Really enjoyed the food and at atmosphere. Lots to choose on menu. Ravioli fresh and delish. Hubby got the shrimp pasta and it was yummy. Will be back next visit to town. read more

Top 2 Pizza I've ever had, and I was raised in little Italy (New Jersey). Amazing authentic flavors and the ambiance was excellent. You can tell it's authentic just by the ambiance and menu offerings. Don't forget their carbonara, but the pizza is a must have, even if you're an hour away. Service was some of the quickest I've had. 10/10 will be coming back! read more

Buona Forchetta - Bruno Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

We made a reservation at 6:00 and were seated right away on the patio. There were people waiting outside when we arrived & several waiting when we left. The patio is quite cozy. The tables are rather close to one another and you will hear others conversations.My husband had a pasta with pesto & sausage dish & I had the meat lasagne. Both were tasty but not served warm enough so we asked for them to be heated. Great when this was done Had a nice bottle of Sangiovese which went well with our food read more

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The pizza is the best in North County, if you like a Neapolitan style pie! The dough. The chew. The char. Ask for it crispy or well done-- that's the ticket! There's a bit of updating that could be done; the plastic plates and such leave you wanting more, but the food is solid. read more

Buona Forchetta - Special pizza with nduja, pesto and burrata!! - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

Wanted to come out and support Buona Forchetta since what had happened a couple weeks ago. Was able to get reservations online easily for this location since the original one was booked out. Parking was super easy, there's parking in front and also around the corner in the street right behind the restaurant. The place was pretty lively for a Tuesday night around 7pm. We ordered the Artichokes and Piemonte salad for appetizers, the Aglio Olio E Peperoncino sauce on Tagliolini pasta, Cacio E Pepe sauce on Bucatini pasta, and Nicola Pizza for entrees (eaten family style so it was all shared). For a party of 4 this was plenty of food. Every table was served complimentary focaccia bread with olive oil, but we actually liked the flavors of the olive oil on the Artichokes better, it was more lemony garlic-y. The salad was decent, nothing too special about it, I just wished there were more slices of pears. The Nicola Pizza was Neapolitan style, pretty amazing, everything about it was great. There was plenty of prosciutto, the dough was thin with a crispy crust. Out of the 2 pastas we got I feel like the crowd favorite was the Cacio E Pepe sauce on Bucatini pasta since it was very flavorful, but definitely heavier than the Aglio Olio E Peperoncino sauce on Tagliolini pasta. The Aglio Olio E Peperoncino on Tagliolini was reminiscent of ramen noodles and it was pretty plain. I ended up mixing the two noodles together to eat it. Overall delicious meal that really didn't break the bank. For all that food plus one blood orange soda, it was $100! Prime location in Encinitas too, close enough to walk to dessert down the street and a couple bars. Would definitely recommend coming to eat here! read more

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The pasta is gourmet and the chicken parm is fabulous. I would recommend going there every once in a while. The service is inconceivable. It would be a very nice place to go on a date. I loved it there. read more

On our way home from Carlsbad by lazy driving through scenic Coast Highway 101, we decided to stop by the restaurant for a quick lunch after checking Yelp for suggestions. The restaurant is not big and has a cozy trattoria ambience (one side note: the front entrance door is locked; the real entrance is on the left side). We got seated without waiting since it was almost 3PM. The waiters were cordial and attentive. We got the menu with complimentary bread right away. We ordered one pizza and one build-yourself pasta. The pizza was delicious with fluffy crust edge and generous toppings. The pasta was al dente and chicken breast cubes were very tender. Overall a great experience. It is kind of far from home (yes, very far), otherwise it could be a weekly visit place for us. read more

Buona Forchetta - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Pavo and the crew did an amazing job of bringing some of the best bites of Italy to Encinitas. Loved every moment. Delicious. I will be back and would absolutely recommend that you do the same. Very relaxed atmosphere. You won't feel rushed, just taken care of. read more

As an Italian from the south I can tell that Buona Forchetta delivers authentic Italian cuisine, starting from the Neapolitan pizza and the pasta. You can pick the pasta shape you prefer but ask for a suggestion to Andrea the GM, he's really prepared . The place is booked so I recommend a reservation , but that's a good sign, it means it's good. Good service and very good Italian wine list. Ciao! read more

So I made a reservation but they could only give me a table by the kitchen. Even when I asked . Then the waiter ignored us for 15 minutes. I looked online for wood fired pizza and this had great reviews. I ordered a nice bottle of wine . Then the pizza came out completely undercooked. I asked the waiter to put it back in the oven and he said it couldn't be because it was already cut up. Seriously???? It wasn't cooked. So I said "well , it needs to go back in " and my husband said "just cook it some more" . It was kind of uncomfortable. In the end , They did, make us a fresh pizza that was charred more and was very tasty. The ambience is fun and lively and has lovely little lamps on the tables . The menu is fun and you can choose your pasta and what sauce you would like. It was reasonably priced and lots of customers! read more

Buona Forchetta - The second pizza cooked longer but no bubbles or char . Wood fired? Maybe a broiler oven. - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Buona Forchetta is my favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego. I mostly frequent the South Park location so it was nice to try this Encinitas one that was conveniently located along Coast Hey. It was consistent in their hospitality, service and quality of food. This location had a cute alley way that was turned into outdoor seating as well as out front on the sidewalk. I did try two items that I've never had before - Juna pizza with vegan mozerella & carbonara pappardelle. The pizza was amazing with a variety of meat and the spicy honey which goes surprisingly well. The carbonara pappardelle pasta was cooked perfectly Al dente with a creamy sauce and bacon bits. The food came out quickly in less than 10 minutes and portions were a good size. I left feeling satisfied and glad that I again had a great experience at Buona Forchetta! read more

Buona Forchetta - Juna pizza - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food is exceptional. Nice atmosphere but make reservations as this restaurant is quite small Great service. Manager and servers are all attentive and great! read more

Got the Pizza Baccio and radicchio salad. Food was awesome and Chris took excellent care of us!! read more

Great Italian family joint in Encinitas. Service is speedy and warm, portions very generous and the outdoor patio is a nice way to relax and enjoy time over your meal. We had a great Burrata salad, and a pasta selection menu meant you could mix and match shapes and sauces. The carbonara hit the spot and our little guy loved his red sauce penne. A hit all around. The location also has plenty of parking unlike Encinitas town so another plus. Thanks to the great team! read more

I recently had a dinner party catered by Buena Forchetta. My guests and I were so impressed with how delicious every dish was and how perfectly prepared. The meatballs and chicken piccata was the best! We will definitely cater again from this amazing restaurant read more

Cute little place. Almost packed at 730 pm on a Thursday. Ordered vegan Bolognese, it was saucy, which I loved. It wasn't very impressive otherwise. They ran out of take out utensils. read more

This place was great! Vibe felt like a mom And pop shop and the food tasted like true italian. Hubby had a pepperoni pizza which I think is boring but it was actually pretty good! I got a pesto pasta with grilled chicken and chose their house made Pasta which was delish! Went on a Monday night and the place was poppin'. Recommend a reservation just in case. Staff were friendly and attentive ...Definitely will be back. read more

The review from Lou S more or less sums it up. I am throwing down five stars for the service. Our waiter was perfect. Food was generally fine. Three star removal not for flies (they must have been sleeping) but for general filth. Invest in a pressure washer! There is black grime on the patio which is the same black grime that is directly in front of the dumpster. Clean Up! See photos if needed. Windows were disgusting. The food is fine as I stated but eating it makes it not taste so good when looking at some much dirt that is not hard to remove. read more

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Today I visited this restaurant for the second time, and once again I was very impressed. The food was delicious, with great seasoning and beautifully prepared dishes. The service from the waitstaff was excellent--very attentive and friendly. A special shout-out to the chef Enrique, who truly did an amazing job; every plate was full of flavor and perfectly made. Everything was perfect. I will definitely be coming back and highly recommend this place. read more

Buona Forchetta - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

Even with a reservation, we had a 10 minute wait. Parking here is tough (just street parking). Service was friendly, but people's food came at different times. Italian 75 cocktail was ok (not great). Juna pizza had great flavor, but was so oily, that the bottom crust was soggy. I wouldn't come back. read more

Friendly, lively atmosphere, great service and good food! Had the pizza puttanesca (delicious anchovies) and shared the sottoterra (salad). I was impressed with the pizza; the salad was more substantial that what I'd hoped for but that's my problem, not the restaurant's. House red was good too. read more

Just the cutest little place! Great atmosphere, great food, great service! Great vegan and gluten free options! read more

Buona Forchetta - Spaghetti puttanesca - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

My husband and I had a little date night last night and decided to try Buona! I'm really indecisive and no matter what I order I end up being envious of our neighbor's orders haha. So we decided to trust our server Pavel and he did not disappoint!! He was super knowledgeable in the wines, food, and recommended some yummy specials. We ended up getting the lobster pasta and I think it was called the Adriano pizza! Both were incredibly tasty and hit the spot! He also recommended our new favorite wine, definitely give it a try if you go!! I don't normally write reviews, but we have two kids at home and don't get out much, so we are thankful that Pavel made our night so delicious and memorable!! read more

Buona Forchetta - Our new fav wine !! Thanks Pavel! - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

We came on a Friday night at 5:30 without a reservation and they quickly seated us. The food and service were excellent. We loved the pizzas and salads. Blood orange soda was a treat. We really enjoyed our time and will come again. Thank you Pauvel, for your great service and kind way! read more

This is the BEST gluten free pizza - hands down!! my daughter lives in Italy and i can say that Buona Forchetta Gluten Free pizza rival any pizza I've gotten in Italy. it's so good i find myself confirming with them that its in fact rhe gluten free version. very importantly, i have a gluten allergy and i have never gotten sick eating here!! they even imported their pizza oven from Italy. if you want the beat gluten free and authentic pizza, you will not be disappointed! the staff are always great as well. read more

TLDR: Food: 2.5/5 Space: 2/5 Staff: 3.5/5 Price: 1/5 Note: This may sound nit-picky and brutally honest but if you're going to have such high prices I have higher expectaions. Space: One thing that bothered me instantly is the cheapness of the interior, all dishes and cups were basic white or clear plastic, didn't appear very clean. Chairs were simple metal, same chairs as in fast food restraunts, not very comfortable for a long sit down dinner. Staff: Noticed something I saw other reviewers mention as well, staff asked to clear plates when people were clearly not ready. Checked in several times, were mostly polite. Didn't really provide a fun or enthusiastic atmosphere though, felt robotic like they were just going through a routine. Food: Portions are large, but quality is meh. Started with polpettine, they were small and without the tomato sauce very bland, with sauce they were probably the best item I had that night. Pizza (Nicola) had soggy cold bottom, couldn't even pick it up to eat it because it was so wet and floppy, tasted very oily and wasn't cut when it was brought to the table. Pasta (bucatini, buona forchetta, porcini, salsiccia) was served warm, pretty ok amount of added mushroom/sausage but sauce wasn't that flavorful felt like a basic cheesy cream sauce, and was very heavy I couldn't eat much of it, I added red pepper flakes for more flavor but wasn't very impressed with it. Ingredients felt cheap and not special. Price: WAY TO HIGH. Didn't feel like quality of food and experience overall matched steep price whatsoever, I mean $35 for a mediocre pasta dish?? For 2 people it was well over $100 with no drinks. If it was less expensive or quality increased I would love this place, but with how it is now you're much better off somewhere else, don't waste your money here. read more

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Not the greatest parking options, especially for a rainy day, but we felt less slighted after settling on a puddle next to the Ferrari Spider. If they can get their Pirelli's muddy, we can do the same with our Sentry's. It's a small venue on the inside, so we were relegated to the outside dining, yes the area with the corrugated aluminum roof. The fun thing about that roof... because the restaurant is so close to the ocean... is that the occasional ocean gust will lift that mother about 4 feet from its support structure and then slam it down like Shaq. If you're not paying attention, it can send shivers down your spine and expletives out your mouth. Perfect for leaving lasting impressions with your mother in law. Now, the pizza is good. I had the gnocci. Why did I have the gnocci when I knew they were known for their pizza? Because it was one of my mother's favorite dishes, and this was a nod to her legacy. Sorry mom, that's the last gnocci nod you're getting from me. Wont be ordering it again, especially at $26. However, at $17, the Burrata Capresse was very nice. read more

Buona Forchetta - Caprese - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

Awesome date night spot with incredible food. We started with a prosciutto, fig, and burrata appetizer that was surprisingly very generous on the prosciutto especially. Dressed simply with balsamic glaze and a nice salad of arugula on top for a lovely, classic bite. Main was seafood and lobster tail risotto and house-made pappardelle pasta with mixed seafood. Both were generously portioned and perfectly seasoned. The different types of seafood (clams, mussels, squid, shrimp, lobster) were all respectfully cooked and nothing tasted overdone or compromised for all being in one dish. I asked for extra bread to sop up the sauce in the pasta dish, and they happily obliged. Intimate spot with tables inside as well as on their front and side patios. Service was prompt and lovely. Couldn't ask for more out of an enjoyable dining experience. read more

One of the best restaurants in Encinitas. I get their pesto gnocchi at least once a week. Highly recommended!

My boyfriend and I were visiting from out of town this weekend and were pleasantly surprised by this spot! Our server, Bella, went above and beyond, and genuinely seemed to care that we had a great experience. She took the time to walk us through the menu and recommended the ravioli and risotto from the specials menu, which were absolutely delicious. The entire staff was so kind and welcoming. I'll definitely be coming back; thank you to the Buona team for such a memorable experience! read more

This place is simply awesome. Great food, relaxing atmosphere, outstanding service. The pizzas are delicious and made out of best quality ingredients. In fact, their pizzas reminded us a lot of the ones we had in Italy - that's how authentic they are. No matter how busy it is, you never feel rushed or ignored. Francesco is the best waiter ever! We come to Buona Forchetta regularly, and every time it's great. Thank you, Buona Forchetta! read more

It's been awhile since I've been back to BF and the food last night was way better than my previous experience a year or so prior. The artichoke appetizer was amazing and the pasta dishes were massive. I believe they just got a new GM, who introduced himself, and maybe they made some changes because everything was way better. Also shout out to our server Francesco. He's the man and the service as a whole was incredible. read more

Why close at 8:30 when it says you are open until 9:00 everywhere? Disappointing and not cool. Response to reply below....Peter I don't think you understand. The two doors leading inside were locked. Your staff closed the restaurant to patrons 30 minutes early, plain and simple. This has nothing to do with delivery and online booking. read more

Came here with a large party and was seated in a private dining room on a lower level in the back of the restaurant. Service was friendly and I liked the rustic decor in the room. I did notice there was no music, having some light music playing could have improved the atmosphere a bit. Really enjoyed the burrata and the server even brought an extra order on the house due to a mix up. I enjoyed my bolognese sauce pasta and the first wine on the reds list. Great spot for a private party with upscale but still casual dining. Found street parking pretty easily around the block. read more

First off, the food is really good. The ravioli was tasty! Things that aren't so great: This place gets really busy, it's small and pretty cramped. The service wasn't great when I was there. We saw our server once to order and then at the end to pay the bill. He never checked to see how our food was or to see if we wanted more wine. I cut a lot of slack to servers when it's busy but it wasn't much of a dining experience here unfortunately. It felt like eat and leave. read more

Really wasn't a fan of the food at buona forchetta. The service was REALLY good and that was honestly the only really good thing about it. The bread was stale and the pasta I got was just untasty. I didn't taste any spice and it really just tasted like slightly sour milk to be honest. The guy at the table next to me also got the buona forchetta sauce and said he rated it a "D" on a grade scale. I would say it was more of a "C" rating but it really just didn't hit the spot. I normally like creamy pasta or pink sauce but I didn't taste much of the marinara and it wasn't salty enough... just tasted like straight cream. After I was done with the pasta, there was a whole pool of oil beneath it which was unappetizing. For the price, a very underwhelming serving of pasta and I think you can get much better in the area. I will say, the pizzas looked very good and my friend's pasta was decent. However, her pasta still didn't wow me when I had a bite :( The staff however were realllyyyy friendly and that makes this experience a higher rating. Staff deserve 5 stars for sure! read more

Buona Forchetta - Buona forchetta sauce - Pizza Near Me - Encinitas, California

Excellent pizzas with many choices and toppings. Also many choices for appetizers, and side dishes. The pizza is all handmade and thin in the main center part, with a thicker crust around the edges. Tasty toppings. We like the Juna and the Giuseppe. The meatball appetizers are to die for and are served with a nice tomato sauce. We shared a spinach salad too. Casual and pleasant atmosphere and decent service, portions & prices. Good selection of beers & wines. They also offer pasta dishes and you can customize it. read more

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Food was amazing. Service was awesome. The pizza was absolutely incredible, came out so quick and fresh out the oven. The pasta was so good and the bolognese sauce was extremely flavorful!! It's hard to find a good Italian place that has that authentic feel but not super outrageous in pricing either! read more

Great special verity pizzas!!! Love there pizza oven! Nice for a change We tried the one in South Park years ago Now lots close to us! read more

Great pizza and pasta we got there before opening and servers could have been more informative otherwise great!