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Best Authentic Restaurants in Serra Mesa

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122 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Puesto Mission Valley restaurant
4.6
Exceptional(1987)
Price: Moderate
• Mexican • Mission Valley
Booked 36 times today
Puesto is family-owned and operated by first generation Mexican American brothers Eric, Alan and Alex Adler, alongside their cousins Isidoro and Moy Lombrozo and founding chef and partner Luisteen Gonzalez. With eight locations in California, Puesto provides an innovative and contemporary approach to authentic Mexican cuisine. Sourcing its ingredients locally and regionally, the restaurant has earned national acclaim for its Mexico City-inspired tacos made with non-GMO organic, heirloom Masienda blue corn stone-ground tortillas, crispy melted cheese and scratch salsas.
A photo of Siamo Napoli restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(1311)
Price: Moderate
• Italian • North Park
Booked 40 times today
Specializing in Napolitano style pizza and pasta. We focus on clean fresh ingredients that thrive in our home land and make simple foods the star. We have a full bar with hand crafted drinks and a range of wines from Napoli and beyond.
A photo of The Godfather Restaurant restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(1868)
Price: Expensive
• Italian • Kearny Mesa
Booked 32 times today
The Godfather, a Balistreri restaurant, is an Italian monument in downtown San Diego providing authentic cuisine from the hills of Italy. Established in 1974, The Godfather is a sophisticated and classy establishment that centers around generational recipes from both Northern and Southern Italy. Over the years, the quality of food and standard of service has never declined and thus garnered The Godfather a national recognition as one of the top twenty-five Italian restaurants in the entire nation. The menu is filled with classic favorites based in steak, chicken and pasta. For an intimate evening for two, try the Sicilian kiss prix fixe meal that includes a bottle of champagne.
A photo of RustiCucina restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(1134)
Price: Moderate
• Contemporary Italian • Hillcrest
Booked 38 times today
Welcome to Rusticucina, where locally sourced ingredients, seasonal dishes and a warm ambiance reign supreme. We are named to reflect the merging of two cultures; American and Sicilian, since our owners are straight out of a small town in Sicily. We invite neighborhood dwellers and visitors to experience our farm-to-neighborhood restaurant unlike any other. Aperitivo, a traditional Italian-style happy hour, leads the way—think sensational small bites, Aperol Spritzes, Negronis and Limoncello. We also offer a full bar and carefully curated craft cocktails, along with an impressive beer and wine list. Our food menu, boasts hearty, rustic cuisine, with pasta made in-house, from scratch, as well palate-pleasing entrees and a slate of pizzas and flat breads. Our tableside service offers a one-of-a-kind, dedicated experience, and their outdoor space is the perfect landing spot for dog lovers and sun worshipers. We even offer a pet menu for furry guests.
A photo of Cori Pastificio Trattoria restaurant
4.8
Exceptional(612)
Price: Moderate
• Italian • North Park
Booked 23 times today
Acclaimed Sicilian Chef Accursio Lota serves up authentic cuisine in a cozy 60's-style Italian trattoria. Voted San Diego's Best Chef five years in a row, and Barilla’s World Pasta Champion, at Cori Trattoria Chef Lota serves up beautifully bold dishes like Agnolotti with Spring Peas and Beef Bone Marrow, and an unbelievably rich Vegan Parmigiana di Melanzane. The menu melds the flavors of Sicily and Italy with the best of fresh, locally-sourced Southern California ingredients, and is matched by a curated wine list and cocktail program that include indigenous, bio-dynamic varietals from all Italy. The current Spring menu features dishes like Agnolotti with Spring Peas, fava bean, and beef bone marrow, and Cacio e Pepe with sustainably-sourced Petrovich caviar.Enjoy full-service table seating, grab a place at the marble-topped bar, from which you can watch all the action of your meal being prepared in the open kitchen or just order your meal to enjoy at home with your family.
A photo of Et Voilà! French Bistro - San Diego restaurant
4.8
Exceptional(2525)
Price: Moderate
• French • North Park
Booked 23 times today
Et Voilà! is a vibrant neighborhood bistro, located along the North Park corridor. Et Voilà! French Bistro showcases Chef Vincent Viale’s talents, mixing French classics with a modern accent. Find local and seasonal products building upon French recipes from various regions, such as Steak Frites, Coquilles St. Jacques, and soufflés. Explore the diverse regions of France through a curated wine list, and taste a variety of distinct local ingredients with our crafted cocktails. Et Voila! French Bistro is the destination for those looking for a vibrant dining experience, or even for those looking for a simple glass of wine and informal bite at the bar. No reservations accepted for happy hour Please be on time to your reservation. Note that your allocated time slot starts at the time of your reservation and NOT when your party is complete. (1.30 hours for 2, 1.45pm for 3/4 people) We likely will not be able to extend your time if you are running late . Thank you for
A photo of Louisiana Purchase SD restaurant
4.5
Awesome(675)
Price: Expensive
• Creole / Cajun / Southern • North Park
Booked 47 times today
Conveniently set on Louisiana Street in North Park, our design of this intimate cocktail restaurant was inspired by the charm &; character of New Orleans, with creative touches of personal effects giving guests the feeling of warmth, community & fun Architect Jeff Svitak helped create a modern interpretation of a classic French Quarter restaurant, introducing elements of wood, marble &; rich velvet. Our lush patio seating flows seamlessly into our indoor dining space, a nod to the courtyards found across the beautiful southern city.Our rotating food menu will be dedicated to only the best seasonal ingredients, featuring big &; bold flavors from the region. Executive Chef Quinnton Austin recently relocated to San Diego from New Orleans, bringing with him an exciting wealth of knowledge &; experience in the culinary melting pot that defines southern cuisineAlligator Cheesecake, Andouille Fried Red Beans & Rice w/Chipotle Mousse, &
A photo of Rakiraki Convoy restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(11)
Price: Moderate
• Sushi • Kearny Mesa
Booked 2 times today
For reservations of 3 or less please book through our sister restaurant The Yasai by RakiRaki Convoy!Experience the original RakiRaki Ramen experience at our first location located in Kearny Mesa—the epicenter of San Diego’s thriving Asian food scene. The lines out the door are worth the wait for Chef/owner, Junya Watanabe’s signature ramen recipes that blend the art of traditional ramen making with the highest quality ingredients available and a modern atmosphere. RakiRaki serves a wide variety of authentic ramen dishes and Japanese cuisine including tsukemen (dipping noodles), charcoal-fired yakitori, curry, ramen burgers, and specialty sushi rolls along with local craft beer and sake selections.
A photo of El Sueño restaurant
4.0
Excellent(170)
Price: Moderate
• Mexican • Old Town
Booked 9 times today
Coming Soon to Open Table!Vibrant Mexican Food and Craft Cocktails.
A photo of Cocina de Barrio restaurant
4.7
Exceptional(422)
Price: Moderate
• Mexican • Hillcrest
Booked 2 times today
*Brunch hours are on a walk-in basis only. Thank you for your cooperation & support during this time!Cocina de Barrio by Chef Jose J. FloresBienvenidos a Cocina de Barrio, the newest modern-urban Mexican restaurant located in Hillcrest, San Diego! We are proud to feature the culinary richness of Oaxaca as well as other Mexican regions. Stop by and enjoy our bar stocked with plenty tequila and mezcal selections, MUCHA cerveza, and wines sourced from Valle Guadalupe. Don't forget to join us during our daily brunch (where we add a Mexican kick) and our happy hour every Tuesday-Friday from 3-5pm! Stay Chido!

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
  • Suzannevip
    San Diego •3 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 1 day ago
    The Godfather's is a classy, old-school restaurant. Red leather booths...waiters in suits. And the food is very good. My sea bass was delicious. It was decorated beautifully for Christmas. And on the weekends they have a piano player. There is also reasonably priced valet parking. Highly recommend
    More info
    The Godfather RestaurantPrice: Expensive• Italian• Kearny Mesa
    4.7
  • Ericavip
    Los Angeles •39 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 1 day ago
    First, service was as good as it could be, given that they were short-handed and the owners were therefore waiting tables (I ordered a salad, which I eagerly anticipated, but it never arrived; however, it also didn't appear on the bill). We were seated immediately, even though the restaurant was VERY busy. At our server's recommendation, we ordered the special appetizer, a whole artichoke, roasted in the pizza oven, and served with THE most divine garlic-herb oil. The artichoke was already cut into four pieces, so each of us grabbed one. Although it could scarcely be heard over our "oohs," "aahs," and sounds of sopping up oil with the excellent homemade bread, two of us remarked that this appetizer was so delicious, we just might order it instead of salad, and another instead of an entree. Suffice to say, if available, do NOT miss it. We had a bottle of luscious Montepulciano for the table; our friends shared a Burrata pizza, my husband had the Sofia pizza, and I, after consulting with our server, got the ravioli melanzane. Somehow, our friends' pizza had one piece left over, but my husband devoured the entire Sofia, and I ate all but about 1-1/2 ravioli. Yes, I got a to-go box for the ravioli and slice of Burrata pizza, as it would've been criminal to let food this exceptional go to waste (regrettably, we neglected to take the remaining bread from the basket). Siamo Napoli is a self-styled neighborhood spot, casual and unpretentious, but we've had Michelin-starred meals that weren't remotely this exquisite, this perfect, at four times the price, and walked away hungry, to boot. I almost hesitate to properly sing its praises, lest we have to wait months for our next taste of nectar, but it surely deserves to have a months-long waiting list, at least for weekend night tables, and when word gets out, they can probably fill a space 2-3 times as large. We drove 2-1/2 hours each way for this meal, and it was truly worth every second. We cannot WAIT to go again!
    More info
    Siamo NapoliPrice: Moderate• Italian• North Park
    4.7
  • Dennis
    San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
    4.0
    Dined 2 days ago
    Group of 4 got right in as we showed early to our reserve time. The Service was the main concern, our server was really friendly and gave us recommendations but she missed a requested meal and brought dishes that was not ordered. 3 of us ate our meals so they would not get cold, lasagna takes time and so that meal pretty late, then came really rough so that was a big miss and they did comp the meal. Also little touches were missed like Parm chese. So service was spotty
    More info
    RustiCucinaPrice: Moderate• Contemporary Italian• Hillcrest
    4.7
  • Natalia
    Denver / Colorado •6 reviews
    5.0
    Dined 4 days ago
    Great experience! So easy to make a reservation for a large group. When more people showed up than we expected, the servers were really accommodating and moved more tables over for us. They even gave us separate checks. Everyone was so friendly, nice and helpful. The food and drinks were delicious. Our group will definitely be heading back!
    More info
    Puesto Mission ValleyPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Mission Valley
    4.6
  • Leigh
    Columbus •1 review
    5.0
    Dined 7 days ago
    This was my first visit to Cori and it exceeded all my expectations. The ambiance is absolutely incredible, the service was amazing and the food was top tier. Bridget was our server and she was so sweet, gave great recommendations and was so attentive. I would come back just to have her as our server! I loved that they replaced the silverware between courses; a small touch that goes a long way! The arancini was the best I’ve had in San Diego. The pasta was SO good and you can definitely tell it’s homemade and made with love. My only regret is waiting so long to come in. I can’t wait to come back!!
    More info
    Cori Pastificio TrattoriaPrice: Moderate• Italian• North Park
    4.8
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