Trattoria Da Sofia

I recently went to Sofia and I was blown away by my order. We got the artichokes, the olive potato salad, the meatballs, and the mushroom ravioli. Everything was fresh and tasted amazing. I loved the sauces on all of it. I will be back. Again. The olive potato salad thing. If you love potato salad, you'll love it.

This venue formerly housed Cucina Sorella, and before that, the Kensignton Bar and Grill. I remember I was dining at the Kensignton Bar and Grill on the evening that HRH Princess Diana passed away in the Avenue Iena Tunnel in Paris. It was ironic that Her Royal Highness lived in Kensignton Palace in London and here I was with my family in Kensignton, San Diego!The new tenant of the Space, Trattoria da Sofia, seems to be doing things right. First, let's talk about the exquisite welcome offered by Sara. From her initial smile to being escorted to my table, it was all the perfect professionism that we always seek yet rarely find. The same superlitives can be said for the refined table service offerred by Modestino of Napoli. The wine never went dry and the meal proceeded in exactly the pace I requested. Grazie Mille!

A foodie friend invited me to Trattoria Da Sofia for dinner. Looks like they opened in March 2024 in the Kensington area of San Diego focused on comforting Italian dishes paired with warm Italian hospitality. We headed out on a Thursday evening to try out their menu. Between the 2 of us, we tried the following:- Aracine (Appetizer) - fried rice ball, saffron, meat sauce, green peas- Sugo Pittinicchi (Pasta) - tagliatelle pasta with pork rib & sausage slowly cooked in pomodoro sauce- Osso Buco (Veal Shank) - veal shank braised with vegetables, red wine, and broth served with saffron risotto- Cocktail - Temple of Mars (Mezcal)- Cocktail - Lemontini (Housemade Limoncello)Our waiter also recommended a dessert that was off menu since they ran out of the actual dessert we wanted. Both my friend and I loved the dessert.Food. Delicious.Cocktails. Delicious.Dessert. Delicious.Service. Excellent. Italian Hospitality.Ambiance. Comfortable. Romantic.ENJOY!!

Absolutely blown away by everything. As you step into the restaurant you immediately feel the love & vibe of the staff. This mixed w/ the fun & transformative decor creates an ambience that elevates the experience. The staff greets & treats you as if you're family. It was a pleasure to meet the owners Mario & Andrea. They really cared about getting to know us & making us feel welcome. Now the food & drinks were the star of the show. Starting us off w/ a light refreshing Prosecco that tantalized the taste buds. Then jump right into the main course which was recommended by Alex from the table next to ours. Short rib polenta is a MUST! Short rib is the BEST I've ever had! Mouthwatering & succulent. My date got the shrimp & crab ravioli w/ a white sauce that was shimmering in excellence. 11/10 I'll be back often. I'll be recommending to all my friends & family.

Ate here twice now and the second time around was just as disappointing. First time around I got the gnocchi and it was just eh. Not too impressed with the texture or flavor. The sauce tasted more like ragu from the jar. The vodka pasta was really dry and not very saucy. Calamari I'd say was really good and loved that. I'd get this again. The seafood ravioli tasted very fishy. The pistachio pasta was fairly decent. Second time around:Caesar salad was pretty goodI got the caprese salad just because I didn't want the pasta this time and it was just a big ball of mozzarella served over three slices tomato with very little balsamic sauce. Not that great. Some basil there as well but mainly just a big chunk of mozzarella.The wine was way over priced. Charged $33 a bottle for one that you can get for $8.99 at Ralph's.More than likely won't be back.

We went the second time and I had the salmon. It's perfectly fried..I like how the edges are crispy. However I find the salmon and the risotto salty. I like salty snacks and dishes but this one was a bit much for me. Pink vodka pasta was just alright.

Had so much fun at the grand opening of Sofia! I love that they explained the pasta was made fresh hours before and even went to the table to show the pasta shapes. I would recommend for any outing for a cozy family style dinner spot!!

3.5 starsCame early on a weekend evening to beat the crowd and parking. I got the Sugo Pittinicchi and shared the Spiedini Siciliani. The Sugo Pittinicchi came with tagliatelle pasta and pork ribs and sausage braised in a pomodoro sauce. The sausage and ribs were very tender and delicious. The pomodoro sauce I thought was too simple for me. The noodles were not soggy but not what I consider al dente, I wish they were a little more firm.The Spiedini Sicilani was a beef roll stuffed with mozzarella, bread crumbs, and pine nuts and served with rosemary potatoes. The beef was grilled and had a nice char on the outside, I did wish there were some kind of sauce on top or something to dip the meat in. The potatoes were nicely cooked and had a good texture and flavor. A good take on meat and potatoes. I think I'd try the ossobuco next time as I like braised dishes.The meal came with focaccia bread and pomodoro sauce. They were fine but I wish they were both served warm. Service was friendly and attentive. The interior is made to look like you're sitting outside in the street in Italy between buildings, as there is laundry being hung above along clothes lines.Parking is all on the street which is why I came early so I'd have an easier time finding parking.

The Kensington neighborhood has this new Italian restaurant after its Michelin Bib Gourmand predecessor closed last summer. Trattoria da Sofia debuted a couple of weeks ago in the vacated space. The interior was neatly decorated, including a Roman statue fountain near the foyer, while an outside front patio nearly doubled the seating capacity. We made an OpenTable reservation and sat at a two-top table in the main dining area.The two-page menu featured antipasti, soups, and salads on the left side while the right side listed the pastas, entrees, and sides. A complimentary basket of focaccia bread with pomodoro sauce was provided while we decided what to order. From the entrees, we split the Spiedini Siciliana as a starter. This dish was made up of stuffed beef rolled with mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, pomodoro sauce, and pine nuts served with rosemary roasted potatoes. It turned out to be better than the individual pasta that I ordered because the meat was well-seasoned and grilled perfectly.My friend chose the Sugo Pittinicchi which was tagliatelle noodles with pork ribs and sausage slowly cooked in pomodoro sauce. I selected the Allo Scoglio which consisted of fettuccine noodles with clams, mussels, shrimp, and calamari finished in pomodoro sauce. This was the kitchen's version of Seafood Fra Diavolo as the sauce had a considerable degree of spiciness. Because of the seafood ingredients, it was the priciest of the pasta dishes on the menu.One aspect of our dinner that bothered me was the seating configuration. When we first sat down, the surrounding tables were empty. By the time we received our food, the hostess seated other groups next to us which made the area congested. Our table was already small, and I was worried that anyone who walked by would potentially bump it and knock over some plates. There were plenty of open spots across the dining room so the staff could have easily spread out the parties. For the food quality, service, and prices, I gave a 3.5 star rating for our Trattoria da Sofia experience.

A group of 11 went tonight to celebrate a birthday. Every single thing was absolutely delicious. The red sauce is so good. The service was excellent. Can't wait to go back and try other menu items.