Monello is an intimate Italian restaurant found in San Diego’s Little Italy district, between Kettner and India. Among the endless Italian restaurants and cafes you’ll find there, Monello is a restaurant that is timeless—it strives to serve the freshest homemade and unique pasta in the city.
Interior
Food + Drink
Braised short rib gnocchi + Calabrian salami pizza
Originally, we had wanted to visit Monello for their famous cheese wheel pasta but ending up choosing menu specials. A good thing to note about their cheese wheel pasta is that it doesn’t allow you to customize your pasta order—you order the pasta depending on whichever is the flavor of the day. While everything on the menu looked and sounded delicious, the short rib gnocchi and pizza caught our eye.
Dinner–Braised short rib gnocchi with cream sauce, topped with poppy seeds + Spicy salami brick oven pizza. Served with oregano+ chili flakes and Parmesan cheese on the side
Drinks–Sangiovese wine; a dry red wine with supple flavor, perfect for Savory dishes. Dry and with Berry fruit flavors compliment the spice in the dishes and heightens their flavor profiles. A great red to have alongside anything spicy, burgers, or even like we did with pizza.
Spicy Salami pizza
Banfi Winery Collepino Sangiovese
Dessert-Pine nut cake served with fresh homemade whipped cream and berries. Served with house made vermouth.
A big thank you to the team at Monello, especially our server “Kris with a K.” You made our Valentines Day dinner extra special and extra delicious. We look forward to stopping by the next time we find ourselves in San Diego. Also a big thank you to Chef Claudia Sandoval to recommending Monello to my boyfriend.
Monello can be found next door to their brother restaurant “Bencotto.”
750 W Fir St. San Diego, CA 92101 bwtn Kettner and India
All photos taken by me and Jose.
x Yzabelle