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Bencotto
Handcrafted Italian pasta in the heart of Little Italy—where tradition meets customization.
4.4(5 reviews)
restaurant
$$$
Handcrafted Italian pasta in the heart of Little Italy—where tradition meets customization.
Bencotto Italian Kitchen offers an upscale yet approachable dining experience in San Diego's Little Italy. Specializing in handmade pasta crafted daily with Somali flour, we provide customizable dishes with rich, authentic sauces. Our warm, lively ambiance is perfect for date nights or casual dinners, complemented by an extensive wine list and friendly service. Whether you're craving truffle cream pasta, Bolognese, or fresh seafood like cioppino, we deliver memorable Italian flavors in a vibrant setting.
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Customizable pasta with fresh, in-house-made noodles and rich sauces like truffle cream and Bolognese.
Fresh starters including burrata with pesto, balsamic salads, and squash blossoms.
Curated list of Italian wines, liquors, and cocktails to pair with your meal.
Dishes like cioppino and squid ink pasta featuring fresh, flavorful ingredients.
Reservations available for groups, offering a lively atmosphere for special occasions.
Loved the decor of the restaurant. Staff was friendly and great at suggesting some excellent dishes. We started with two glasses of the Supertuscan wine & squash blossoms. Both hit the spot, and paired well together. A manager Steve recommended two pastas which were as fresh and tasty as it gets. Some of the best pasta we’ve had in San Diego. Also ordered the short rib because we were hungry and it did not disappoint! Left very satisfied. Highly recommend this spot for your pasta fix!
Food is amazing and is authentic Italian. I can say that because I am from Italy. I had amazing home made tagliatelle with lamb meat sauce and I would have that again and again. The Vermentino wine from Sardinia was absolutely delicious. I also was able to choose from an extended list of Italian liquors and had Sambuca. Price-quality fair. The service and atmosphere (I sat outside with view on Little Italy) were impeccable. I will go back for sure!!!
We had the cheese wheel paste and the squid ink paste. Both were really good though not like 1000% impressed. I personally liked the squid ink pasta better because of the slightly spicy sauce. The add on sausage was actually really good with a lot of herbal flavors. The cheese wheel pasta can be too creamy later. But the paste noodles themselves tasted good.
We had dinner here and overall the experience fell short of expectations. First, one of our pasta dishes was served incorrectly (fettuccine instead of spaghetti), and the staff was too busy for us to request a correction, so we accepted it as is. Second, we noticed that other tables were offered cheese on top of their pasta, but our table wasn’t, even though we ordered three different noodle dishes. Third, the restaurant added a credit-card transaction fee without mentioning it beforehand, which feels inappropriate for a place at this price point—costs like this should be disclosed upfront or already reflected in menu prices. Also, the cheese wheel pasta did not come in an actual cheese wheel as expected, but rather with a truffle-cheese flavor instead. On the positive side, the cioppino was very good, the shrimp in the pasta was fresh, and I personally really enjoyed the balsamic salad.
We had dinner at Bencotto Italian Kitchen in Little Italy, and I’d definitely recommend making a reservation — it gets busy fast. Even with our 5:30 reservation, the restaurant was already filling up, with only a few outdoor tables left. We started with the burrata appetizer, which came with bread that tasted freshly baked. I would’ve preferred it a little more toasted for some extra crunch, but the pesto was bright and flavorful, and the tomatoes and ricotta were incredibly fresh. A drizzle of balsamic would’ve helped elevate the flavors, but overall, it was a solid starter. For the main course, we each built our own pasta dishes — one with pappardelle in truffle cream and mushroom sauce (I added sausage — worth it), and the other with pappardelle in Bolognese sauce. The pasta is handmade in-house using Somali flour, and you can really taste the difference — tender, delicate, and perfectly textured. The sauces were rich and full of depth, and the ability to mix and match made the meal feel personal and fun. Food: 4/5 – Fresh, flavorful, and beautifully made. Ambiance: 4/5 – Warm and lively, perfect for a date night or casual dinner. Service: 4/5 – Friendly and efficient. Overall, Bencotto is a must-visit if you’re in Little Italy. The handmade pasta and customizable options make for a memorable, elevated dining experience that still feels approachable.
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