We had an absolutely amazing dinner at Cesarina. The food was prepared to perfection…read more Our waitress Alana was the best and did everything to make our night special.

SOOO I finally got to try the famous 'Cesarina'!!!!…read more Wowowow I was blown away. The decor of the restaurant, both inside and out, is clearly meticulously handpicked & thought out. It is absolutely beautiful. They have wonderful music playing at a reasonable volume to accompany watching raviolis be made right in front of you! The service is exceptional. We never had to even think of needing water, menus, anything extra - it was brought before we anticipated it! Our server Tommy was wonderful & thought of everything. Now, the best part - the FOOD!! Their pasta is so obviously handmade in house, the texture and butteriness of the noodles was extraordinary. I ordered the fettuccine with the vegan mushroom sauce & added shrimp - divine. I think one of my favorite parts of the menu is the pricing with vegan items. Too many times vegan items are doubled in price & they had everything equal - INCLUDING the DELICIOUS cannolis!!! Such a wonderful experience. I cannot wait to be back!

My absolute FAVORITE Italian spot in CA and I've been here so many times and have brought so many…read morefriends but this is the first time I've gotten around to reviewing this spot! The service is always prompt and the feel of the restaurant feels modern yet casual enough where it's not stuffy, perfect for just hanging out with friends or family. In this round, I got to try their special, Spaghetti Alla Gricia which features a Pecorino and black pepper cream sauce with Guanciale (pork cheeks). Absolutely delicious, balanced flavors with perfectly cooked pasta (as always)!

Made a reservation, so the wait wasn't bad at all! The food was definitely the star of the night…read more Everything we ordered was delicious, and I'd absolutely come back for the pasta. The only downside was the service. It was reaaaally slow, and we were hardly ever checked on. We had to raise our hands multiple times just to get someone's attention, which took away from the experience. I'd still recommend giving this place a try, but I'd suggest coming during a less busy time since I think the service would be much better. The food is worth it!

5+++++ Super…read more Fantastic Highly recommend Excellent service Modern Italian dining in beautiful San Diego's Little Italy. Get the family style app board! Everything fantastic! Family style, Big portions! Come hungry! Excellent 5++++

Food: - lobster pasta: 5/10, not flavorful at all, lobster…read morewas overcooked - gnocchi: 6.5/10, cheesy and pesto flavor was strong - arugula and prosciutto pizza: the cheese was thick and congealed, the prosciutto and arugula slides right off Service: - friendly staff - similar to Nonna wait staff did not check on us throughout dinner Ambiance: - very busy and stuffy indoors - cooler patio seating Will not be returning

Amazing food, amazing staff. Would recommend. Alvin our server was awesome, definitely ask for him…read morewhen you get here!

They know what they're doing and their client service was perfection. My older friend had a…read moresignificant birthday this year with the passing of her husband nearly a year ago exactly, It was a special birthday considering her failing health and I gave the restaurant a heads up we would be celebrating. Nathan, Sabrina and Johan were a primo team and outstanding on all counts. They made extra sure my guest was comfortable and most importantly, appreciated. The fried burrata was a star as was their caprese salad. Their spinach ravioli was delicious and despite how full we were, it was gobbled up. Their pizza was great as well as their arancini. The New Zealand Sauvignon blanc was delicious with a spicy finish. We ordered two bottles. The vibe is very communal and it got lively around 7pm on a Saturday. It was quiet and intimate when we arrived around 4:45pm so come a little earlier if you typically would like a quieter meal with fabulous food. Again, can't thank Nathan. Sabrina and Johan enough. The entire team was fabulous and humored us with our questions in regard to Sicily. I will be back and will bring others: thanks again!

Wow some of the best tasty pizzas that I have ever had, the staff was very friendly and attentive.read more

This was our first time at Buona Forchetta, and we were so impressed. The restaurant has a warm,…read moreinviting atmosphere that made it the perfect place to enjoy dinner on a beautiful sunny evening. It was lively without feeling overwhelming, and it was also very family-friendly. Every single dish we ordered was outstanding. The fresh pasta was the highlight of the meal. You could immediately tell it was homemade. The texture was perfect, and every sauce was packed with flavor. The pesto pasta with grilled chicken was fresh, vibrant, and incredibly well balanced. The creamy pasta was rich, velvety, and pure comfort food. We honestly couldn't stop talking about how good the pasta was. The pizza was just as impressive. The crust was light, airy, and perfectly charred from the wood-fired oven. The toppings tasted fresh, and even with all the meat and mushrooms, it never felt too heavy. It had that authentic Neapolitan-style texture that kept us reaching for another slice. The service was excellent from start to finish. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and our food came out surprisingly fast. Even though the restaurant was busy, we never felt forgotten, and everything arrived fresh and perfectly prepared. There honestly wasn't a single thing we didn't enjoy. Every dish exceeded our expectations, and we left already planning our next visit. If you're looking for authentic Italian food with amazing fresh pasta, delicious pizza, outstanding service, and a welcoming atmosphere, Buona Forchetta is absolutely worth the visit.

From first glance, the ambience was very welcoming. From the Parpardelle con il Ragu D'Agnello to…read morethe Lasagna Della Nonna, each bite was made with exquisite quality. Giovanni, the owner of the restaurant, personally came by our table to make sure we were enjoying my our dining experience. Overall, this was one of the finer Italian experiences I had the pleasure to enjoy!

We were warmly welcomed by Flavio, who took excellent care of us. We ordered the daily specials,…read moreand they were absolutely amazing! We loved everything from the complimentary bread with pesto dipping sauce to the calamari, risotto, seafood pasta, pizza, and dessert. All of the staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. The restaurant has a beautiful interior, and the atmosphere was lively and inviting. We will definitely be back to try more dishes next time. Thank you, Flavio for making our dining experience so memorable!

This food was a religious experience from the first bite. I saw god in this Italian restaurant…read more Free bread/olive oil and balsamic vinegar was fantastic. Everything made in house and you can absolutely tell I got the Alfredo and it was outstanding, each bite better than the last Gluten free pasta options as well! Didn't try it myself but I would be willing to bet it's great too. Fantastic service, our server was kind and attentive. Reasonable prices! A wonderful dinner had by all, I will definitely be back!

This is my 2nd visit…read more Pros: - Seafood ravioli was lovely. My mom is diabetic so we ordered the swordfish..I would skip this IMO. - I love that they do reservations. - Free bread is always a plus. Yes I know it's a filler but I still love it. - The place is not that big and I noticed that spacing is a bit tight, but it's a very cute space. Temperature can be a hit or miss since it looks like they love to have open windows. Cons: - Parking can be difficult since it's in a congested area. However, we were able to find street parking quickly for a Sunday early dinner. So my 1st visit wasn't that great, but this was 5 years ago. I recall ordering the seafood pasta and I felt like the seafood was not fresh. This 2nd visit was much better so I'd give this place a 3.5.

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

Fab time here - I don't know why I hadn't come in a while…read more 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!