Cucina Basilico

Great authentic italian food in the most amazing atmosphere. Great spot for special occasions or date night to impress. I was happy with my experience at Cunina and already counting the days until i get to come back.

This place is so awesome — I can’t believe I waited so long to try it and review it! I work in the area and was hesitant to go since I am always in such a hurry and don’t always want a long, sit-​down restaurant meal. Fast forward to now — and I go there 1 to 2 times a week. Food is fresh and delicious every time. Service is outstanding. And although everything is made fresh to order, it always comes out quickly once ordered even if it is a packed house. Their hand made pastas and paninis are to die for. Lots of vegetarian options too. I have taken several coworkers and they love it. Try this hidden gem — I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Some of the best Italian food in San Diego
They offer a nice selection of pastas, main dishes and specials. I had the SuperAlfredo with shrimp. The sauce was perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed the roasted garlic. My friend had lasagna and said it was excellent. We also enjoyed the tiramisu and the vanilla cotta with raspberry sauce for dessert, Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. The service was friendly and attentive which is appreciated these days. Highly recommend.

Great little restaurant with yummy food.

I’ve heard very good things about the RESTURANT so I was looking forward to trying it.
The good news is the food was quite good… The bad news is it’s very over priced for what you get. I ordered their pasta bolognese and the serving size was what one might expect on a child’s menu; but more importantly, there couldn’t have been more than ½ of a small meatball size of meat in the sauce its self. Minimal is a generous description. It was $ 13.95. My friend had the pollo pan a funghi and once again it was quite good but very little of it. 3 sm. Chicken tenders in the sauce with a side of carrots. Anywhere else it would have been considered an appetizer size. It was $ 14.95
Nice people, good food but just not nearly enough of it… I went home and made myself a sandwich.

Food tastes fresh and home made. Delicious and very satisfying. Their décor is comforting especially during Christmas.

What a great find! Super fresh and fantastic service. Fresh homemade unique pasta. Glad I popped in and checked it out!

Just visiting San Diego for a few days and decided, thanks to Unilocal,to stop in and give Cucina Basilico a try. What a great decision! The service is terrific, ambiance is pleasant, and the food. oh the food!
I had the lasagna and I may be ruined forever from all other lasagnas. I also had an amazing side salad, and the complimentary bread rolls are extraordinary. My only regret is I have to go home and I can’t take this restaurant with me.

My husband and I live in Tierrasanta and were so excited to discover such a great Italian restaurant close to home. The food is delicious and the service is great every time.
I’m embarrassed to admit that we’ve probably eaten here 20 times in the past year! Our two favorite dishes– the lasagna and the Pantera Rosa with fettuccine (a light, creamy tomato sauce with bacon – yes, bacon!). Writing this review is actually making me crave the lasagna, so we may be back tonight!

Italian food without the guilt afterwards.
I came here because of the delicious-​looking photos of the food posted on Unilocal.I had no clue this place offers authentic ingredients and vegetarian, dairy-​free, & gluten-​free options. Nice bonus!
Alfredo is definitely not on the diet list, but their Super Alfredo is still very creamy, filling, & delicious, but also has gluten-​free pasta. I added their organic chicken for only $ 3! I LOVED the cloves of garlic in it. My husband ordered Pollo Al Limone, which is chicken with a lemon dressing & capers on top of a salad. He really wanted pasta too so he ordered a side of Alfredo Pasta for about $ 5.
I love that this place makes everything there. We left this place with full, happy stomachs & no food coma!

Had the spinach pasta especial… With vodka sauce
Delicious!
Check this place out
Great addition to the ‘hood

Hands down the best Italian in San Diego! Be sure to get Geremia, he’s the best server. (Be careful ladies, you’ll fall in love with his Italian accent!)
I will come back and bring everyone I know. From service, to atmosphere, to authenticity this place grades A++
A must try!

Visited this place for the first time tonight and was beyond satisfied! I usually go to Buona Forcetta but needed something new so decided to check this place out. The pasta was beyond delicious and had so much flavor. I got the Pantera Rosa with pappardelle pasta, the sauce was so flavorful and the noodles beyond fresh and soft. Not to mention anything with bacon is yummy! I also got the Caprese Salad which was good, had
some pesto for a little flavor. The Pannacotta was melt in your mouth good, refreshing tart berry sauce on top. Only downside was all the little gnats and flies but other than that I was impressed! Great food and service!

Dealing with traffic and parking challenges wear thin even when the food is good. When reading about handmade pasta, that was the deal maker. We’d been in the area and this description was spot on to our preferences. The choices all seemed so tempting and even before we’d eaten anything I was thinking this is a spot that will bring us southward.
First round:
She had a glass of Malbec to accompany the calmari with marinara in a less spicy version. I selected a glass of Chianti.
Main selections she chose the gnocchi with a Bolognese sauce and the meatballs with marinara was my calling. Her gnocchi dish brought an instant smile and what I liked about this was between the meat and sauce, each was discernible. Some we’ve had are over tomatoed so if there is any meat, they get lost. This was perfect.
My meatball dish was good as well. Some places that make them so filled with bread crumbs/​bread bits that it is a tease. I don’t call that a «meatball» but a breadball with some meat within. The handmade fettuccine noodles have that firm-​springy mouth texture which is a hallmark for a good fresh noodle. My one comment there was the noodles took on a bit more salty taste probably from the salted water they were boiled in. Not objectionable though it did bump the salt profile a tad.
To round out such a nice meal the final pick was the vanilla panna cotta with berry sauce while she selected an iced Americano. The panna cotta was just right for our tastes, sweet without being overly sweet. The berry sauce’s tart and acidic balance went well with the light textured panna cotta.
Overall the food quality-​taste, combined with attentive service and reasonable price concludes for an enjoyable dining experience. The other plus that this cozy shop does not turn into a nosy dining environment. When we’re in town we’ll be coming in to have more.
Food quality –5
Taste– 4
Service– 4
Overall cleanliness– 5
Value– 4.5

Another wonderful experience at Cucina Basilico! I came here last night with my friend, who knows the owners. We had a coupon for a bottle of house wine with the purchase of an appetizer and 2 entrees. We opted for the Sangiovese.
For our appetizer, we shared the Caprese. It was so perfect! Then for our entrees, my friend ordered the Formaggio sauce with the Gnocchi and I ordered the Aglio E Olio with the spinace fettucine.
Going during the week day is great because we were able to linger and talk and laugh while enjoying our food and wine. I brought back half my entrée for lunch today. Love this place!

Wow I’m in pasta heaven!!! I’m not one who goes out to «pay» for pasta often, as I feel I can buy some Barillo pasta and sauce and make it at home for $ 2. However, since I had friends in town who specially requested good Italian food, I had to oblige their request. We were also celebrating a special occasion — their wedding anniversary.
We wanted a hole in the wall place, convenient and something that was in the middle of Mira Mesa and Mission Valley. Up popped up Cucina Basilico. I read the reviews and saw how amazing this place was, and it what was a bonus was that this place was located in District 6 in the City of San Diego (my fiancée’s district).
My friend made reservations for our party of 9 on a weeknight. They accommodated our group with a large table in the middle of the restaurant. The restaurant is located in the same shopping center as Sizzler and Jack in the Box, and right off the Aero Drive exit off the 15 freeway.
We ordered various items and as we reviewed the extensive menu we were offered comp bread and EVOO and red wine vinegar. I opted to order the lasagna which is one of their staple menus. My entrée came out steaming hot, and I had to wait for some time for the lasagna to cool down, but it did — OMG, was it amazing!!!
The lasagna just melted in my mouth. I never had lasagna that delicious. The pasta and cheese literally blended so well together. When we return I will definitely order this again!
Everyone in our party enjoyed their entrée, and everyone complimented on how freshly made the pasta was. My friend mentioned that the pasta was just as comparable to real Italian food from Italy.
We all ordered dessert and I opted to order the Flourless Cake. Perfect ended to my dinner. The employees are super friendly and the owner who helped serve was really nice.
We will definitely come back to visit for more lasagna!

I fell in love with Italian food in Italy. I was improbably charmed — and sated — by tiny places whose offerings seemed too limited: a few tables, a wine or two, spontaneous menus created by husbands cooking madly in the back while wives ran dining rooms, each playing Zia to her guests.
Those men worked hard to make good food, surprisingly elegant food that was subtle and filling, and those women bustled through their dining rooms, making sure we didn’t simply get enough to eat but that we ate enough to suit them, a distinction involving extra food and some coercion. Those ladies weren’t just waitresses; they protected the restaurants’ reputations.
To my surprise and gratification, there is such a place near Qualcomm Stadium, called Cucina Basilico. This restaurant has promise.
Chef Danilo cooks while his wife, Francesca, runs the front of house. Chef makes the majority of his food in-​house, by hand, including pastas (some gluten-​free); sauces, breads and desserts.
There’s an artistry and concern for quality evident in each plate Danilo’s kitchen produces, which, as the restaurant is next door to a Holiday Inn Express and a quick couple of turns off the freeway, may be lost on some of the guests. But smart diners who are willing to trek for pleasurable, high-​value Italian food at affordable prices will be glad and grateful for what Danilo and Francesca have created.
A caution: while dining at Cucina Basilico shortly after they opened, my wife and I were disappointed by the saltiness of several sauces. This was a problem for the evening, but the place has garnered many positive reviews in the months since then, and I was impressed by the couple’s concern for the issue as I mentioned it to them, so I expect the problem has passed.
Much as its parks and architecture reflect a city’s values, so too do a city’s restaurants. Surely, we in San Diego are about more than overpriced Italian fare promoted by pop-​culture boites in Little Italy and La Jolla. Show your class, San Diego; visit Cucina Basilico tonight.

Unilocalers helped us find this Italian Restaurant – Thanks!
It’s family run, and they make their own pasta!
Did you hear me: They make their own pasta!
Not too many restaurants do this – most are lazy and take it out of the box. (Like me at home.)
And their Homemade Pasta is great. I had the spinach pasta – it’s the best.
They make different pastas all the time.
They gave me so many meatballs I lost count. The meatballs are mainly beef and some pork thrown in for flavor. I prefer all beef meatballs. Meatballs were okay tasting, but not the best I have had.
I tried my partner’s Mary’s Chicken in her pasta. It was fantastic! I would get the chicken next time. Get the chicken in the pasta.
The table bread was mediocre – even dipping it in the red sauce did not help.
Suggestion: Bake or buy a different bread – If you can make great pasta – you can make great bread. And instead of the Olive Oil that is so over played in restaurants – and taste too Olivey, why not offer a red sauce bruschetta type of dip or topping like I have seen in other places.
Dim the lights a bit more on weekend nights, turn up the music a bit more to enhance the atmosphere.
Good service, good value.
Portion size large – love it.
Clean tables, Clean comfortable restrooms.

After my coworkers raved about this place, I knew I had to check it out. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to get the full sit down experience, so I did take out. Upon perusing the menu, fresh pesto seemed like a good choice, but unfortunately it didn’t come with any protein, so I added the organic chicken for an extra $ 3.
The pesto with fettuccine was without question fresh and delicious! There’s really nothing else that compares to fresh pasta. The disappointing aspect to the meal was the organic chicken that cost an extra $ 3. It was just pan fried and had no flavor. I expected something a little more special for that price!
Trying not to hate, but when your take out bill comes out to $ 12.95 with tax for a weekday lunch, that’s just a little pricey for my pocketbook. In comparison, just a couple of doors down at Bangkok Spices Thai, you get a salad, soup, cream cheese wonton, and a main dish for under $ 7!

Cucina Basilico is a small, charming ristorante run by the young owners from Milano, Italy. They make all their pastas and sauces from scratch. It’s hidden in a strip mall near the Holiday Inn in the Serra Mesa neighborhood.
My meals have varied between superb and ok during my 5 visits. On my recent visit, my Cannelloni was overcooked a little, which resulted in a texture that was too soft, and one bite that was too dry. The flavor was a bit too bland.
But on previous visits I’ve been impressed with the pastas and desserts. I love the Polpette or homemade meatballs in marinara sauce, with homemade spinach pasta. Pasta Indiavolata has a delicious spicy marinara sauce and Mary’s organic chicken. A homemade chocolate almond dessert was a real treat.
The wine list is nice, with fair prices. I enjoyed the Pinot Grigio, and the Montepulciano.
I look forward to returning. I just hope they can ensure that their delicious homemade entrees are consistently cooked just right.