Pernicano's Ristorante

Hard to believe they have been in this location over 7 years and this was our first time to get reacquainted. We used to frequent them when they were by the old Scripps Ranch Vons.

Lorenza was hungry so we stopped by and had a wonderful pre birthday dinner. We started with Calamari Fritti and they were perfect with two different sauces, a spicy aioli and a zesty marinara. Lorenza had the eggplant parmigiana with side Caesar salad and pasta with Alfredo sauce side. I had the Frutti de Mare special in white sauce with side Caesar salad. The white sauce was wine, olive oil and herbs. It was fantastic and with generous portions we have leftovers for tomorrow.

We will return soon.

Pernicano's pizza is the pizza I judge all other pizzas against. I will admit it has the home field advantage, since the family opened the first Italian restaurant in the neighborhood where I grew up. But in the many years that have passed since I took my first bites of their offerings, I have yet to encounter anything better.

It's the best pizza in San Diego. And the best pizza I have tasted anywhere else for that matter.

While I normally order it for delivery, the restaurant itself is also a great experience. It's clean, convenient and retains the charm of their original Scripps Ranch location. It's been a go-to for family visits for many years.

Aside from pizza, the rest of the dishes are excellent, as well as their salads.

I love to see that it's still the friendly, family-run place it's been since i took my first bites as a kid.

It was the first time I came to this restaurant and I would definitely go back. Food portions are large and absolutely delicious. They started us off with the bread rolls that I am assuming they baked fresh cause it tasted so good and was nice and warm! I ordered the capellini Pomodori and it was amazing!! The basil flavor really brought the dish to the next level... I want more right now just thinking about it haha! My boyfriend got the 7 cheese tortellini and he absolutely demolished it after the photo. We also got the zepole for dessert and we got the portion for two (it was enough for four people in my opinion). The dough used for it was very fresh and delicious. I also really loved the atmosphere and the vibe of the restaurant; the lattice paneling with vines on them gave a nice natural feel like I was dining in a pretty garden. Lighting was really nice and warm feeling. 100% recommend!!

Only thing I didn't like were the chairs that I was sitting on, they were not very stable and felt like they were on the verge of collapse. On the backside of the menu I saw a picture of the history of the restaurant from the 1940s and I saw a picture of the same chairs I was sitting on! So that must be why they felt flimsy, but aside from that, great date night! Thank you!

My husband, 2 yr old son & myself were starving and craving Italian. He suggested Pernicano's as he hadn't been in a very long time.
Very cute set up of wooden booths and tables. Booths can fit one adult and a small child but not much more.
Server had good suggestions & was sweet to interact with our son. The food was fantastic! Best Alfredo sauce I've had in San Diego so far. Owner came over, played with our son and checked in with us.
My husband got in trouble from keeping this place a secret for so long! Will be back often!

Visited 10/8/2022

Wow
Dinner last night was Amazing.
This place in Mira Masa was a surprise and a joy at the same time.
The inside was like being in Italy for a fantastic dinner.
The food is all from scratch including right out of the oven delicious sourdough bread. Still hot and steaming.
The house made Chicken Vegetable Soup was a great way to start.
For an appetizer I had The Sausage and Peppers. OMG So good.
For my Entrée I went with The Tiger Shrimp Diablo. It was amazing with just the right amount of spices without to much heat and The Fresh Linguine made a lover out of me.
Service was very good and the Ambience was so relaxing.
Can't wait to come back for a second round soon.

Pernicano's Ristorante
9932 Mercy Rd,
San Diego, CA 92129

I think the small portion of lasagna and the cup of chicken vegetable soup are not worth $27. I had better ones elsewhere in San Diego at a lower price. The pizza is a better deal. The older waitress with glasses was very disinterested. Other waitresses provides much better service. The place is decorated like an old fashioned Italian restaurant. The highlights of this restaurant are the warm rolls. Overall, I won't be back.

A 4.5 Star! Very good food and excellent service
Yes, I recommend this restaurant! I ordered the seafood linguine and my husband got the lasagna and both were very good! Be sure to get the tiramisu cake at the end! It's very delicious with coffee. Don't forget to check in to get your 15% the entire bill!

We have been coming to Pernicano's for 20+ years. in one year, we came from LA to vacation in San Diego 6x in one year, and we ALWAYS came to Pernicano's!!
Consistently delicious food, best spaghetti sauce!!

Stopped in for the first time recently and ordered a pizza for dine in. How I remember how good the pizza was back in the day. Brings back fond memories. Pizza was nice and a little crispy and the crust was not too thick. Seems to me they didn't change any recipes or the sauce like a lot of the chain restaurants do. Didn't try any of the pasta dishes as they were a little on the pricy side like $20 - $30+. Maybe when I have some more funds I'll try their pasta dishes as I'm sure they're good!

Cute little local Italian restaurant. Good food, kind staff, but not kid friendly. There are no changing tables in the facility. They do have 2 highchairs and accessible restrooms, but no changing table. If your bringing little ones, be prepared for parking lot diaper changes.