Ristorante Arrivederci

5 stars for this quaint Italian find!
My wife and I were in search for a restaurant for a Friday evening meal. While walking through a shopping center, it just happened we came across Arrivederci Ristorante in Rancho San Diego.
On first glance, it appeared to be a quaint, cozy establishment but we were soon to find out that most 5 star restaurants have nothing above this find!
Upon entering Arrivederci, we were greeted by Giovani, who later turned out to be our server. Giovani had a thick, Italian accent that was so pleasant sounding that it completed our Italian experience as we were drifting off to Italy while he was describing our food selection.
If you bring your wife or a date, I am sure they will be impressed with Gio’s romantic accent and attentive service.
But wait… were haven’t talked about the food yet.
My beautiful wife ordered a Merlot which she was sipping as we both were enjoying the fresh bread and the tomato dipping sauce. We also had the pleasure of dipping our bread in Olive oil & balsamic vinegar bringing me back to my days of travel in Italy.
While examining the menu, I homed in on a Italian prepared Filet Mignon dish that sounded wonderful. It was a beef filet sautéed in a Gorgonzola cheese cream sauce. When I asked my waiter, Giovani, how it compared to some of the other dishes, he explained to me that it was wonderful, …BUT…, if I am open to a Pork dish, he insisted that I have that dish instead. I am so sorry that I do not remember the exact name of that dish but it consisted of an upright pork shank, plated on a bed of risotto, dressed with a port wine reduction sauce with mushrooms. Who am I to argue with our waiter’s recommendation when I felt I was getting the inside tip (too bad Gio didn’t have a good horse to recommend to me for the second race at Belmont Park).
So I went with Giovani’s recommendation and my wife, she enjoyed the Portabello Raviolis in a white cream sauce.
When my dish was placed in front of me, my mouth began to water as this dish looked like a Picasso work of art! It looked as good as I was soon to find out that it’s taste matched. This was a meal for the pallet and the eyes!
On a 1 to 10 scale, this dish rated a solid 10. Not a 9.8 or a 9.9…the big «10.» I savored every bite.
By wife tasted my dish and thought it was amazing as well. But how was her entrée? The Portobello raviolis were unbelievable as well. So let me see…1 + 1 equals 2 HOME RUNS for the night! We were both in heaven!
We finished the meal sharing a huge slice of wonderful Tiramisu that tasted as good as it looked!
And our server, Giovani, he was great as well. We received the utmost in attentive service from our waiter and we felt like we were old friends with him, all on a first name basis, as we departed.
What a night!
So let me see… great food… thank you Arrivederci Ristorante. Great service, thank you Giovani… and a wonderful night with my fantastic wife. What more can I ask for (oh, and a reasonable priced meal as well)!
So, if you are looking for that quaint restaurant to take your significant other for an enjoyable cozy meal, look no further and head out to Arrivederci Ristorante and be sure to ask for Giovani to serve you!

I ‘ve been many times at this restaurant;.Santos always make’s sure we enjoyed our dinner. His recomenda tions are always perfect. surely we will come back. thanks again!!!

Absolutely LOVE this place, been eating at the Hillcrest location for far too many years then I want to admit to (aging is no fun), we moved east, Rancho San Diego is equally as wonderful as Hillcrest.

Rancho San Diego’s Hidden Gem!
The food here is amazing! It’s a classic Italian menu. The campagnola (house salad) has a unique and delicious dressing. Definitely worth a try! My favorite dishes are the rigatoni bolognese and tortellini with cream sauce (although I ask for a lighter cream sauce). They have a wide variety of wine. You are sure to find the perfect pair for your entrée. If you are not well versed in wines, you can trust that Gio, Santos or Stefano will know what to select for you after you tell them what you like in a wine.
The service is outstanding. Gio and Santos are experienced servers and know the menu and the dishes inside and out. They remember repeat customers and always make you feel at home.
The restaurant is a bit small in size, but that adds to its personal and friendly environment. You can’t beat sitting outside for lunch or dinner when the weather is right.
If you have never been before, I highly suggest you try it out. Don’t let the unassuming looks or location fool you. This restaurant offers some of the best Italian food in San Diego County with excellent service at a great price.

Was there for dinner last Saturday, and I think I found my new favorite Italian restaurant. Service was top notch, outside seating was peaceful and the meal was so good. I ate the portobello ravioli and the sauce it was tossed it was unique and flavorful. Was checked on several times throughout my dinner. I left very happy and full!

Very delicious, lots of variety, great atmosphere, fresh ingredients, excellent recipes. Fully recommend this restaurant for date night. It’s expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Cute place! Went here on a date night and I never thought I would find a lasagna as good as my home cooked, it was outstanding! The husband got the seafood pasta and he really enjoyed it as well. We will be back!

Great service great food great location, what else can you ask for lol
The pear salad is really good! I highly recommend it! The calamaris for appetizer!

Dinner included fresh made bread with a side of marinera sauce that was kickin with herb and garlic tones. The pork ossobuco was so tender, no knife was even needed. It was served with a wine reduction sauce topped on a rice which complimented the pork very well. The lamb ossobuco was equally tender with the meat literally peeling away from the shank clean. Cheese raviolis were heart shaped and it was a nice addition given it was Valentine’s Day. Portions are plentiful and the staff was friendly and on point, no disappointments here.

I would do anything for love but I rather eat Pork Ossobuco in Port wine reduction!!! Wow!!! What a dish!!!

I really wanted to like this place. The servers and staff were really nice but the food just wasn’t good. My calamari was bland and chewy. My Gnocchi was mushy and over cooked. My husband had the lasagne and it was bland. It may have been an «off» night but we won’t be coming back to confirm.

Tonight was our first time at this restaurant. The food was amazing. How amazing? The word amazing doesn’t even come close to how great the food is. The staff was extremely friendly and the food is reasonably priced with more than generous serving sizes.

Sorry for the short review. Love this place. Authentic Italian food and excellent service. Can’t come here enough. They have gf options which is great. Highly recommend.

This is by far the best Italian food in Rancho San Diego! I’m Italian, so generally a tough critic when it comes to Italian food, but this place is authentic and delicious. Their gnocchi is to die for, and they make it fresh onsite! This is the perfect place to go before your dinner and a movie date night.

I don’t do many Unilocal reviews but I feel the need to on this one. WOW, is all I have to say. Absolutely Amazing!!! Trust me when I say go try this place. Prices are very fair, service was the bomb. Don’t let the «fine dining» scare you. I went in Jeans and a Batman shirt. Wife and kids were in comfy clothes as well because we caught a late movie afterwards. The treated us like rock stars. Do yourself a favor and go see them!

Was greeted at the door by waitstaff, with a smile. Sat at the bar, was then served by a friendly, helpful bartender. The bread they serve before the food is amazing. I had Tangent Sauvignon Blanc and the eggplant appetizer. The wine and food were delicious. The restaurant was very clean. I was checked on throughout the course of my stay by a few of the employees. I highly recommend this Italian restaurant, and I will return. It’s kid friendly/​family oriented.

This is one of very favorite restaurants in East County.
For lunch, the grilled chicken salad is highly recommended .
The chicken is perfectly grilled.
The salad dressing is a delicious take on balsamic .
Just better than most.
Dinners are great too.
All of the pasta entrees are made fresh to order.
We have never been disappointed with our choices.
Give this place a try.
You won’t be disappointed either

I have been here a few times and have never gotten around to writing a review. This place is a great little romantic Italian place that has friendly service and good food. A couple times I’ve gone the water glasses were dirty or the silverware had spots, but aside from that, it is always good.
I am not a fan of the cold Marinera sauce they serve with the bread but that is just preference.
It is a little pricey but most Italian places are.

Great location in Rancho San Diego. My eldest sister loves the Hillcrest location and claims it’s her favorite Italian place in SD. I think more great restaurants, like this one, need to expand to East County. I made reservations over the phone a few hours prior and they were happy to accommodate a large party of 9, with a child.
Menu had a variety of options, portions were large, and I loved my Rigatoni Piccante dish! It had everything I love in pasta (sausage, red sauce, peppers and mushrooms). Food came out quick, wine was good — definitely had a great experience. Great local Italian food for me and my fam. My parents enjoyed it too, which is hard to do!!!

Definitely one of the best dining options in Rancho.
Here’s a quick rundown on the place:
The food is more northern Italian (think Tuscan style) and is phenomenally prepared. The service has always been wonderful, granted it is a small place so it may be a bit slower when they’re slammed. There’s also patio seating if you’re more inclined to fine alfresco. It’s probably not necessary for lunch, but I would recommend making reservations for dinner.
Now for the fun part, the food and wine. Everything I’ve tried here has been delicious and the portions are quite generous. The menu is also quite extensive, in fact they have 2, so make sure you look at both. My favorites are the Linguini Mediterrano with the white wine sauce, the Veal Osobuco, and the Ribeye with a mustard brandy cream sauce. I haven’t tried too many of the appetizers here because I usually fill up on the fresh bread that’s served with a kind of bruschetta like marinara sauce. That being said, I can say that the beef carpaccio and grilled artichokes are fabulous. They also have a wonderful wine selection, and I’d definitely recommend the Chianti Reserve on the wine list.
So to sum it up, go check this place out if you’re in Rancho and you’re looking to have a great sit down meal.