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Little Italy · $$ · Ranked in 1 list
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Civico 1845 is a Little Italy spot ranked #4 of 8 in our Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego list, scoring 88/100 in our Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego. Order the calabrese specialties and vegan pasta. Calabrian regional cooking plus the best vegan Italian menu in the city.
We scored Civico 1845 88/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full Civico 1845 reviewCivico 1845 sits in Little Italy — downtown San Diego's northwest edge, walkable from the waterfront and the Gaslamp. The area is known for the Saturday Mercato farmers market, Piazza della Famiglia, and the best restaurant density downtown, and the feel is polished and food-obsessed — the neighborhood locals take visitors to first. Parking: Metered street parking and garages; the Little Italy Trolley station is on the Green Line.
Explore Little ItalyOn our Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego list, Civico 1845 lands at #4 of 8, just behind Bencotto Italian Kitchen (89/100) and ahead of Nonna (87/100). Cesarina holds #1 with 91/100, so the gap is 3 points.
See the full Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego rankingCivico 1845 scores 88/100 against a best italian restaurants in san diego field that averages 87.9, running from 85 at the bottom to 91 at the top. That puts it 0.1 points above the category average and ahead of 4 of the 7 other places we scored. It lands 4th of 8, and the category leader is 3 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Civico 1845 separates itself most on uniqueness (88/100 versus a 83.8 category average). Its softest showing is taste at 89, 0.9 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for uniqueness, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Civico 1845 | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | 89 | 89.9 | -0.9 |
| Consistency | 88 | 88.3 | -0.3 |
| Value | 86 | 86.3 | -0.3 |
| Atmosphere | 86 | 86.8 | -0.8 |
| Uniqueness | 88 | 83.8 | +4.2 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best italian restaurants in san diego.
Little Italy is dense enough that Civico 1845 rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored at least six other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Born & Raised (93/100 in our best steakhouses in san diego list) or False Idol (93/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
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92/100 · #1 in best farmers markets in san diego · Free entry
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91/100 · #2 in best ice cream in san diego · $6–10
If Civico 1845 is booked or closed, these score closest at the same $$ spend in the same list:
Yes, if you are in the neighborhood or nearby.
Civico 1845 scores 88/100 in our Best Italian Restaurants in San Diego list (#4 of 8). It is strongest on taste (89) and consistency (88). Calabrian regional cooking plus the best vegan Italian menu in the city.
Civico 1845 is a good fit for italian restaurants. Because it ranks #4 on our best italian restaurants in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Little Italy rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: The full vegan menu is separate — ask for it if you want it, they don't always offer.
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Score 88/100 on this list's criteria · Order: Calabrese specialties and vegan pasta · $$
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.
Local tip: The full vegan menu is separate — ask for it if you want it, they don't always offer.
Scored with our ranking methodology — italian.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking.