The food was excellent from the chicken picatta to the pappardelle with shrimp and crabmeat in a vodka cream sauce. The lasagne (not to be missed) is a rare find with bechamel and marinara. The carbonara uses pancetta (cured port belly) versus the authentic cured meat used in Italy called guanciale (cured pork jowl/cheek). Guanciale is much more flavorful and has a higher fat content. The negroni was very good. Service was absolutely excellent and the prices are very very fair for the quality and generous proportions. Definitely a "go to" for Italian food in San Diego. read more

Nuzzled in the heart of Gaslamp Quarters, Asti Ristorante is a must have! From the starters, we've had the crab stuffed mushrooms, insalata di polpo , and the carpaccio di manzo all'abese. The crab stuffed mushrooms we had in January and had the most perfect texture and sweetness of the crab with an amazing balsamic drizzle. I'm not a fan of balsamic but they blend the flavors perfectly, making me want more and more! The insalata di polpo was the perfect pairing for a hot day. Refreshing and light, the octopus had the perfect cook, giving it a great texture with the combination of a freshly squeezed lemon. A kiss to the chef! The risotto pescatora took our breaths away!! So so much flavor packed into the red spicy sauce. It had shrimp, calamari, clams, and mussels, to satisfy any seafood lover's cravings. Try this dish ASAP! The lobster ravioli was absolutely divine. The lobster was cooked faultlessly. Tender, juicy, and sweet. The ravioli coupled with the lobster, made for a dance of explosions in your mouth. The penne al salmon e vodka will have me coming back. Huge portion with flavorful cubes of salmon that you can tell are so fresh. I have never had leeks before but I loved the addition of the slightly sweet and earthiness added from them. With chopped up slices of asparagus it made for every bite to bring joy. Last but not least, the rigatoni rugantino was a close second for star of the show after the risotto pescatora. Jam packed with flavor, juiciness, and that oh so tender it melts in your mouth, this pasta we had to recommend to a passerby who asked us about the food as we were eating on their outdoor patio. The finely chopped veggies with the perfect Al dente cook on the pasta in conclusion with the heartiness of the filet mignon has us softening in our seats at the first bite. It has a light creaminess and was absolutely angelic. The ambiance is so calm and welcoming. All the staff are helpful and care to make you have a great experience. They are well versed in their knowledge and are extremely helpful when it comes to recommendations or questions. We are so grateful for the wonderful experience Asti has brought to us every time we visit and we hope to come again sooner rather than later. Worth the 2 hour drive from Riverside!!! read more

Asti Ristorante - Penne al Salmone e Vodka - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here for our anniversary and it was such a cute spot in downtown. I really enjoyed it because our server was very kind and attentive. We had the Parpadelle Alla vodka and the pollo ripieno alla florentina. Both were delicious but the parpadelle alla vodka was the outstanding one. We also had the tiramisu and it was AMAZING (as someone who doesn't like tiramisu this is something I still crave) Would love to go back again! read more

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Food was delicious and the service was great! Located in little Italy of San Diego streets. read more

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We wanted something close to the hotel. We walked by the restaurant and saw that this was the one of a few that was opened early. We ordered fried calamari, crab linguine, and seafood linguine. The foods were delicious and the pastas were cooked right. read more

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Very disappointed with the food quality. The chicken had a gray color and a strong smell that made me uncomfortable eating it. The salmon was very dry and felt like frozen fish that had been reheated. Please look at the photos and judge for yourself. This was far below what I expected. read more

Always one of my favorite stops whenever I'm in San Diego! Located in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, Asti Ristorante has been serving authentic Italian cuisine since 1994 and they truly know what they're doing. I ordered a dish after seeing a photo on Yelp, but realized the name on the menu was a bit different. The staff quickly explained it and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. They were so kind and patient! Their service really stood out, making the whole evening feel extra special. The food was, as always, fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared -- especially the seafood! I was so happy with everything that I left a generous tip to show my appreciation. Such a wonderful experience and a reminder of why this place is always worth a visit. Perfect food, perfect service, and a genuinely happy night. read more

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My Son was craving for Pasta, so we went to downtown Gaslamp instead of Little Italy, so I could still pass by to some of my favorite spots in Gaslamp. We saw this Italian restaurant called ASTI RISTORANTE and we gave it a try. Upon entering it felt like Italy right away. My parents' place in Italy had a restaurant a few steps away from our house there and Asti looks just like it, so i felt like I was brought back home again in Rome, Italy. The server gave us a regular Menu and a Chef's special. The CHEF'S SIGNATURE SPECIALS don't have prices listed on it , it varies based on the season or holidays , so ask your server about it . We got everything we ordered from the CHEF'S SIGNATURE SPECIALS which are: *LOBSTER FETTUCCINE *OSSO BUCCO *MIXED GRILL SEAFOOD LINGUINE * CHEF'S ANTONIOS ( Meat & Cheese board ) * BLACKBERRY LEMON DROPPED COCKTAIL *CREME BRULEE We started off with their complimentary bread and butter. Then my cocktail came which was very smooth and delicious. Then our Meat and Cheese Board came. The meats and cheese were okay, but I wish they added a small toasted breads or crackers at least, but there were none, so we just kept asking for their complimentary bread that they served at the beggining so we could eat the cold cuts with it. Then all our main dishes came all at the same time. My Husband's GRILLED SEAFOOD LINGUINI was so good, lots and lots of Seafood on it. My OSSO BUCCO was big and tender, it was good but I wish that they didn't put too much Marinara sauce. My Son's LOBSTER FETTUCCINE was the best one among our main courses, it was very tasty, we really like it , and under the pastas there were more chuncks of seafood, as in a lot of it! For the dessert, I chose the creme brûlée, nothing special, just a typical creme brûlée like in other restaurants. The ambiance is nice, all of the staff were super friendly. Parking is a challenge 'coz it's Gaslamp downtown. The ASTI restaurant has been here in Gaslamp operating since 1994 for the restaurant to last that long they probably have a lot of returning customers ! read more

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More accurately 3.5 stars, but solid little Italian spot! Randomly came across this since it was 4th of July and most places were closed. - Calamari: 9/10 crispy and light, served with other fried veggies and a yummy marinara sauce - Octopus salad: 7/10 refreshing and tangy, octopus was very tender - Pappardelle alla vodka: 10/10 the vodka sauce is amazinggggg and pasta is perfectly al dente. Comes with a good amount of shrimp and crab - Seafood pasta: 6/10 slightly salty, the sauce was alright. But it's definitely loaded with plenty of seafood - Veal chop: 7/10 the veal itself was cooked to absolute perfection and sooooo tender! However, the sauce was way too salty and not all the alcohol was cooked off. - Cioppino: 6/10 pretty standard in terms of flavor. Wish it was served with toasted bread Drinks were delicious and strong, and service was great. I don't remember his name, but our waiter was very sweet! read more

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Randomly chose this restaurant while in gas lamp. They have quite an extensive menu, and my food was great. They will also customize. Also excellent service. read more

We stopped by for an early dinner after exploring the area. First time visit to San Diego (sister trip), and we came across this place. We decided to dine outside as the weather was lovely. We started with the Bruschetta D'Asti and it was ok (I've had better). For our main meals, I went with the Pappardelle alla Vodka while my sister opted for the Penne al Salmone e Vodka and changed the salmon to chicken. My main meal was delicious, as was my sister's dish. We left room for dessert and shared a Crème Brûlée. The server was pleasant and checked in often. Overall pleasant experience. read more

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the seafood linguine is incredibly fresh and the tomato sauce is very rich. finishing the meal with their classic tiramisu is always a great choice. read more

Went to Asti for our anniversary dinner. The server Mark was awesome and really made our experience Started us off with a welcoming and genuine personality and attitude. Then hit us with delicious recommendations. The chicken florintine with pasta instead of the mash potatoes..........so freakin' good. Chicken wrapped in prosciutto, stuffed with spinach, ricotta, mozzarella topped with mushrooms. It was a flavor bomb! The first bite was . I gave my husband a bite, then he couldn't stop eating MY dinner! We sopped up our plate with the warm house bread. We were so full but couldn't stop eating it! To finish, we had the limoncello for dessert. Super light lemon flavored moose/cheesecake texture on a soft light layer cake. It was drizzled with chocolate, which I'd hold off for next time. 1st time having a limoncello definitely won't be the last now. Food was the service made it 10x Will def go back again! Thanks Mark! read more

Amazing dinner last night at Asti. Love the old school feel, food was very good and staff was friendly. Mark was our waiter and he was a total rock star, friendly and personable and made our dinner that much more enjoyable. We will be back next time we visit SD. read more

This is a great restaurant!! Very happy we chose here before seeing Wicked at the Civic Theater tonight. My wife got a steak that she enjoyed and I loved my pappardelle. The complimentary bread was nice and warm. The service was attentive and friendly. I love the brick walls and large mural depicting a horse race (maybe?). Overall a really nice Italian restaurant. And quite frankly, any place that has lasted that long in downtown has to be doing something right!! read more

Asti Ristorante - Pappardelle Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This place has service charge no matter the size of your group. Look out for that when you are paying. If you check in on Yelp , you get free bruschetta or tiramisu. We were here for date night. You pay for the vibe, downtown, Italian food, eating outside. It wasn't very busy for a Saturday night, but we did make reservations. We've got the seafood pasta special and ravioli. Just FYI on ravioli, it's just 6 pieces. If you are hungry, you may want to order more. But for the seafood pasta special, they were overflowing with seafood. Clams, different sorts of fish, lobster. Definitely could've shared this with two people. Service was great, very attentive. We've also got blackberry martini and old fashion and that was alright. Martini was straight up vodka. It's definitely a place to try it out while you are in SD. read more

Asti Ristorante - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We ate here last night for our last meal in San Diego. We were flying out 3 hours later. My son ordered the special seafood pasta. This nasty shrimp that had a black head was laying on top. I did not notice it being rotten and he bit into it an injected half of it. The smell was sooooo rotten. I told the server and she just smiled at me. We will never ever go back when we are in town. Also he threw up just before the flight. Shameful read more

If you like gnocchi you must try theirs. It's in a lovely Gorgonzola sauce. Very rich. You could get it for the table and order your own entrees. I ate it all myself though. (Leftovers) The pear salad is wonderful to start with. Cute place and great service read more

Lovely Italian restaurant in the center of the Gaslamp district. Walked by many times and then finally decided to stop by and try it out. We were pleasantly greeted by Milena who was also great at helping us navigate the menu due to our dietary restrictions!! She made our evening a very pleasant one. We sat outside, and that was great on a busy Friday night. Inside decor is more traditional. Food and wine was awesome. We had charcuterie board plus caprese both were delicious! We opted out to split Chicken Marsala and serving was good size on top of delicious so we walked away content! read more

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We went to Asti for my Birthday dinner and was a recommendation from the Concierge at the Hotel. I thought the restaurant décor was nice and in a great location in the heart of Gaslamp district. When we first checked in at the hostess stand and was greeted by a waiter and he try to seat us out in the patio without asking us if we had a preference or reservation. I let him know that I had a reservation made by the Concierge and confirmed though Open Table and we requested a table inside the restaurant. He got my name and passed onto the hostess and seated us a table inside. Menu was extensive and had lots of options, but the menu with the Chef's specials did not have any pricing or listed anywhere, which I thought was strange. We started with the Zuppa Di Cozze E vongole and asked if we can only do clams and the waiter said no problem. The dish was good and clams were very tasty. My wife had Veal Piccata, which was okay, unfortunately the Veal was little tough and chewy. Typically, veal is very tender, which was disappointing. I ordered the Lobster Fettuccine and requested to substitute the Fettuccine with Pappardelle and the waiter again said no problem. The dish was good, but would have preferred to have it more Tomato base then pesto sauce and the tail was little, small as well as the shrimp and scallops (small bay) for the price. Finished the dinner with the molten Chocolate cake, which was very good. The big disappointment came when trying to get our check. Our waiter kept going outside talking to the hostess and others it took very long time to get our check. Also, there was a charge of $4 each to substitute for all Clams and Pappardelle. I think it would have been nice if the waiter had let us know the additional charges, so we are able to make an inform decision. Also, they totally did not acknowledge the Birthday, which was very strange since the Concierge let me believe that they would do something special for a birthday dinner and my wife even let them know through the Open Table App. when confirming the reservation. This is very typical of most restaurants, but especially at a place with that type of pricing. We thought for the price and the experience we've received was very poor and would not return since there are so many options in the Gas Lamp area. read more

Great food, great wine, great service. Music was a bit loud given a sparce Monday night crowd. Three of us had a salad and a pasta dish. All different and all delicious. One of the best Italian meals we've had in a long while. read more

Asti Ristorante was THE BEST choice to help me and my group of close friends celebrate my birthday! Asti turned out to be a magnificent place to help me usher in another rotation around the sun. Our server along with the staff made our dinner experience memorable and worthy of not only a 5+ star review but will very likely be on my short list to try again on a future visit. Because so many people in our group ordered different things, I'll vouch for the Pollo Alla Parmigiana. I found it to be perfectly portioned and every bite was savory and delicious. Highly recommend. I don't remember the wine I had with it (cause there was a plenty flowing) but Asti offers a robust selection of beer, wines and cocktails. I can't rave enough about the service. It was pretty busy and everyone was nice and cozy in the outside dining area. Just know this...our water was always filled and no one was ever in need of anything. Excellent service that goes beyond what you'd expect. Overall: Yeah there are lots of places to choose from along 5th Ave. but there's only one Asti Ristorante that you must try. Highly recommended. read more

Asti Ristorante - Perfect place for your birthday or large group gathering in the San Diego Gas Lamp area. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Walked up and was almost immediately seated on a busy day. The lobster ravioli was absolutely delightful! It tasted light, fresh, and the saffron crème sauce was very complementary. Quite satisfied with my spur-of-the-moment decision, read more

Asti Ristorante - Lobster ravioli with saffron sauce. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The restaurant was able to accommodate our group of 10 pretty quickly. It's a great location, and the service provided was timely. I think the rest of the group enjoyed their meals, unfortunately i did not. I ordered the spinach ravioli and the sauce had hints of seafood. My niece also tasted the seafood in the sauce. Thankfully, they accommodated me by removing it from the check plus a free dessert. read more

The pizza was amazing my brother even asked the waiter what was the name of his meal The place was clean a tv showing soccer my mom loved the food this place needs more 5 stars AND the ambiance was amazing read more

We enjoyed Asti for dinner. The temperature outside was great, so we enjoyed dining al fresco. Even though our server also had tables inside, we always felt well taken care of! The Cesare salad was quite large, but I'm not sure it was quite so it was quite worth the price tag. The Swordfish special was delicious, however, and worth every penny! Finally, while you seem to find tiramisu everywhere now, this was absolutely the best we've had in a long time! Overall great experience! read more

Amazing restaurant, fantastic food and great service! The whole experience from beginning to end was incredible. I started with Caprese and the charcuterie board both were delicious. Main dish was Chicken Marsala and I must say the best I have ever had! I will definitely be back! read more

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The food was amazing very delicious.. great service .very clean classy restaurant. Kinda my waitress was very friendly and helpful. Must try .authentic Italian food read more

Nice spot, good service, nice portion. Had the Limoncello martini, good, on the sweet side. Then got, papardelle alla vodka, very generous portion with lots of crab. Finished with a tiramisu, which was nice too. We sat outside, it was fun to people watch. read more

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Food was delicious. Seafood was fresh. The flavors on the pasta were perfect - not too much or too little. The staff were all very welcoming and kind. Since it's located in the heart of Gaslamp, parking can be hard to find. read more

Ate here with my friends after we biked down from the OC since it was right across the street from the hotel and we needed to refuel with carbs. I thought the linguine vongole was bomb but the seafood linguine was meh cuz the fish was a little hard to put down. Ate too much and felt like garbage but overall good experience. read more

We came across Asti Ristorante after looking through restaurants in the area, and decided to give it a shot! - PARKING - Street parking only - be sure to look out for time-limited and/or metered spots! - SERVICE/ENVIRONMENT - There's patio seating with the street being blocked off, as well as indoor seating. We came pretty early around 5pm on a weekday, so there weren't many people. They seated us immediately wherever we liked, so we picked an outdoor table. They have cute little candles on each table, and I always appreciate the small details, even if it is electric! Service was very attentive throughout our dinner. - FOOD - Complimentary Bread + Butter: I'm always ecstatic when a restaurant delivers on complimentary bread and butter, so when the server came by and dropped it off, I was so ready! Their bread has a great crust, and the inside is soft and pillowy. Their butter is easily spreadable as well. Fritto Misto Con Calamari ($23.95): I almost always order this as an appetizer, and Asti has a unique option of fried vegetables alongside the calamari! Each piece was well coated and had a nice red sauce to go along with everything. Pappardelle alla Vodka ($36.95): Pappardelle is one of my favorite pastas due to the large ribbons, and Asti cooked their pasta perfectly! The portion size definitely surprised me, but it made sense to have a larger amount with the higher price tag. There's a good amount of crab meat within the sauce, and the sauce itself was delicious. Tiramisu: Another must-have for Italian restaurants! I do think I've had better Tiramisus - the cake portion was a bit dry, but the cream layers were great. - OVERALL - Definitely pricier compared to other Italian restaurants I've been to, but they do deliver on quality and authenticity! read more

Asti Ristorante - outside of restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Love this classic restaurant, the brick walls are something you dont see much in San Diego! Parking around the area is horrible but there are nearby parking lots/garages that range in pricing. I highly recommend the Crab Linguine. Calamari was great and the desserts here are also delicious. We had the tiramisu, chocolate cake and 2 espresso martinis. read more

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It is very rare to have a 5 star dining experience. I have been wanting to dine at Asti for many years. I needed a special restaurant to celebrate a special occasion and Asti was the first restaurant that came up for my Restaurants. Com gift card. A last minute reservation on a Thursday evening was no problem. Asti has a prime location on 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp District in downtown San Diego. Parking is difficult, especially since 5th Avenue is now a pedestrian boulevard and closed to cars. I circled the area twice, then gave up and found paid parking at Horton Plaza. I was nervous because I couldn't calculate the charge, but it ended up to be a reasonable $16. We chose to sit inside instead of the large outdoor patio on the street in front of the restaurant. The inside was empty with only 2 other tables of diners. More people were dining outside, but the restaurant was alarmingly empty for a usually busy Thursday evening. It made me a but nervous but I was determined to give Asti a chance. I'm so glad we did. Asti is an old school fancy Italian restaurant. It has a charming ambience and a lovely decor dominated by two huge murals on either side of the space. I didn't care for the silk flowers on each table...a few stems of an inexpensive flower on each table would be a huge improvement at minimal cost. I also didn't care for the slightly too loud modern music. They should play Italian opera or Frank Sinatra. The menu was formally presented in a heavy binder, just like the old days. I missed this so much during and after Covid. There was an insert listing specials without any prices. I have been burned by this before and asked how much the appetizer we were considering was. The burrata with heirloom tomatoes and procuitto was $25. I think that's an expensive appetizer, but it was very good. The first time I've had such delicious tomatoes in years. A bread basket with butter was provided at no charge to start our meal. The bread was warm and very good. We also enjoyed a large Pelegrino. I had the gnocchi with Alfredo Sauce and my guest had the spaghetti with meatballs ($28 each). I usually order the gnocchi if it's on the menu and this was the best gnocchi I've ever had. My guest enjoyed his dish. Portions were generous enough that we both took leftovers home. We considered dessert, but decided we were full. Dinner was $100 for an appetizer, 2 entrees and the large Pelegrino. A good value for an excellent meal. Service was friendly although a bit casual for a "fancy" restaurant. Diners were not dressed up at all. I think they should have been. The women's bathroom was beautifully decorated. One of the nicest restrooms I've been in. The paper towel dispenser wasn't working though. I informed the bartender. I highly recommend Asti. The waitress said it was unusually empty. She said the prior night was packed. 9/12/2024 6:30 pm read more

In the heart of gaslamp, surrounded by cheesy restaurants and lounges, exists Asti - the Italian restaurant of your dreams! From fine cuisine to simple home style fare (don't overlook the chicken parm), you will NOT be disappointed. Service is stellar, quaint patio setting is imbued with classic Italy vibes, and flavors so powerful you'll be like BAM! What deliciousness is this?!? Could not recommend more :) read more

Tried the Pappardelle Ala Vodka ($36) pasta and it was really good! There were four large shrimps and it was plump and fresh! The sauce was also really good with the freshly made Pappardelle pasta and I dipped the free bread in the extra sauce. I must say, although it was really good, I don't think it was worth the high price tag of $36, which came out to roughly $41. It claims to have crab meat in there, but they were tiny shreds with no crab flavor at all. For the high price tag, I wouldn't order this again. I got a free bruschetta appetizer from the Yelp check-in and that was really good! It came with four pieces to share and the bread was crunchy and delicious with the bruschetta topping. The free bread and butter they give you with the meal was really the star of the meal. The bread was crispy on the outside and had the perfect soft and chewy center. My hubby and I ate all of the free bread that came with our meal! Overall, this is a nice high-end Italian option if you're in the Gaslamp area. read more

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Incredible dining experience! Food tasted delicious and service was friendly and professional. We started by sharing a Caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes. My husband had the Chicken Florentine and I had the Veal Chop. Both were prepared to perfection and tasted scrumptious! My husband had crème brûlée for dessert while I enjoyed a limoncello. Wonderful dinner! We will be back read more

Asti Ristorante - Chicken florentine with garlic mashed and fresh vegetables. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food: not worth the $$$$. Burrata had been refrigerated too long and does not have correct consistency, lobster over cooked in parts and under cooked in others. Most notably, pesto is not a soup.... pasta should not be bathing in the pesto like it's a bowl of Shoyu ramen. Service: highly courteous and attentive. Ambiance: warm and inviting with great music. Bottom Line: tourist spot. this is NOT good food. read more

Food was excellent! They have a rotating chefs specialties menu that is in addition to their normal menu. It is quite an addition. So if you don't like something in the normal menu, check the specials! read more

Asti Ristorante - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We loved the restaurant. The service and food were great. Nice ambiance. Only problem can be parking. read more