I actually can't believe I haven't reviewed The Haven before now...absolutely 5 stars! My husband and I go to The Haven every single time after we get mani/pedis down the street at Kensington Nail & Spa. It is one of our favorite restaurants! Everything on the menu is fantastic, but some of our standouts are: The Spud pizza. OMG, just get it. Chef's kiss. Any bruschetta on the Specials menu...they've all been so good! Meatballs. Watermelon salad. Righteous Pig and Mama Mia pizzas. And the drinks are great too! Current fave is the Kensington Spritz, but we also usually get a bottle of the Bieler Rose. Outside of all that, the people are great! Arturo greets us like family every time, and Chelsea comes to check on us even if we aren't at her table. We love everything about The Haven! read more

Nice corner Pizzeria in Kensington! We were going to be attending a live band show over at K Club and they allow outside food inside their venue. So we got a few recommendations from a band member and they vouched the pizza place was good (among some other foods places that are very near by as well) All within walking distance! *Seems new parking fees are popping up in every SD neighborhood these days! Hope that isn't hurting these types of neighborhood businesses. We came just after 8 pm and they were closing at 9pm. So no parking fees for us and just in time to get our order in. Once we arrived we were greeted by very nice staffers. We opted to do a large half and half pizza. We followed their specifications to what options we could do as a half n half. Being that the pepperoni and margarita pizza both were red sauce pizzas that's what we choose to get. We waited at a very comfortable booth until it was done. Got our to-go pizza and some paper plates and napkins. Brought it to the venue and ate it there. Both halves were delicious although the cheese/sauce/toppings all wanted to separate from the crust. Making it a messier experience than anticipated. Yet again it was pretty tasty. We were hungry and had enough to share. I had about 3 slices and that did the trick for moi! Good thing for the extra napkins! I'd really like to revisit this establishment and area again. They also have a patio in the front and it has a cozy open floor concept inside. The design and decor still make you feel like you're experiencing the outdoor elements even though you are inside. read more

See all

DON'T GO HERE IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES! I have a dairy allergy and ordered the vegan pizza and vegan breadsticks. When I went to pick it up I asked if the breadsticks were vegan because it looked like there was Parmesan on them. The guy said yeah it's vegan but I can go double check, I said yes please because I have an allergy. They were not the vegan ones. I asked again about the garlic sauce that I had ordered off of the vegan menu, turns out that wasn't vegan either. He served me this after I informed him multiple times I have a dairy allergy. I have included photos of the breadsticks and vegan pizza. The breadsticks are just pizza crust with no toppings and the vegan pizza has been switched to gluten free crust, which I would not have purchased had it been specified. I am very disappointed in the lack of care for allergies at this restaurant. When you have allergies and are trusting someone with your food you're trusting them with your life. I have ordered the vegan pizza from here before but after today I will not being going back, especially after the (I assume owner?) told me it was my fault for only adding my allergy note to one of the two items I ordered (even though I only ordered vegan items?) and he said "make sure you put your allergy on all items so this doesn't happen again." Yeah, there won't be another time. *Also there was no one else in the restaurant so it's wasn't busy and got mixed up* read more

See all

First time trying this pizzeria! I love the vibe here. They have both indoor & outdoor seating. Came in a Wednesday night and it wasn't busy. Had the pepperoni pizza, small house salad (which was big enough to share) and the traditional bruschetta. The bruschetta was so good!! I loved it. The wait staff were great and very friendly. They made me feel very welcome. Parking is challenging in Kensington but don't let that stop you from trying this place. Lots of locals frequent this pizzeria. I love it read more

See all

Staff is super nice but somewhat inattentive. Only 2 people in the restaurant including me, so should have been more check in Location is great. I love Kensington. Nicely decorated I got the Kensington spritz. It had a bug in it when it came to the table. It was initially a layered drink. When I got the new drink it was not layered which leads me to believe they fished out the bug and reserved it. I ordered the special poblano pasta with substitution of fettuccine It came out very overcooked and over sauced. Very quickly, it became like eating glue. The poblanos were all cut into different sizes so some were mush and some were raw. The shrimp were severely overcooked and chewy. They did offer to replace it with something else and then comped the pasta since I ate so little of it. So that was nice of them. They have a lot of vegan options on the menu. read more

See all

Came here for pi day (3/14) and we were a group of 6. The location is great because it's on the corner of the Kensington sign surrounded by so many other places to go to. Depending on the time of day, parking can be hard, but that's how just it is in that area. The place is a good size and has seating inside and out. They have a full bar and beer on tap. Had their bruschetta, and it's a solid 8/10. Their mushroom pizza was also great m, especially if you like thin crust - 9/10. Tasty and the perfect size for 2 people to share, even 3 if you want to snack on other items on their menu. The service was great, keeping our table clean and checking in on us periodically. Will be coming back to try their burrata beet salad. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - 12" Good Harvest - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I will have to go into this place one time and actually eat inside. The two times I got a pizza from here at was at Mission Brewing and they delivered it to me. The Biz pizza is very good. Solid balance of flavors. Not overcooked or greasy. Just a really tasty pizza in my opinion. I could easily eat a 12in by myself. The staff that I've interacted with are friendly and it always seems to have a good amount of people there, both inside and outside. I'll be trying so other things next time. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - 12" Biz - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

Stopped in for dinner and was not disappointed. Service was great: attentive yet we did not feel rushed. We had the pizza special and the BBQ chicken chopped salad. Both were excellent and we had plenty to take home. The dining room with the roll-up front door is also wonderful. It's great sitting and being able to watch everyone passing by while dining. Lively but not too loud. If you've not tried it, The Haven also will deliver food to nearby Mission Brewing (just up Adams Avenue). Definitely recommend. read more

See all

Warm service. Varied menu. Excellent food. Has al fresco dining on Adams Ave. Good people watching spot. read more

See all

Just checked out The Haven Pizzeria after their remodel and it looks amazing. The space feels fresh and modern but still has that cozy neighborhood pizza spot vibe. The pizza was just as solid as always, and the new atmosphere makes it an even better place to hang out with friends. Even though they were pretty busy when we arrived, we were seated within about 15 minutes which was honestly impressive. The servers were also really attentive and quick to check on us throughout the meal, which made the whole experience feel smooth and welcoming. Art, the general manager, even stopped by our table to introduce himself. It was a really nice touch and something you don't see much anymore. Definitely worth checking out if you're in San Diego! read more

We usually get pizza here. But we went here on 'Taste of Adams'. While they offered pizza, I'm so glad they gave us pasta sample of their tequila chicken!! OMG sooo good! I will have to return and give you a full report. read more

The toast alone on the bruschetta makes it worth going here. Small indoor seating with equal patio sidewalk covered seating to enjoy the beautiful San Diego weather and a great view of the sunset sky. It was nice to order go to a spot that automatically brought out a wine chiller for our bottle of Sauvignon Blanc we ordered. We got a large Popeye pizza and the size to price ratio was nice to see. This is a very nice spot to pop into while strolling the beautiful Kensington neighborhood. read more

See all

We ordered a pizza and the alla vodka with bacon and everything was delicious! The staff is super friendly, and the service was quick! Great selection of wines and beer! Highly recommend! read more

One of my favorite SD pizza spots for their excellent pizza creations, kind staff, and attention to detail. I appreciate their attention to allergies, anyone can experience their fabulous pizza. They have coloring pages + crayons for the kiddos. It has a really nice indoor/outdoor feel so you can experience the great SD weather. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Up close and personal of the 12" VEGAN Spud, it was delicious! - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

My family came in for dinner this past weekend & really enjoyed our experience as a family. We ordered the Spud pizza, lasagna, & Brussel sprouts. Food was delicious & service was great. Will definitely come back to try the Opa pizza! I also liked how it was so family friendly & they had crayons & coloring sheets available for the little ones. Great ambiance! Totally recommend this place. Also the new manager Arturo introduced himself which was nice & welcoming. read more

See all

I went in on a rainy Friday afternoon and sat by myself at the bar seating. I got the traditional bruschetta and the alla vodka pasta. The bruschetta was tasty, I wish there was a bit more balsamic on it. For the price point, I don't think I'll get it again, but I'd try the other bruschetta. I didn't love the pasta when I ate it in the restaurant, I think I ate 1/3 of it. Left it in the fridge overnight and reheated it, one of the best things I've probably had in a while, so that was a nice surprise. I got a glass of pinot noir which complemented the food well. Service was great. The server I had was really nice and friendly! (I forgot her name, but she has very short hair). read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Alla Vodka Pasta - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Ended up in Kensington by chance with a friend and stopped by Haven to try their pizza. We ordered the Mistletoe Martini, Marinated Shrimp Skewers, baked Brie, small Antipasto salad a 16" pizza whose name I forgot but it came with a bunch of meat on it, we added on pepperoni and for dessert the Chocolate Panna Cotta. The martini was really good made with cranberry juice and vodka I believe. The baked Brie was wonderful in a cast iron pan drizzled with honey and served with some bread bites. Salty, cheesyand sweet from the honey, yummy. The shrimp skewers were perfectly cooked and well marinated, were gone fast. The pizza was the star of the show, thin crust and loaded with toppings. Not exactly New York style but a little thicker. We didn't get a chance to eat the salad as we filled up on the rest of the stuff and only got to try a few bites of the panna cotta but it was good. I managed to get an extra spoonful in me somehow. Great go to pizza spot in Kensington area. read more

See all

Been here a few times now and it's becoming a staple! Great place to stop for lunch or dinner. The staff are friendly and have great recommendations. It's a lovely, cozy corner restaurant in Kensington with a pet-friendly patio. The chicken tequila pasta is incredible. Good selection of drinks. They have a specials menu that changes but you can't go wrong with those options. Pizzas are delicious as well. I always look forward to my next visit! read more

See all

We can't say enough great things about The Haven Pizzeria in Kensington! They went above and beyond by allowing us to rent out the restaurant, which made our event feel incredibly special and private. Arturo, the manager, made the entire process seamless from start to finish. He was easy to work with, attentive, and truly made sure everything was exactly how we envisioned it. On the day of the event, both Arturo and Jessica took amazing care of our group of 50 guests--they were organized, friendly, and completely on top of everything. The food was absolutely delicious, and a huge shoutout to the kitchen staff for their flawless execution. Every dish came out timely, fresh, and perfectly prepared, especially impressive given the size of our party. You could tell there was great coordination behind the scenes. The execution of the entire event was outstanding. Everything ran smoothly, and our guests are still talking about how great the experience was. Highly recommend for both casual dining, catering and special events--this place is a true neighborhood gem! read more

Love the pizza (especially the Spud and Mama Mia pizzas) and found that their catering was excellent as well! Fantastic service! They met and exceeded our expectations. read more

Vegan options only review: I'm so sorry to leave this really bad review but it's necessary. I'm hoping that the cooks are just not as familiar with good vegan cuisine and maybe they were just trying to make things outside of their comfort zone. If that's the case, they should either stick to recipes that they are skilled at...or they should venture out to other places and learn new techniques before offering vegan options. We tried every option on the vegan menu and all of it was inedible. 4 different pizzas, breadsticks, brussel sprouts, vegan meatballs, and bruschetta - all really bad. Sadly, if you are vegan this place is simply not serving any vegan options that can be recommended. They are trying to provide something for everyone, which is definitely commendable and appreciated...but they are just not hitting the mark in this category. Friendly advice for the chefs - don't give up! Try talking to some of your local chefs at restaurants that are getting it right and see if you can adopt those techniques.... Start with the cheese: find a different brand (the one you are using tastes like plastic). When you find a better cheese, use it sparingly on your pizza. The sauce, crust, and veggies are the stars on a vegan pizza. Good vegan pizza has barely any "cheese" at all. Bruschetta needs olive oil and diced tomatoes. Placing some cherry tomatoes on top of basil leaves with a smear of pesto on a stale piece of toast is something else entirely. The vegan meatballs could have been tasty in the right sauce. Work on an outstanding sauce, if you do nothing else, because a good sauce will elevate everything else. This sauce you are using is like some kind of watery tomato paste or canned spaghetti sauce. I'm guessing it's less expensive or just easy to heat up some random canned sauce?...not worth it. The Brussels....just keep them simple. No need for the cashew cream and the walnuts are whatever that was in there. Just toss them in olive oil and sea salt, roast them till they have a nice char, and add a little basalmic glaze or roasted garlic in before plating. Sometimes less is more. If you are interested in exploring places that do vegan options very well, I suggest Tribute Pizza (they have a regular menu and a vegan menu), Donna Jean's (all vegan Italian restaurant), Blaze Pizza (fairly decent vegan options), and TNT Pizza (fairly decent vegan options). Best of luck with future endeavors. read more

this is a cute little restaurant that is perfect for a casual first date, a catch up with friends, or a place to treat yourself to a dinner and glass of wine. I come here often with my friend who has a gluten and dairy intolerance and they have a whole vegan menu which can be put on a GF crust! I've had a few traditional pizzas and also tried a vegan pizza and was pleasantly surprised on how amazing the vegan one was - I think I liked it more than the diary one! the pizzas are large enough that I usually take home a few slices, which is great because I love leftover pizza. The GF one is a tad smaller and is a perfect size to eat all in one sitting. They offer a happy hour menu with a few bites and discounts on wine, so make sure to get here early to take advantage! read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Vegan mushroom on gluten free - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Great pizza and salad!! They even delivered it to me at Mission Brewery while I was there having a drink. My wife and kids enjoyed all the food. They also have gluten free options which we also ordered. Great place definitely give them a try. read more

This is the third time we went to Haven. I have eaten all three vegan pizzas on their menu, I think there may be four but I can't remember. My husband had their vegan meatballs with pasta which is also quite good I stole some bites. This is probably the BEST vegan pizza I've had in San Diego so far and I've had a lot of them. They don't overdo the cheese and give you options for some tasty cheeseless pizza too, you won't miss the cheese I assure you. Nice happy hour with those delicious bread knots I've included here which we ended up taking home to go with the dinner I cooked last night. Nice atmosphere although it was a little chilly in there (this review wa.)s written in January 2024) so next time I will bring a sweater. Mission Brewing was closed but I believe they allow you to bring food from restaurants in there, KBC did. We don't usually come to Kennsington but since it's so close to our YMCA we will make it over once in a while to get some delicious pizza and pasta! Lot's of meat stuff too and more traditional carnivore options, I only am writing about the vegan and vegetarian menu because we don't eat meat. Try their house Chianti with a bowl of their pasta and their knots. Nice pairing and quite delicious! read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Knots exactly!!! Best vegan pizza in San Diego hands down. - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

We used to get takeout during covid from haven. We were content with the pizzas and pastas they have as take out. But, you must try it fresh from the oven. We had the wild mushroom pizza, it needs a sonata. When you byte in, you smell the fresh truffle oil, the sweetness of caramelized onion perfectly balanced the fontana cheese. The texture of the onion adds to it. But the metaphorical crescendo is when you just take it in, the whiff of the wild mushroom lingers there for a little moment before it gets to diminuendo. I know it is not authentic Neapolitan style, but does anybody remember who sang first Whitneys cover 'I will always love you". (It was Dolly Parton btw). Both were legendary and both creations are masterpieces. read more

QUICKIE REVIEW Create your own pizza if you don't want the standard options up front. FOOD This is what I tried: Wild Mushroom Pizza Wedge Salad Waitress recommended the wild mushroom pizza so had to give it a shot. It was good. You can also spruce it up a notch and add protein (or any other topping) if you feel it is a little on the light side. PARKING Nope, street parking. SERVICE Good, waitress gave solid recommendation. PRICE Around $40 for two. TIP/OTHER THOUGHTS Came here around 4pm and got immediate seating. Wasn't long after until the dinner rush came in--it filled up quick. Would recommend coming at 4 or earlier if you are looking to sit down right away. read more

See all

TL;DR: Good pizza, thicker-than-preferred crust (although very light), meh wine, modern decor, good service Order: - Righteous Pig pie (MVP 4/5): the combination of flavors provided by the specialty toppings were delicious and worth coming back for. The crust, although soft and light, was too thick for our liking and filled us up pretty quickly even avoiding the ends - Wild Mushroom (2/5): while truffle oil usually overpowers all other flavors, the pie we got was very underwhelming. The mushrooms seemed to be all the same (not a 'mix' as the menu stated) and even the truffle flavor seemed lacking. We ended up boxing it, taking it home, and adding our own mushrooms, egg, and truffle oil to spice it up - would recommend Wine: Chianti tasted alright but definitely not getting again Staff and service were welcoming and quick - no complaints :) Overall, I'll be back because it seems we hit one and missed one on the Haven's creations and because it's so close to home Cheers, Haven! read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Wild Mushroom - meh - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Highly recommend The Haven. Food is great with flavorful different pizza options. Friendly, casual, open environment. Service staff is very friendly and attentive to your needs. read more

They have one of the best pizza I've ever had, tastes so good and fresh. We ordered the Margherita pizza and the pesto pasta. So good. Even my drink, the haven hurricane, was very enjoyable. Their service was friendly and really fast, and the place felt very cozy and welcoming. I wanna go back for the panna cotta. read more

See all

I love that variety in the menu and pizzas! There's so many vegetarian options. I'm very impressed with their vegan pizzas. read more

See all

The service is amazing and Mallory our server is so nice! Love this spot in Kensington! The pizza is so good! lLisa the manager, hooked us up with some great food for the Mission Haven Matchup UYE yesterday, so after the event was over we went to Haven and tried the shrimp. Sitting outside on there patio was fun with our dog. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - the dining area of the restaurant - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I never post bad reviews, but my last experience forced me to. We've been coming here for years and the quality has gotten worse each time. Placed a to go order and got two pizzas and a salad... After I got home and opened the boxes, I was greeted with a partially raw pizza with partially melted cheese and barely cooked, soft crust. I was there 5 min before the estimated time and they boxed the pizza when I got there, so it wasn't because it had been sitting.I had to reheat the pizza in my oven and it still tasted like a bad bowling alley pizza. For a $28 2 topping pizza, you should probably have a better product. The salad looked like they took handfuls and just threw it in a container. I won't be back. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

I love that you can get free delivery over to Mission Brewery. We were there playing trivia and hungry! We ordered the Righteous Pig pizza which has pesto, prosciutto, goat cheese and arugula. It was super tasty. We also ordered the antipasto salad. I was definitely a fan of both. read more

This place is so cute and the staff is very friendly! The food is amazing! I highly recommend you check them out!

Came here for a business lunch last week and it was great! The service was very friendly and accommodating and the food was delicious. Standouts included the Wild Mushroom pizza and the Caprese salad. I'd love to try some of their appetizers and vegan offerings next time. read more

"Best pizza place in San Diego." Probably something people would trade punches over, but, no joke, Best pizza place in San Diego. They've got a good selection/variety of pizza's, like a lot of places. But, they do pizza better. Far better. As in, all my life someone told me a lie about how a pizza was supposed to be. How so? Crust, not thin, not thick, not doughy, not like day old bread. Crust was perfect. Ingredients - great slices of prosciutto that were thinly cut, but not overcooked. Seriously, some places put prosciutto on a pizza and then bake it a 3 trillion degrees, leaving you with something that was prosciutto. Not at Haven. Cheese. The right amount of cheese. Listen, I don't want to have an oil spill at the bottom of my plate when I have a pizza. I don't want to look a lake of oily cheese leftovers. Goat cheese perfectly blended in to get the flavor but not so much that you're overwhelmed. Walnut pesto to wrap it all into one nice circle of happiness. AND THEY CUT IT AND IT CAME APART IN THE MIDDLE AS SLICED. Because no one likes to feel robbed when part of thier pieces is attached to another slice because the pizza couldn't be cut. Conversely, no one likes to look like a thief for having one slice plus 1/3 of another because the pizza couldn't be cut. Hazen's cuts even, smooth and clean. It's a sign of perfection, really. Great service, quiet relaxed atmosphere. They've got the roll up doors so you can people watch too. Service is great, there when you need them and magically doing other pizza things when you don't. Best pizza place in San Diego - I'm saying it. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

This IS quality pizza! The created pies from Haven are great. We had the Righteous Pig and The Biz. Both were thin crust with quality dough that made want to even eat the crust. The balsamic glaze reduction that went on the Righteous Pig was incredible and a great addition to an already tasty pizza. We have been looking for a good pizza place in San Diego and this will now be a family favorite. We took it to go and therefore didn't experience any of the service or ambiance. read more

The Haven Pizzeria - The Biz Pizza - Pizza Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

My family and I eat here regularly. We have enjoyed the pizzas found regularly on the menu as well as the specialty pizzas. The servers are kind, and offer great service. Our kid also enjoys the food. Definitely recommend read more

Let's start by saying that this would have been a 4 or 5 star review if the service had been better. We went in around 5pm on a Tuesday. Waited more than a few minutes to be seated, as well as for someone to come help us. We sat outside, our dog had accompanied us. The server never offered any water for the dog (most places in Kensington do, happily), she didn't listen to our drink order and we had to ask her for a wine bucket, it was a pretty warm summer evening. I also do not believe she ever came back to see how our food was. The food is definitely 4 or 5 stars! We ordered the Haven Twists, which were amazing, warm, soft yet crunchy and the honey and garlic sauces rocked. We both ordered salads, they come in small or large orders, we got the larges. Ingredients were all very fresh, the flavors of the ingredients all went well with each other and the amounts were almost too much. read more

See all

Friday night out for family dinner. We had brussel sprouts with bacon, buffalo chicken pizza and vegan meatballs with spaghetti. The service was great , our server was warm and welcoming. It's a family friendly place, good for groups, or a date place. Would definitely recommend for pizza and pastas. Cute place that I like to check out from time to time. read more