Kindred in South Park is easily the coolest dining experience in San Diego. The vibe is this wild mix of "death metal" and "chic pink," and somehow it works perfectly. We stopped by for dinner, and even though the wait was long, the atmosphere made it easy to hang out. The cocktail program is top-tier—creative, strong, and beautifully presented. • The Vibe: Dark, moody, and whimsical. It’s perfect for a date night or just grabbing drinks with friends. • The Food: It’s 100% vegan, but you wouldn't know it. The flavors are bold and satisfying. Definitely "worth the wait" for the ambiance alone. If you want a spot with character and great drinks, this is it.

Eat here! We loved Kindred! Visited from out of town for a date night with my husband. We made reservations and were quickly seated. It was a busy night and the place was hopping. Great atmosphere and interior design—picture shabby chic meets memento mori. Darling and dark. The busy evening lended to slower and less attentive service but the delightful, delicious, creative food made up for it. We ordered numerous plates to share and loved everything! We will happily come back next time we’re in sunny San Diego. ☀️

+3

If you’re vegan or just love incredible plant-based food, Kindred in San Diego is an absolute must-visit. Everything is 100% vegan, and every single dish blew us away with its creativity, flavor, and execution. We started with the skewer plate (those BBQ yuba skewers are unreal – they taste like the most indulgent meat you’ve ever had, but totally plant-based!), a fresh and perfectly dressed salad, and the egg roll burger – what a genius twist! The crispy wonton wrapper on the burger adds such a satisfying crunch and flavor explosion. For dessert, the cannolis were light, crispy, and filled with the creamiest vegan ricotta – perfection. We also loved the seasonal beverages – they had this incredible plant-based eggnog that was so rich and spiced, it completely blew our minds. We haven’t had eggnog in five years since going vegan, and this one was spot-on. It’s inspired me to try making my own at home for Christmas! The atmosphere is super unique (think edgy meets Victorian), the cocktails are inventive, and the service was friendly and attentive. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and go – you won’t be disappointed! Highly recommend for anyone craving bold, delicious vegan eats. 🌱🤘

+4

Aurelio Pineiro

Best pizza in town. Pick up a pizza and you get the best dinner in town right at home. They’re quick with it too. Shout out to Liz!

Emanuel Leon

I must in San Diego. This location is my personal favorite. It's consistent, the staff is always on top of it, and they just get right all the time. I'd recommend making a reservation. If you don't, there are a ton of places nearby you can grab a drink at while you wait. Pizzas are very good, I'd recommend you trying at least one of the fried pizzas (Rebbeca is my go to). Only wine and wine based cocktails are served. If recommend the Bolognese and Buenna Forchetta sauce.

Manny Ellison

We went here to celebrate my daughter’s 25th bday. Very nice neighborhood vibe and easy parking. The atmosphere was nice and airy. We ate in an outdoor patio. The menus are huge and have lots of choices. I had the eggplant parm and it was good. I had an espresso martini that was yummy. The pasta is fresh and was really good. The salads looked amazing. Great place to celebrate! I would go again! The waitress was so nice and comped a tiramisu for the bday girl.

Cheng Yao

Eventually, I found a restaurant can make pizza just like I ate in Naples, Italy. Food and service were outstanding. I definitely will be back again and again.

+4

John Webster

If I could give more than 5 stars for service I would. Everyone there was so incredibly kind and helpful. The food was very good and their desserts were exceptionally satisfying.

Michael “Calm” Walker

During a staycation, we selected this spot which was recommended from locals and tourists. It didn’t disappoint. Authentic Italian style cucina. The kiddo had the pene pasta with pesto and I had the chef special of taglioni pasta that consisted of squid, mussels, clams, salmon in red sauce with cherry tomatoes and breadcrumbs. Oh my goodness! I’d ate another plate if I could. Compliments to chef and staff. Thanks Cosimo! Will definitely be back to try their pizza. Sono buona forchetta! UPDATE: We went back the next evening and tried the pizza after a day at SeaWorld. I had the puttanesca Napoletana style and my kid had the margherita. One Word, Scrumptious! Even the bread was delicious that even my kid demolished his pizza with about 3 crust left. We sat near the chef and I saw him while eating the pizza and gave him the “nod” that he did the damn thing with the pizza. Shoutout to Francesco for being a solid waiter and the other gentlemen who tricked my kid with the pizza switch lol. To our surprise the chef gave us a plate which is like a funnel cake with Nutella and strawberries. In Italy it s similar to zeppole or frittella. Now here are the photos that I took this time! Cheers!

Stephen Stohs

This is an authentic Italian restaurant in a lovely San Diego neighborhood. I associate it with great food and memories of the friends and family members I have met there for dinner through the years. The Halloween decorations at the restaurant and in the nearby neighborhood were a bonus.

PicnicsAndPeaks -Kristin-

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego. Their pizzas are my favorite. Delicious crust, fresh toppings, and lots of fun pizza toppings combos to choose from. They do have a delicious gnocchi and pastas too. I don’t feel inclined to try any other Italian places now as this one has checked all the boxes for me.

DANIEL FUENTES

The best Italian food there is in all San Diego. They have plenty space for big parties (you can call to make a reservation, or make one online). They don’t make you wait for your food. The service is really fast. It is very unique and delicious. It so good that I forgot to take pictures of the food. The food portions are some what small comparing it to other restaurants, but it’s worth it.

+6

Brian Loesgen

We had a very nice lunch here. The food was delicious and came quickly, service was excellent. This was my first time in the South Park area but my friend who lives there tells me he believes this is the best Italian food in San Diego, and, he may be right.

+4

Cris “Țepeș” A

Pizza was delicious and reminded me of Naples Italy. The calamari was well cooked and flavorful with a nice marinara sauce that came with it. The service was great and quick, even though they were busy our food came out quick.

Teresa Tran

I got the pesto and it was one of the best pestos I've ever had. You can taste how fresh the ingredients are. The portion sizes are decent, definitely on the pricier end if you're going with large groups or family but nothing too crazy.

Vanessa Rudin

We ordered the Margherita pizza and the salmon piccata, which was the special that day. Both were really tasty, but the salmon was the standout, super well-cooked, with a delicious sauce, and it came with roasted cauliflower and potatoes that were just as good. For dessert, we got the limone ripieno, and they also brought us some complimentary panna cotta. The limone was spot on, refreshing and a great way to finish the meal. The panna cotta wasn’t great, though. Not much flavor or creaminess, kind of like a milk Jell-O. But hey, it was free, so no big deal. Service was awesome. Our server Quinn was super nice and really attentive the whole time.

Yoni Zilberman (Yoni Zilberman Personal)

Buona Forchetta is hands down one of the best Italian spots in San Diego. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, perfect for a casual lunch or a special dinner. The pizzas are cooked to perfection with that classic Neapolitan touch, and the pasta is always fresh and flavorful. Staff is friendly and attentive without being overbearing. You can tell they care about both the food and the customer experience. A must-visit if you’re in the area and craving authentic Italian food!

Martha Rodriguez

was visiting from Texas and this place absolutely blew me away! The calzone was perfectly crisp on the outside and packed with flavor inside, and the carbonara pasta was rich, creamy, and unforgettable. For appetizer we got the meatballs and they were soooo good. Every bite was amazing. On top of that, the service was top-notch—friendly, attentive, and made us feel so welcome. I seriously can’t wait to come back next time I’m in town. A must-visit spot!

Marissa Terranova

Gluten-free eaters, THIS is your place!! Delicious GF pizza and pasta options! (I went with 3 other gluten-eaters and everyone loved their meal.) Fantastic food all around. Their GF pizza is doughy and so VERY delicious. The last place I had a deliciously doughy GF pizza was in NYC. Definitely worth trying if you’re skeptical about GF options. Lots of friendly and attentive servers too. I will be back!!!

Dining here was a pleasant experience. I was told that everything on the menu is vegan. It was so good, we went back two days in a row. Overall, food was good, however, I will say that some of the skewer items, primarily the BBQ Yuba ones, were overly seasoned to the point my tongue was burning, and not in a good way. Other than that, everything was good, and it is a cute place. I particularly enjoyed the Miracle Cure non-alcoholic drink.

+2

This restaurant has an incredible atmosphere, and the cocktails are delicious. Unfortunately, the gluten-free options are *very* limited, although (shockingly!) the desserts are gluten-free. So for my Celiac chicks, I'd recommend grabbing dinner elsewhere, but be sure to come here for a delightful drink and dessert by the candlelight afterward.

Went here with a lot of expectation given the hype with the place, but was slightly disappointed. We booked a table for 7pm, but go there early and got a high table which had no service. We ordered food at the bar and the service was very slow. To top that, the food portions were tiny and nothing outstanding. I was most surprised by the baked noodles on the menu. We ordered them to get a tiny portion of Mac and cheese (See picture). I am not sure why they are called noodles. On the positive side, the ambience was great. I would highly recommend booking a table way in advance. I hate to say this, but given our experience with the service and food, I don’t see myself going there again.

+1

Oharu

Authentic Crust with Room for Service Improvement Visited this local hotspot around 3 PM. Despite the odd hour, the place was packed with a diverse crowd, from seniors to students—a testament to its popularity. The Pizza: The Margherita arrived impressively fast. While the shape was rustic and uneven, the craftsmanship was evident in the contrast of the crust. The center was expertly thin, barely holding the toppings, while the edges were thick and chewy. That signature char from the massive wood-fired oven added a fantastic smoky depth. The Downside: The experience was slightly dampened by the service; the staff felt indifferent, and the checkout process was sluggish. Additionally, the tap water had a noticeable chlorine taste. Verdict: You come here for the pizza, not the hospitality. If you prioritize an authentic, high-quality crust over service, it’s well worth the visit.

SunnyCityBites

Everything we tried was enjoyable, and it’s an easy, comfortable place to sit back and enjoy a meal. A nice spot for a relaxed Italian dinner.

+1

Mae M.

I was craving bucatini all'amatriciana so I came here even though I am staying in Little Italy while in town. I saw lots of reviews that this has one of the best amatriciana in San Diego. The sauce was very fresh but my bucatini was definitely not al dente. I would lift my fork and it would break T^T. I am never the type to return a dish so I ate it. I also ordered a regina margherita pizza and again the sauce was good but maybe too much sauce as the crust got soggy. Tiramisu was perfect and not too sweet. I came hungry and the portions are generous. Evening service was quick, attentive, efficient, and friendly. I like how multiple staff would help out tables. The pizza price is fair to me and definitely less expensive than NYC (i.e. Una Pizza). I think it has similar or cheaper prices than Chicago (i.e. Spacca Napoli).

Atmosphere was weird. Fun eclectic decor, big open air concept, but the loud metal music ruined the vibe for me - hard to focus on or hear conversation at the table. Food: Kofta and Seitan skewers - both were phenomenal! 10/10 Russian fingerling potatoes - delicious, good and crispy 7/10 Carbonara - bland with a bitter after taste 3/10 Golden fried impossible fillet (served atop the carbonara) - so salty that it was almost inedible. Had to down a liter of water afterwards to not feel sick. 1/10 Service: if you don’t reserve a table you can seat yourself at a high top and order at the bar. Bartenders were definitely stretched thin and we had to wait a while to put an order in. But otherwise great and friendly service. If you don’t mind loud music, and stick to the right menu items this place is great. Otherwise it was a so-so experience for us.

Kin-dread this place. I have never left a review for a restaurant before this, but I feel compelled to do so after my experience tonight. A small group of my friends and I arrived in time for a reservation (made a week ago) to celebrate a reunion. We planned our entire night around this reservation, and left our table at another establishment to get there in time. When we arrived and spoke to the hostess, she informed us that they were running behind and made some vague statements about when we might be able to get seating without any apology or hint of remorse whatsoever. She spoke to us as though it was as inconvenience that we were showing up to our reservation. We are actually a pretty relaxed crew, and had the restaurant given us a text message heads-up that our reservation would be delayed or if the hostess had apologized to us (at the very least!) we would not have been so frustrated. It was too late on a Saturday night for our group (of only 4 people!) to find another restaurant, so we stuck around outside and were sat at our table over 40 minutes after our reservation time. Then, it took ~30 minutes for us to get our first round of drinks and well over 1 hour for us to get our singular order of carrots to share as a table. Then we got our meals, some of which were cold. I will also add that they were out of multiple menu items, including any white wine. When our check came we were shocked to see that nothing was comped. We respectfully explained the disappointments of our experience and asked for some discount, and we watched the manager furrow her brow and roll her eyes at our request from across the bar. When our waitress came back, she offered us the refund of 2 drinks, which the manager had clearly been reluctant to even offer. Of note- our waitress was very kind and consistently apologetic for the delays, which we really appreciated; she seemed to be the only person who was considerate of our time or customer-ship. Overall, this was clearly a rough night for the restaurant and we (as a group of people who have all worked in the restaurant industry) were mostly just surprised and disappointed by the lack of accountability and remorse expressed by the staff (all but our waitress) for not respecting our reservation. Apologies go a long way.

Ana Cris Benito

I recently visited Buona Forchetta in San Diego during a business trip, and our group of eleven had a reservation. The restaurant was bustling with people, and I was relieved we didn’t have to wait thanks to our booking. The atmosphere was lively yet welcoming, and the service was excellent, our server was attentive and kind, helping to create a pleasant dining experience. While the ambience and hospitality stood out, my personal food experience was deeply disappointing. I ordered the gnocchi, and to my dismay, it turned out to be the worst I’ve ever had in my whole life. I am 56 years. It was simply horrible and truly disgusting. My husband’s family is Italian, and I also know how to cook Italian food myself, so I had better expectations that were unfortunately not met. Out of courtesy to my business partners and not wanting to cause a scene in front of everyone, I refrained from sending the dish back, a decision I regretted later when I returned to my hotel still thinking about how unpleasant the gnocchi was. That said, the rest of my party had a better experience. They ordered pizzas and pasta dishes, One ordered steak, and I think he was the most intelligent in the table😜which were noticeably better prepared than mine. Despite my poor entrée, we still enjoyed each other’s company, the vibrant ambience, and the overall evening. The restaurant is located a bit away from our hotel, but the distance didn’t bother anyone.

+1

Very Disappointing Experience We came for brunch and left feeling very frustrated. While the food itself was good, the service was unacceptably slow. We waited 45 minutes for three simple dishes, even though the restaurant was less than half full. During that time, we ordered two Bloody Marys (at $15 each) but received no updates about the delay. We were so fed up that we decided to leave, and only as we were walking out did the staff at the bar tell us that the food was ready. Instead of apologizing, they simply asked if we still wanted it. We took the food to go, but the damage was done. The dishes—scrambled eggs with herbs and toast, and a grilled cheese sandwich with zucchini and apple—were overpriced and should have taken no more than 15 minutes to prepare. The bartender’s excuse was, “The kitchen is small.” As someone who has worked in restaurants and bars for over 10 years, I know that customers should be informed of delays in advance. If certain dishes take longer, that should be noted on the menu. While the food was decent, the poor service and lack of accountability ruined the experience. Definitely not worth the wait or the price.

The ambience is nice. Their decor is interesting. The food was very disappointing. The double cheeseburger was a sad-looking small burger that looked like a cheap fast food burger. The buns were not fresh. Drinks sounded more interesting than their taste. Very small portions.