No trip to Downtown San Diego is complete without stopping in Little Italy for an authentic meal of pasta, pizza, baked goods, paninis, or decadent gelato. In addition to authentic eats, there are urban wine bars, craft brew pubs, and cafés. Here are four must-visits if you’re in the area and prepared to have a delicious treat.

Bencotto

Photo courtesy of Bencotto Italian Kitchen

Bencotto Italian Kitchen was voted Best Italian Restaurant by San Diego Magazine four — count ’em — four times in a row. Offering plates large enough to share or to take home for later devouring, their freshly made pasta is offered tableside with an option of 75 different pasta recipes. You choose the pasta type, and you choose the sauce. If you try some of their salumi meats, be prepared for a fresh basket of gnocco fritto — lightly puffed bread dough. 

If you need to indulge your sweet tooth, they have some options for you. The mandatory cannoli aside, try their crème caramel — an Italian flan with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Or their torta caprese — a soft, flourless chocolate almond cake. Or their mousse di cioccolato — a chocolate mousse with almond cookies. Check out their site for the full menu. 

Civico 1845

Photo courtesy of Civico 1845

Civico 1845 pays homage to Southern Italian cuisine. They combine the modern with the traditional, reflecting what’s on the plate in Italy today, all the while utilizing fresh, seasonal ingredients. Owner Pietro Gallo stated on the quality and care of their cuisine that, “Our mother used to cook tomatoes for three hours to get the taste just right. That is the standard we desire to live up to.” 

As believers in sustainability, the design of their restaurant includes both reclaimed and natural materials. Their menu covers the usual pastas and mains, such as their fusilli 50/50, a traditional beef and pork Bolognese, or their filetto, an 8-ounce center cut filet mignon with roasted potatoes, escarole, and amarena cherry sauce, but they also offer seafood. If you want some Italian surf instead of turf, try their scallops with black garlic gnocchi, or their fish of the day.

Even better? They offer gluten-free and vegan options, like their seitan ragout lasagna, or their Fritto Italia — organic tofu with crispy seasonal vegetables in sweet and sour sauce, dill mayo, and Balsamic vinegar mustard. There are even vegan desserts, putting a health-conscious spin on such favorites as strawberry cake, tiramisu, and gelato. 

Davanti Enoteca

Photo courtesy of Davanti Enoteca

A contemporary Italian restaurant, Davanti Enoteca actually has Chicago roots. Created by Chef Scott Harris, this restaurant is good for a friendly lunch, a cocktail after a long day, or a family style dinner with its shared plates and dog-friendly patios. It’s also a good place for happy hour. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, they offer a burger, topped with aioli, arugula, bacon jam, confit tomato, and griddled cheese curd for only ten bucks. Even better, pair it with a draft beer, house wine, martini, sangria, or wells for $7 or less.

Their main menu offers antipasti, cheese plates, and cured meats. Their dessert offers specialties, such as their goat cheese cheesecake with salted caramel, lady finger crust, and candied Marcona almonds, or their caramel crostata with an Oreo crust, caramel mousse, mascarpone whipped cream, sponge toffee, and pecans, all drizzled in chocolate sauce. For brunch lovers, they have it available on weekends. 

Rovino

Photo courtesy of Rovino Rotisserie + Wine

Rovino Rotisserie + Wine features traditional Sicilian and Northern Italian cuisines with what they call “Italy to table,” featuring fresh ingredients from local growers. They offer hormone-free meats, free-range chicken, and pastas and sauces made fresh daily. Their menu includes small bites (piccolo morsi), such as Arancini — saffron rice balls stuffed with ground beef, mozzarella, and peas, all rolled in bread crumbs and deep fried. Or come on in for their authentic flatbreads (schiacciata di pane); the one that shares their namesake, the Schiacciata Rovino, is covered in porchetta, caramelized fennel, onions, and drizzled with balsamic reduction. Rovino has a wide range of pastas, including gluten-free options, filling salads, and of course, their authentic entrees (secondi piatti). 

Their wine selection is both imported and domestic, with Sicilian and Italian wines featured. Rovino even offers Italian-style breakfast on Sundays, including lemon ricotta pancakes, ricotta and marmalade toast, fried eggs with spicy sugu, basil and Romano cheese (Eggs in Purgatory), homemade cannoli with coffee, and more.