Ciccia Osteria in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood is all an Italian restaurant should be. Family-owned, cozy, and, of course, delicious! It is definitely one of our favorite restaurants in San Diego!
Quick Facts about Ciccia Osteria
Address: 2233 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113
Phone: (619) 674-4069
Website
$$ | Italian | Many Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten Free Options
A Bit More About Ciccia Osteria
Ciccia Osteria is run by Chef Mario Cassineri, who previously made his mark in the San Diego restaurant scene as the Executive Chef at BICE Ristorante in the Gaslamp Quarter. Stepping away from the fast-paced, high-pressure fine dining scene, Mario set up Ciccia as a cozy, warm, laid-back trattoria.
The dishes are simple and let the ingredients shine for themselves, each dish executed with perfection and passion. The service is warm and welcoming, without any pretentiousness. It’s a place where you go as you are, meet with some friends, eat pasta, drink wine, and be happy.
We met Mario when he lived in our old neighborhood as we were walking our dogs. After a short chat, we decided to try his new restaurant. And boy, are we glad we did. It quickly became our favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego.
We love sitting on the cozy patio, especially on the round fireplace table with a bunch of friends. It doesn’t get better than that. Inside, the decor is simple and warm, like you would find in a traditional restaurant in Italy. There is a deli meat and cheese counter and of course a wide selection of Italian desserts, treats, and sweets.
What To Order
What I love about Ciccia’s menu is how it offers something for everyone. Whether you are looking for classic dishes, innovative bites, gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian meals, you will find something on their menu. The menu at Ciccia also changes quite frequently and according to the season.
Portion sizes are big enough but not too big, so you will definitely have room for an appetizer and dessert. And prices are more than reasonable, especially in today’s economy. Appetizers are $13, most pastas $19, and most bottles of wine between $30-45. Not bad at all! Here are some of our favorites:
Appetizers & Salads
If you want to indulge your tastebuds right from the start, start with the mushroom flan. This decadent treat is silky and smooth and so rich and luxurious it will be one of your “must order every time” items at Ciccia.
To counterbalance the richness of the flan, we like to order a roasted vegetable salad as a starter as well. The perfectly cooked, crisp roasted veggies, tender greens, and perfectly cooked shrimp with a lemony, turmeric vinaigrette make salad eating fun and delightful!
Pasta & Mains
Ciccia is famous for its amazing Ravioli and unique pasta dishes that you don’t find on many other Italian restaurant menus. Think pear stuffed ravioli with gorgonzola walnut sauce. YUM!
Another favorite of mine is the seafood pasta. The seafood is cooked perfectly and the sauce is so flavorful. If you like mushrooms, try the conchiglie with wild mushrooms, basil and truffle oil. It is vegan, but the mushrooms make it so savory and satisfying, you don’t feel like you are missing out.
Desserts & Pastries
Of course, you can get all the traditional Italian desserts and pastries at Ciccia Osteria, including panna cotta, tiramisu, cannoli, and ricotta cake. They also have an “ugly chocolate cake” that is gluten free!
My all time favorite was a dessert special: Hazelnut cake with Nutella sauce. Soooo sooo good. I hope they bring it back soon. But in the meantime, I am more than happy to indulge in their other desserts to tie me over. Oh, and don’t forget to order a cappuccino or espresso. A perfect way to end your meal at Ciccia!
Special Events and Popup Dinners
Greg and I recently went to the first Popup Dinner event at Ciccia with a few of our friends. We enjoyed a 6-course ravioli tasting menu with wine pairing.
It was phenomenal. Each course was so unique and innovative. From rabbit meat stuffed ravioli with a leek cream sauce, Barbella wine-infused ravioli with rosemary butter, to risotto-stuffed ravioli topped with succulent ossobuco, and finally finished with a deep-fried dessert ravioli, this menu had something for everyone!
My only complaint was that there was too much food, and we gorged ourselves on ravioli. Hopefully, they will do an event like this again soon. But this time, I won’t eat anything all day to have a fighting chance of finishing my food!
Ciccia Osteria – Final Verdict
If you have read this far, you can probably predict that Ciccia Osteria is one of my favorite places to eat in San Diego. I love the food, the atmosphere, and everytime I go there, I think to myself: “I need to come back more often!”
Mario and his team care about their food, and you can taste that in every bite. They offer a mix of innovative dishes with traditional roots that will make you feel like you are sitting in a small restaurant in Piedmont, sipping some wine and feeling blissful.
Ciccia is not a fancy place. It’s a place where you go and instantly feel like you can just sigh, take a deep breath and let everything else go for a while. Sit back, enjoy a delicious meal, drink some wine, and be in the moment. Whether you come here for a date night, a get-together with friends, or bring your kids along, this place is perfect for everyone.
Have you been to Ciccia Osteria in Barrio Logan? What is your favorite dish?
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