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Food - Parma Cucina Italiana, San Diego, CA

Parma Cucina Italiana

4.9 (330)
$30 and under
Italian
3850 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103

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A photo of Parma Cucina Italiana restaurant

Parma Cucina Italiana

4.9
$30 and under
Italian
Hillcrest

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 12 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
Best Lasagna in San Diego • Cozy Northern Italian Comfort in the Heart of Hillcrest•
Parma Cucina Italiana is a charming, family-run restaurant known for house-made pastas and comforting Northern Italian classics. Our signature lasagna—decadent layers of slow-simmered Bolognese and creamy béchamel—is a local favorite and a must-try.

Other specialties include tortellini with cream and prosciutto, pappardelle tossed with slow-braised short rib and porcini mushrooms, and seasonal dishes inspired by generations of Italian home cooking.

Enjoy a thoughtfully curated wine list featuring bottles from Italy’s most celebrated regions, and finish the meal with one of our homemade desserts like classic tiramisu or profiteroles filled with Nutella cream.

Join us for a warm, relaxed Italian dinner in the heart of Historic Hillcrest.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Dessert
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 16:00–21:00 Fri 16:00–21:30 Sat 12:00–21:30 Sun 12:00–21:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Celso
  • Catering
    Good food is an essential part of any event - let us do the catering and make it one to remember. See our website for more details www.parmaitaliankitchen.com
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome restaurant buy-outs or partial buy-outs for parties up to 45 people.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Area
    Hillcrest
  • Cross street
    University and Robinson
  • Parking Details
    Parking available in the area.
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Weekend Happy Hour

    1 - 12 people

    Multiple dates available
    Sun - 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm,Sat - 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm
    Deals on Drinks + Eats Saturday & Sunday 3pm - 5:30pm Dog Friendly Patio Excludes Mother's Day

    Weekend Happy Hour photo
  • Wine Wednesday

    1 - 12 people

    Multiple dates available
    Wed - 4:00 pm - 8:45 pm
    30% off all bottles of wine on Wednesday

    Wine Wednesday photo

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Parma Cucina Italiana.

4.9

4.9
(330)
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.7Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Neighbourhood gem

  • San Diego

    Italian

  • San Diego

    Best Food

  • San Diego

    Neighbourhood gem

  • San Diego

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Parma Cucina Italiana offers "the best Italian food in San Diego" with "exceptional" service and a warm, family-like atmosphere. Notable dishes include lasagna and pappardelle, with large portions and unique preparations. Patrons appreciate the "authentic Italian experience" and friendly staff, making it a must-visit for both locals and visitors.
330 Reviews
  1. Jossy

    San Diego1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 30 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love this place; Roberta is amazing, and so is the whole staff. Food is super!

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  2. Joel Gold

    Phoenix / Arizona89 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 28 October 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We heard about this place from a staff person at our nearby hotel. It isn't fancy to look at but the food was excellent. It was a quiet night. Our server was very attentive and he talked to us about their food and some of the ways it is different. The selection was great, making it hard to decide what to get. We opted for the artichoke appetizer, the lasagna and the pappardelle al brasato. The artichoke were wonderful. We have never had that presentation before and we loved it. The wife ordered the lasagna. The portion size was huge (easily sharable) and we both deemed it the best lasagna we had ever eaten. My papparedelle was so flavorful. Once again, not a preparation you find in a lot of restaurants and a very large portion. Just thinking about the meal is making me hungry. Fortunately, we have leftovers. I think it's time to eat them. Yum. I wold love to have some place like this in my home city. I guess I'll just have to come back to San Diego more often.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Cynthia

    Orange County1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 26 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service are exceptional! The staff are very friendly and truly work together to make sure we had everything we needed. We will definitely be back when we are in San Diego again!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Jonathan Gold

    Portland / Oregon18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 23 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We bring friends here from out of town regularly and also have romantic dinners for two here as well. The food is always excellent and the service is warm and welcoming. In short. We love this place and you will too.

    Is this helpful?

  5. eddy Gold

    San Diego4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 16 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very impressed with service. Food was superb. Like the central Hillcrest experience.

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  6. thomas

    Austin1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 12 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely amazing! The team there was so kind and made the dinner special!

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  7. Paul

    Unspecified3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 10 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lasagna was absolutely outstanding. Small quiet, relaxed. authentic Italian atmosphere, wine, and food. We will be back!

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  8. Kim Gold

    San Diego5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 September 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The absolute best place - the food is incredible, the staff makes you feel like family, the family they actually like :)

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  9. Michael Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 September 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely terrific experience and meal. Alfredo was a great server, the food was fantastic — the lasagna is not to be missed, and everyone was super friendly and responsive. Highly recommend Parma and would definitely go back.

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  10. ALFREDO Gold

    California Central Coast5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 24 September 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great experience. Delicious authentic food, great warm service, fare prices. We love this place and its people.

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Seafood, Dessert
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 16:00–21:00 Fri 16:00–21:30 Sat 12:00–21:30 Sun 12:00–21:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Celso
  • Catering
    Good food is an essential part of any event - let us do the catering and make it one to remember. See our website for more details www.parmaitaliankitchen.com
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome restaurant buy-outs or partial buy-outs for parties up to 45 people.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Area
    Hillcrest
  • Cross street
    University and Robinson
  • Parking Details
    Parking available in the area.
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Parma Cucina Italiana is open Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm; Fri 4:00 pm–9:30 pm; Sat 12:00 pm–9:30 pm; Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm. The restaurant also offers a Happy Hour menu.

Tuesdays are a lovely pick, Parma runs a named “Tues‑Date Menu, ” and guests report enjoyable Tuesday nights there.

Portions tend to be generous, guests frequently single out the lasagna as sizable (often enough for two) and describe appetizers like the polenta as large and shareable.

Yes, Parma Cucina Italiana is well suited to date night, with an intimate, cozy setting, a thoughtful wine list, and multiple positive anniversary and Valentine’s‑day visits from guests.

For a calmer visit at Parma Cucina Italiana aim for an earlier dinner, guests recommend arriving before about 6pm and one party noted it wasn’t particularly busy at 5pm on a Saturday.

Yes, Parma lists a dedicated Happy Hour menu (wine, beer and appetizers) and a named “Tues‑Date Menu” featuring pasta and dolci like lasagna and tiramisu.

Yes, Parma is family‑friendly: multiple guests describe visiting with children and note kids enjoying their meals, and staff have happily accommodated a child’s dish by remaking it without an unwanted ingredient.

Yes, Parma offers a thoughtfully curated wine list alongside beers and sparkling selections, and the menus list bottled beers and a Parma Spritz on the drinks menu.

The sidewalk/outdoor seating at Parma is dog‑friendly, guests specifically note dog‑friendly outdoor seating where diners can enjoy the neighborhood buzz.

The lasagna is Parma Cucina Italiana’s standout, the restaurant calls it their signature dish, and guests repeatedly praise it as a must-try.

Parma Cucina Italiana feels warm, cozy and family‑run, a small, intimate Hillcrest spot where owners and staff make guests feel at home; the indoor room can be lively and sometimes noisy, while the sidewalk seating offers a pleasant street‑side option.

Casual dress, Parma Cucina Italiana’s dress code is Casual Dress, so comfortable, informal clothing is appropriate.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Diego
  4. San Diego
  5. Hillcrest

Make a booking

A photo of Parma Cucina Italiana restaurant

Parma Cucina Italiana

4.9
$30 and under
Italian
Hillcrest

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 12 times today
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