About Civico 1845

Located a block away from the main bundle of Italian joints on India Street, Civico 1845 stands out, both literally and metaphorically. The restaurant itself is handsome, with an elegant dining room designed from reclaimed materials and a cozy outdoor patio by the sidewalk. But Civico does not rest on its ambience and location as it so easily could – their food is the star of the show.

The menu at Civico is Calabrian cooking (think sausages and chilis) headlined by their homemade pasta dishes. If you get anything, get the papardelle brasato with a short-rib ragu – the sauce is savory and bold and something you get a strange craving to drink if only they would serve it in a glass. There is something addictive about it. The raviolo al gamberi is a delectable, rich, buttery choice of a dish for patrons who don’t have heart disease. Or those who do have heart disease and just don’t care anymore. Perhaps their most impressive feat at Civico is they have an entirely vegan menu that is not an afterthought – the dishes are just as good as the non-vegan menu.

You can’t really go wrong with anything here. Civico serves the best Italian food in Little Italy (and possibly all of San Diego) – so skip past the crowded stretch further south on India Street and come to the sanctuary of Civico 1845. This is truly authentic modern Italian cooking done impeccably.

Best Parts

• Parents visiting
• Good wine
• Date night

Behind The Counter

Civico 1845 was founded by, and is currently run by, two brothers from the Calabria region of Italy – Dario and Pietro Gallo. Both brothers are still hands on at the restaurant – Dario is the general manager and Pietro is the executive chef. The inspiration for the vegan menu was so Pietro’s vegan wife could have something to enjoy too.