Elvira
Italian restaurant · San Diego ·
Roman osteria with wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta
Roman osteria with wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta
"Now almost a year and a half old, Elvira has established itself as one of the best Italian restaurants in San Diego — and a must-try for anyone who enjoys eating comfort food in a colorful, lively dining room. The garlicky polpette di nonna meatballs are cooked in a sweet tomato sauce, while the restaurant’s rigatoni alla carbonara has perfected the Roman dish with homemade noodles in a silken egg sauce. The space is romantic and old-school, with a rotating menu of specials based on days of the week; it also recently debuted a weekend-only brunch menu available on Saturdays and Sundays until 3 p.m. An added bonus: There are plenty of options for those adhering to vegan or gluten-free diets." - Keri Bridgwater
"Elvira, an expansion from the team behind San Diego’s ultra-popular Cesarina, spotlights Rome’s classic pasta dishes like carbonara, all’Amatriciana, and cacio e pepe, as well as Roman-style pizzas. Other dishes worth coming for include beef tenderloin with a surprisingly bright uni reduction and the wood-fired bone marrow. Brunch service now runs with bouncy ricotta pancakes and carbonara avocado toast. No matter when you come, prepare to be beguiled by Elvira’s entrancing, quirky design — think checkered floors, grandmacore decor, and mid-century light fixtures." - Helen I. Hwang
"The newest venture for the team behind Italian charmer Cesarina, this chic and casual Ocean Beach restaurant revolves around the food culture of Rome, with tables sharing carafes of wine and special dishes of the day, including the standout, only-available-on-Saturdays trippa alla romana. The menu extends to some of the city’s best-known classics, from cacio e pepe and pasta carbonara to a version of Roman-style pizza." - Candice Woo
"Opening Sunday, November 19 in Ocean Beach, the Roman osteria-meets-pizzeria sequel to Cesarina Ristorante reactivates the former Bo-Beau Kitchen + Bar space after a loving renovation by Italian firm Limes Architetti. Run by Roman couple Niccolò Angius and Cesarina Mezzoni with partner Giuseppe Capasso, the restaurant—named for Angius’ great-grandmother—is imbued with her grit and generous spirit, with family photos on the walls and some of her recipes on the menu. As executive chef and co-owner, Mezzoni has built a menu to introduce locals to Roman food culture, including homemade pasta classics like tonnarelli cacio e pepe and bucatini all’amatriciana, the crispy fried artichokes from Trastevere, and a lamb “cotoletta” inspired by her family’s butcher shop in Campo de’ Fiori served with arugula, artichokes, shaved pecorino, and fresh mint. The partners honor Rome’s piatti del giorno tradition—Tuesdays are meatball day, Fridays are for fish, and Saturdays will feature trippa alla romana—and will offer a reinterpretation of Roman-style pizza in teglia (pan pizza) in a round shape at dinner from a wood-fired oven overseen by Palermo-born pizza chef Ignazio Tagliavia. Wine is served in osteria fashion by the quarter, half, or full-liter carafe as well as bottles, with selections from Lazio, Campagna, Abruzzo, and Marche, alongside local and Italian craft beers and cocktails such as the Carciofo (scotch, Cynar, and bitters). Launching in January will be a private dining experience called “Cucina di La Nonna,” hosted in a room off the kitchen with a separate fixed-price menu aiming to recreate the atmosphere of Elvira’s Italian kitchen at mealtimes. Elvira is located at 4996 W Point Loma Blvd, Ocean Beach; dinner service starts at 4:30 p.m. (through the week of November 27) with regular hours listed for lunch and dinner throughout the week." - Candice Woo
"Named for the Roman-born cherished family matriarch of co-owner Niccolò Angius, this cozy osteria from the founder of Point Loma standout Cesarina is replacing Bo-Beau in Ocean Beach. The menu from chef and partner Cesarina Mezzoni will include wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, and dishes based on longstanding Roman recipes paired with draft wine from the Lazio region in central Italy and cocktails featuring Italian spirits." - Candice Woo