Cucina Caprese Pizzeria & Trattoria

First of all, the website has been hijacked, goes to some Korean site. Don't let that stop you from eating at this place, just don't bother clicking. You won't regret coming here. The food is great. It's mostly a pizza place, serving fantastic Neopolitan style pizzas. Light, chewy crust, puffy on the edge with just the right amount of char and a great flavor. Quality toppings too! Floppy in the middle, authentic to the style. So good! They also have a few starters (the Bruschetta was great) and a handful of pasta and secondi dishes as well. We also tried a special, a seafood pasta dish. Delish! Pasta was cooked al dente, just right. A few nice desserts too, we tried the cannoli and a special, that I will call an Italian rum cake, forget the real name. In a strip mall, so there is parking. Atmosphere is casual and comfortable, service was friendly and efficient.

A casual environment with great food and knowledge wait staff. The pizza is wonderfully authentic, light puffy crust with premium toppings. The meat lasagna is amazing.

If there is a place in San Diego that hasn’t blown up yet for its 5 star taste, it’s this hidden, underrated gem. Off the beaten path (not in little Italy) a locals’ retreat, this delicious and vested in Italian authenticity is truly a mouthwatering experience. I’ve been here about 5 times and every time, without a doubt; from their pizza to their specials, every dish I’ve tried has taken me back to the days I’ve spent in Italy. I can’t stress this enough; eat here, support local Italian food, Italian owned, a non- tourist trap, for the real Italian food lover. Maybe people seem to order their pizza as it is their most sold food item. I will say that the negative reviews seem to be by people who don’t really understand or know real Italia cuisine. And there are others who assume this will be a crappy pizza joint based on its non flashy location, expecting an overly Americanized food experience. But come here understanding that Italian food isn’t your Olive Garden. I invite you to try their specials or their classic Italian dishes. In fact, every time I’ve been here, I’ve ordered practically everything and their pizza and here I am, reviewing their food quality at 5 star ratings. Don’t be deceived by their eclectic servicescape and ambiance, this place can cook better than a nonna on All Saints’ Day on Roman Holiday. PS: Venture off their pizza, order À la Carte; you won’t regret it.

This place is absolutely incredible. 10/10. This will be my go-to spot for Italian from now on and I cannot wait to bring more of my friends and family! The staff is so friendly and welcoming. The food came out very fresh and every dish was delicious! I had the Carnivora Pizza and I felt like I was back in Napoli 🇮🇹. Then our group tried the tiramisu, the cannoli and pistacchio ricotta - all fantastic. They also brought out a dessert with a birthday candle for my wife’s birthday, a nice touch.

We were honestly pretty underwhelmed. Half the calamari came out cold, and we didn’t want to risk getting sick, so we didn’t eat that half. The pasta was okay — nothing terrible, but nothing memorable either. The service was slow and the server didn't even tell us the specials for the day. Overall, I really don’t understand the hype around this place. It just didn’t live up to the expectations.

Excellent Italian food in a laid back strip mall location near the Sports Arena. Service is welcoming and friendly. The meat lasagna was outstanding and paired perfectly with the Super Tuscan recommended by staff. The pasta with oven crisped eggplant and basil was tasty but a tad oily. For a starter we had the focaccia with roasted vegetables, which was flavorful and ample enough to share. This is a relaxing, homey restaurant with terrific food. Will definitely come back.

Some of the finest pizza in San Diego as well as super pasta dishes. A true below the radar gem. Highly recommend. Have tried many items on menu and never been disappointed. Service also great and quick.

Absolutely incredible, delicious, VERY authentically Italian food. Total hidden gem in the area. Cannot recommend enough -- go have a meal now (it opened recently) before this place totally blows up and is packed every night. Menu is awesome -- tons of different options for Neapolitan-style pizzas with thin dough, just like pizza in Naples, as well as a huge menu of awesome pastas, including separate sections for gnocchi and raviolis. Also had super tasty specials, we ate this potato, basil, and octopus appetizer that was perfectly cooked. Can't wait to go back to keep working my way through some more of their dishes.

Service by Luigi was first rate. The food was excellent. Real Italian food made by real Italian cooks. Period. Simple menu, but something for everyone. Pizza is always superb.

Three of us went here for the first time prior to the Eric Clapton concert at the Pechanga Arena. Very convenient for dinner prior to an event at the Arena. We had a reservation and glad that we did because it filled up. Very loud inside the restaurant, poor acoustics, so hard to have a conversation. We brought a bottle of wine and they charged $25 to open it. We had the calamari appetizer and the portion was on the small side and it seemed like it could've used a little bit of salt. we shared the arugula salad and it had nice large pieces of Parmesan cheese on top. The dressing was tasty. My wife and I shared a pasta dish with eggplant and requested they add sausage. Very little sausage put in the sauce. The sauce was a tangy/smoky flavored marinara, unique and not traditional. We both enjoyed it. Again, though, the portion was small. Our friend had the Limon chicken. Small portion with baby potatoes on the side. Chicken was a little on the dry side but a good sauce. For being a completely full house, our waiter was energetic and engaging. He spoke Italian fluently. He certainly tried his best but was overwhelmed by the crowd and dealing with it all pretty much on his own. If we go back, we would give the pizza a try.

Amazing, I just tried the sea food dish they recommend with side of bread rather than pasta!!! So satisfying , so light. I have never liked sea food before this much! And the veggie appetizer with zucchini and eggplant... and the dessert Amazing and that was to go!!! And Of course their personal attention!! Thank You XX Naseem

Would consider eating in vs delivery --- based on reviews. We had a four cheese pizza and caesar salad delivered after a hectic Sunday of meetings and decided to stay put at hotel Best Western Island Palms on hotel row on Shelter Island. Pizza was soggy - and cold. Cheese combination was a bit salty for my taste. Dressing was very anchovy forward for caesar dressing --- not a fan. Perhaps dining in is a better idea.. ..

Ue, this is real Italian cuisine! The eggplant is perfectly prepared fare la scarpetta. Words cannot describe how good it is until you have tried this dish or if you've visited Napoli. The lasagna and fish special are equally superb. The establishment has a cozy ambiance with a beautiful oven at the heart. Each table is adorned with a lemon to reference Caprese, the land of lemon trees. The staff does not miss a beat, as they know their dishes well. If you speak English or Italian, you certainly have an opportunity to engage with the staff about Caprese and Napoli. If you love Kiss Radio, you're in the right spot! The Italian classics will certainly set a chipper tone for the evening. It is a perfect spot for medium and small groups. This is a charming restaurant, and I highly recommend giving it a visit. Alla prossima

I found a new jewel! Definitely will go back for more dining! Great staff, food, etc. Great pizza ingredients! (Needs A/C)

Che buono!!! If you want real authentic Italian food, Cucina caprese is your place and you don't have to go through the hassle of driving and finding parking in Little Italy. It's in a super low key shopping center in point loma and total hidden gem. There's always Italians eating here and most of the staff speak Italian. Every dish on the menu is delicious and you can't go wrong with their pizzas.

Great food and great service. Very authentic Italian cuisine and setting. When visiting the area I will definitely drop in again.

Our server was friendly. He explained everything and answered all of our questions. We had vegan and pescatarian. So our order was a bit hard. We all needed substitutions. He did well taking orders, but 3 dishes didn't come out the way we wanted. ( like we said no cheese, but there is sprinkled cheese on the salad) Our food except appetizers took too long to come out. We were disappointed food wasn't prepared how we wanted. Food itself tasted good. I liked my octopus and potatos. Appetizers are great. Interior is pretty. Lots of paintings. Fun place to enjoy italian food. My experience wasn't that good, so I am not sure if I wanna try again this place. However my food was good. I hope it is just my experience and not for others. This restaurant is in the one of the shopping center. There are good amount of parking spaces.

Visiting from bay area and happened to find this gem in last minute search for kid friendly dinner place. Located in little strip mall we were beyond delighted with this gem of a place. From the warm welcoming upon entering by who we soon learned was the owner, to the last bite of desserts of creme brulee and kids Gelato we had a fantastic dining experience. Kids devoured their pesto spaghetti and another with marinara, my wife enjoyed her chicken with capers. I may have had my best pizza since Italy. The dough is pillow soft and cooked to perfection. Our only regret is that this place isn't our neighborhood gem back home in NorCal.

Amazing service! We were able to book a table for 3 at the last minute before our flight. Located 12 minutes away from the airport. The restaurant shares a parking lot with other business. The appetizer Verdure Al forno di Stagione blew my mind, first time I had ordered grilled vegetables in an Italian restaurant. Hope to come back soon.

This is in response to the comment of the business manager to my review I just wish I would have read some of the other reviews BEFORE I ate here. The business manager seems to be condescending to people that don't give a favorable review. Almost trying to intimidate people to just give a 5 star review. The one review that ordered take out and wasn't impressed was told they would NEVER do take out if they weren't a business trying to survive. So take out food isn't given a priority??? Isn't the same people cooking and preparing it? I eat at an Italian restaurant from Naples. Their food is much better and their service much better. If the business manager is condescending to non favorable reviews clearly then the staff doesn't care either. My suggestion is just know the type of service you will get here and if you experience a problem they will belittle you and or be condescending saying you don't know what food from Naples" tastes like. Once we got our food we never really seen the server again. When they finally collected the check with our cards they "forgot" about us again and had to ask for the check multiple times. Almost like we were inconvenienceing them. I would have .she gave them another try but after reading the business managers response to my less than favorable review along with other unfavorable reviews I will not give this place my business and tell everyone I know and meet to NOT eat here. Siamo Napoli in North Park is the best food from the Naples region plus their service is top notch. Maybe the business manager should go there to learn what customer service and food from Naples should be!!!

The pizza looked so good that I couldn't decide what to order but Luigi our waiter made great suggestions for dinner, wine, and even dessert (Baba!) Staff were very attentive and the meal was delicious, we'll try the pizza next visit! A very cozy date night or place to meet up with friends, lots of cool art on the walls from local artists ( for sale as well)

Absolutely the best pizza you'll find in San Diego. Hands down. All of the other food we've tried at the restaurant is fantastic as well; fresh, local produce and seafood cooked with passion and care. Giuseppe is an absolute artist. Greta place for a romantic dinner or to bring the whole family. Definitely kid friendly. Bravo

This has become my favorite Italian place in San Diego. The service, impeccable. The food, unbelievable. Whenever someone comes to visit we take them here. Our server recommended a salad alteration that was perfection. Smoked mozzarella on the eggplant was so good I was angry there wasn't more after the final bite. And the affogato is the best I have ever experienced. Highly recommend!!

Perfect for a double date and share all the food that you can order... it's so worth it, everyone was so pleasant and everything they recommended was so good and delightful I would totally will go back from all the way to Poway!

Great meal! My wife got the Branzino and I got the mixed seafood both over pasta. The dishes came out steaming hot, both dishes were bursting with flavor and savory goodness. We'll definitely be back to try more entrees.

I was on a quick weekend get away in Mission Bay area and decided to take my family here out for dinner. They made several mistakes that would typically make me not want to give such high rating but here are the reasons broken down by good and bad: bad - They forgot to put in my drink order so it never came - They forgot our appetizer order so it never came - Most Italian places I've been to serve some dinner rolls, bagette or foccacia type bread while watiing. Not here Despite above mistakes... good - They had one of the most courteous team of wait staff and managers of ANY restaurant I've been to. Walking into the restaurant, the hostess wanted to make sure that the table we were given was completely comfortable. - The older gentleman who was either the chef, manager or perhaps the owner, was super thorough in explanaing their daily special and told they'll custom make anything to accomodate our kids in case our little ones don't see anything they like on the menu - My wife was given a sample of wine before she ordered it. I rarely see any non-winery restaurants do this. this was awesome - Food seemed authentic. Our kids pizza had super nice quality cheese and my pasta (linguine alle vongole) was full of flavor and not soupy This was one of the few occasions for me when a restaurant screwd up multiple times and still made me not irked. Good job. We will be back one day.

Carlos and Luigi were absolutely phenomenal, they were so attentive and kind! We forgot we were in San Diego and thought we landed in Naples. The food was phenomenal and we left feeling so happy that we found this hidden gem! We will definitely be back :)

Love love this place since it opened, its always amazing the best food. Takes me back to Itay.

Delicious spot! Highly recommend, great service from Luigi and excellent food! Some of the best Italian food I have ever had.

The Italian waiter made me feel at home. In all honesty I would come back just for him. He was moving and attentive to all his tables, but still was willing to talk about the food. Which I appreciated. I had the focaccia with mortadella and the Pancetta Cipolla pizza. Both were good versions of their descriptions and seemed very well prepared with quality ingredients. And the ambiance of the place was cool for the most part. Not really anything negative to say really, other than I didn't see many waiters. There were workers but not sure about waiters. So my waiter seemed to have to run around a lot. I will definitely be back though. Oh and someone should help redesign their logo. It's pretty bland and boring for such an great place.

I have been looking for a real Italian place after moving from the East Coast and my trips to Italy. By chance I had dinner at Cucina Caprese and from the moment I walked in I felt the Italian love. The ambiance was perfect with the old fashioned wood over. Service was outstanding and a knowledgeable server who ensure our dinner experience was perfect. The best part was the simple yet deep Italian flavors on many of the dishes. Everything tasted intensely and fresh. I felt like I was once again tasting the food of Italy as in the past. Prices were fantastic for the quality of food and service.

As a person, who recently moved to SD after living 7 years on Amalfi coast I'm indescribably happy that I found this amazing, real Italian food! Owner of this place makes a BEST possible pizza in SD, I definitely recommend to everyone to try their pizza, soft, juicy, melting crust... Buonissimo!!!

Pretty good Italian spot in Point Loma, we came here after a show to get some pizza and try their meatball appetizer. Definitely good pricing and they service and food quality was also very good. Decent pricing on the menu

I was looking for a place to celebrate my birthday. A quick search on Italian food on Yelp, and I found Cucina Caprese. Cucina Caprese is located where Devine Pastabilities (Torpasta) used to be in the Midway District / Point Loma area of San Diego. I found an article online (after dining at Cucina Caprese) that it used to be a catering company and now turned restaurant. LINK - https://www.sandiegoville.com/2022/10/cucina-caprese-replacing-devine-pastabilities-in-point-loma-san-diego.html Between my significant other, his daughter, and me, we ordered the following: - Pizza (Neapolitan Style) - I forgot which specific one we ordered, but the pizza was the highlight of the meal with wood fired Neapolitan style pizza. I'm in love with the dough and crust. - Pollo al Funghi - chicken breast with imported San Marzano tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella, and parmigiano reggiano cheese - Orecchiette Pasta - on the specials menu - with roasted beets, italian sausage, and basil - Spaghetti Pasta - with garlic, parsley, pepperoncino Pizza is HANDS DOWN the MUST GET item. The rest of the dishes were good (i.e. like living in Italy, so don't expect the "Americanized" version of dishes). For dessert, we ordered: - Cannoli - Gelato - Tiramisu NOM NOM NOM. Tiramisu - obviously my favorite!! I also ordered a glass of wine. They have Falanghina!! OH MY GOODNESS. I'm in LOVE, seriously. ENJOY!!

We used to eat their pizza from their mobile pizza oven from time to time so we already knew the pizza was top notch. I had been wanting to try the lobster ravioli and it was excellent! I tend to have a larger appetite and it wasn't very filling but it was probably the portion I should actually be eating. We also had some type of bread with various vegetables that were all imported from Italy and cooked in their pizza oven, very good and fresh tasting! The owner was running around ensuring business was taken care of and was very helpful in serving us and explaining the dishes and wines. It's a very quaint little spot that is nostalgic from the times I have traveled to Italy. They offer sparkling or still water on the house as well. Will definitely be back!

My fiancé and I opted for this place instead of a chain, we always want to support local businesses. The service was fine. Nothing exceptional but not terrible either. The ambiance is also fine. It's a bit hot inside but it's hot everywhere right now. Outside is nice. There is a kids karate studio next door but the loud kyas coming from there were endearing. The disappointment was the food. We ordered salad, pizza, and chicken parmigiana. The salad was a tight nest of arugula with pine nuts and cheese shavings. The dressing was thick and greasy. It was... unpleasantly warm and tasted off. The pizza was somehow the opposite, it was cold. Soggy crust, flavorless sauce, and sweaty circles of undercooked meat. The chicken parmigiana was the biggest disappointment. When they set it down I was wondering where the rest of it was? The serving size for the $20+ entree was 1/2 of a chicken breast. Beside it were some potatoes. Those were the best things we ate. The chicken itself was dry and over cooked. Took a lot of chewing to get through. The sauce tasted like nothing but some kind of bacon or prosciutto grease. The parmigiana was the same stuff that came in a little ramekin to dress the pizza with. Hoping this was just a bad night for them... But when paying $80 (after tipping), it's hard to not walk away feeling really disappointed.

Cucina Caprese offers the best, most authentically handcrafted pizza dough that I have reviewed in 15 years in the United States. Forget anything you know about Neapolitan pizza and start from here. The fermentation process is on point, and the cooking is perfect. Yes, this crust is way more charred than your average crust, but the reason is found at the root of real Neapolitan pizza: high hydration and extremely high oven temperature. The service is cordial and the prices are moderate. Perfetto!

Wow, the food is incredible! We had the roasted root salad with burrata, margarita pizza with anchovies and grass-fed beef lasagna. Each dish was a delight of flavor and texture! I highly recommend Cucina Caprese!

Food is always amazing and great service! I can tell the difference that they are using the best ingredients on the food.

You can't even spell Trattoria correctly ... how am I going to trust you can make a good pizza

Amazing Italian food, exceptional waitstaff, good wine list. Fresh ingredients. Owner operated. Jewel of the Midway District.

Dishonest business!!! They added an extra $1 charge to the credit card. This happened to all 3 of us that dined there. Imagine the money they make for every customer they did this.

Absolutely phenomenal traditional Italian cuisine. Fantastic ambiance, excellent wait staff but, the food is what will bring you back.

Once you find this place, you will want to come back! The service was great. I ordered some pizzas and hubby highly recommends the lasagna! Don't forget to try to house made red sangria! Sooo good!

Cucina Caprese is a charming unassuming pizzeria. The restaurant is comfortable and the service is impeccable. Most importantly we enjoyed the food. We had an arugula salad and a veggie pizza, both were delicious! Highly recommend.

We found Cucina Caprese after wanting to find a restaurant in San Diego that wasn't another Mexican food tourist trap. I am SO glad that we did. It is clear that the owner is intimately involved with the food that is served here. Ingredients are fresh, menu is easy to understand, and although there was not a kids specific menu, we were able to find some great options that both of our kids enjoyed. The Gnocchi al Pesto was probably the best gnocchi I've had in my entire life, and the prosciutto burrata was flavorful and absolutely delicious. We were able to walk right in and be seated immediately. Staff were all extremely friendly and attentive. Be prepared to wait a little bit for your food to arrive...I mention this not because it negatively impacted our experience, but because authentic, FRESH Italian food is made to order, takes time, and may not be expected by those of us used to an Americanized take on authentic Italian. I can't wait for another trip to San Diego so that I can come back. Don't hesitate...give this place a try!!

Prosciutto and burrata, they used good quality olive oil, it was creamy and delicious. It coated my lips like a fancy lip gloss that tasted yummy. The veggie plate was pleasant, roasted peppers and artichokes were perfect. I used their in house made bread to sop up the juices. Lobster ravioli made with warm water lobster, al dente, sauce was clean. The pizza, The pizza, the pizza!!! The crust, huge air pockets, airy light and fluffy, the right amount of caramelization/crispy bits. Eggplant parmigiana was a bit salty but the flavors were all there. The service was excellent, our server had a plethora of information. He knew everything about the dishes and the preparation of them. Even knew the temp of the pizza oven.

We came here just by chance staying for a night in San Diego, and we wish we lived closer! We LOVED everything - food, service, fresh options! Every single wait staff was so welcoming and attentive. The chef came out and let us know about the specials, all from the local farmers market. The items were in season and fresh, and some of my favorite Italian dishes (having been to Italy several times)! We had an arugula salad (very fresh & peppery), the special beet appetizer (delicious!) and two pizzas. We loved it all that we ordered more. We will definitely try to come back!

Cucina Caprese is the finest Italian eatery you'll find in San Diego. It is owned by Giuseppe (yes I know, but it's his real name) and his wife (who's name I don't remember). Giuseppe and his wife are very present and customer oriented. They wait on tables, along with the other team members ( a term I don't use lightly), and never make you feel like "where's our server?" The food is truly fantastic! Everything we tried was perfect, from presentation to taste there was nothing left to be desired. The restaurant itself is not large, but not cramped either. We were happy to have made a reservation because every table was occupied. If you'd like great Italian, especially without feeling like you just bought the restaurant, give them a try. I doubt you'll be disappointed. It's our new favorite Italian.

Hands down best pizza we've had in San Diego! Great for a family dinner. Pizza dough was the best, freshest dough we've had in a long time. Antonio was so incredibly attentive every second we were here and made some great recommendations. The most impressive part was how fast the food would go from oven to our table... the chef would take out the pizza from the brick oven, place it on the table to cut, and the server would be ready to take it to the table soon as it was cut.... Doesn't get any fresher than that!

Ordered online for delivery. QUITE a different experience than we've had before. The calamari included 11 slices of calamari for $18!!!!! Check out the pic. Obscene. Plus, underseasoned (decent sauce). The wood-fired contorni side of vegetables was about 2T worth! The pizza was undercooked and tasteless. I called the restaurant right away to ask what was up and the owner(?) answered and said she couldn't understand. Note: She gave this same schpiel to people with delayed reservations the last time we ate there but understood completely. She handed to phone off to a server who hung up. There are too many better options. Sorry that I referred them to others in the past. Hence, this review.

Stumbled across this gem while visiting for a softball tournament. Top notch service, great ambiance, and amazing food. The Melanzane Pom Burrata to start and the Linguine misto mare as a main were our favorites and the AFFOGATO AL CAFFE with Hazelnut gelato for dessert was the perfect finisher. Cucina Caprese will definitely be a must have on our future visits to San Diego.

Ambiance. Service. Food. Perfect dining experience. Really was. You can tell the people running the restaurant care about how you feel about the whole experience. Gnocchi is something I've only ever liked when my father made it. They make a delicious gnocchi. I tried the bolognese with the gnocchi. Delicious. My wife had cod in lemon caper sauce and made yummy sounds at every bite. Highly recommended. Also the waiter who was charming and kind offered us samples of the wine we were considering. Who does that? Such a great experience. We will return.

We tried Cucina Caprese 2 weeks before going to Italy so we could compare the authenticity! It was delicious, but like all good Italian food in California, a bit pricey. After traveling through Italy, we have realized that Italian doesn't need to be so expensive! We started with the arugula salad with mozzarella which was delicious, and my husband got the bolognese pasta and I got the pasta with beets and sausage. I don't remember the names of each, but those are the descriptions! My husband's was better than mine, but they were both good! We indulged in a tasty pie as well. Next time we want to try the pizzas because I loved the pizza in Italy so much!

Excellent food and service. Friendly and helpful staff. Flatbreads are outstanding. Reasonably priced.

I *try* not to rate things after one go, but I had such a lovely time here I'm throwing that rule out the window. At least I warned you, right? It was a pretty busy evening with seemingly only one server (he apologized/warned us, but did such a great job!), because every place ever is having staffing struggles right now. It was pretty busy as well, with groups and families and dates. Cozy yet spacious spot. We ordered some wine and a decent sized Caesar salad to share, along with some pizza. Both were filling and great to share. The pizza was surprisingly really tasty! I loved the texture of the dough. A little softer than other spots? I got some type of zucchini spaghetti dish because I wanted to try something new. Ugh, man. To know that I've never had it before and probably won't have it for a while since I haven't seen it on other menus... Devastating! I'll live, but wow. I loved it. My dining partners both got the bolognese and both finished their portions. I wish I stole a bite. It looked great. And we ended with dessert of course. I loved the way they did their tiramisu. More like a.. trifle? Rather than a cake. And that's my favorite way to have it. Much more creamy than dry. My friend got the creme brûlée and it came out ablaze. So fun and picturesque! Also should've stolen a bite of that one. I hope there's a next time, but not sure when I'll be back in the area. We found this on a whim looking for dinner our last night, and it was truly perfect! So glad we went with it. Thank you for the great time.

Landed in SD about 6 PM. Got our bags and searched for a casual Italian place to start our vacation off right. It was in a strip center but despite the external appearance this place did not disappoint. From the owner to the waiter to the delicious food we received it was an excellent experience. Glad we have a late flight, will see you otw home!