CUCINA urbana

"Cucina Urbana, like the other siblings in the Urban Kitchen Group family, is an amiable place that promises a good time. It’s casual, festive and popular with the locals—the kind of spot where nearly every table is filled on a Tuesday afternoon.The California-Italian menu has seasonal offerings, such as a burrata and stone fruit salad, as well as a variety of brick oven pizzas with playful twists, like a pepperoni pizza with Calabrian chili and a honey drizzle. Fresh pastas, including the torchio alla norma with eggplant, chili flakes and ricotta salata with basil, are always a good bet.Wine is available by the bottle at retail price with a corkage fee." - Michelin Inspector

The 38 Best Restaurants in San Diego | Eater San Diego

"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

The Best Kid-Friendly Family Restaurants in San Diego | Eater San Diego

"Head to Bankers Hill for Cucina Urbana, a Michelin Bib Gourmand Italian restaurant that has a dedicated kids menu. The “modo mio pizza” lets little ones craft their own pie at the table with options like cheese, tomato, and pepperoni. Other kid-friendly dishes include plain pasta topped with butter and Parmesan or Bolognese sauce, mac and cheese, and chicken fingers and fries. The crowd-pleasing vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and strawberries will always be a hit with the kids, but they may also love the chocolate budino with salted caramel and chocolate crumble." - Helen I. Hwang

The Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego | Eater San Diego

"With San Diego 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 Michelin-recognized restaurant, led by chef Tim Kolanko, features dishes like bucatini Amatriciana and whole branzino. Pasta dishes spark a particular joy, with inventive twists thrown into classic dishes such as mushroom ricotta agnolotti with pickled hon shimeji." - Helen I. Hwang

The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Diego

"This Bankers Hill restaurant and wine shop, run by one of San Diego’s most prominent hospitality groups, has enjoyed enduring popularity due to its consistently-good contemporary Italian cuisine that includes pasta, pizzas, and starters like fried squash blossoms and seasonal starters." - Candice Woo, Helen I. Hwang