Food service ambiance were amazing and I would recommend this place for the most amazing Italian food in the area!

Went here with my family! Super tasty and very Italian...... the were bring sweet and great service read more

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A wonderful authentic gem of an Italian restaurant with the nicest young couple/owners Giorgia and Joele, both from Italy. We have eaten there as a party of two and again as a party of 14 and the quality and level of service was spot on! The interior is now decorated in a festive holiday manner offering a joyful atmosphere. Meatballs were devoured quickly by our large party especially by the children and the calamari were prepared perfectly. Caesar salads were served family style and the array of Pizzas were all delicious. A nice selection of wines and Peroni beer and beer on tap are available. Service and attentiveness by both the owners and the wait staff was much appreciated and they met the requests of everyone in our large party. Do put this restaurant on your list of Italian dining options and go experience a lovely night out and meet two very lovely hardworking restaurateurs deserving of our communities support. Homemade recipes using top grade ingredients make this establishment a winner! Grazie Georgia & Joele for hosting our family event- we will do it again! read more

Forchettina - Interior - Italian Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Sadly I can't recommend the pasta at this restaurant. I have not tried the pizza. We have tried pasta twice and were very disappointed both times. This week we tried the carbonara which I threw away after 2 bites; it was that bad. Fettuccine Alfredo was very mediocre. The expensive artichokes also were not particularly good. It's just too expensive to risk it again. read more

Wow! How lucky are we to find such an amazing restaurant! We ordered the Calamari appetizer and a pasta and the chicken saltimbocca special. It was all very fresh and flavorful! Great wine selection too! Gelato was yummy to finish off a wonderful meal. The owners are very special people. All the staff were kind and caring. Wonderful experience. read more

Always 5 stars here! We send all of our friends here because of how great it is. A family owned and operated restaurant with extremely great service and delicious food seems like a lost art these days. The owners are here every day working very hard to provide the best authentic Italian experience I think I've ever had! They remember us every time we come in and are always so happy to see us and welcome us back. I wish I could give them 6 stars! read more

The service and attention to detail is amazing... I am unsure if the food or the service is best.. amazing fun place.. the specials are creative and interesting... I have never been disappointed!!! read more

The food was divine!! Better than the food I've had in Italy!! Joele, the owner, was the most gracious host and treated us so well. He was able to accomodate our party of 9 on short notice and we really appreciated that. Absolutely try the bruschetta. It's outstanding!! Also get the artichokes. I had the Bosco pizza and it's the best pizza I've ever tasted. The bistro has a charming, Italian ambiance. We will definitely be back. Thanks Joele!! read more

This pizza is wonderful. I know this restaurant is fairly new but there should be far more than 28 reviews for this place. You already like or maybe love Buona Forchetta, right? These are the same guys. But the place is ultra casual and the menu is slimmed down. But the food is still excellent. And you don't need reservations. We split two 12 inch pizzas, the Ozone Park (pepperoni only) and the Bleecker St, (olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage). The ingredients are phenomenal. You can really taste the freshness. The mushrooms are fresh. The thick sausage discs are excellent. Yes, the location is a little weird--next to a Rubio's--but who cares? If you don't like the location, order takeout. There is a ton of free parking. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you. Solid wines by the glass and bottle and a few well-chosen beers on tap. Don't miss the sparkling Italian fruit drinks. They're great. Terrific thin crust pizza. Get over there. read more

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The pizza and pasta is pretty good. This is totally a to-go place. The dine-in experience is odd. The music kept going in and out. Small nats flies around inside while you eat. The waitress would mumble her words making it hard to understand and I would have to make direct eye contact to get her to come to the table. Not to mention forgetting to bring my beer after I ordered it. The food is decent, but the service and atmosphere lacks. In the future I would order the food to-go. read more

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Forchettina is a hidden gem in Encinitas with authentic Italian food and an atmosphere where the staff feel like family. They take great care in every detail and have consistently rotating specials that are always delicious and reminiscent of being back in Italy. We absolutely adore the owners, Joelle and Giorgia, and take every opportunity we can to share this special place with our friends and family! read more

First time stopping in. It's a bit hidden behind a Rubios. The service was excellent, we never waited but also never felt rushed. They have a good selection of Italian wines. I had pasta bolognese which was very good and a perfect portion size. The neighboring table had a ceaser salad and a pizza and both looked good. Definitely will return. read more

I had a nice lunch here at this new Fast and Casual Pizzeria by the family of Buona Forchetta of San Diego. This new location is offering New York inspired pizza, sandwiches, salads, pastas, and desserts. I had the "Bleeker Street" 12" Pizza with pepperoni, house made sausage, mushrooms, and whole pitted black olives for $13, and the Caesar Salad with house dressing for $10. Both items were good. The pizza had a very nice crust. It was soft and thin towards the middle with a good folding ability. Towards the crust, it was thicker with with a slight crispiness along the edges. The crust tasted very good the ends and about 45 to 60 seconds less in the 750 degree oven because it was a little over done a top. I like crispy edges but nor heavily charred edges. All the topping tasted very good, including the sauce, but the house made sausage took center stage in my opinion. It was very well made and delicious. The Caesar salad was quite good. It was a generous portion for $10 and came with very good sized croutons. The Caesar Dressing was on the milder side for my taste, but satisfactory. I felt that it needed more of an edge, it had a rather neutral flavor. It needed some more zestiness or acidity. Then again, I used to having actual anchovies on the Caesars. They also offer sandwiches, pastas, and desserts. Service at ordering counter was friendly. read more

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Great food and friendly owner and staff! We enjoyed pasta and wine on the patio with our dog. Pedro gnocchi is highly recommended!

Very nice service and the cashier/waitress was really helpful and offered various options to try. Next time we will try their pizza. They give you filtered water which was a nice touch! Cute restaurant with nice patio seating. It's around the back side of Rubio's and good parking. read more

We had a wonderful lunch experience at this lovely restaurant. Authentic Italian food, warm, attentive service. owners are personable and welcoming. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner. Great calamari!!! read more

Cute lil place with decor that puts you in your own little Italian city. We had pizza and pesto gnocci both were delicious! The service was great too! We will be back! read more

Forchettina - Outside - Italian Near Me - Encinitas, California

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We love our local chain Buona Forchetta and Forchettabouddit is a perfect blend with the convenience of being on El Camino Real for a quick and delicious bite between errands and activity drop offs for kids. We ordered the BBQ pizza and the crust was perfect! Thin, light and with a good crispy outside and chewy inside. We placed the order through grub hub, which does not have the entire menu. Ended up adding our favorite gnocchi with amatriciana sauce and it did not disappoint. read more

I wanted to love this spot more than I did. We were sad to find out that it is not as fresh as the other Buona Forchetta locations even though it carries the same price point per item. The ease of order and pickup did make it convenient but I think we will opt for one of the major locations until the prices lower or the freshness matches. read more

What a wonderful place! The new owners, Giorgia and Joele have done a wonderful job transforming this neighborhood pizza by the slice spot into a charming Italian bistro. The pizza and pastas are superb. Their gluten free pizza and pasta are out of this world. Desserts are wonderful too. It's a great place for dinner with our extended family or just the two of us. They can be crowded on a Friday night so glad they take reservations! read more

The food was absolutely amazing! The owner greeted us with his friendly demeanor and seated us. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. I asked what he would recommend as an appetizer and he suggested the calamari. It did not disappoint! It was so flavorful, and the homemade sauce was perfect. The saporita pizza was delicious and the crust was so good. The desserts were equally as delicious and the cannoli was the perfect amount of sweet. They make their own ricotta in house too! I cannot recommend Forchettina enough! Try it out, you won't be disappointed! It will be your new favorite Italian restaurant! read more

A FABULOUS RESTURANT! Intimate, fun, great owners:)!! Food amazingly delicious! Let them help you with wine! The reds have always been wonderful. Support this great couple's dream and their great team:)!! Wonderful read more

We loved Forchetaboutit, the previous incarnation of this little neighborhood Italian restaurant. They had the best pizza. Last night was our first time in the new version. I had the special zucchini risotto and my husband had pasta with shrimp. Both were good. Nothing special. The owners are charming and friendly and working hard to make it a success. It feels a bit minimalist - no bread sticks, no placemats or tablecloths. But we will return and look forward to sampling other offerings on the menu, which the owners promise are genuine Italian recipes from the old country. read more

We love this place. It's our Friday night ! They have the best starters: eggplant, meatballs, artichokes. All well prepared and flavorful. The starter portions are perfect appetizer size. The pasta and pizza uses healthy Italian flour. We love the Bosca pizza, as well as eggplant and then the arugula and prosciutto pizza. Of course the owners are the most charming, gracious and kind people. Great vino. A wonderful neighborhood gem! read more

We've only been here twice but the food was delicious and the service was excellent. We only had the pasta, not the pizza which we want to try next. The owner, Joele, was very attentive and helpful, offering suggestions on everything. We tried 2 different pasta: gnocchi & fettuccini; and 3 different sauces: pesto, Alfredo, and Arrabbiata. All were delicious, as was the caesar salad. As for the ambiance, they were playing Italian Rock & Roll! The location is a bit hidden off El Camino Real, ironically in the same building as another family-owned Italian Restaurant, Alice. read more

I love this place! The food is fantastic (especially the Carbonara), the service is excellent and the wine selection is great. The owners are super friendly, and the atmosphere is relaxed. Good stuff! read more

Very tasty real Italian food, The owner, chef, cook and waiter Joelle was very accommodating. The location is challenging ( behind another Italian restaurant!) but parking was easy. read more

This is a little gem! The staff are amazing & very friendly. Good comes out very quickly. Ambiance was nice. Place was clean and well stocked. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The food was very flavorful and fresh. Calamari was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The lasagna reminded me of Italy. Would recommend this place. Great prices, generous servings and comfortable causal environment. read more

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My wife and I snuck away from the kids for a much needed date night yesterday and had been wanting to try this place out. The staff is very warm and friendly, family owned. My wife ordered prosecco which was flat, and they immediately exchanged for a fresh glass and we hear the "pop" of the new bottle. We proceeded to have two more glasses. We are calamari fanatics and no joke this was the best calamari I've had. The breading was just right, and the squid so soft and fresh. My wife had the spaghetti with arrabbiata sauce and chick. Simply wonderful. Perfect spice level, and tastes homemade. I had the picante pizza and it was great. Olives and jalapeno go perfect together with the sauce and the meat. We had the tiramasu for dessert, my wifes favorite. We try it at every opportunity and this was incredible. My wife wants to get a tray of it for her birthday. The server Andres was great as well. Bravo!! read more

I only learned about this wonderful place through a friend; it is a bit hard to locate at first, tucked away in a shopping center. Believe me, it is worth the search! The freshly made Italian food was superb, as was the wine, which our server (and the owner) Joele suggested. The salad was delicious, a very generous serving; the garlic bread sticks fabulous, the main course excellent, the desert the piéce de resistance! I look forward to bringing family and friends here. I feel like I learned about a hidden gem. read more

Service was great! Very friendly and fast Outside parking Food was delicious We got an 18inch pizza with appetizer and pasta and it filled five people read more

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Simple place- really great service from the one cashier working there. Overall food was good. Only thing I thought was weird is that we ordered a chicken Parmesan sub from the SUB section (sub is a sandwich, right?) - and we got one large piece of breaded chicken with cheese on a plate. Stated "10in sub w chips" - didn't get chips or bread lol but we were too hungry to wait for it to be fixed. Fried mozzarella sticks were good, would have liked to know there were 3 sticks for 9$ since it wasn't super shareable with 4 people. Caprese salad burrata was delicious! Would have preferred a more "red"/heirloom or larger organic tomato than a small pale one. Calamari batter was a little flavorless, unsure if fresh. Would skip next time. Our pizza was good and service was nice. Would stop by again but probably make sure they actually serve our sub with bread next time :) read more

We love this spot for casual takeout pizza! Affiliates with Buona Forchetta, they offer the same incredible gluten free crust option for their pizzas. They also sell fresh dough to make your own pizza with, and my husband and I love getting fresh gluten free (and regular, for him) dough and making our own pizza as a date night! Staff is friendly and quick. read more

After driving for an hour and a half from Torrance, I just wanted a slice of pizza or two. Saw this place was close by to where I'm staying and I also had good reviews. I will admit I was starving when I came in, so I'm not sure exactly how good it was because I was so hungry. I wouldn't call it New York pizza. It was a little thicker and the crust almost had a deep dish taste but with that said it was still very delicious. The cashier was also the server and she was really hustling and super nice and very professional. Overall, the slices were huge, and I can only eat one, but I was really happy with the veggie. Delicious and fresh toppings. read more

Forchettina - Loved the veggies, very fresh and delicious! - Italian Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This is NOT NY style. Nothing NY about this pizza. Not the worst I've ever had but def not worthy of these reviews. I gave them 2 stars to be nice. Garlic bread tastes like Olive Garden....and margharita pizza was honestly disrespectful. No fresh mozzarella, giant chunks of tomato not even San marizano... Won't be back. If you're from NY like we are, don't go here. You will be disappointed and for what they're charging...I could (and will from now on) do better at home myself. read more

Forchettina - "Margarita" pizza - Italian Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Pizza is great here. Ordered a meatball sub and a chicken parm sandwich. Meatballs had almost no flavor and there was barely any sauce on the rolls. Very disappointing and would not order again. The chicken parm sandwich was just ok. Very nice piece of chicken cooked perfectly but again, if there wasnt the fresh basil on it, there was very little flavor to the meat itself. $35 for 2 disappointing sandwiches. I would visit again but only for the pizza. read more

Had a fantastic dinner experience at Forchettabouddit. We ordered raviolis and pizza from the specials menu and both were amazing and unique. The service was outstanding and the owner and staff are attentive and engaging. This will definitely be a regular stop when we are in town again. read more

Authentic Italian restaurant. Husband and wife running the show now. Pizza is mixture of Neapolitan and New York depending on the size(currently my favorite in Encinitas replacing in order pitfire/blue ribbon/buona forchetta, although all these are still great and still patronized). What sets this place apart is there authentic appetizers, and mains. Quality is high and dishes are the real deal. Come for dine in and you will be transported to a cafe in italia with the wonderful smells, the Italian being spoken and the daily specials. read more

Amazing local place. We've gone many times since they've opened, and the new owners & staff are so friendly every time we go, the food is always great, and they have a toddler-friendly menu. They've really put a lot into making this spot a regular go-to for locals. read more

Ordered a large pick up order for a work lunch. When I picked up the food, I asked if there was dressing for the salads. Cashier said yes so I didn't check. When we got back to work, we had 4 salads with no dressing and missing a side of onion rings. Food was OK, but overpriced. Sandwiches were very bread heavy. For $9, you only get 3 mozzarella sticks. I would not recommend for a large group lunch. read more