Although it took longer than expected, Il Posto (The Spot) has now opened where Eclipse Chocolate used to be located in the South Park neighborhood. The owners have brought their experience from North County of operating an Italian restaurant in Encinitas to develop this eatery. As you walked through the main entrance, a kitchen window with a view of the pizza oven was directly in front. The interior seemed narrow with a long row of seating parallel to the bar. Reservations are recommended, especially if you want to dine on the weekend. I sat at a small table that was just inside the entrance so I had a good view of the pizza making in action. Pizzas, focaccia, and calzones made up one side of the menu. Vegan pizza varieties were also offered. The other side consisted of antipasti, salads, primi, secondi, and build-your-own pasta dishes which were also available as vegan. My order was the Trio alla Italiana and the Fusilli alla Siciliana. I normally don't choose fried appetizers, however since the trio offered two pieces each of three different kinds listed below, I gave it a shot. * Arancini - Riceballs with bolognese sauce, smoked mozzarella, parmigiano, and peas * Crocche' - Potato croquettes with smoked mozzarella, parmigiano, black pepper, and parsley * Fior di Zucca - Zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, parmigiano, basil, and black pepper Three different dips came with the appetizers. Two were cream based while the third was marinara. A breading coated the exterior of each type. The best were the croquettes as they were dense and full of flavor. For my pasta entree, the fusilli noodles were finished with eggplant, sausage, ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, pecorino, and marinara. Unlike a recent experience in which the pasta was mushy, the fusilli were cooked perfectly al dente. The sausage was cut into large morsels and was not disc-shaped which is more common. The level of service and attention was what brought my rating to the highest level. Not only was the staff very knowledgeable about the menu, but they checked on me frequently. The prices were fair and reasonable for the quality of the food. The dining experience I had at Il Posto deserved one of my rare, five-star recognitions. read more

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Overall this was a nice place to eat! You can tell off the bat that they are authentic, as Italian is being spoken left and right. We wished we had tried the pizza because it looked fantastic with perfect crust. My partner got the Caesar Salad, Bolognese, and a red wine. She said the Caesar was delicious and flavorful. The pasta was also great though the porcini mushrooms on top were a bit sandy. The waiter was very friendly, and generally the ambience was romantic enough to feel like a special evening without requiring you to dress up. I only wish they could keep the door to the street closed, because it was so chilly! read more

IL Posto - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was brought here by a friend who I trust for good eats and it did not disappoint. We're talking handmade pasta and regional Italian wines, massive portions, wonderful staff and a menu I could spend a month going through and hopefully someday can. You can sit at the bar or a table and the feeling is of being with friends for a casual lovey evening. I brought my Dad who adores Italian food and is picky and this is now his fave spot. It's always fresh, folks are nice and it's great food you can enjoy for lunch the next day if you can resist. read more

IL Posto - Just a little prosciutto with fresh mozarella and seasonal tomatoes lovingly drizzled with oil and seasoning and topped with basil. Heaven. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

I cannot gush about this place enough. Located in South Park, this may very well be my new favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego. This place does get busy so I would recommend making a reservation. The inside is actually quite large, and it is decorated beautifully. Service was prompt and very friendly. Highly recommend their Fruitti Di Mare and Salmon! Will definitely be back. This restaurant can count on it. read more

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If I could nominate a restaurant for Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, this would be it. My fiancé and I were really looking forward to trying this spot for San Diego Restaurant Week after reading so many positive reviews, but the service was so bad we almost walked out before dessert. Our reservation was for the patio, but the table wasn't ready--we waited about 20 minutes to be seated, and even then, no menus were given. Another 10 minutes went by before we finally received them, and strangely, they weren't even the Restaurant Week menus. From the start, it felt chaotic: multiple servers brought us other tables' food, no one refilled our waters, and the wait between each course was painfully long. By the time dessert rolled around, we just asked for it to-go. Even getting the check was a struggle--I had to go inside to flag someone down, and it still took 20 minutes before anyone came by. In the end, we spent nearly 2.5 hours there for just two courses (and we weren't even drinking alcoholic beverages). The food itself was good, but definitely not worth the stress and wasted time. Sadly, this was one of the most frustrating dining experiences we've had in San Diego. read more

I'm telling you, San Diego's food scene is getting better and better every year. Now, with IL Posto, from the owners of Maurizio's Trattoria Italiana in Encinitas, California, South Park's here in San Diego is fire. When it comes to Neapolitan Pizza, there are there only three places in San Diego that I feel do it right, and now, after dining here, there are four. Yes, I had the Pizza Margherita Napolitana and the arugula salad and the Trio alla Italiana, which consisted of two Sicilian Arancini, two flor di zucca, and two potato croquettes served with three different sauces. The arugula salad was quite good. The dressing was light and not overly down regarding its quality and flavor. It was just right. I loved the large shaved pieces of Parmesan and the addition of the Sicilian olives. Very nice salad. The trio alla Italiana were wonderful. My favorite was the arancini. They were truly Sicilian in nature with their Bolognese and peas on the inside and that great crust on the outside. The flor di zucca were good, but I felt the cheese inside was a touch on the gritty side. Other than that, they were quite tasty. The croquettes were very good, too. The star was no doubt the pizza Margherita Napolitana. The crust made from 00 flour was absolutely amazing. These gents from Napoli definitely have their recipe locked down. The crust was very light and had very good air bubbles in side with a light crispness, but what I really liked about the crust is the addition of the quality salt, which goes a long way in a great crust. The sauce was very good as well. It was very well balanced and allowed all the flavors of the pizza shine. Alfredo is one heck of a Pizzaiolo. I ate at the bar. Service was very friendly and offered good conversation. The place offers inside and outside trendy seating. read more

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Finally tried this place for my birthday and loved it! It was easy to make a reservation and we were welcomed and sat right away. Service was great and attentive. The food was tasty and the restaurant had lovely warm lighting giving it a cozy feel. They also have a big back room with more seating. I really enjoyed the Pasta e Patate con Paccheri and the Diavola pizza! They surprised me with a birthday Pistachio Espresso Panna Cotta which was divine. They have many vegan options too which was nice to see. I can't wait to come here again. read more

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Everything was delicious. We all got something different to try and it was all so yummy. The flavor was rich. Not overbearing with herbs. The service was amazing too! They were fast and friendly. Love the area too. Just was hard to find parking but that's anywhere now. read more

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Tried this place by accident was actually looking to go somewhere else. But ended up going here instead and I'm so happy I did! This place was so delicious and lots of good options for dinner. Everything tasted very fresh. And the owner was so welcoming. read more

IL Posto - Pollo al Limone - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I watched as the space began to transform into Il Posto. What a great addition to the neighborhood! We stopped in on the second night they were opened, and lo and behold, I ran into Jack M. Since Cako was with me, we sat outside on the revamped patio. I love what they did with the space inside as well! Great wine list! We ordered a bottle of the brunello di montalcino. Not a lot of places carry this type of wine....amazing! We started with the trio, Arancini - Riceballs with bolognese sauce, smoked mozzarella, parmigiano, and peas Crocche' - Potato croquettes with smoked mozzarella, parmigiano, black pepper, and parsley Fior di Zucca - Zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese, parmigiano, basil, and black pepper. All very unique and delicious. We then just ordered a pepperoni pizza which would be a good test of their oven. Great crust, sauce, and pepperonis! We only ate half, and one of my ways of a great pizza is how it will taste the next day. I love cold pizza and this one was still tasty! Our server, Fabrizio, was super friendly and checked in on us throughout the evening...even brought Cako some water. I felt like I was cheating on my other love around the corner! They also have heat lamps on the patio and we didn't even noticed that they turned one of them on. No wonder we weren't chilly. Definitely check them out! Cako Approves! read more

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This is my FAVORITE Italian restaurant in San Diego serving authentic Italian cuisine. The portions are absolutely huge and every dish is a burst of flavors. You can tell that the chef puts his heart into every dish and not surprised with how good the food is, naturally there is a big crowd waiting to get in. The restaurant is bustling with business during the evenings and the vibe of the restaurant is very lively. From what I could tell, the owner and the servers are all Italian and they take great pride with their food. They bake their pizza in their own in house BOP and everything is divine. Their pastas are one of the best in town and I can taste that their tagliatelle pasta was handmade in house. The prices are very reasonable for the portion and presentation and it is a lovely spot for couples and families alike. Highly highly recommend for Italian food lovers to give this place a try! read more

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This is the new Italian restaurant in the area! I am wary of giving 5 star reviews but this place absolutely deserves it. It's a little gem and is wonderful for date night, bringing your family, etc. The chef who makes the pizza apparently won some pizza awards and TRUST, it was evident. The Neapolitan pizza here was phenomenal. Soft crust and absolutely delicious toppings. We got the diavola and it was perfectly spicy. We also go the focaccia with mortadella and burrata. My goodness the mortadella was tasty! We also were recommended to do the mortadella pizza (which we will try next time!). The carbonara was delicious and the guanciale was nice and crispy, which I prefer. We finished off the night with the lava cake. It's called a tortino in Italian (we found out from our server who was from Italy!). It was the perfect mix of chocolate decadence but not too heavy. Excellent way to end our meal. All the portions were nice and hearty. It's street parking in South Park. If you drive around there tends to not be an issue in under a few minutes. Special shout out to Mauro who was our server. Wonderfully quick, attentive, and just a delight. He really wanted to make sure we enjoyed our meal and experience. Will definitely be back! read more

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We are happy we took the recommendations of Anna who was taking care of us. Everything in the photos tastes as good as it looked. My favorite thing is that everything was sharable which is becoming a rarer thing due to shrinkflation. This is one of the top spots in South Park. read more

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5 stars across the board! Our server was Mauro and he was amazing the whole time. He gave honest recommendations for our large party and accommodated anything we needed. Food menu was full and everyone found something to enjoy. We ordered all deserts and enjoyed everything. Nice and clean location with plenty of seating. Highly recommended!! read more

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My new go to spot. Anna is amazing, I only want her to attend us LOL. The food is great and the prices are better aswell as the ambiance. 10/10. The affogato and creme brulee are reasons alone to go back. I forget the pasta it got, but it was beyond delicious. It was a spaghetti, I think I got the Linguine ala nerano. . Im so happy I found this spot! Thanks for making our experience so special!! ​ read more

Came here for happy hour and stayed for dinner. This restaurant is dog friendly with an outdoor patio. It was a bit chilly but they had heat lamps. I enjoyed an espresso martini for happy hour that is well priced. I also got the $25 prefixed meal for dinner and was such a great deal. You get a choice or a salad, pasta or pizza and panna cotta for dessert read more

IL Posto - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Hands down some of the best pasta I've had. Their vodka sauce is to die for. The restaurant is cute and the staff is great. read more

IL Posto - BYO Pasta - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here with a party of nine to celebrate my niece's birthday and left extremely disappointed. We ordered several dishes (short rib ravioli, carbonara, lasagna, lemon chicken, Alfredo, and pizza) and everything except the lemon chicken was inedible due to extreme saltiness. The short rib ravioli was overwhelmed with gorgonzola to the point I couldn't swallow a single bite. As someone who has been to Italy and loves authentic Italian food, this was nowhere close. Despite the positive reviews, nine people left hungry after spending $345 on food we had to push aside. That alone speaks volumes. The only bright spots were the lemon chicken and dessert -- the crème brûlée and spumoni were excellent. Hopefully this was just an off night, but based on this experience, I wouldn't return. read more

Sooooo goood. Not only do they look good, they taste great too!! I love that I live a walking distance and am going to bring everyone here! Sitting outside in the summer sunset was an amazing experience as well. read more

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Not a great valentines day experience. Food was underwhelming. There was a long line but turns out it was all reservations. We had placed a reservation for 7:30 and waited approximately an additional 40+min wait. Everyone in line seemed to be irritated bc it passed their reservation time as well. Felt like it wasn't well managed for busy holidays. Upon seating, where we were sat felt like a complete joke! It was a folding table with black plastic on top right in front of the entrance to the patio. Everyone walking in and out kept bumping into my partner. We felt like we are at a garage party not a restaurant. We asked three times to move because there were three open tables at the time. One man, who I believed was the GM, laughed and said no. We then asked for the heater next to us to be turned on but was told it was broken- every table had their heaters on... our appetites were ruined so we ended up taking the rest of our meal to go. We felt extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome. read more

IL Posto - Trashy table for a "nice" restaurant. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

3 of us had a fritta calzone and lemon chicken, 1 cocktail 1 soda, appetizer and focaccia bread. They do charge for bread. For dessert we had cannolis. They were small The aperol spritz was perfect. All of the food was excellent with decent portions. IMO the prices are a bit high. 180.00 including tip. I really liked the guys that were serving. I'll try again. read more

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Amazing gluten free pasta. Great wine. Customer service and ambiance was perfect. Great spot, my favorite italian food in san diego.

Really really good! We came here tonight and got a make your own pasta and one of the pizzas. Both were super good and fresh. The vodka sauce for the pasta was REALLY flavorful. We added the 1/2 burrata and it was definately worth it. We will be back! read more

IL Posto - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Had lunch here on a lazy Saturday, and had a wonderful time! Expect South Park parking. Their lunch menus are called "Happy Hour" menus, and had excellent portions/ prices. Lunch for 4 was around $15/ person. Outstanding: - Happy Hour Make your own pasta: Cremosa with Orrechiette (5/5): This was absolutely amazing, and would definitely get it on return. Pasta was cooked al dente, and even though it was a cream based pasta, it wasn't overly creamy at all. Protein may be added for additional cost, but it was wonderful and well balanced with just mushroom. - Davide was our waiter, and the only person running the floor for that matter. Excellent/ friendly service and coverage. - Interior decor. Honorable mentions: - House salad (5/5) - Caesar salad (5/5): It was 6 whole pieces of romaine lettuce, but well plated and seasoned. - Arrabiata with Paccheri (chicken on the side) (4/5): This was great! Really enjoyed the Paccheri. - Pepperoni pizza (5/5) Will be back! read more

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Pepperoni pizza Good plating presentation Orecchiette - Cremosa Arrabbiata - Paccheri - chicken EXCELLENT SERVICE Parking could be a challenge Will definitely be back! Thank you, Davide :)!! read more

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Sat at the bar and ordered a glass of red and lasagna to keep me company while I read a book. Large portion and good bolognese, attentive service, fun playlist! read more

Delicious Italian food in South Park. Definitely one of the best in SD! Their chicken marsala was the best I've ever had and the portion was huge. Excellent espressotini and wines. read more

The food was excellent. The Margherita pizza and the Seafood Platter were both amazing, and the pasta special menu was very good. The service was outstanding as well--Ana, our server during the night shift, was very attentive and professional. Highly recommended. read more

IL Posto - Pizza Margherita Pizza (Dinner) - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Good service, food, and ambiance! Was able to make a reservation fast. Felipo was very kind. We really enjoyed the calamari and I had the special mushroom! Portions are big you'll be plenty full! read more

IL Posto - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came here for lunch and really enjoyed myself. I had the create your own pasta dish. I chose the pesto sauce with shrimp as the protein. The portion size was perfect. It was light and delicious. The place is very cute inside. The server was very attentive. The parking can be tough. Overall, this place is wonderful. read more

IL Posto - Pesto Pasta with Shrimp - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Good food and friendly staff :) Dishes are very filling! In a good location as well, parking was easy to find. read more

We had an absolutely wonderful (early) birthday dinner for my sister-in-law at IL Posto. From the very friendly and attentive (but not too attentive) wait staff to the small & intimate yet open feeling interior, it was just a delightful experience. The menu is full of delicious sounding dishes so, with the help of our waiter, we settled on a few fantastic appetizers and main courses. Without his help, we'd probably still be trying to figure it out. I personally went with the classic margherita pizza and I have no regrets. The crust was thin and soft on the bottom and then crisp but with just enough softness for the crust. All with the wonderful slight char from the wood burning ovens. I can't recommend it more. I truly look forward to being able to come back here on future visits to San Diego. read more

We've been here many times for dinner, pizza and pasta. This time we tried lunch. Amazing Italian sandwiches made with pizza bread. read more

IL Posto - Meatball sandwich - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

It's always a great meal with good wines and atmosphere that let's you enjoy your meal and you're company.

Food was amazing! My mom very much appreciated the great vegan options. I especially enjoyed the wedge salad. The "build your own" options were also really cool. read more

Delicious!! They give Buona Forchetta a run for their money. Have been back several times to both restaurants!

Awesome Neapolitan style pizza. Wait staff was friendly. Would definitely return. I do wish they played better music in the restaurant. :)

I was lucky enough to dine at IL Posto last night with a few friends, and what an incredible meal we had! We were greeted at the door by the owner Fabio who took amazing care of us all night. The food was very fresh and all had tremendous flavor. I'd highly recommend the Pollo al Limone, Burrata e Prosciutto, Bolognese, and the Norma pizza! We finished with the Tiramisu which we all agreed was one of the best we've ever had! From the service to the food to the atmosphere it was truly an incredible all encompassing dining experience. Thank you Fabio and IL Posto for a fantastic night! 10/10 would recommend for a true authentic Italian dining experience. read more

IL Posto - The Pollo al Limone and Bolognese. - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow wow wow. Five star Italian food here. I would fly back to San Diego just for a meal like this any time. My cioppino was the stuff dreams are made of. Regarding the artichoke appetizer, I can't even trim artichokes like that, much less make them taste that good. This place is the real deal. Nuff said. read more

IL Posto - Unbelievably delicious cioppino up front, artichoke hearts in the center, and more appetizers - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The Price of Elegance: When Presentation Outpaces Palate There are restaurants that dazzle with flavor, and then there are restaurants that rely entirely on the illusion of it. This establishment, regrettably, belongs in the latter category -- a glossy performance of fine dining without a trace of culinary soul. Let me be clear: the service was impeccable. The servers were kind, attentive, and deeply professional, gliding between tables with the kind of grace that suggests they deserved a far better kitchen behind them. Their warmth and attentiveness were the sole highlights of the evening -- a comforting distraction from what arrived on the plate. The risotto -- or what the menu insisted was risotto -- bore a closer resemblance to Uncle Ben's instant rice, tragically overcooked and seasoned with what could only be described as tap water and regret. The ribeye followed, limp and joyless, evoking memories of a microwaved Lean Cuisine that had ambitions of being steak. The mashed potatoes, served cold and textureless, completed the tableau of culinary disinterest. In the end, I left both hungry and slightly amused, wondering if this was all an elaborate experiment in how far atmosphere and service can distract from the absence of actual flavor. One leaves not full, but philosophically unsettled. read more