About
When looking for an unparalleled dining experience look no further than Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana in Carlsbad Village. The service is superior, the cuisine is authentic Italian with pasta and sauces made from scratch, and the décor is gorgeous yet casual.
Not to mention their full-service bar, lunch offerings, and award-winning wine menu. So many reasons to dine at Vigilucci’s.
Right after I was seated, Miguel, my server, promptly came over and offered me the wine menu as well as the dinner menu. The linen was bright white, the silverware gleaming and everything was spot-on—so I knew I was in for a treat.
Of course, I started off perusing their ‘catalog of wines’...to call it a ‘menu’ just doesn’t do it justice. The selections are varied and quite impressive offering whites, reds, blends, and bubbles from all over the world. Not only do they have stunning bottle selections, but they offer a large selection of wines by the glass which is refreshing if you want to broaden your horizons.
I like many different reds and a few whites, but I drink (almost) exclusively Argentine Malbec so they immediately got my nod of approval for carrying more than one Malbec and two nods for carrying one of my favorites—Luigi Bosca, which I ordered tout de suite.
Miguel brought out a basket of delicious homemade bread as well as some olive oil and balsamic. OMG! I could’ve stopped right there and been very satisfied…well, maybe if he’d brought me one more basket. Absolutely some of the best bread ever!
As I enjoyed my Caprese, bread, and wine, a family was seated at a booth near my table. Eavesdropping I learned that they were visiting from Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, which is where I grew up, so I struck up a conversation.
In talking with them I discovered that they had come to Carlsbad the year before with a very large party of 28 and were looking for a place to dine last minute. Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana was the only restaurant that would accommodate them, so they were back to enjoy another fantastic meal.
After I finished bothering my most gracious fellow diners, I made my way back to my table and waited for the surprise Miguel was bringing me for dinner.
Cha-ching! He chose the Cappellacci di Zuppa! The dish is homemade hat-shaped pasta filled with butternut squash, walnuts, ricotta, and Parmigiano, finished with brown butter, sage, and a touch of marinara. Truly magical!
It sounds like it would be way too sweet, but it wasn’t—it was hearty, almost “meaty” with a touch of sweetness and the crispy flowers were delish. Yet another dish that has made it to my list of favorites. It’s an absolutely must-try dish as it was pure perfection!
To top the evening off I opted for the Tiramisu from their Dessert Menu which has all your faves like Crème Brulee, Cannoli, Spumoni, Gelato, and Tortino al Cioccolato (chocolate lava cake served warm with vanilla gelato and fresh raspberry sauce) to name a few.
It was a toss-up between the Crème Brulee, Tiramisu, and Tortino but I wanted to try an authentic version of Tiramisu… and it did not disappoint!
If you’re looking for a fantastic lunch outdoors (or indoors) on a beautiful SoCal day, or a wonderful evening out on the town, look no further than Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana in North County San Diego.
Vibe
Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana offers a calm and peaceful vibe with a fine dining feel.
As part of Vigilucci’s Restaurant Group, which consists of a trio of restaurants located in North County San Diego, Vigilucci’s Cucina Italiana is a great choice for large groups and small parties.
And in case you’re wanting a few other options, Vigilucci’s sister restaurants include Vigilucci’s Trattoria and Vigilucci’s Seafood & Steakhouse.
No matter what restaurant you visit, you will definitely have an incredible experience!
Vigilucci's: Menu & Drinks
My suggestions when visiting Vigilucci’s are to come hungry and come with a group because they have a large and wonderful menu. All of your favorite kinds of pasta are made from scratch like pappardelle, ravioli, penne, spaghetti, gnocchi, fettuccine, lasagna, tagliatelle, and so many more.
They also offer a lot of other dishes with free-range chicken, eggplant, shrimp, veal, steaks, salmon, mussels, and other seafood.
- Their Happy Hour Menu is served in the bar area from 3 PM to 6 PM every day, which includes $8 wine specials as well as various menu items at discounted prices.
- The Lunch Menu is served from 11:30 AM to 3 PM and includes a lot of incredible dishes.
- Their Dinner Menu offers Antipasti (Appetizers), Insalate e Zuppa (Salads and Soups), La Pasta (Pastas), Secondi Piatti (Entrée), Fritto di Calamari e Gamberetti (deep-fried baby calamari and rock shrimp served in marinara sauce) and the Zuppa del Giorno (Soup of the Day), and more.
- The Dessert Menu offers Crème Brulee, Cannoli, Spumoni, Gelato, and Tortino al Cioccolato (chocolate lava cake served warm with vanilla gelato and fresh raspberry sauce), just to name a few.
As you can tell the menu has a lot of incredible options so you may have a hard time choosing—hence the group suggestion so you can share!
Local Tips
- If you’re a frequent flier be sure to sign up for their Loyalty Card and if you’re looking for the perfect gift for everyone, they do offer gift cards.
- Just in case you didn’t know, you can order a bottle of wine and the restaurant will “cork” it for you so you can take it home after your meal.
- The staff is dedicated to making your experience amazing!
- They have semi-private and private dining spaces as well as lots of indoor tables and booths and a lovely streetside outdoor patio area.
- They offer lunch and dinner, as well as, a happy hour menu and a full bar.