Editorial Review of
Filippi's Pizza Grotto
The brainchild of Italian and French immigrants Vincent DePhilippis and Madeleine Stefani, who moved to San Diego after making their way to the states in 1922, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto has turned into one of the city’s favorite casual Italian restaurants. Sitting boldly midway down India Street, a local haven for Italian cuisine, Filippi's Pizza Grotto is the perfect spot for a casual and cultural dining experience, any night of the week. Don't be scared away by the line out the front door; with two large dining rooms of red and white checkered table cloths, the wait is rarely too long to bear. Local favorites at Filippi's include the anti-pasta salad with imported Italian cheese and the homemade lasagna. Even basic pasta options are memorable, as one monstrous meatball, almost cartoonish in size, usually accompanies the classic spaghetti dish. That said, the pizza is authentically terrific; decorate any pie with a number of fresh toppings including pepperoncinis, garlic, artichokes, or fresh-sliced Italian salami. As for your meal, request an extra thin crust if you'd like and match it with a small bottle of Chianti to share with your table. Once you finish, ask the wait-staff for a sharpie and autograph your bottle. He or she will then hang it from the ceiling over your table, adding it to the thousands that are already strung from the beams, representing numerous nights of happy eating in Little Italy. Check out their website to get a good look at the family-friendly menu and peek at their other locations spread around Southern California. Become a part of the family tradition that has lasted over 50 years.