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Buona Forchetta Encinitas, Encinitas, CA

Buona Forchetta Encinitas

4.7
4.7
587 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

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2 people
19:00
Booked 41 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
  • Gluten-free-friendly
Buona Forchetta Encinitas, our third location, blends award winning Neapolitan-style pizzas and Northern Italian upscale entrees in a family-friendly, approachable space. Located in Encinitas, this location boasts a indoor seating as well as an outside patio and a small room for private events. Inside, a gilded oven churns out classic creations, while the main kitchen serves up chef-driven pastas and entree dishes. Owner Matteo Cattaneo brought the Italian warehouse-style eatery to life.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizza Bar, Wine Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (760) 704-8070
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 587 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • North San Diego

    Healthy

  • North San Diego

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Buona Forchetta Encinitas offers "outstanding" Italian cuisine with a focus on authentic flavors and "excellent gluten-free options." Patrons rave about their "great service" and "delicious pizzas and pasta." While some find it noisy, the lively atmosphere adds charm. Perfect for special occasions or casual dining, it's a beloved local gem.

587 Reviews
  1. Kathleen

    VIP

    San Diego

    172 reviews

    5.0

    172 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful as always…….but, the restaurant needs new chairs and more comfortable seating period.

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  2. Ericka

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, wine and service. Intimate dining inside and out. Tables are close together but not on top of each other. Heaters outside so patio dining was really nice.

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  3. kim

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    food and service are always great. It Is winter in southern California, so wear a sweater. Great spot! There is a reason that they are able to add more locations. always great specials and wine specials as well.

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  4. Nick

    VIP

    San Diego

    37 reviews

    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As usual, the outside seating was comfy, quiet, warmed by heaters and pleasant. Service was fine. We have always loved Buona Forchetta both on 30th and more recently in Encinitas. Last night our pizza came out cool, with the cheese not fully heated up to temp. We ate the first couple pieces, and they were ok, but not hot. When we asked for the rest of to be heated up, the waiter said he could not because it would fall apart. So we warmed it as well as we could in the hot iron pan our broccolini came in. So if you get a pizza that is not truly hot when you get it, I’d recommend saying something right away to the waiter before eating the first piece. I’m sorry we didn’t ask right away.

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  5. Amber

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    25 reviews

    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on 7 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’m a regular here and always thoroughly enjoy the experience as much as the food. Highly recommend!

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  6. Jennifer

    VIP

    Raleigh

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on 2 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Super nice owner from Italy!!! The artichokes on the appetizers are to do die for!! Great homemade pasta, fantastic wines and good heaters to still be able to enjoy the outside!

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  7. Kristen

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A great romantic spot that is kid friendly. The food was amazing and had a lot of dairy free options

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  8. Carolyn

    VIP

    Phoenix

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are never disappointed in the food quality and exceptional authentic Italian cuisine.

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  9. Lorin

    VIP

    San Diego

    60 reviews

    5.0

    60 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a favorite! Look forward to great ambience and delicious food.

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  10. Bella

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Review for Buona Forchetta We went to Buona Forchetta to celebrate my sister’s birthday, excited for a special dinner, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a truly horrible experience. From the start, service was lacking. It took far too long just to get water after being seated, and the bread they brought was stale. Things went downhill from there. We ordered the Brussels sprouts, only to find two long hairs wrapped in them. There was no apology from the staff, and when they brought a replacement, they were just as bad—undercooked and tasted overwhelmingly like boiled vinegar. It literally looked like a cup of boiled vinegar. I cannot believe anyone would serve that. The prosciutto was soggy and raw-looking, making it completely inedible. My sister ordered the carbonara, and it was a disaster—it tasted awful and looked unappetizing. I requested a side of hot oil, but it never arrived. To top it off, not a single staff member checked on our table to ask how the food was. When it came time for dessert, the wait for menus was so long that we had to pull up the menu on our phones. The Nutella dessert was chewy and disgusting. There was a tiny dab of Nutella and a couple pieces of fruit. It made the dish dry and left a lot to be desired. Again, not one person. Getting the check was just as painful—it took over 20 minutes. The attitude of our server was awful. We were smiley and friendly and he was grumpy from the moment we sat down. Maybe he is having a bad day, but it isn't right to take it out on paying customers that are there to celebrate a special occasion. We’ve been regulars at this location since it opened, but after this shockingly bad experience with both the food and service, we won’t be returning. A deeply disappointing evening for what should have been a special occasion.

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FAQs

Buona Forchetta Encinitas offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (760) 704-8070.

Buona Forchetta Encinitas is rated 4.7 stars by 587 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 41 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Buona Forchetta Encinitas

250 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024-3260

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    at Marcheta St
  • Area
    Encinitas
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizza Bar, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Vegan
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