"With locations in Bankers Hill and Del Mar, the Cucina family of restaurants is known in town for offering one of the best Italian dining experiences. The restaurant is one of San Diego’s most respected restaurant groups led by Tracy Borkum and executive chef Tim Kolanko. The upscale decor and warm atmosphere makes the place a great choice for groups, families, groups, and casual dates. Kick off the meal with grilled octopus or tempura squash blossoms before diving into scratch-made pastas, like mushroom ricotta agnolotti with pickled hon shimeji, or whole branzino. Know before you go: Browse the adjacent wine shop, which has over 200 well-curated labels, priced at half the usual markup." - Candice Woo