Food and service were amazing. Will definitely go back. The inside has a cool vibe too.

Celebrated a friends birthday here and had such a great time. Portions were perfect to do family style sharing. Birthday girl also got a cute little free dessert with candle to blow out to really put us in the celebrating spirit. We ordered the barramundi 10/10 The truffle mushroom cheese pizza 10/10 And the favorite of the pastas was the bucatini 10/10 Would definitely come back here again. read more

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Very solid place! Food was great as well as the ambiance being pretty cool. Service was a little slow but server was definitely nice. read more

Fab time here - I don't know why I hadn't come in a while. Current version of the patio is not huge - but it was sweet & comfy and on Laurel toward the park (not on 5th or toward the corner). So nice views into the park too. Josh was our server and he was super nice! I started with the pope's delight cocktail. It's listed online as "aged rum + amaro romana + salted cantaloupe olio + lime, $17." But they had decided to add a proscuitto crisp and make it $21. I didn't want the proscuitto so that was a little annoying. But it was a tasty little cocktail. Bread: it's amazing here. They change exactly how they do it from time to time - this version was so yummy and with great butter. App: I got the burrata + pluot | cherry tomato + arugula + almond + coriander + mint + toast appetizer. Very yummy! Huge also. I took half of it home. Definitely recommend. Entree: I always like when the corn agnolotti comes on the menu, but it changes each year. This version was pretty good - I think my pasta was just a tad undercooked, not quite al dente on the parts of the agnolotti on the edges (not the pillows holding the filling). Still good though. Also, if you're going to the theater, do you know they have a FREE shuttle that takes you to the Old Globe and back? We decided to walk there after dinner (easy, pretty) but take the shuttle back after the show. So easy! And then I ordered takeout dessert from Josh. Overall, a super meal and great vibes. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

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Large, inviting, high ceiling, dark dining space that always seems to be busy. Came here to try because it's Michelin bib gourmand. roasted delicata squash + farro salad: deep fried delicata squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and served with a cilantro salsa verde. This was the most unique thing we ate and quite good. red wine short rib mafaldine (short rib pasta): this dish is kind of a mess and there's a lot of things going on. I like short rib, but I think it would taste better not in this pasta. Nothing stood out. roasted half chicken fra diavolo: a well done dish cooked to perfection. Flavorful but chicken can only be so good. Service was excellent and very attentive. read more

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Michelin Bib Gourmand bestowed restaurant, Cucina Urbana, is serving scratch made seasonal California-Italian cuisine. AMBIANCE Refined modern interior, with acoustics making it quite noisy inside SERVICE Staff were helpful and friendly FOOD January 2026 San Diego Restaurant Week Review: 5/5 tempura fried stuffed squash blossom | goat cheese + pistou + orange blossom honey 3/5 roasted delicata squash + farro salad| radicchio + carrot + orange + whipped goat cheese + salsa verde (there wasn't enough flavor, goat cheese, and salsa verde to save this dish from being primarily cold, flavor-flat grains and veggies) 5/5 shrimp puttanesca linguine | castelvetrano olive + colatura (savory Italian fish sauce)+ caper (adds tartness) + calabrian chili (adds heat) + tomato 5/5 rigatoni bolognese | veal + pork + ricotta (lemony hills of cheese) 5/5 chocolate budino (incredibly indulgent w a delightful crunch) | salted caramel + vanilla whip + chocolate crumble + cocoa nib tuile read more

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Very, very good but the food itself didn't quite live up to the stylish space and excellent service. Our party of 2 ordered the following to share: tempura fried stuffed squash blossom | goat cheese + pistou + orange blossom honey red wine short rib mafaldine | mushroom + carrot + baby kale + parmesan roasted half chicken fra diavolo | mascarpone polenta + charred broccolini + preserved garlic + lemon While all 3 dishes have been long-time menu staples, only the antipasti seriously impressed - I'm still drooling over those delectable squash blossoms! The pasta and large plate were fine, just not particularly memorable/something I'd crave in the future. Our server Kevin and other staff members kept our glasses filled, food coming out fast, and plates and utensils refreshed accordingly. As we were celebrating both our birthdays (shoutout to all my Aquarius peeps!), Kevin also delivered two complimentary mini chocolate budinos (salted caramel + vanilla whip + chocolate crumble) for a sweet finale. read more

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Went for restaurant week and you def need a reservation because it was pretty packed for a weekday night. I recommend getting the standard seating instead of the high tables. The squash blossoms...AMAZING. Lightly coated but it was perfect. Goat cheese filling was creamy and the sauce complimented everything so well. The honey was the perfect touch! Yep get the meatball. Juicy, tender meatball on top of creamy, cheesy polenta. Pasta was the shrimp linguine which was good, pasta itself didn't taste as fresh and shrimp was overcooked. 7/10 The amatriciana was solid. Desserts were good, but nothing special and not memorable. read more

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This is easily my favorite restaurant in San Diego! The ambiance is beautiful and the restaurant always looks classy but modern. Their hot honey pepperoni pizza (add sausage) is my FAVORITE pizza ever! The lemon ricotta, the spicy honey, and the savory pepperoni and sausage make this pizza so unique and so amazing! Also, their pastas also taste so amazing and are a modern twist on Italian classics. The seating area is huge and there are plenty of options. Every time we dine here, from the hosts to the servers, everyone is always so nice and helpful, it really makes this experience special. FYI: this restaurant is located in University Heights on the street corner. For parking, metered parking is really your only option, but it's about $4 for a couple hours, which is not bad. read more

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Excellent mid tier restaurant with way better Italian food than Caesarina. Almost everything is made in house and you can taste the freshness/quality! Food was fantastic and my wife loved it. Super cool vibe without trying to hard, effortless cool Real stand out was the service! Our waiter was all time cool, kind, friendly, and fun! Pepperoni pizza 6/10: a little soupy, crust was fantastic, pepperoni was delicious Bucatini with egg 9/10: wife loved it, little kick to it, excellent overall Chocolate budino 10/10: pregnant wife loved it. Chocolatey but not overpowering, light and sensational read more

Cucina Urbana - bucatini amatriciana - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Decided to try CU for the first one during restaurant week and it did not disappoint! To start I had the focaccia with garlic butter and grilled octopus. Both were excellent. For the main course I had fried asparagus with goat cheese, the main course half roasted chicken with tiramisu. The service was great and the waiter recommended a Pinot Grigio bottle of wine from Portland that was excellent. The ambiance is low key. Not too quiet but not too loud. I'd definitely go back to try other thins in the menu read more

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Ordered the Bucatini family style, pepperoni pizza, grilled octopus, kids rigatoni, and the appetizer combo. The noodles on the bucatini was good, but too spicy for kids. The kids did lile the rigatoni. The pizza the kids did not like and I thought it was a little lackluster. Grilled octopus was ok and the appetizer was good. Our group was not a fan of the squash though. Love the big space, perfect if you need stroller parking. There are 10 steps to get into the place. Street parking only but Balboa is across the street and there's plenty of parking there. read more

The bread tasted so good with the butter! I wish the garlic was spread more evenly through the bread since we were sharing it as a table and it was hard to make sure we all got a slice with garlic on it. The pasta was so delicious, I loved the egg on top and the other pasta options were very good (especially the shrimps) Our server was so nice and they made sure we got what we needed and overall the restaurant gave off a really fancy vibe. read more

Cucina Urbana - bucatini amatriciana - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Saturday night in San Diego, was in the mood for Italian and decided to have dinner here, no reservation, no tables available until three hours later (prom season dinner reservations). No problem, we enjoyed dinner at bar. Customer service at the bar was outstanding! Thanks for the excellent recommendations. Everything we ordered was cooked and seasoned perfectly! Was great to see all the young adults dressed, so elegantly! Beautiful restaurant with great vibe! As one knows in San Diego, street parking is hard to find, be mindful of signs for parking restrictions. Looking forward to coming back next time we're in San Diego! read more

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Visited this restaurant second time and food still tastes top notch. The waitress gave good drinks suggestion and made sure the choice was something we would like but also not something we would consider choosing at first glance! The ambiance is always ideal for a date night and family celebratory dinners. Love the food, their mushroom pizza. Only the pizza came before salad which was a little disappointing. The pasta tasted different and unlike regular restaurants. read more

Cucina Urbana - italian chopped salad - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I love the decor, with plants, fancy designs on the chairs, and a sunken room vibe. The cocktails were beautiful. Service was almost too attentive. All of our food was perfectly done and delicious. read more

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This place has been around for quite some time, which honestly says a lot--especially in San Diego, where restaurants come and go like the tide. But Cucina Urbana? Never disappoints. My friend and I went full Yes-girl dinner mode and ordered a lineup of appetizers to share. We started with the meatball over creamy polenta, followed by the tempura-fried squash blossoms--hands down the best I've ever had. Chef's kiss. The grilled octopus didn't quite win us over, but the Italian chopped salad (for balance, of course) surprised us with how fresh and delicious it was. For drinks, I went with the Lavender French 75 made with gin and prosecco. Sooo, so good--light, floral, and dangerously easy to sip. Writing this review has my tastebuds waking up again... I definitely see another trip to Cucina in my near future. Oh--and if you needed another reason to go, they've got a great happy hour too. read more

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I live in the neighborhood and usually head to Little Italy, but I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The bartender wasn't very friendly, and my meatball was served lukewarm. It also wasn't busy, so I was expecting a much better experience. Honestly, I've had hotter and fresher food at Cheesecake Factory. I won't be back. read more

Cucina Urbana is a fancy Italian restaurant in downtown San Diego. This spot sits at the corner of a busy intersection, but sinks into a slightly below ground setting that makes the place feel much more elevated! The vibe feels trendy and modern. However, the food is delicious and feels old school. The pastas themselves were very good! I liked the sauces more than I liked the noodle texture. I wish they were slightly less cooked. The Tempura Fried Stuffed Squash Blossom was so yummy. WOW. The sauce and textures were very unexpected. The Tiramisu was also such a highlight!! It was way too much for two people to share, but boy was it delicious! The service was also great. I didn't get a chance to get our server's name, but he was so friendly and helpful! He gave me a small chocolate mousse for my birthday! Overall, Cucina Urbana is an amazing higher end restaurant! Definitely check it out for a nice dinner! read more

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Great ambiance and really good fennel sausage pizza! I'm always on the hunt for good fennel sausage pizza/pasta and this place hit the spot. My colleague got the shrimp linguini which was good. They also sell wine bottles and have a corkage fee associated but still cheaper than what you'd find at other restaurants. We also got the Budino for dessert which was good. read more

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I've been coming to Cucina Urbana for over 10 years now and it's been a journey going through menu changes, remodeling, etc. But I'm glad I have stuck by, because after all this time, it is still my number 1 italian spot in all San Diego. (psst, don't let too many people know this is hands down, San Diego's best happy hour in the whole city). read more

Cucina Urbana - roasted garlic focaccia - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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What a surprise that Cucina Urbana had on me this past Friday. San Diego is full of Italian cuisine, but CUCINA Urbana showed out here in Bankers Hill. I've passed by several times thinking it was an underground boutique of some sort, but to my surprise it was always Cucina Urbana :p I came as a walk in for dinner, and they were able to seat us before peak dinner time, which was around 6PM or so. My friend and I had some light cocktails which was refreshing on all levels! My Return to Splendor cocktail was light and floral from the elderberry and lemon. The white sangria was made for summer! Giant Meatball (5/5): Can't go wrong with this, really. It was full of flavor and laid atop of a bed of mascarpone polenta, which made the appetizer more filling and provided a nice cream layer with the tomato sauce. Beef Tartare (3.8/5): Not my favorite tartare I've tried, the aioli and crackers were salty, but the beef was fresh. Shrimp Puttanesca Linguine (5/5): SO much flavor in this linguine! All the little ingredients went really well together in this pasta and the shrimp was fantastic. There were olives and capers which I found went well with the pasta. I loved the linguine texture, and it was my favorite out of the meal! Our choice of apps and entree were mainly hits thanks to the suggestions we received. The location is unique in itself and you definitely want to get a little more dressy here! read more

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Excellent food and service. Great selection of appetizers, meals and deserts. Pasta, pizza, salad and focaccia, as well as tiramisu, limoncello and chocolate ganache were great. Vast selection of wines to have with your meal and to take home. read more

Cucina Urbana - Deserts - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Awesome service. Awesome food. Awesome location. Couldn't recommend it enough. I had the focaccia to start, chefs kiss. My wife had a pizza and I considered ordering another to go. It was shockingly good. I had the bucatini and it just melted in my mouth. Our sever was attentive, intuitive, and friendly. He even brought some items for our baby to play with. The restaurant is beautiful and full of natural light. read more

Food was fresh and tasty! Service was great. Nice Italian spot with tons of wine options. Pizza, whipped feta, peach salad, squash blossoms and bucatini were delicious. We would skip the hamachi next time. Drinks were tasty too. read more

Cucina Urbana - pepperoni pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Was recommended this place by my airbnb host. Modern italian is how I would describe it. Great for babies/kids. We appreciated the service and extra utensils/to go items. Food felt super fresh with great ingredients. For mains we had the crab pizza and brown butter raviolis. Pizza was delicious and felt like a unique take on it! The raviolis were also good but a little small in portion--would recommend if you're sharing several dishes. Overall would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area or even locals. read more

Cucina Urbana - roasted garlic focaccia - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Hands down my favorite Italian place in SD. Great food and cute restaurant space perfect for casual dinners and special occasions. The servers are attentive and helpful, very consistent each time I visit. Love their staples as well as seasonal specials. Squash blossoms are one of my favorite appetizers there. Cannot go wrong with any of their pizzas or pastas, and I like that you can further customize them as well with additional toppings. Desserts and drinks are great as well. read more

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Cute and modern place. They have a good selection of pizza and pasta. The mushroom pizza and the short rib mafaldine were great. The giant meatball is literally a giant meatball. They have a good selection of wines too. The service was excellent and very helpful with the menu. Overall a pretty good place for Italian food. read more

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Been coming to Cucina Urbana for many years now and will always be a recommendation from me for people to try at least once. The fried squash blossoms are my fave around and were a table favorite this past visit. I also love their app dishes that feature their polenta. Their creamy polenta is unmatched by anywhere in SD for me. The meatballs they come with right now are good but their Ragu with polenta from ages ago will always be my favorite. The bread dishes were decent. Everyone enjoyed the whipped feta. My go to entree is the Bucatini. Always delivers good flavor depth. Those who ordered the Bolognese dish loved it as well as the malfadine. The pepperoni pizza was the only dish that fell short of expectations. Just was slightly undercooked I think. The tiramisu for dessert was delightful. Everyone loved. Cute interior. Very good date night spot. Great location right outside of Balboa park so you can take a nice stroll after if you want. Paid street parking during paid hours. read more

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Enjoyed a nice dinner here on a Friday night around 6pm. Ordered the mushroom & goat cheese pizza, rigatoni bolognese, and a side of the polenta. The pizza was crispy and delicious. The pasta was good but had a heavy wine flavor. And the polenta was absolutely delicious! Our server was great. We arrived 30 minutes early and they were able to accommodate us with a table. read more

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We stopped in on a busy night but were able to snag two seats at the bar. I don't know exactly what it is but Cucina Urbana has the best focaccia in the city. So delicious, I highly recommend! You can't go wrong with their pizzas either. The service was very good. This is definitely a great date spot. read more

Cucina Urbana - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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We will always love this restaurant. However, pleas bring back the other FRIES...we love coming to the bar and having cocktails with a salty treat. However, the skinny fries are not great! We loved the other version! read more

Came here for dinner and had a great experience overall. Even though we had a reservation, only outdoor seating was available -- but with the heaters going strong (and a few drinks in hand), it ended up being cozy and comfortable. DRINK: I ordered the Lavender 75 -- because let's be real, if it has lavender in it, I have to try it. It didn't disappoint! APPETIZERS: * Carrot appetizer: Shockingly good. I didn't expect to love cooked carrots this much, but these were flavorful and perfectly done. * Focaccia: Warm, soft, and absolutely delicious -- everything you want focaccia to be. * Appetizer salad: Honestly, kind of forgettable compared to everything else. MAIN: * Mussel pasta: An unexpected pairing with sausage, but it worked beautifully. The sausage was packed with flavor, and the pasta portion was spot on -- not too heavy, not too skimpy. Every bite was amazing. All in all, a fantastic meal. 10/10 recommend -- already looking forward to coming back! read more

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Really solid Italian restaurant that impressed us on multiple fronts. The food was exceptional across the board. The mushroom truffle pizza surprised us with a huge hit of rosemary that we absolutely loved, and the crust was perfectly cooked and crisp. Very thin just how we like it. The short rib pappardelle was perfect as well with an amazing sauce, tender short rib, parmesan, and fresh herbs. The tiramisu was good though not the best I've had. Others at our table tried different pizzas and pastas and had good things to say about everything. The restaurant has so much space and is well set up with terrific lighting in the evening. We came with a party of 8 and were seated near the wine racks which made for a very nice setting. Service was pretty good overall. Food all came out together and plenty hot, though dessert took a while to arrive. It's on the more expensive end but the portions are reasonable and it's a good price for what you're getting! read more

Cucina Urbana - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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A Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant! Need I say more... also the restaurant in a wine store where you can buy amazing wine at retail prices is the best idea in the restaurant business in years. Everything we had was fantastic!!! Our favorites were the meatballs and the pasta. Service was amazing with excellent recommendations. The restaurant was open and a mix between industrial and fun artistic chairs. read more

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Seated precisely on time per our Rez time 5:15 servers got to us promptly to get our water. We started our dinning journey with delicious Focaccia + Stuffed zucchini blossom's both out of this world delicious and perfectly prepared. My daughter had the Rigatoni Bolognese and for myself had the lamb Osso Bucco with a reduction sauce, mashed Taters and braised greens both top notch. Rigatoni per my daughter was a bit Too Al Dente but not horrible. Ended with Tiramisu which was perfect !!!! Great eats Great Nig read more

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After seeing the star rating I was expecting to be wowed! But I was not. Food was fine but service was spotty at best. We made a reservation for 4 and still got stuck at a crappy little table by the front door. They do have valet parking which you'll probably need as street parking is difficult to find. read more

Made a last minute reservation on a Saturday evening after exploring Balboa Park nearby. They didn't have any spots left inside the restaurant, but they had seating available in their outdoor dining area. It got a little chilly, but they have heaters! Our server was pretty funny and kept us entertained through the whole meal. He checked on us often and made sure we had everything we needed. For two people, we got two Antipastis and a Pasta, and it just enough food. The Tempura Fried Stuffed Squash Blossom first caught our eye. You get three squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and fried with pistou (like a French version of Italian pesto), and orange blossom honey. These were so good! Really loved how the stalk of the squash blossoms was like a mini zucchini! We also got the Grilled Asparagus with straciatella, preserved green strawberry, tangerine agrumato, and potty seed. It was my first time having a green strawberry, and it was a little more tart than a traditional red strawberry. For our pasta, we got the Radiatore Nasturtium Pesto with sun dried tomato, straciatella, squash blossom (can you tell we like these?), and pine nut crunch. Such a pretty dish! The straciatella added a nice creaminess, and the acidity from the sun dried tomatoes help to break up the richness. We enjoyed everything we had here! read more

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Cucina Urbana is a phenomenal restaurant to visit if you are craving Italian food. Everything I had was done well but nothing wowed me. I think because I have become accustomed to the Italian food in New Jersey and New York. Nonetheless, with my bias aside this restaurant is good. I enjoyed my bolognese and it was the right amount as I didn't leave too full. The Brussel sprouts with hot sauce was an interesting combination that worked well. The drinks were okay and the dessert was excellent. It was a very rich chocolate pudding that was a perfect end to the night. I would recommend this place and I would recommend getting a bottle of wine. The entire back wall is full of wine so don't miss out! read more

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Amazing location in Banker's Hill, we got the pizza and wine happy hour deal and it was perfect! Their pepperoni pizza had a touch of honey which added the perfect amount of sweetness. It's a quaint little restaurant but I wish their doors were more noticeable, I feel like we had to circle around a couple times before finding the front doors. read more

Cucina Urbana - pepperoni pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California