I visited here on September 2025 with a reservation for 8PM on a Saturday for a party of 2. It was filled to the gills and not a single table was unoccupied, so a reservation is highly recommended. It's a busy and buzzy place. We scouted the menu online and planned to order the yellowtail ceviche, calamari, tacos calabrese, casareccia tartufata, ravioli de carne, and pesto e gamberi. However, the menu we received in person was slightly different from the one we saw online. The yellowtail, pesto, and tacos were all gone, so we replaced them with a carpaccio and a ragu pasta. After placing our order, we got some bagged bread and oil. The bread was really good - it had a crunchy crust but was super fluffy. It took about ten minutes for our appetizers (calamari and carpaccio) to come. The calamari was lightly battered and extremely tender. The carpaccio is interesting and had a good flavor. Both of these were good. The carpaccio portion is pretty small but the calamari portion was pretty large. After another 25 minutes, our mains came. The ravioli is good, especially the meat filling. The ragu is good too, the pasta has a very good texture, the meat was soft, and the tomato flavor was strong. The ragu felt pretty light. The casareccia tartufata has a very strong truffle scent. It was creamy and truffle. Out of the three pastas I tried, this was my favorite. Despite having a thin looking sauce, this was the heaviest pasta too. Overall this was a pretty good dining experience. read more

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I'll try to keep to it short. The food at Civico was a mouthwatering delight. From the warm, flavorful focaccia they serve with a beautiful, deep green, chopped parsley and olive oil dip. To the fresh beet salad topped with walnuts and feta cheese. All the way to the thick, tasty, short rib pappardelle. Civico serves up food that makes you smile. Can't wait to try their sister restaurant now that I'm back in LA. Cheers read more

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To start, I rarely write reviews--but this one is well deserved. I moved to Little Italy two years ago and made it my mission to find the restaurant I could confidently recommend to friends. My personal test? Ravioli. At every spot, I ordered it--hoping for something light, fresh, and flavorful. Most fell short... too heavy, overly sauced, with the ingredients getting lost. But last night at Civico 1845, everything changed. One bite of their homemade ravioli and I knew--I had finally found the place. Perfectly balanced, light, and full of flavor without being overwhelming. The atmosphere is spot on--warm, inviting, and exactly what you want in Little Italy. And our server, Brook, was outstanding. Side note: I was there with my aunt and uncle, who lived in Italy, and after one bite of their gnocchi, they said it tasted just like home. That says it all. I'm already looking forward to becoming a regular and exploring more of the menu. If you're looking for Italian food that's fresh, light, and truly delicious--this is a must. read more

Went in for a solo dinner and it was an amazing experience. The staff is friendly and on top of it, the ambiance is lively and family friendly, and of course the food is amazing. I asked for the waiters recommendation and he recommended the sausage and Parmesan sauce pasta, which I was already eyeing and it was a great choice. Really heavy on the mushrooms, which I did at some point have to start picking out the mushrooms because there were just so many, but that didn't impact my experience at all. The warm focaccia served in a paper bag and with pesto is a nice addition to the dinner and using the focaccia to soak up the pasta sauce was the move! read more

Civico 1845 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was excited to try this place because it claims to have the first vegan Italian menu. I miss eating calamari as a vegan, so I of course had to try their vegan version. My mind was blown!! The texture was perfect, and the flavor was incredible. There's no way anyone would know it's not real calamari! The lasagna was also very good, but not worth $29 for one piece. The focaccia they brought for the table might actually be the best bread I've ever tasted in my entire life!! Service was really slow, but I think it's because they had two servers for the entire restaurant. My server was very nice as was the hostess. The restaurant is in a beautiful area with great people watching in little Italy. read more

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Bomb spot for pasta and wine in Little Italy! Pretty much anywhere in Little Italy is like that but really enjoyed the pasta and appetizers here. It's lit! read more

Civico 1845 - Cab! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Loved it! Went here for dinner this past week. We both loved it! I had some pasta dish with super wide noodles and pulled pork and I cleaned that up! My wife had one of their vegetarian/vegan dishes and loved it. Super busy place which is a great sign! We gotnsat outside which was kind of a bummer but hey you'll get your fill of people watching for sure! read more

I'm not typically an Italian restaurant person because I can usually make more authentic and better quality Italian food at home. But there are exceptions and Civico 1845 is one of those. The service was friendly and the food was fantastic. They have an extensive menu, which I would love to try more from. The restatement is tight and it was certainly a bit too warm in the dining area. So I would recommend coming later in the evening, or on the cooler winter days as they either don't have AC or don't run AC. read more

Was able to sit at the bar on a busy Saturday night without needing a reservation. I ordered a Hugo Spritz and the shrimp ravioli for dinner. The ravioli was very flavorful with flakes of dried shrimp on top mixed with a butter sauce. read more

Civico 1845 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I have been to this place many times and it is always phenomenal. The ambiance is so great - dimly lit, great decor, and just so cozy. I LOVE that they have a dedicated vegan menu. There also have plenty of meat forward options, but to have a dedicated vegan menu with gourmet options is a real treat. They even have vegan "calamari." They deliver freshly made vegan focaccia bread and pesto tons your table after ordering which is such a nice plus. I had the pappardelle (freshly made in house) al funghi and we all shared the vegan bruschetta. It was a bit hard to share as it comes on one large piece of toast rather than smaller slices of a baguette like one might expect...but we managed and it was worth it. One person ordered the ravioli with meat and loved it - everyone enjoyed their dish. The service was very smooth and they were super attentive. Everyone there was so nice from hostess stand to the dining experience in the restaurant. I've been several times, will be back In the future and continue recommending to friends. read more

Civico 1845 - Vegan calamari with delicious dipping sauce - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

note: parking is really tough in this area. Would have given a 4 if i didnt order pizza pesto with the bread was great. happy hour calamari for $8 was great happy hour margherita with glass of wine is a great price, but the pizza is terrible. just take it off the menu. seafood linguine was enjoyable. nice garlic clam flavor. read more

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Usually I don't pick Italian food for going out. I feel like I can make better at home. But my I decided to pick this place due to the reviews and the Italian region of Calabria which I've never tried before. Also their dedication to clean ingredients and a whole vegan menu (I'm not vegan but I appreciate green and clean eating). My husband and I went for our anniversary. Parking wasn't awful and I highly recommend having a reservation. Service was wonderful and on point. We were offered a rosemary type bread with an interesting dip that was similar to pesto. The bread was unique and warm and came in brown bags which initially I thought was strange but it made sense in how they keep it warm and fresh. We also ordered the zucchini blossoms which I highly recommend 10/10! You can barely tell they are fried. My husband got the short rib lasagna and I got the Calabrian chili seafood. The beautiful thing about the pasta is that it was handmade with the chilis inside. So good! We love Calabrian chilis so any time we have a chance to get we do. This was such a beautiful dinner, our server took our pic and we had such a nice time! I would definitely come back and try their other dishes. read more

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We had been craving good italian for a while and unfortunantly this didnt quite do it. We decided to go with the wild mushroom pasta and instead of a ballance of quality mushrooms and pasta it was a tone of cremini mushrooms that werent very flavorful and were a bit watery. The pasta itself was good but the ratio of mushrooms to pasta was far too high. We didnt have a reservation but were seated right away which was nice but it took a while to get our order in after that. Once we had our order in though they stopped by to fill our waters and give us bread often. The servers were pretty friendly and the atmosphere did feel like an italian dinner. The quality is usually not as big of an issue at normal restraunts but with the price or most meals being around $30 I was hoping for more. read more

Civico 1845 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Second time trying this place and let me tell you, it was packed with flavor and such a pleasant experience. To start, our friendly waiter came by and dropped off some bread in a brown paper bag with a pesto oil dip that was sooo good, my husband and I finished it in no time. The bread was fluffy, fresh, and delicious. We ordered the vegan calamari, which was absolutely exquisite and spot on texture-wise. It's made of mushrooms and honestly tasted just like the real thing. The only thing I didn't love was the tomato marinara-style sauce it came with. If you're not vegan, I'd recommend asking for the regular sauce, I tried it last time and it was amazing. For the main course, we had the Barbabietole salad with beets, spring mix, arugula, feta, oranges, and walnuts, all tossed in a delicious balsamic dressing, and the Casareccia Alla Norcina pasta, which was divine!! The flavors, the sauce, and the meat were incredible, so tender it just melted in our mouths.For drinks, we had a mocktail with a watermelon tajín rim that was so delish, but a little on the sweet side, we ended up watering it down a bit. Lol. I love how they have great vegan options and creative non-alcoholic drinks. The place is dim and romantic but still gives off a cute, chill vibe. There's only one bathroom and it was busy, so I didn't get to go. Overall, the restaurant was clean, our waiter (I think his name was Leo) was super sweet and welcoming, and we absolutely loved the food and the whole experience. We'll definitely be back soon! This is our spot. Give it a try next time you're in Little Italy. read more

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Another Little Italy win with Civico 1845, and this one comes with personality turned all the way up. First things first. This place is lively. The noise level is definitely higher than your average dinner spot, so if you're planning a quiet, intimate catch-up, maybe save this for another night. But if you're here for energy, vibes, and a full-on Italian dining experience, you're in the right place. The servers bring it, accents, booming voices, the whole atmosphere. It genuinely feels like you just stepped off a gondola somewhere in Sicily. We kicked things off with appetizers, and there's a lot to talk about here. We had some vegetarians in the group, so we tried the vegan calamari and I'm still processing it. Made from pea-based protein, yet somehow it nailed the texture of real calamari. Honestly, it was so good it made me question my loyalty to the original. Of course, we also had the traditional calamari, which was perfectly breaded and seasoned. No disappointment there. We tried both the classic bruschetta and the vegetarian version. Flavor-wise, both were great, but heads up: they come as one large piece that's not exactly easy to divide. A little teamwork (and maybe some strategic cutting) goes a long way, but it's worth it to make sure everyone gets a bite. The standout appetizer for me by far was the Fiori di Zucca (stuffed zucchini blossom.) I haven't seen this done like this anywhere else in the U.S. Perfectly breaded, stuffed with an incredible mix of meat and ricotta, and paired with a sauce that was just unreal. Absolute must order. The burrata was also solid. Rich, creamy, and exactly what you'd hope for at a quality Italian spot. For my main, I went with the chicken piccata. The chicken was beautifully flattened and cooked just right, and the sauce had great flavor with just enough capers to give it that signature kick. The only miss on the plate for me was the side of potato wedges. They didn't quite match the dish. The breading felt under-seasoned, and the texture didn't fully land. For dessert, I tried the "liquid" option with limoncello, and this is where things dipped a bit. It's not house-made, and you can tell. It was barely chilled and leaned very sweet missing that crisp, refreshing balance you'd expect. All that said, this is still absolutely a spot worth visiting. The service was strong, the food came out quickly, and the overall experience is fun, flavorful, and memorable. Just come ready for a little noise, a lot of energy, and at least one dish that'll have you saying, "Wait, how is this that good?" read more

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Came here for a date and had a really nice time! The service was great and the vibes/ambiance were very nice (even on a Tuesday). The food was very good - the focaccia and pesto for the table was a great start. We shared caesar salad which was good and not too much dressing. The vegan funghi pasta was the highlight, very yummy and light (and huge portion). The ravioli was solid was well. Nothing was particularly "out of this world" but it was all good and enjoyable. Overall glad we gave this place a try and would go again some point! read more

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My favorite vegan restaurant! Love that there's a mix of non and vegan foods so that everyone can get something they love. I try to come here every time I'm in San Diego and I've never been disappointed with the food or the service. Wonderful to have a more upscale vegan spot and the location is perfect. read more

Pros: Service very friendly and fast. Bread in the bag with fresh pesto was great. Cons: Both our meals Chicken Limone & Pappardelle with meat sauce were disappointing. Chicken had a thick orange sauce like gravy and the Pappardelle meat sauce was overly salty. We couldn't finish our meal. We wouldn't recommend or return read more

3.5 / 5 They had a gluten free / dairy free option for me. It was delicious!!! So yummy. The place itself is very cute and on a popular street. Server was nice and knowledgeable. read more

Pretty reasonable happy hour, and we enjoyed some delicious wines. The squash blossoms off the HH menu was good and the focaccia with pesto was bomb! But everything else was just kinda so so in terms of flavor. Service was great, ambience was low lit, somewhat intimate with windows open to the street. I'd come again for the wine and nosh on something small but dinner somewhere else. read more

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Omg it's not even Italian , it tastes like Sysco food, just reheated stuff. Honestly the worst I've ever had in my life.

I had taken my friends out to Little Italy and happened to stumble upon this restaurant walking around. We went on a Saturday night at 8pm with no reservation and was seated immediately at their outdoor patio. If I do come back again, I would definitely have chosen indoors as the outdoor patio was near the open street and there was too many people walking around, so the ambiance did not feel the same. The food was amazing! We all tried a little bit of each other's dishes and were definitely not disappointed. Even the bread tasted fresh and handmade. It is on the pricer side, but was so worth it. read more

Civico 1845 - Pappardelle Brasato, Lasagna Calabrese, Tagliata Di Manzo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is the best in all of Little Italy. I'll say it a thousand times. We sat outside this time. There's plenty of seating inside and out (but recommend a reservation). They start off with bread as always (tasty focaccia). This time we got the arancini, Ravioli di carne, and the Ragu Di Salsiccia. Each one was phenomenal and I can't recommend them enough. Service is always fast and friendly. Parking can suck here especially with SD updating all of their parking rules so just be aware if parking street. read more

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We took our son to visit colleges this past weekend and came across Civico. I can't recommend this restaurant enough! The food was amazing, the service impeccable, and the staff have a vibe that makes it all feel like you're having dinner at an Italian villa with your family. Everything was spectacular!! We will definitely be coming back! read more

The food was great! We had pizza (two kinds - both good) and pasta. But absolutely the best was the service by Giovanni. He was incredibly good. He was enthusiastic, alert, and extremely helpful. But not just to us - I saw him help others equally well, and the rest of the staff really seemed to like him. I would go back JUST to have home wait on us. He was amazing. Well done, Giovanni! read more

Came here because of the number of vegan options they have on the menu. Excellent service starting with the host who seated us, and continuing throughout the entire meal. We started off with sparkling water and were brought fresh bread and pesto sauce. Both the bread and sauce were delicious. I ordered calamari off the happy hour menu, and the portion size was plenty for one person. The calamari was lightly breaded and quite possibly the most tender calamari I've ever had. For dinner, I ordered the vegan pappardelle porcini brasato. Personally, I didn't care for it. There was nothing wrong with it, just something in it created a flavor that wasn't for me. I'm not sure what it was. For dessert I ordered the cannoli. It came on a plate of three, and it was fantastic. It does get loud inside, which makes conversation difficult. read more

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Beautiful restaurant! I sat outside and there was live music on the street. I came for an early dinner and was sat right away, but it can get crowded at night. I like how they give you the bread in a brown bag, warm and fluffy! They provided a pesto dipping sauce I think, but it could have been a tapenade since it was so salty. I also liked how they had nonalcoholic options! Unfortunately my drink needed more juice or liquid to balance out the syrup. I had to add water because some sips were way too tangy and sugary. I ordered the truffle pasta and the meatballs were unevenly salted. Some bites of meat were super salty, others were bland. The pasta itself was perfect! But the sauce was lacking, especially given the price. The tiramisu was just okay. It wasn't like any other I've had before, it was more cakey than I am used to and I would have preferred more cream. Service was just okay. My server got busy later into the night so I had to flag down the hostess for my check. Note that their automatic tip options are set at 18%, 20%, or 25% read more

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I went to Civico 1845 a few years ago and loved it, only to just come back this last weekend and find it is their 10 year celebration! We ended up (unintentionally) getting the 10 year specials. They were all so good! The dishes were so smooth. As the Master chef winner we had to try the tacos; they had a great balance of heat and sweet from the pineapple. Our favorite dish was the zucchini blossoms. We sat outside and there was such a nice breeze, our waiter came by often and was helpful giving recommendations on what to eat. Something kind of unique, they serve their focaccia bread (vegan) in a paper bag with a really wonderful pesto dip. It was a really great experience and looking forward to dining again there soon. read more

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Unimpressed by the food or service. Ordered the octopus carpaccio and rigatoni but neither were outstanding.

We celebrated our 25th Anniversary here for dinner. Had high hopes for this place. Hostess was very welcoming. I wish I could say the same for our server. I almost felt like he was forced to serve us, at least that's we felt during our interactions with him. Place is spacious with lots of seating. Food was okay. We had high hopes based on reviews. Enjoyed the squash flowers, and bread they served. Salad and the short rib dish I had was just okay. They did give us complimentary cannoli since we were celebrating our anniversary. One visit is okay with us read more

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Food was fantastic. Gnocchi was just perfect. Sauce was just right! Brooke was our waitress. She was not only helpful with selections, she was friendly and welcoming. We ate outside. Love watching people pass by. Qauint seating for two. read more

Very cute find amidst all the competing Italian places in the neighborhood. Large outdoor area that spills out on the street, and interior is clean. Service was also quite good; the fresh bread in paper bag served with fresh pesto was an especially nice touch. The calamari is probably one of the best I've had; so very tender and the aioli was superb. The zucchini blossoms were good and the Calabrian peppers added a little kick. A little too rich at some point tough. Highlight of the meal was the casareccia...probably one of the best pasta I've had, and certainly turned my toddler daughter to truffle sauce! Certainly worth another trip next time I'm back in town! read more

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Love the Hugo here! And always get seated quickly. Have only come for drinks and always sit outside.

Ambience is impeccable. It's like you're dining in a homey wine cellar. The space is open yet cozy. Menu features a lot of twist on classic dishes as well as more familiar ones. Their Arancinis were BIG. Super crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Could have used more meat though. We all loved the Burrata Caprese Salad. So refreshing and paired perfectly with the fresh pesto sauce and foccacia bread. My main was the new Ravioli di Carne. My first meat-filled raviolis. Pasta was cooked al dente. The filling inside was flavorful and tender. I also love the hint of spice in the sauce. Really enjoyed the meal here! read more

Civico 1845 - Ravioli Di Carne - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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My wife chose this place for a Saturday night dinner -- what a spot! Regular and vegan menu, best of both worlds. Wyatt our server was 11/10, great attitude, attention to detail, energy & vibe. Focaccia came out and blew us away. We got the vegan calamari, vegan caprese, artichoke salad, meatballs for appetizers -- super good. The artichoke salad was simple but delicious; the meatballs were the size of my head but soft and not super dense. The vegan caprese had some of the best tomato's I've had in a while & the calamari fooled me as if it was the real thing. For mains we got the seafood pasta & vegan puttanesca -- both were absolutely delicious. Finished w an espresso, limoncello and some vegan cannolis ! The cannolis had a lemon filling w/ cherries -- never had that before. And lastly -- Wyatt made the meal that much better -- would certainly return! read more

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House-made fresh pasta?! Yes and yes! We were able to find a place I would accommodate with vegan diet and for those who eat meat. The place is super cute. The decor and the music were very trendy. My mom had the seafood pasta and she thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband and I ordered vegan calamari, vegan bruschetta, and the vegan mushroom pasta and they were to die for! We ordered wine and the bartender Brandon was so friendly! We were very happy with the food and service. We loved this place and would definitely come back next time we visit San Diego read more

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I visit SD frequently and always make sure to stop and eat her! Food is amazing, the laid back and warm atmosphere really adds to the dining experience. Be sure to order the chicken scaloppine, lasagna and and burrata....soo delish! We always order the squash blossoms too...I forgot to take a pic lol! Staff and owner were welcoming and so attentive. read more

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Great Italian spot. Very lively and popular. Reservations made by email a couple of months in advance for a group of 10 on a Tuesday night at 6pm. They were fairly busy so it was definitely necessary to have that reservation. Service was good. The restaurant was quite hot for the first part of our dinner but I think they saw me fanning myself and turned up the air as it became more comfortable. * Thee Stallion Spritz - 3.5 stars. Refreshing, not especially unique/interesting * Fiori Di Zucca - 4 stars. Very tasty. * Polpette Di Melanzane - 4 stars. Heavy but good. * Pappardelle Brasato - 3.5 stars. Quite thick and al dente. Total cost: $446.72 for 9 people. read more

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As a vegan food lover, I was so excited to finally try this Italian gem in San Diego. With so many vegan options on the menu, it was honestly hard to decide, but the waiter was incredibly helpful and recommended his favorites. I went with the vegan rigatoni puttanesca and the vegan calamari, and it felt like I was having lunch for two as a solo traveler. The rigatoni was definitely my favorite. The flavor was unique, rich, and so satisfying in a way that really stood out. Everything tasted thoughtfully made and full of flavor. This place is a must try if you're vegan or just looking to enjoy really good Italian food. read more

Civico 1845 - Vegan calamari - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Brook was our server and she was outstanding. Very sweet and authentic. The rigatoni Giancaleone had great flavor. Definitely worth checking out read more