Everything was great! From the attentive service to the ambiance to the food! We started with a Fresca salad had then moved onto the papperdalle brasato and linguine pescatora recommend by our server Gabi. Everything was coursed perfectly. We will be back! read more

Absolutely phenomenal experience at Civico 1845! Arturo was our bartender and he was fantastic -- attentive, knowledgeable, and made the whole evening even better. We started with the focaccia bread and in-house made pesto, and it was delicious -- you could tell right away they use quality ingredients. Next came the calamari, which was fresh and perfectly cooked, not drowned in batter like so many places do. Will definitely be ordering that again. For the main course, we had the Rigatoni Giancaleone, which was amazing. The pancetta was well balanced and didn't overpower the sauce at all -- just a perfectly executed dish. Can't recommend this place enough. Go see Arturo at the bar if you want great service to match the great food! read more

Civico 1845 - Rigatoni Giancaleone - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

This is the best vegan Italian restaurant in San Diego! Vegans come one come all! Everything we ate was incredible- half our group was vegan and the other were meat eaters. There is something for everyone. The service was incredible and the chef... wow he's amazing - and very good looking! Civico is in the heart of little Italy and takes that theme to heart. The vibes were homey and cute and made you want to stay for hours read more

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Had a reservation on a Saturday night - service and staff were very friendly and helpful. The foccacia and pesto and our salad was yummy and fresh. But then the mains came out, and they disappointed. We got the NY steak and the gnocchi bolognese. The steak arrived lukewarm and was oversalted. The gnocchi was underwhelming. read more

Civico 1845 - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

$$$ Civico 1845 on the central corner of Little Italy SD. From the outside it looks aged like the old country. And that means windows open on warm weather days with the hopes of breeze. Outside seating is two part ~ some umbrellas but Sun Diego exposes all tables to a tanning session. With all that said, evenings are the best for summer nights, cool and comfortable, plenty of folks walking and talking the streets for atmosphere. Authentic to taste ~ pasta quality & texture perfetto, their olive oil delish, components fresh from local sources. Tasty & satisfied. We enjoyed the 1st dinner so much we back next day. The only drawback was service ~ from hostess to server it was not welcoming or attentive. The kitchen & lively vibe is what makes it popular spot in the neighborhood. read more

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Civico was a great dining experience. We got a table outside on the patio. It's always fun watching people roam Little Italy. The service was great. So helpful in explaining all the awesome options on the menu. We started off with some Happy Hour espresso martinis. The drinks were just the thing for sipping in the sunshine. We tried the calamari and it was fresh tasting and fried well. I got the Pomodoro Fresco, it was simple, clean, and the sauce tasted like it was made with fresh ingredients. I felt so light after eating it. What a great choice! We will happily come back here, great venue, great service, great food! read more

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Took a friend of mine here for an early birthday celebration. I've been to Civico a few times before, but it's been a while since the last time I came. The place is just as I remembered with cozy vibes and authentic food. We started off with 2 appetizers from their happy hour menu, bruschetta (7/10) and fiorri di zucca (9/10). As our mains we had the margarita pizza (8/10) and the pappardelle brasato pasta (10/10). The pasta was my favorite with the short rib being so tender. Civico's pastas are always top notch, and their table bread is one not to miss either. There was so much food, we had to take half of everything home to leave room for dessert. Their tiramisu was second to none (10/10) and a big enough portion to share. Overall, we had a great time here. read more

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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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Really enjoyed Civico 1845! The atmosphere is great and it's in a perfect spot in downtown San Diego. I especially appreciated how many vegan options they had, way more variety than you usually find at an Italian restaurant, and everything we tried was flavorful and well done. Service was friendly and the overall experience was great. Definitely worth checking out, especially if you're vegan or dining with someone who is! read more

Wednesday night as we approach the Hostess for a party of three she told us it'd be about 40 minutes. We waited over an hour before we finally got a table. Server was great. He was there right away. Food came out in a decent amount of time for as busy as it was. However, the food was not very authentic. I could have cooked it myself. However, the vegan options were amazing. We just basically waited over an hour to sit down and probably was there less than 30 minutes. This is the reason I gave it a three star. They have a five star for the vegan part of it, but the rest is just Basic. read more

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Charming restaurant with authentic Italian dishes. Many vegan options also as we came here with our vegan loved ones. The servings are very generous and the food is very rich so sharable. The cesar was a nice start and adds some variety. read more

Civico 1845 - Front of menu - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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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 NEVER give 5 stars unless warranted. I DEFINITELY did not want to drive to little Italy during rush hour...but went on way home to try their updated seafood pasta or linguine pescatora. When I called asking about the dish the chef actually got on the phone and when I got there the guy (didn't catch name) behind bar was awesome. I attached pics on review. It's what I got and a pic of left overs which was so tiny but I didn't want to discard lmao...it was the best I've had in California period. I ordered the same dish at loews Coronado Monday and it was GROSS...this was DELICIOUS!! I'll def be back! (Just not around 1700 lol) read more

Civico 1845 - Leftovers I was SO full but couldn't bare discarding this - 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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First of all service was excellent. Shout out to Lucas who was attentive and gave good recommendations. Inside is kind of small but they have patio seating. Focaccia bread was served in a bag and was hot and fresh. Linguini alla pescatore was filled with lots of shrimp, clams, mussel, calamari. Nice light red sauce. My Casereccia alla Norcina was creamy (but not too heavy) with mushrooms and sausage. Both entrees amazing! Because it was our anniversary they complimented us with pistachio cannolis. Yummy! I'd definitely come back! I also need to mention they they have a fair amount of vegan entrees. read more

Civico 1845 - Pistachio cannoli - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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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

We had lunch there today.Waitstaff is very friendly and food was very authentic. We started with the eggplant parm( one of the best that I've had in a long time)..I highly recommend getting this dish if you eat here. Also had the rigatoni special which was very good and the beet salad that was very fresh. It's a nice spot with friendly people and a good atmosphere. You should try it. read more

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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Noisy overrated establishment. It is popular amongst San Diegans I guess due to there not being any true high end Italian establishments that have vegan options but tbh it would be considered run of the mill in Chicago or New York. Should have went to Mister A's for partners birthday but we will know next time. read more

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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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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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

So the outdoor seating is beautiful, no wait, when we ordered the chicken and asked to sub potato's for pasta they said no substitutions. But when the dish came out the potato's were an after thought, wedges on the side and didn't mesh well with the chicken. For $42 you expect a marriage of flavors. As you can see in the pic it was weird combo. Should be served with pasta or mashed potatoes so the gravy could mix with potatoes. The vegan dish was decent. Server wasn't super attentive, but friendly enough. read more

Civico 1845 - Chicken Scaloppine Al Limone - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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

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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My wife and I had an incredible experience here. We ended up here on Saturday night during a busy holiday weekend after we were told by a restaurant down the street that they couldn't seat us right away even though we had a reservation, and it ended up being a very happy accident for us. Even though the streets were overflowing with people and all the restaurants were saying there was at least a 30 minute wait to be seated, we were able to get seats at the bar right away. Immediately, the staff were very friendly, and I have to give a big shoutout to their amazing bartender who, in addition to making wondeful drinks, was very kind and made us feel welcome, which is not an experience we get most places. We were just going to have a drink at first, while we were waiting for the reservation that never came to be, but once we saw the food coming out, we decided to stay and order there. It turned out to be even better than we expected. The food is top notch and cooked to absolute perfection. The bread and pesto they serve was delicious. Every single thing we ate was perfect! We will definitely be coming back here whenever we're in town. Bravo! Thank you! read more

Our second visit to Civico 1845, and it was just as great as the first! The food, drinks, and ambiance are all fantastic... and their focaccia bread is my guilty pleasure. And overall such a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. We've had wonderful service both times, and on our most recent visit we had the pleasure of being served by Brook. She made us feel so welcome, gave excellent recommendations, and had such a warm, friendly personality that it felt like we were catching up with an old friend. Already looking forward to our next visit! 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 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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I've been here a bunch of times and always enjoyed the good. This last visit was lackluster. I came here on a Sunday for lunch at 1:15. It wasn't busy but the service was extemely slow. The food I ordered the stuffed zucchini blossoms and the rigatoni was just ok. The rigatoni was way too salty. And when I mentioned it the waitress said that's how the dish was with no offer to fix it in some ways. I've had many fabulous meals here but this one was lackluster at best. 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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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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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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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 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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VEGAN lovers delight! All else was 5 starts too. Thank you Leo! Great ambiance and service.