Before the trip even began, as foodies, we had already saved a long list of restaurants on the Google Map. Sam and I are big ramen fans, but surprisingly, there aren’t many ramen shops in San Diego, and the ones we found didn’t look especially impressive. On the other hand, the restaurants in Little Italy looked really good, so we decided to give them a try. That decision changed everything. One meal in, and we officially became fans of Italian food.
Little Italy is right next to the airport, and the MTS (San Diego’s trolley system) stops there as well, which makes it incredibly convenient. Fresh off the plane and absolutely starving, we headed straight there for dinner. The whole neighborhood has a very Italian vibe—relaxed, chill, and lively at the same time. Almost every restaurant has outdoor seating with tall propane patio heaters, so you can enjoy eating outside without freezing.
Main Dishes
Walking into an Italian-owned restaurant honestly feels like stepping into someone’s grandma’s kitchen. Portions are huge—the kind that take you from “very “starving” to “I cannot move.” Usually, each of us ordered one main dish, or we shared an appetizer and a main, and that was more than enough.
Arancini and Octopus Salad (Insalata di Polpo)
We ordered arancini and octopus salad as appetizers at Buon Appetito and Solunto respectively. The arancini was about two-thirds the size of my fist. They were three deep-fried risottos ball stuffed with meat sauce, cheese, and green peas. The outside was crispy, with a sticky texture that arancini usually has. The filling was rich, cheesy, and stretchy.
I usually avoid green peas (thanks to some childhood memories), but these were surprisingly good——no raw, grassy flavor at all, and perfectly tender. Turns out I’m not picky; I just don’t like bad food. lol
The octopus salad came with octopus, mixed greens, roasted potatoes, olives, and artichokes. Once you squeeze some lemon juice over it, everything balances out beautifully and tastes fresh and bright. I expected the octopus to be cold, but it was actually warm and incredibly tender. Very different from the chewy octopus you get in Takoyaki.
Cioppino and Risotto on the Side
Cioppino (/tʃoʊˈpiːnoʊ/) is basically a must-order in San Diego. Being so close to the ocean, Little Italy restaurants have access to fresh, affordable seafood though not every place serves it. After some searching, we found it at Buon Appetito.
That day, neither of us was especially hungry, so we shared one cioppino and ordered the risotto as a side. First, the owner brought us complimentary bread. Then came the risotto. Finally, he split the cioppino into two bowls for us without us even asking. So thoughtful!
Complimentary Bread
Half Portion of Cioppino
Side of RisottoLooking at the portions, it honestly felt like the owner was worried we might leave hungry.
The bread alone could have lasted me five days’ worth of breakfasts. Even half a portion of cioppino was loaded with seafood, and the risotto was piled into a small mountain.
Everything was excellent. The bread was soft and perfect for dipping into their house sauce. Even knowing it was several breakfasts’ worth, we finished it anyway. It’s so good that we even stopped by their attached Italian grocery store and bought more bread and sauce for breakfast over the next few days after the meal. The cioppino was packed with clams, mussels, squid, scallops, fish, and shrimp. Topped with a generous layer of Parmesan cheese and soaked in a tomato-based broth, it felt like I made up for an entire year of not eating seafood. The risotto was properly done, with a slightly firm center to the rice. The saffron aroma was rich. Absolutely delicious.
Pasta and Risotto
At these restaurants, once your dish arrives, the server often asks, “Would you like some Parmesan cheese?” If you say yes, they bring over a huge bowl of grated cheese and say, “Tell me when.” Then they start spooning cheese onto your pasta or risotto. Even though I live in the cheese state, good cheese is still not cheap. Watching them be so generous made me feel like a spoiled grandchild being fed nonstop by a doting grandmother.
One particularly fun dish was cheese wheel pasta, especially at Vincenzo. After the pasta is cooked, a server brings it to the table along with an enormous wheel of Parmesan for tableside service. First, he torched the cheese, then scraped the softened surface. After that, he poured the pasta into the wheel, tossed it thoroughly, and finally plated it. Pasta coated in warm, melty cheese is impossible to resist. We also tried cheese wheel pasta at another restaurant with our friend, but that version skipped the torch. The pasta simply slid quietly into the cheese, got mixed a couple of times, and was done. It really couldn’t compare.
Tacos and Nachos
Besides Italian food, tacos are another must eat in San Diego. We visited Taco El Gordo and The Waves. Both are located just south of Little Italy, about a ten minute walk from the Convention Center. Taco El Gordo always has a line outside. Even during mid afternoon snack time, there are still plenty of people waiting. The place was packed.
We ordered three different tacos. My favorite was beef tongue. It had a charming smoky aroma and was well seasoned. The cilantro was milder than what I am used to in Taiwan, so even someone who normally avoids cilantro could enjoy it. There was also plenty of avocado, while the onion and lime juice helped balance the richness, giving the tacos more depth and contrast. As for the horchata, it was incredibly sweet. I believe it is made from rice and has a strong cinnamon flavor, which was nice, but the sweetness level was enough to make my head spin. I simply could not finish it.
Taco El Gordo does not serve fish tacos, so when we wanted those, we went to The Waves. After ordering fish tacos, we also added nachos. The fish portions were generous and very satisfying. The nachos came in a huge portion as well. The three of us barely managed to finish them.
So many people at Taco El Gordo
Beef tongue, beef and pork tacos at Taco El Gordo
Nachos at The Waves
Fish Tacos at The WavesDesserts and Drinks
Of course, there’s always room for dessert. The photos may not look large, but in reality, most of these desserts are meant to be shared by two or three people. I will start with my first-ever experience trying crêpes and cannoli. Taiwanese style crêpes are crispy, while French crêpes are soft. At Le Parfait Paris, which offers many crêpe flavors, we ordered one filled with real strawberries and topped with berry sauce. It was excellent. As for the cannoli from Solunto, they sell both large and small sizes. We shared one large piece. The shell was hard and crunchy, and the flavor oddly reminded me of Taiwanese radish crackers, which felt a bit unexpected. Still, the contrast between the crisp shell and the soft filling worked well overall.
For drinks, Galvanina fruit sodas are highly recommended. They are surprisingly affordable at Italian grocery stores, often about half the price of Walmart. After trying three different flavors, lemon was still my favorite. The lemon flavor is gently sweet, and the carbonation is soft and delicate, nothing like the sharp fizz of Sprite. Very refreshing.
Crêpe
Cannoli
Napoleon Pie
Tiramisu
Irish Coffee
Galvanina fruit sodaClosing Thoughts
While writing this post, I found myself missing the food more and more with every paragraph. If I had to recommend just one Italian restaurant, it would be Buon Appetito. The food is excellent, the owner is genuinely thoughtful, and the attached grocery store is staffed by a particularly interesting guy who deserves a story of his own. There is a warmth there that other Italian restaurants do not quite have, which is why it earned its place as both the cover and thumbnail of this post. No sponsorship involved, just sincere appreciation.
To be continued…
NB: This article was first published in Chinese on 12/12/25. It was later translated with assistance from ChatGPT, edited by me, and published in English on 12/24/25.