Piazza 1909 — Restaurant in San Diego

Piazza 1909 is tremendously underwhelming, even if that's not saying anything new for an Italian restaurant in San Diego. San Diego has an Italian restaurant problem and, unfortunately, Piazza 1909 is not an outlier.

This place has food issues, which I will get to in a minute. I want to start with service issues first, as those are more basic and speak to "Restaurant Management 101" misses. I waited 7 minutes at the beginning of the meal for my server to acknowledge me and take my drink order despite Piazza 1909 being empty.

Once he came by, I ordered the coconut water (purportedly in its own shell) only to be told after 5 minutes by my returning waiter that they didn't have it today. This is a problem. At minimum, if an item is not available, the server should tell the diner when menus are set down -- it should never be a surprise to the server that the restaurant is not able to fulfill an item on the menu, ESPECIALLY at the beginning of the evening. I was seated at around 5:30pm - and I suspect this place rarely, if ever, carries this item despite its presence on their menu. Unacceptable.

I waited another 10 minutes at the end of my meal in between the time my server took my credit card and returned a signable receipt. I gave him the stink-eye across the room at one point and he recognized it and understood, but he never apologized. Again, unacceptable.

For food, I ordered the Bruschetta, which was alright, I guess. I like my tomatoes a tad sweeter and less tart on bruschetta, and I could not really discern much balsamic, which typically holds this dish together for me. Also, the crostini was crunchy, but had a weird, almost "stale-like" texture.

Commendably, their lasagna didn't have ricotta (which is why I ordered it, as ricotta-less lasagna is guaranteed to be closer to the "real-deal"). Unfortunately, it also didn't have much flavor. It consisted of their "beef ragout" sauce, some very light almost nonexistent béchamel, and thin wispy lasagna sheets. Everything was overpowered by their crappy beef sauce, which was bland and boring.

More troubling, the center of the lasagna was not heated to a proper safe temperature. In fact, it was served to me at room temperature, which is worse in my opinion than if it were cold, as it raised concerns that Piazza 1909 was perhaps storing the lasagna at room temperature before an all-too-brief reheat rather than storing it in a properly-refrigerated space.

Chef Stefano Ceresoli may have an Italian name, but he has lost his way, assuming he was ever qualified enough to cook in Italy to begin with. From my experience, this food would not fly in Italy. It would not fly in NYC. It would not fly in Chicago. It would not fly in Bugtussle, Kentucky. Honestly, San Diego is one of the few American cities where a place like this could conceivably remain open in.

My waiter asked if I wanted dessert?...

I recently dined at this Italian restaurant and had a delightful experience overall. The food was fantastic, and the service provided by our waiter, Benjamin, was kind and professional.

The restaurant's ambiance was warm and inviting, setting the stage for a memorable meal. The menu offered a wide selection of authentic Italian dishes, each prepared with skill and care. Every bite was a burst of flavor, showcasing the culinary expertise of the chefs.

What truly stood out, however, was Benjamin's attentive service throughout the evening. From the moment we were seated, he was prompt in taking our orders and ensured that all our requests were promptly met. His knowledge of the menu was impressive, as he provided helpful recommendations and answered all our inquiries with patience and enthusiasm.

Benjamin's presence enhanced our dining experience significantly. He was courteous, friendly, and demonstrated a genuine passion for his work. He checked on us regularly without being intrusive, ensuring that we had everything we needed to fully enjoy our meal.

The restaurant's overall atmosphere was cozy and inviting, perfect for a relaxed evening with friends or a romantic dinner. The staff, including Benjamin, worked seamlessly together to create a welcoming environment, adding to the overall positive experience.

Although I refrain from mentioning specific dishes, I can confidently say that the quality and taste of the food were outstanding. The flavors were well-balanced, and the presentation was visually appealing, reflecting the restaurant's commitment to culinary excellence.

While there is always room for improvement in any establishment, my dining experience at this Italian restaurant, with Benjamin as our waiter, was undeniably enjoyable. I highly recommend visiting this place for a memorable Italian dining experience with...

My husband and I love amazing Italian Food! We came to San Diego from Phoenix for a weekend-getaway, and were in the mood for some delicious Italian after spending a day at the beach in La Jolla. Unfortunately due my food sensitivities, there are not many places I can eat, and we have to be very selective about going out to eat. This restaurant is PURE GOLD and has PHENOMENAL FOOD! Not only does it cater and consider gluten-free, Vegan, dairy-free, and vegetarian dietary restrictions; their food is so AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS!! This family-owned restaurant puts so much love and dedication into making their food, and making sure their customers have an exceptional experience! We were attended to directly by the owner’s son, Alberto, who made sure my dietary restrictions were met. I had the Pizza “Orto Fritto” with a gluten free crust and vegan cheese. This pizza featured an assortment of carrots, broccolini , artichokes that were seasoned, steamed and fried to perfection; they added an exceptional complimentary flavor to the pizza! I literally told Alberto “my taste-buds are cheating on my husband right now!” My husband had the Calzone, which came with Gorgonzola, ham, bacon, spinach, and marinara. He was raving about how it was “THE BEST CALZONE HE HAS EVER EATEN”! Coming from a big city, that has an amazing food scene, I will be very honest and say that this family-owned restaurant in La Jolla holds some serious culinary competition against Phoenix’s finest. This place is a MUST TO DINE at if you are in La Jolla! We are looking forward to returning in the future! Thank you Piazza 1909 for an amazing experience!- Cecilia and Thomas...