A local staple of Italian dining, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto has been in business since 1950 and continues to please San Diego with great, home-style pizza dishes. 
Vincent DePhilippis and Madeleine Manfredi, founded the original FIlippi’s Pizza Grotto in the Little Italy district after moving west from Westchester, Pennsylvania.
Originally, the couple opened Cash and Carry Italian Foods, a small italian shop right in the heart of Little Italy back in 1947. With a great stock of pastas, deli meats, and other Italian goods, Cash and Carry made itself the stop for neighborhood families to get a little bit of Italy for their kitchen.
But years later, when the couple wanted to open their very own restaurant, they settled into a space in the back of Cash and Carry. To this day, 67 years later, the back of Cash and Carry is still the home of the original FIlippi’s Pizza Grotto.
Today, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto has 15 family-owned locations throughout San Diego County. In each of these locations you can find the original family recipes that DePhilippis originally used at their first restaurant, which have been passed down to the next generations of FIlippi’s owners.
The pizza at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto is hands down one of the best anywhere. Whether you like mushrooms, pepperoni, salami, or any other topping, the pizza has customers at all county locations coming back and leaving rave reviews online.
Filippi’s pizza is known for its crust, which is made with old-fashioned bread dough that is just perfect in thickness. The sauce and toppings are of the highest quality and add nicely to a generous heaping of cheese which tops the pizza.
The pizza at Filippi’s has consistently earned the honor of being voted as one of San Diego’s favorites in many polls throughout the years. Many reader polls and critic’s choice awards have recognized FIlippi’s as home of the best pizza in San Diego over the years.
Pasta items such as spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and ravioli are hearty and indulgently served, not to mention very rich and tasty.
Dinner items like chicken parmesan, linguini with clams, and the shrimp filippi are truly delectable and timelessly Italian.
Despite a big focus on traditional Italian cooking, there are also gluten free options on the menu as well as low calorie and health conscious fare for those seeking options suitable for their dietary needs.
Whether it is an antipasto salad or the veal scallopini, you have to have a drink with your meal. All Filippi’s locations have a full bar featuring, fine wines, beer, and many other options for you to pair with your favorite menu item.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto locations are family-friendly and many also feature outdoor seating and WiFi. Some locations are dog friendly, and others even have live music and bike parking. Reservations are recommended if you are dining in. Carry out is also offered if you are picking up dinner for the family or some pizzas for the big game.
With food this good and pizza this authentic, once you try Filippi’s you’ll be going back for more pretty often. Sixty seven years of home cooking and family tradition can’t be wrong.