, the experience was warm and welcoming. The hostess greeted us outside with genuine kindness, checked us in, and seated us with ease. Then came Francesca -- our server, and honestly the heart of our entire evening. Originally from Sicily, Francesca brought an authenticity and warmth to the table that is simply rare. She was attentive, knowledgeable, generous with her recommendations, and had this wonderful energy that made our whole table feel at ease and cared for. She is the kind of server you remember, and the kind you come back for. The interior is absolutely beautiful -- the colors, the design, the layout -- everything is thoughtfully done and so inviting. For food, we shared the artichoke and Brussels sprouts appetizers (both delicious), and my friend enjoyed a refreshing limoncello spritz cocktail. For our entrées, I had the chicken with mushrooms, asparagus, and mashed potatoes -- perfectly prepared -- and my mom and friend had pasta dishes that Francesca personally recommended, which they loved. We finished with the chocolate lava cake, which was indulgent and wonderful. Next time, I am absolutely trying the house-made tiramisu. After dinner, we strolled through downtown La Mesa and it was just delightful -- the streets were beautifully lit up, lively, and full of local charm. Our group of three -- myself, my mom, and my friend -- all left completely charmed. We will without a doubt be back. If you're lucky enough to have Francesca as your server, consider the evening made. Highly recommend!

Can't believe it's been almost two years since I dined here. The decor is modern and clean. We were…read moregiven complimentary bread with butter and olive oil. For drinks I got a mocktail and a limoncello martini, which came with a popsicle! We shared the guazzetto and the insalata limoncello for our starters. The guazetto had black mussels, clams, calamari, and prawns. It was a nice mixture of seafood! For our entrees, we chose the paccheri carbonara and branzino. Both dishes were very flavorful! He also ordered a cappuccino before dessert came. The chocolate molten lava cake was pretty good! Overall, I had a nice time here!

Absolutely love it everytime I eat here. The food is delicious, the staff is phenomenal and…read moreattentive, and it is such a lovely vibe.

We just had another amazing meal at Testo Pepesto, and somehow it feels like they've gotten even…read morebetter than before. This place has always been a favorite of ours, but tonight everything was especially on point. The atmosphere is old school, warm, and classic, with that true Italian ambience that makes you want to stay awhile. My family and I love coming here and we always end up ordering a little bit of everything: pasta, pizza, and of course the lasagna. And as an added bonus, Mondays they do half off lasagna, which is honestly a steal because it's worth every dollar at full price. Consistently great food, great vibes, and always a spot we're happy to come back to. Highly recommend!

Karen and Alessandra treated us so well and made sure me and all my friends were well taken care…read moreof. The food was amazing and the ambiance is beautiful!

I literally cannot recommend this place more! We had the absolute best time ever for my friends…read morebirthday! The staff was so sweet and attentive throughout the entire experience, specifically Alessandra and Karen. They gave us the coolest free dessert experience for my friend where they literally hand made the tiramisu in front of us! The food was also so so good, the pasta was so fresh and the sauce was amazing! If you are craving delicious Italian food, come here!!

The food was ridiculously outstanding! I never eat until my stomach hurts-today I did just that! My…read more7 year old ate 3 slices of pizza because it was so good and his stomach is so full! It was that good! Be careful or you'll fall into gluttony like we did! My husband did the same. He's a heavyweight athlete so for him it's ok! :) Having amazing food is one thing but when you have superior service too-chefs kiss!! Brenden was our server let me tell you this kid knows the menu like the back of his hand. He makes amazing suggestions and so attentive as are his counterparts. He was helping a big party but it felt like he was just taking care of us. His counterparts were amazing as well and not to take away from them but Kira was top notch. She stepped in when Brenden was with his large party-honestly she didn't have to but it sure made us feel like VIPS. One million percent recommend this cute Italian Gem that makes you forget you're in the middle of a busy intersection of El Cajon!

Hey dudes, Captain 619 here, just cruisin' in to share my experience at Marechiaro's Italian…read moreRestaurant. So, this was our first time paddlin' in, and the place was packed with people--always a good sign, right? But, bro, the food? It didn't quite catch the wave for me. I went for the lasagna, and man, the portion was smaller than I hoped for. My wife went with the chicken Parmesan, but the chicken was kinda chewy, like it got tossed around in the surf a bit too long. And the bread? A little dry, like it needed a splash of ocean water to bring it back to life. First impression? Just average, my friends. I was really hoping for an epic Italian feast, but it felt more like a small ripple than a big wave. I'll give it a three for the vibe and the crowd, but the chow just didn't hang ten for us. Catch you on the next wave! Captain 619

Tried Ottavio's in Lakeside for the first time last night, and overall, it was a really great…read moreexperience. From the moment we walked in, you could tell the place was slammed--but in the best way. The energy was high, and the staff worked seamlessly as a team to keep everything running smoothly. A special shoutout to our bartender, Leah, who was absolutely fantastic. Even with how busy it was, she stayed attentive, friendly, and made us feel taken care of the entire night. We started with the mussels in clam sauce, and they were outstanding--fresh, flavorful, and a perfect way to kick things off. For entrées, we ordered the short rib ravioli and the carbonara. The short rib ravioli was a standout--rich, tender, and packed with flavor. The carbonara, while still enjoyable, could have been executed a bit better. It didn't quite hit the mark compared to everything else, but it was a small note in an otherwise excellent meal. To top it all off, we were treated to dessert since it was our first visit, which was a really thoughtful touch and left a lasting impression. Between the hardworking team, great atmosphere, and mostly fantastic food, Ottavio's definitely delivered. Even with a minor hiccup on one dish, we left impressed and would absolutely come back again.

Early Valentine's Day! Had the early bird special and then a…read morefun date night dessert promotion! I loved the manicotti and the minestrone soup! Tiramisu to top it all off!! Service was great! We love coming here!!

I've lived down the street for 18 years and just recently added Gaetanos to my takeout rotation. I…read moreusually order Togo. Pizza is okay but I really love the Alfredo with free garlic bread. Their red sauce and sausage links is also amazing. Everyone at the front is nice and it's always a quick transaction for pickup.

Our family loves Gaetano's and comes here often! The service is always wonderful, friendly, fast,…read moreand consistent every visit. The prices are great, especially for the quality you get, and the food never disappoints. Family usually get the lasagna, husband loves stuffed shells, rigatoni vodka, pescatora seafood plate, all the specialty pizzas and cannoli. My son is obsessed with their personal cheese pizza and asks for it regularly. It's become one of our go-to comfort meals, and he loves it every time. Overall, Gaetano's is a reliable family favorite with good food, great value, and excellent service. Highly recommend!

I would like to give Dolci Cafe Italiano a huge shout out and a stellar review!…read more AMAZING FOOD, SERVICE, AMBIANCE AND ATTENTIVENESS! We have found ourselves very irritable at lunchtime in our office because we have been ordering the same old lunches for years...one of us for 24 years! We sent one of the owners of the company I work for out on a mission to find new lunch spots. This is how we found Dolci! We ordered 6 different items to share so that we could try several items. Grande Lasagna Bolognese, Americana Pizza, Italian Fest Panini, Fettuccine Cartoccio, Dolci Chicken Mac & Cheese and Penne Michealangelo. Every single item was so delicious. The flavors were rich and the portions were generous! It gave the feeling of FINALLY being satisfied with lunch which we have not had in a very long time! We all agreed we needed a nap after lunch because we stuffed ourselves in the most gluttonous manner! The only problem is that we were so stuffed no one wanted to get back to work! We are very pleased with the quality of ingredients, the order being ready on time and even after driving 15-20 minutes back to the office the food was still hot! Thank you Dolci! We look forward to ordering again with you in the very near future!

Amazing food. If you're looking for good Italian grub and…read morelive local to the area, you should check it out. Service. Meh....I've had better. The server had the 'specials' memorized to a T, but didn't offer us bread upon arrival and just wasn't overall to attentive. She wasn't mean...just inattentive.