I dined at Charisma Cucina Italiana on a very quiet mid-week evening and received personal attention and good service. The food was authentic Italian and delicious. On a hot day, the front windows open and you can enjoy the fresh air. This was my third time there.
I would recommend it for an evening out with a friend. A wonderful surprise. Food was out of this world. Owner was charming and informative. Can't wait to go back to try still more things on the menu. Had never been before and we love trying new places. It was a Saturday afternoon and we were immediately greeted by a welcoming host. We were served fresh homemade bread and flavorful herb dip while we were perusing the menu.
We ordered a very reasonable bottle of wine from a full wine menu. The host offered thoughtful recommendations on what to order for lunch and I appreciatively accepted. We were never rushed and just enjoyed the window seating and relaxed atmosphere.
My husband had the lamb ragu lamb pasta which stayed warm and moist through our leisurely lunch. Rich blend of sauce, fresh pasta and tender lamb.
My special pumpkin cream and sausage lived up to being a holiday special. We were truly full and even took some home but who could pass up the most delicate,moist and light lemoncello tiramisu ever? Not us.
Every bite was delicious! Anxious to go back and try the lamb ragu. So excited to find this restaurant! Traveling in San Diego with friends and OpenTable pointed us here. Amazing food, really wonderful husband and wife who own the place. The Nutella tiramisu along with the mini cannoli were both amazing.
Main courses were very good and the wine selection was good. Definitely a great find. The one item we came for they didn't have. It was a special Italian microbrew that I had noticed on the menu when I was looking for a place to eat in Hillcrest. It is my husband's goal in life to try new microbrews. So when I saw it on the menu I choose this restaurant for lunch. We were assured that they will have that beer next time we visit.
The focaccia came out piping hot with a really good pesto sauce. I was wishing I had ordered the salmon special with the pesto sauce. Instead I ordered the stuffed chicken breast which while good was a little dry. My husband had the pasta that had lamb in it. He was regretting having eaten breakfast at SFO. Another table had mussels that they said were amazing. Will have to try that dish next time. The food was amazing. The lamb was prepared to perfection.
You really taste that the cook has just arrived from Italy and luckily has not yet adapted to the "alfredo" non-Italian cuisine you find in so many Italian restaurants in the US. Delicious food, good service. We had eggplant parmesan and pasta with lamb ragout. Both were delicious. First time to the restaurant. The main dishes were solid and fantastic. I was not impressed with the appetizers and salad. The owner I believe was the owner greeted us.
Told him we made a reservation through OpenTable. He kind of dismissed and asked us to sit anywhere. Did not seem like he cared whether or not we dined there.
Could have been preoccupied with something, gave him the benefit of the doubt. I recommend for the main dishes, service was a miss that evening, but would go back again. My friends and I have had season tickets to the Old Globe Shakespeare Festival for years, and we make a point of trying new restaurants before each performance. This was our choice this weekend, and we were delighted.
We will definitely be back. The restaurant is tiny, although the sidewalk patio seating extends its capacity. The overall ambience is casual and friendly, but with a touch of elegance that elevates the experience.
Charisma is a family owned place and the owners are from Italy. They've brought authentic recipes with them. I had gnocchi with pesto, and to my delight the pesto had not been adulterated with cream. It was just the pure basics--olive oil, basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts. It was delicious. One of my companions had the lasagne. It was a substantive portion, but she raved about how "light, almost fluffy" it was, not the heavy, over-cheesy blob that so often passes for lasagne.
Another guest had rock fish in a light garlic and lemon sauce; loved it. The pork in garlic cream sauce was savory and "mind-melting. They had two flavor of tiramisu: Nutella and Limoncello. Both were beyond awesome. Too everything off with a great wine list we had a lovely, balanced Zinfandel and this is a place that's perfect for a date night or elegant but not overpriced dinner before the theater.
We can wait to go back! In Italy, food is held in high regard, similar to the way literature, music, art and religion is. It is a communal belief that everything should be done with passion, and the same philosophy applies to the preparation of food.
Italians are fiercely proud of their signature dishes and feel that sharing meals together on a regular basis is a core component of family life. In the old country, the experience is a bit more personal than that.
Many of those pasta and pizza pit stops most of us have grown accustomed to end up serving everything except genuine Italian home-cooking. Nestled between 1st Avenue and 3rd Avenue in the heart of Hillcrest, Charisma Cucina Italiana embodies the ideal family-owned Italian restaurant. Gennaro is usually the server if Marco is out buying supplies for the restaurant and vice versa. Both claim that because they have only a few employees to manage, it makes them more knowledgeable of their business and able to facilitate bonds with their customers.
Fortunately, San Diego Charisma Cucina Italiana presents an assortment of wines that pair perfectly with Italian cuisine. The wine menu is additionally appealing because there is a portion that describes the "key Italian wine varietals," with facts about wine, such as Sangiovese is the pride of Tuscany featuring cherry and cedar flavors. Starting at 11am and ending at 6pm, happy hour is celebrated every day of the week. Happy hour specials include glasses of wine for only three to four dollars.
What We Recommend: Whole Wheat Penne Crudaioloa: Sometimes it's the simplest recipes that pack the most bang, and this dish is no exception. The fresh raw tomatoes and aged ricotta cheese mixed with garlic and extra virgin olive oil create mouthwatering flavors that will leave your taste buds begging for more. Pollo Parmigiana: This traditional Italian dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser as it features baked and breaded chicken breast prepared with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmigiana cheese.
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