Italianissimo Trattoria - Chula Vista, California

Irene O.

This is one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in the area! You can definitely tell The chef is actually Italian! The food has that simplicity made to perfection quality!! For appetizers we had the bruschetta it was so good! We tried the linguine calamari, chicken Parmesanno and spaghetti. All of them were very tasty!! For dessert we had the cheesecake, chocolate cake and the chocolate tartufo!! Everything was excellent!! I loved that we were able to walk in during dinner time and have no wait!! Parking after 6pm is free. The wine list is amazing! And they serve the authentic Italian Spritz!! Overall a great place to eat!! Excellent food! Good service and nice atmosphere! We are planning to go back soon!!

Christopher G.

My friend and I had a fantastic meal at Italianissimo Trattoria last night, a Monday evening. We were waited on by Leonita, who was a fabulous waitress—very professional yet bubbly and a great conversationalist.

We ordered sparkling water, burrata, rigatoni montegna, bucatini amatriciana, and a decaf coffee (for me). The burrata wasn’t overly watery and had a good consistency. I liked how it was served on sautéed spinach with sun-dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

As for the pasta mains, they were fabulous. My rigatoni montegna wasn’t overly oily, something I often fear when ordering eggplant at Italian restaurants. The sauce was perfect as well—rich, tangy, with a very slight kick. My friend’s bucatini was super tasty! It had the perfect mouth feel and the amatriciana was exactly the right spice level. We also both loved that the amatriciana was cooked with guanciale.

We had a nice chat with Leonita at the end of the meal—she was super friendly and easygoing, sharing with us about Portugal and Venezuela. Overall, it was a great experience.

My only criticism of this spot was that they didn’t tell us the water cost $8–I should’ve realized it, but I also think they should alert customers of this.

Linda S.

I liked everything about this place. I went on a Friday for lunch. After I got there the place started to fill up. I had the Ravioli Funghetto, which was heavenly. That with one glass of wine and a splurge of dessert was $50. The service was excellent. I will definitely be back. I can see parking could be an issue on a weekend.

Michael B.

Absolutely fantastic food here. The location is excellent, and the menu has a ton of vegan options. I sat outside with my gf for dinner and enjoyed the evening. We were greeted promptly, the service was excellent, and the food. Holy cow - we shared a salad, a salmon entree, and a pizza. We are making this our regular spot in the future, I’m so glad we went. Can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu.

William-James M.

Amazing food, impeccable service.
Enjoy a spectacular meal in a gem of a restaurant.

The friendly, professional staff offers great recommendations. The hearty portions and chef's skills shine from the fresh baked bread appetizer to any of the entrees.
Don't miss Impromptu performances of 'Happy Birthday' in Italian!
By far our favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego county (saying a lot)!

Fabio D. M.

As an Italian born and raised in Rome I been here for more then 23 years to the states and this restaurant is just feeling back home .One of the owner is so warm and welcoming and food and ingredients are top notch.Great experience and highly recommended

Trecia L.

My family & I have been coming here for years. The food and service have always been great. We are alway able to find parking. We normally come for lunch to celebrate a family’s birthday and there’s no crowds. You can’t go wrong with their tomato garlic basil soup but I thought I would try their seasonal soup. It was good but the tomato garlic basil soup is more flavorful. This time I had the eggplant lasagna which hit the spot. We will definitely be back.

Vanesa S. C.

Had a lovely dinner for 2 here. I got the Calamarata and my partner got the lasagna. They have a whole section of the menu for vegan food. Our meals were delicious! The staff was also incredibly friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was intimate and not too loud.