We normally visit the Delmar location of this wonderful restaurant. Last night, we decided to try the little Italy location. It's right in the heart of Little Italy on India Street in between all of the other wonderful Italian restaurants. When we walked up. They have patio seating as well as inside dining. We decided to do inside dining as it was starting to get chilly outside. We were immediately seated by a wonderful hostess, and that made a positive impression upon us. The whole hostess staff had great smiles on their faces and they were very welcoming. After about two minutes of sitting down, our server came to ask us if we needed time to look over the menu. We said yes but that we wanted a Foccacia Bread table starter. She smiled and immediately went to put the order in. A few few minutes later she came back and we ordered our drinks for dinner: Raspberry Italian Soda, Orange Crush with Fresh Cream on top, and a non-alcoholic spritz. After we got our drinks and sip on them, it took us a bit of time to decide what we wanted. We all know that the burger here is fantastic! However, this evening, we decided to try new things. We ordered: Pappardelle Bolognese with Added Meatballs, Pappardelle Bolognese as it is normally prepared, and a Caesar salad with shrimp added. Our food was out within about 10 to 15 minutes and everything was prepared perfectly. I have to say that we really enjoyed dining in this location and we may need to come back here more instead of traveling to the Del Mar location sometimes. Our server was super customer service oriented and we appreciated her. She went above and beyond to get the orange crush drink to be unique like an Italian soda for my daughter. We were super stuffed and could not do dessert, but we did promise to come back to enjoy the lava cake at a future time. Overall, this was an excellent visit and we appreciate the staff in the great energy that we received at this location. I do highly recommend it. read more

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I really wanted to like Davanti, but the food was a disappointment. The dishes we tried were surprisingly plain and lacked flavor, especially considering the restaurant's reputation. Nothing stood out, and overall the menu felt uninspired and boring. That said, the service was excellent. The staff was friendly, attentive, and professional throughout the meal, which made the experience more enjoyable. Unfortunately, great service can only make up so much when the food doesn't deliver. While I appreciated the hospitality, I don't see myself returning for the cuisine. read more

Hands down, the best calamari I've ever had in my life. I don't even like calamari! But the crispness and the breading on this one, is absolute perfection. The focaccia we got with the honey and the cheese on the inside was delightful. We got so many other things and I forgot to get pics. But the vibe here is great. We sat in the little courtyard in the back, and it feels like you're in Italy. They have a great happy hour. They have comfy seating, but booths and tables and a full bar. Our server was super cool and helpful. We had a big group, and everything was great. Love this spot! read more

Davanti Enoteca - Focaccia Di Recco - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Just another amazing review to add to this place. We were passing through on our trip from Mexico to Reno,NV and had some time before our flight home. Out of all the places in little Italy we picked this one and boy are we glad we did. They were able to accommodate us perfectly with all our luggage and toddler. The staff was amazing along with the food and the space was perfectly inviting. The Caprese salad was amazing. The Focaccia bread was phenomenal. We tried it with honey per recommendation from the waiter and now our taste buds are screaming to come back for more. The Caesar salad was deliciously savory and the chicken carbonara was to die for we will be stopping here every time we come into town. read more

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Met some friends here for late drinks and appetizers. We were seated right away to an outside table and placed our drink orders. Lively area on a Saturday night and everything is colorfully lit up. I ordered an Old Fashioned and a charcuterie plate. Drink was perfect and the plate was arrayed with a good combination of flavors! read more

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So many restaurant choices in San Diego's within Little Italy - This place is an absolute must! My son and I came in mid week and it was still fairly busy in the evening, but we were able to find a place at the bar. Bartender was attentive and friendly. We ordered a caesar salad (to share) and the Spaghettini al Pomodoro, along with a couple of cold beers. The caesar was generous in size and really fresh & delicious. The Spaghettini al Pomodoro we requested spicy and it was absolutely amazing!!! If we weren't so full already, I would have ordered another plate of that for us to split. That's how good it was. We should have just ordered another anyway "to go" LOL Seriously, that's how good it was... We were only in town for the one night, but next time we're in San Diego, we're definitely coming back here, that how memorable this pasta was! Note- **Happy hour menu - from 3 to 6 pm - great food options and some great drink choices.** read more

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So I have been here twice for happy hour. It is seriously a great happy hour! Great prices and just the right food choices. Always inquire about the bruschetta and pizzeta of the day. My first HH, it was a ricotta cheese with walnuts and drizzled with honey....very good! The second visit was hummus with fetta and spicy salami...WOW! But I love that the Davanti burger is offered on HH. It is soooooo good! Service is great! Morgan put up with the obnoxiousness of my friends and I. Reggie was welcoming and friendly on the second visit. But everyone on the staff is great! Grazie Davanti! read more

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Why 1 star? Lazy, dismissive, unprofessional bar staff when the bar not even crowded at all. Bartenders in their own heads talking to each other ignoring the people at the bar and people walking up to the bar. I've never seen any and everyone waiting just for an acknowledgement from a bartender. On to the lameO meaty ballzz. I forever when trying out a new Italian spot will get the meatyballlzzz app cuz it will speak to the goodness if they have any. Cuz if you can't do something as basic as a meatball plate, da fuk can you do??? The ballzzzz were lacking originality taste, dried up, mildly warm, leftover, where the sauce style. Had to ask for sauce.... Whatev... neva again. #tourist trap read more

Davanti Enoteca - Where's the sauce?!?! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

My boyfriend and I stopped in randomly midday on a Sunday, and we had no idea it was during happy hour. Our server was sooo friendly and helpful with menu choices. We weren't planning on consuming too much, but we did order spritz cocktails, a pizza on special, a ceasar salad, and espresso. The interior courtyard was gorgeous and the weather was peeeerfect. We opted to sit in a sunny spot but they have shaded areas as well depending on your preference. I'd 1000000% return on future trips to San Diego's Little Italy! read more

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Came here with colleagues after a conference. There are much better Italian places in San Diego. I got the potato gnocchi and it was decent, not as tender as I would like, but also not too chewy. The brussel sprout appetizer was over fried and dry. The same thing can be said of the fried calamari, which was also over fried and dry. Caesar salad was fresh, tangy, and garlicky. Two people at the table ordered the orechiette pasta and some of the pasta were clumped together. A big no no for good pasta. One person said the sausages in the pasta were too salty and left the sausages uneaten. The location was great, right in the heart of Little Italy, near the farmer's market. The strangest thing was the restaurant took photo of us. We thought it was for their social media, but instead they framed it and tried to sell us the photo later. read more

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Came here for a private event, and it was such a great experience. The drinks were amazing and the staff was completely on it the entire time. We were set up in the back of the restaurant in our own private outdoor area, which felt perfect for the group. The first hour was drinks, and then the food started coming out slowly, all served family‑style -- which I loved. We tried two delicious salads, and there was plenty of food for an event of about 50 people. Next came the Focaccia di Recco, which is my absolute favorite thing they serve here. I honestly come just for this. It's served with a honeycomb on the side, and drizzling the honey over the warm, cheesy bread is next‑level. After that, pizzas came out -- simple, toasty, and really good -- followed by pasta with chicken and sausage served on the side. Everyone left with full bellies. The service was great, and they even wrapped and boxed all the leftovers for us. One thing to note: they do the whole photo‑taking and printed‑photo sales pitch, kind of like what you see at amusement parks when you first walk in. The photos are cute, but it can feel a little invasive. Overall, a lovely restaurant and a great event experience. read more

This is my go to place for happy hour when I'm in the Little Italy area of downtown San Diego. It's one of the few places that offer happy hour every day from 3:00-6:00 pm. A complete meal of Cacio E Pepe (pasta with cheese and black pepper) and a limoncello spritz for $18 is a sweet deal. Even though the pasta is simple, it's delicious and the limoncello spritz is a nice change from the well known Italian Aperol Spritz. Along with indoor dining, they also have outdoor patio dining in the front and back of the restaurant. Happy hour is only at the bar but the service is quick Great ambiance. FYI...it can get very crowded on weekends read more

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We have 7 in our party. They sat us all the way to the back. Took half an hour and we have to get somebody to take our orders. They forgot about us. Orders delivered. Only the Foccacia di Recco turned out good. The rest are disappointing. Mediterranean sea bass was striped bass. Pappardelle was tough and dry. A restaurant not worth coming back. read more

We stopped by on a Friday night so it was quite busy. Since we had no reservations we sat at the bar. Wine by the glass selection was meh. The whipped ricotta was delicious. The toast was almost like Texas toast. read more

Davanti Enoteca - Whipped Ricotta - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is one of my favoriteI'm spots in little Italy the Cacio e Pepe pasta is so delicious here and the focaccia do recco is one not to be missed.... Service is always on point. There's always plenty of seating although during high peak times it does tend to get busy, but I've actually never made a reservation. Always walk right in happy hours is pretty good here as well and it is pet friendly. The vibe is super chill come and try it. The front outdoor seating is also really good people watching. read more

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A local Italian in little italy recommend this eatery for dinner. We drank a limoncello spritz, which was a much better version of the drink, then we had at another restaurant. We had polenta and ragu, fried artichoke with a tangy sauce and focaccia de recco (honey sweet and savory). Mike was our waiter and he was funny AF read more

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Located in the little Italy , and the restaurant has great Christmas decorations around store with a good taste. There are four sections, bar area and other dinning areas. This store has lots of Christmas touches, meanwhile keep it neat and clean. Walked in and the waitress showed us the way and led us to the table, and served us with water. And kids got their entertainment menu, before they noticed, the food served very fast. And they enjoyed their cheese pizza and butter spaghetti. Personally I really enjoyed their French fries, well seasoned and crunchy enough. Very well themed restaurant for friends and family gatherings. Also kids enjoy their cheese pizza food here as well. read more

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Delicious food, we ordered the pappardelle bolognese pasta, cacio e pepe with meatballs, and a butternut squash salad. Service was excellent and ambiance was relaxed read more

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Super yummy italian! Their appetizer of the focaccia bread with cheese stuffed i side with honey on top was amazing. It was the best item of the night! I wish we got two honeycombs instead of one as i love putting the honey combo onto the bread. It was light airy and creamy all together. I also got the halloween special pasta. Spaghetti, chicken, and a lemon white wine sauce. It was soo good! I liked the balance of the sauce where it had a strong flavor but did not feel so heavy. The chicken was juicy especially in the sauce. read more

Davanti Enoteca - Focaccia Di Recco - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Our server, Brisa, was amazing! We were a party of nine, and she handled everything seamlessly. Most of us ordered the steak and eggs or a burger, and we enjoyed the mimosa specials, espresso martinis, and champagne. We'll definitely be back the next time I'm in San Diego! read more

Davanti Enoteca - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The outdoor seating at Davanti Enoteca was nice, and our server was attentive and friendly. Unfortunately, the food was a major disappointment. We visited for happy hour and were underwhelmed by everything we tried. While the atmosphere and service were good, the food simply didn't live up to the hype. read more

Davanti Enoteca - Meatballs and bruschetta - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Food and service were 10/10, ambiance was average. You will have to pretty much pay for parking unless you happen to find no meter parking somewhere near. We got the Carne pizza and it was delicious! It was a bit spicy for my tolerance but still tasty :) read more

Davanti Enoteca - Carne pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Don't miss their HH , one of the best in LI. Also run don't walk to have their Focaccia like bread with a layer of Mascarpone in between with honey comb to spread on top. read more

We had a reservation here at 12:30pm on a Sunday. Place was fairly empty and we were seated quickly and as soon as we arrived. This place was very cute inside and had a lot of seating outside. The menu was brunch but I was able to order the FOCACCIA DI RECCO starter and RIGATONI ALLA VODKA to eat. I also ordered the Passion Fruit Spritz. The spritz was good but the stars were the focaccia and the rigatoni. Our waiter recommended that we get additional honey for the focaccia and that was a great recommendation since we devoured both. My rigatoni alla vodka was also very good. If you are visiting this place you much try the focaccia and if you like rigatoni I would recommend ordering that as well. Overall, great experience and would recommend a visit to this restaurant. read more

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What we ordered: * Devanti spritz - not overly bitter, good flavor. 8/10 * DOC pizza - not the best. Crust was a bit too crunchy for me and not enough cheese. Overall good flavor but not worth it. 5/10 * Foccacia di Recco - THE BEST. Waiter gave us extra honey too (pro move). The honeycomb is sooo good and works very well with the cheese. 10/10 Service * Reggie was out waiter and was funny and very accommodating. * We made a reservation but requested to sit outside (great weather) Ambience * Outdoor seating was very relaxing. * Very laid back feel read more

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Had a wonderful time here, the cacio e Pepe is to die for. Our server of Valeria and totally loved her she was attentive and beautiful so highly recommend read more

Davanti Enoteca - Focaccia and honey comb - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow, the Focaccia Di Recco lives up to its reputation. This flatbread's tart cheesiness neutralized the sweetness of the honey, and was melt in your mouth delicious. I decided to order this as my main entree today along with the pizza of the day, which contained onion, spicy salami, and feta cheese. The pizza toppings were carefully paired and were portioned so well, I was very glad to have ordered these dishes. The happy hour prices were amazing, so I got the house red blend, which paired so well with my pizza choice! For an early Sunday evening, the restaurant was busy, but had enough room for a party of four to walk in without a reservation. We were seated outside on the back patio where it was nice and shaded but still warm and sunny out for a weekend night. We had a great time, service was a little slow, but understandably as parties were coming in pretty quickly as the dinner shift began. Parking in this area of San Diego could be crazy, so I'd recommend carpooling and splitting the cost for a space in a nearby lot. We were parked and in the restaurant in minutes. read more

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We enjoyed our evening dining outside at Davanti. It is solid for Italian food in the heart of Little Italy. The crispy Brussels sprouts were really good, the egg on top is a nice touch. The calamari was decent. Orecchiette dish had a lot more sauce than I would have liked. My husband had the polpo and said it was pretty good, and I thought its presentation was very nicely done. We were approached by a photographer when we first sat down, I assume to try to sell us a picture at the end of the meal? She didn't pressure us when we declined, but I did find it a little off-putting. read more

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We stopped in for happy hour deals at the bar. Amazing $9 price tag for drinks and food items! We sat at the bar and were taken care of promptly by the bartender. I was hangry from walking the zoo and found my favorite pasta dish on the happy hour. The Cacio e pepe was nice and cheesy, but I did add more pepper so it could have used more during its preparation. My boyfriend had meatballs that came with bread. We were both satisfied with our meals. I tired the grapefruit spritz, which was new for me and also delicious. Check it out for happy hour it's a great value and yummy! read more

Davanti Enoteca - $9 Cacio e Pepe during happy hour! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Had this place on our list and finally got here because a friend was visiting. Italian Mule cocktail it was extremely strong. This is what my husband ordered and he barely finished maybe of the drink because it was a bit too strong. Corn salad - I was a little hesitant from just reading the name but I looked at some pictures and it actually looked quite nice! Very large amount of corn with a little bit of a rugula here and there and some cherry tomatoes as well. I asked for dressing on the side and honestly didn't even need it. Not sure if the corn was cooked so it's some sort of oil but the and gone mix had a slight bit of flavor and it was a little bit wet as well. But overall it tasted really nice. Half Roasted Chicken was cooked perfectly well and came with some lemon preserve on top that had a nice herby flavor. It did seem a little bit oily though so I didn't have much of the lemon preserve or the chicken skin, but the meat on the inside as well was really nice and soft. This chicken together with that corn salad was lovely! Rigatoni Alla Vodka was delicious! I'm not usually a red sauce pasta kind of person because tomato sauce isn't something I like about this. Pasta was actually really good! It was like a creamy tomatoy sauce and quite lovely. I had a little bit of crush chili flakes on top which took it the next level! A little bit of a side note to be aware of - someone from the restaurant comes and takes pictures of you for memories and then they come out and bring you the pictures printed in some frames and they ask you $20 for a photo or $30 for the whole set of five. It feels a little bit extra because they also don't show you the photos before printing and just bring it printed out and kind of feels like they have wasted all that paper because you're not likely going to take them all. We didn't end up taking the photos and it was a nice thought but it would have been good to have seen the photos and actually asked for them to be printed out before. read more

This is a takeout review. I decided to visit Davanti Enoteca since it was within walking distance of my hotel. Ordering from their website was easy, and the service was fast. My order was ready within 30 minutes. I ordered Rigatoni alla Vodka with fennel sausage and Tiramisu. The rigatoni was good, but it was a bit salty. I enjoyed the fennel sausage. It was a bit dry, but it had great flavor. My favorite was the tiramisu. It was sweet and rich, and it was a great dessert to end the night. Overall, I enjoyed the food at Davanti Enoteca. The prices were reasonable, and the portions were generous. read more

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This place is awesome for people who have gluten sensitivity! I was able to order both a pizza and pasta dish. The gluten-free prosciutto (hold the arugula) pizza was amazing. The crust was really good! Also, shared a gluten-free penne pasta which was also fantastic. The sauce and the fennel sausage were well flavored. Our wait staff came by several times to check on us. Both the food and service were superb! I am looking forward to eating here on my next trip! read more

Davanti Enoteca - Best gluten free pasta ever! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Wanted to catch lunch some where on way to pick up car for friend. Sat outside near sidewalk on restaurant side. Looked at lunch specials and both of us chose the same panini sandwich. We orderd the Italian Sub which had nice selection of Italian meats, cheese and chopped salad. Limited with 'panini' selection at lunch as friend wanted sausage which was not on lunch menu. Nice bowl of salad came with the sandwich. It had bits of apple, nuts, celery and nice strong cheese cubes in a sweet vinaigrette. Very tasteful salad. Was quite happy with their lunch sandwich and salad. read more

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If I could give this place 6/5 stars .... I would. We were introduced to this place by my husband's coworker and we actually had low expectations. We were wrong. We sat outside and it was hot but the vibe was so fun!! The focaccia di recco is A MUST! One person ordered that as her entree and I was jealous. It was THAT GOOD. The polenta ragu was stunning and very filling. The cacio de pepe was VERY nice as well. This is one of our go-to spots whenever we are in San Diego. Don't miss it!! read more

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We came here last night for our anniversary, and we are so glad we chose this restaurant for our special occasion! Our waitress, Lanyee, was the best! I had the Orecchiette con Salsiccia, and it was delicious. My husband has the burger and loved it. The fries were also amazing. Of course we split the Focaccia Di Recco. You can't come here and not get it. It's unique and yummy! Our waitress even brought us cannolis to celebrate our anniversary! Everything was amazing. The service was great, the ambience was fun, and of course, the food was wonderful. read more

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A nice little restaurant for brunch. I went right after the farmers market and the food was incredible! I had the nicest servers who you could tell they loved their job! Definitely need to stop by if you're in little italy. Also, people are NOT lying about that focaccia di recco. Silly me forgot to take a photo but if I could eat anything for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, i'm choosing that. read more

Davanti Enoteca - Traditional Breakfast - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

We had to get our Italian fix down in little Italy. We sat in the back outdoor area, which was very relaxing. The food and drinks were amazing and the vibes were positive! Highly recommend read more

Davanti Enoteca - Focaccia - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Stopped in just for appetizers We had the calamari fritti It was really fresh and presented nicely , with a really good flavorful sauce The portion size was nice, we will be back to try the beef carpaccio read more

Davanti Enoteca - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Holy meatballs there is nothing better than that cheese-danish-honey-fluffy-crunchy-take-me-to-church foccicia from Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy. End of speech. read more

Davanti Enoteca - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Terrible bar service. Others walked in while being completely ignored. Told the hostess and walked out.