Award-winning

CUCINA urbana

Name: CUCINA urbana
Address: 505 Laurel St., San Diego, CA, United States, 92101
Telephone: (619) 239-2222
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.8

4.8

7086 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Make a booking

2 people

4 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 48 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines
Neighbourhood gem

We are a wine shop inside of a restaurant | Dining and design form the perfect union at San Diego's highly acclaimed CUCINA urbana, a California-inspired Italian kitchen and wine shop, located in the heart of Bankers Hill since 2009.

The restaurant boasts comfort and familiarity, welcoming diners to a country farmhouse with the added whimsy of a contemporary art installation.

CUCINA urbana is the originator of the CUCINA retail wine program where each dedicated shop allows guests to hand select wines at a retail price, either to enjoy with their meal for a minimal corkage fee or for purchase to-go. The wine list is comprised of many familiar labels as well as rare and small-batch gems, with an emphasis on Italian varietals.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, American, Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 16:00–21:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–22:00
Phone number
(619) 239-2222
Website
http://www.urbankitchengroup.com/cucina-urbana-bankers-hill/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Tim Kolanko
Catering
URBAN KITCHEN CATERING provides four star, stunning events with menus unique to your occasion. For more information check the URBAN KITCHEN CATERING link on our website www.urbankitchengroup.com or call Alison at 619.239.2222 extension 2. Or if interested in restaurant buyout opportunities, please contact Tiffany Tassano at 619.239.2222 extension 4.
Private party facilities
From birthday celebrations and corporate dinners to graduation celebrations and wedding receptions, our space is perfect for your dining event. Our Wine Shop offers an intimate semi-private space for smaller functions, while larger groups are welcome to host their event using our entire restaurant as a private venue. We offer: wine specialists, who will design pairings for your meal, personalized printed menus, table decorations, specialty to-go gifts, and more.

Location
505 Laurel St., San Diego, CA 92101
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
Area
Banker's Hill
Cross Street
5th avenue
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

Feast of the Seven Fishes
US$75.00 per person
18 Dec 2024 - 24 Dec 2024
A modern spin on an Italian Tradition, enjoy the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian holiday ritual at CUCINA with a four-course prix fixe menu available from December 18-24th along with our a la carte menu. MENU: salt cod fritters + tonnato sauce + chicory salad lobster tortellini + saffron cream + trout roe + bonito striped bass + borlotti bean + clam + seafood brodo + salmoriglio chocolate budino + coco nib tuile + chocolate crumb + salted caramel + whip

Popular dishes

What 7,086 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Great for fine wines
San Diego
Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

CUCINA urbana offers a delightful dining experience with "exceptional food" and "perfect service." Guests rave about the "wonderfully boisterous ambience" and diverse wine selection. While some find the noise level high, the "fresh pastas, pizzas, and salads" are consistently praised. It's a favorite for pre-theater meals with convenient shuttle service to the Old Globe.

7,086 Reviews

C
Christine
San Diego
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fantastic food and service. Great drinks. We will be back.
Is this helpful?
M
Mary Ann
Washington DC
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We loved this place! Visiting San Diego from out of town and saw the reviews for this place and had to come. It did not disappoint! Started with figgy stardust drinks (so yummy) and had the pork belly for the appetizer. Loved all the flavors in the pork belly. My partner had the fig and gorgonzola pizza and I had the rigatoni bolognese. Both were incredible and very tasty. The portion sizes were perfect and the staff was very friendly. Noise level was decent. Wine selections was good. Definitely would come back!! Thanks
Is this helpful?
E
Elmer
San Diego
22 reviews
vip
3.0
22 reviews
Dined on 25 November 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
The food at Cucina Urbana is fantastic. The portion size for the pizza is great! More than enough for one person. The portion size for the pasta was downright offensive! Dont order a pasta dish here without something else! Way too small. The dining room is WAY TOO NOISY! Almost impossible to have a conversation. They need to do something with the noise level in this restaurant. We could barely hear our waiter.
Is this helpful?
L
Lois
San Diego
49 reviews
vip
5.0
49 reviews
Dined on 25 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner after our play. Our server, Kevin, is so knowledgeable and gracious. The food was excellent. We had drinks, appetizers, main course and desert. Everything was delicious.
Is this helpful?
A
Alexia
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 24 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service was kind, polite and fast. The food and drinks were phenomenal.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeff
San Francisco
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on 24 November 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We were expecting much more from this Bib Gourmand rated restaurant. Nice place with friendly staff, but the food did not match. Three stuffed and tempura fried squash blossoms came to the table only luke warm which means they had been sitting. Sloppily presented Italian chopped salad that was mediocre at best. Good but poorly presented pasta dish. Warm olive dish was fantastic. Just ordered gelato for desert… Amazing wine selection but our wine was indifferently placed in a small bucket with some ice cubes at the bottom. Not a bad experience, but not as expected.
Is this helpful?
D
Diana
Orange County
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 24 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely experience, the food was amazing! Drinks were great too. Ambience was cozy. Servers were great! I have came twice and it is our go to everytime we visit San Diego.
Is this helpful?
J
JoAnne
San Diego
88 reviews
vip
5.0
88 reviews
Dined on 21 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Our favorite local restaurant! Our waiter warmly welcomed us knowing us from previous visits. As usual he was spot on in suggesting wines, knowing the contents of each dish, and anticipating our needs. And the other support staff did an excellent job -- smoothly orchestrating the evening. The salad we shared and ate every morsel -- lettuce, escarole, radicchio, tomatoes, cucumber, almonds, chickpeas, and green beans with an oregano vinaigrette that was so, so, so delicious. My husband enjoyed his pepperoni pizza. The branzino was divine! We finished with a limoncello and vegan pistachio ice cream.
Is this helpful?
M
Michael
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 20 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our food was delicious, we got the pork belly appetizer, the ribeye pasta, and the beef cheek plate and it was all amazing. My son loved the kids pepperoni pizza and our waiter was super helpful and patient. We had a great time, even with kids and would definitely celebrate another birthday here
Is this helpful?
B
Brad
San Diego
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on 16 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Did I step into a hot tub Time Machine and go back to pre-Covid restaurant levels? Staff that was actually happy to be there, pride in the food and cocktails and snappy service. To have a mixologist actually come up to our table and get to know our preferences to produce cocktails to having our plates consistently exceed expectations is something neither I or my partner have not singly or collectively experienced in what seems like ages. This is definitely now our neighborhood go to spot.
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FAQs

CUCINA urbana offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 239-2222.

CUCINA urbana is rated 4.8 stars by 7086 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

4 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 48 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

505 Laurel St., San Diego, CA 92101

Dining areas

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
Cross Street
5th avenue
Area
Banker's Hill
Hours of Operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 16:00–21:00 Fri, Sat 16:00–22:00
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, American, Mediterranean
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Tim Kolanko
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.urbankitchengroup.com/cucina-urbana-bankers-hill/
Phone number
(619) 239-2222
Catering
URBAN KITCHEN CATERING provides four star, stunning events with menus unique to your occasion. For more information check the URBAN KITCHEN CATERING link on our website www.urbankitchengroup.com or call Alison at 619.239.2222 extension 2. Or if interested in restaurant buyout opportunities, please contact Tiffany Tassano at 619.239.2222 extension 4.
Private party facilities
From birthday celebrations and corporate dinners to graduation celebrations and wedding receptions, our space is perfect for your dining event. Our Wine Shop offers an intimate semi-private space for smaller functions, while larger groups are welcome to host their event using our entire restaurant as a private venue. We offer: wine specialists, who will design pairings for your meal, personalized printed menus, table decorations, specialty to-go gifts, and more.

CUCINA urbana

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

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50 San Diego Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Experiences

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Popular dishes

bucatini amatriciana

margherita

mushroom

Menu

What 7,086 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does CUCINA urbana offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is CUCINA urbana restaurant rated?

Is CUCINA urbana currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 San Diego Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

50 San Diego Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day