Little Italy · Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego
Civico 1845 Review
Last updatedRanked #4 of 8 in Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego
Calabrian regional cooking plus the best vegan Italian menu in the city.
Score breakdown
- Taste89/100
- Consistency88/100
- Value86/100
- Atmosphere86/100
- Uniqueness88/100
The verdict on Civico 1845
Ranked #4 of 8 — 88/100 in our Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego coverage
Civico 1845 built its reputation on Calabrian dishes you won't find elsewhere in San Diego and a parallel vegan menu that is treated seriously rather than as an afterthought. It is the best pick for a mixed-diet group.
What to order at Civico 1845
Across our coverage the recommendation is consistent: Calabrese specialties and vegan pasta.
The full vegan menu is separate — ask for it if you want it, they don't always offer.
Is Civico 1845 worth the price?
Civico 1845 sits at $$ — the mid band for this category. We scored 4 other $$ options on the same list, and Civico 1845 outscores 2 of them. The bracket leader is Buona Forchetta at 90/100, so compare the two before you commit.
Civico 1845 FAQ
Is Civico 1845 expensive?
Civico 1845 is priced at $$, which puts it in the mid-range band for this category. We scored 4 other $$ options on the same list for a direct comparison.
Is Civico 1845 worth it?
It scores 88/100, 0.1 points above the 87.9 average for its list. That's a solid recommendation within the category.
What should I order at Civico 1845?
We recommend the Calabrese specialties and vegan pasta.
What else is nearby Civico 1845?
Born & Raised (93/100 in our best steakhouses in san diego list) and False Idol (93/100 in our best tiki bars in san diego list) are also ranked in the same neighborhood, so it's easy to pair a visit.
What works
- Strong taste — scored 89/100 in our ranking
- Strong consistency — scored 88/100 in our ranking
- Strong uniqueness — scored 88/100 in our ranking
Know before you go
- The full vegan menu is separate — ask for it if you want it, they don't always offer.
The full review
Civico 1845 built its reputation on Calabrian dishes you won't find elsewhere in San Diego and a parallel vegan menu that is treated seriously rather than as an afterthought. It is the best pick for a mixed-diet group.
On our weighted scale it earns 88/100 — good for #4 of 8 places we evaluated for best italian restaurants in san diego. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes.
What to order at Civico 1845
Calabrese specialties and vegan pasta
Price: $$
How we scored Civico 1845
Every score on this page comes from the same editorial rubric we apply to the whole category: taste, consistency, value, atmosphere, uniqueness. The criteria are weighted toward what matters most in the category, compared against every other place we ranked in the same list rather than against an abstract ideal. We eat at the places we rank, pay full price for what we order, and re-score when a kitchen, chef or menu changes. Scores are editorial judgments rather than aggregated user ratings.