Cesarina

"At Cesarina, you choose your shape and sauce, and they churn out the al dente pasta right before your eyes in the open air pastificio. We suggest any shape with creamy funghi sauce, where cremini, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms almost outshine the pasta. Or the paccheri vodka and scampi, delicate and smooth with an entire langoustine on top. (It’s locally revered enough that the menu warns “BEWARE OF IMITATIONS!”) Camera flashes periodically light up the room—eat here on your birthday and your server will snap a Polaroid for you to take home as a souvenir, if the tableside tiramisu wasn’t enough of a treat already. Resist the temptation to steal your table’s adorable rooster-shaped ceramic pitcher on your way out. They’re for sale at the counter, so buy one instead." - candice woo, cora lee, candice woo, cora lee, candice woo, candice woo, candice woo, cora lee, cora lee, candice woo, candice woo, cora lee, candice woo, cora lee, candice woo, candice woo, cora lee, candice woo, candice woo, candice woo, cora lee, candic

"At Cesarina, you choose your shape and sauce, and they churn out the al dente pasta right before your eyes in the open air pastificio. We suggest any shape with creamy funghi sauce, where cremini, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms almost outshine the pasta. Or the paccheri vodka and scampi, delicate and smooth with an entire langoustine on top. (It’s locally revered enough that the menu warns “BEWARE OF IMITATIONS!”) Camera flashes periodically light up the room—eat here on your birthday and your server will snap a Polaroid for you to take home as a souvenir, if the tableside tiramisu wasn’t enough of a treat already. Resist the temptation to steal your table’s adorable rooster-shaped ceramic pitcher on your way out. They’re for sale at the counter, so buy one instead." - Cora Lee

"Once a fresh pasta pop-up, the charming brick-and-mortar restaurant in Point Loma houses an open-air pasta factory for its menu. The team has earned Michelin recognition for its pastas, antipasti, and main courses; it also has a separate vegan and kids’ menu to please all palates. Try the earthen mushroom sauce with a pasta shape of your choosing, lasagna alla Bolognese, and tiramisu — the latter made tableside. During the chillier days, guests can get cozy with blankets, faux furs, and lap warmers." - Helen I. Hwang, Eater Staff

"The slogan at this pretty Point Loma restaurant, “fatto con amore,” means “made with love,” so no wonder that it is one San Diego’s most pristine date-night destinations. Starters like crispy honey-glazed octopus over thinly sliced cacio e pepe potatoes and the Cesarina salad, which combines fennel, raisons, orange slices, olives, and arugula, prove this is not your grandmother’s Italian restaurant. Bigger plates include the espresso-rubbed tagliata steak served with roasted bone marrow and shiitake mushrooms, as well as the golden seabream with saffron-lemon jus. Handmade pastas — with vegan and non-vegan options — abound. Finish with a tiramisu (traditional or vegan), one spoon." - Helen I. Hwang, Eater Staff

"The Michelin-recognized Point Loma pasta kitchen is an easy winner for kids and adults. The colorful kids’ menu gives children the pick of spaghetti, rigatoni, or gnocchi with their preferred sauce and dessert—all for a bargain at five bucks. Meanwhile, parents can dine on pasta with Cesarina’s signature mushroom sauce, which can also be vegan." - Helen I. Hwang