Cucina Amore

DON’T GO ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
I went twice a few days apart. Thursday night it was the best Italian meal, and one of the best meals of any kind, that I ever had. Five stars without question. We had the chicken piccata and the eggplant and both were excellent. The breads were the best ever and the tiramisu was out of this world.
So I decided to take my kids there for lunch on Sunday. I had told them they were in for a real treat. I am sitting at the table an hour later and four of our party have completely finished their meals while two of us are still waiting for ours. And we ordered salads. The bread was still delicious but was extremely tough. Almost as if it it had been microwaved.
I finally asked why a party that got here after us was being served their entrees and two of us were still awaiting our salads. The answer was that all six of us got here at once. Huh??? Yes, we didn’t arrive in shifts! My belief is that if you can’t serve a party of six, just say so and don’t seat them. This restaurant has 12 tables and at no time have more than three been occupied.
In their defense today is Father’s Day and maybe they were not expecting to have more than three or four people in the restaurant at a time and staffed accordingly. Still, why seat us and take our order if you cannot fulfill it in any remotely acceptable way?
I’m very disappointed and still waiting to eat my lunch.

Stopped in here to get an order to go while I was in San Marcos. The storefront is deceiving. The waiter was very helpful. The garlic knots are delicious, as was my chicken piccata, which came with a huge serving of pasta. Enough for 2 light eaters. Dads shrimp fettuccini also quite good. Meat pizza delicious, as was bread pudding. We will be back. I recommended this restaurant to several friends.

Came in for dinner on Saturday June 11^th 2016. The food is excellent! Fresh & great tasting. The two stars are for the POOR SERVICE. The young waitress seemed unhappy & bothered as we arrived. We ordered a Cheese Ravioli, a Lasagna & a fettuccine Alfredo. The food took like 25 mins to come out but it was worth it. The waitress dropped off the food & never checked on us. She quickly dropped off the check as we got our food. That was EXTREMELY RUDE. What if I wanted to order dessert? I had to get up multiple times to grab her attention. I know she was not busy taking other tables since we were the only ones in the restaurant. She was on her cell phone the whole time. If anyone decides to try their food get it to go because the service is horrible.

Just hit town and looking for Italian. Really enjoyed the egg plant parm with out the breading. The vodka sauce on the spaghetti was delicious and we enjoyed the bread knots were fun with the marinara. My wife enjoyed the meat ragu. Nice super Tuscan wine pairing. We will be back.

Warm spot with a humble exterior that doesn’t do the restaurant justice.
Service: super friendly and they check up frequently to make sure everything’s ok
Food: tasty, clean, fresh and not heavy!
Started with two garlic knots which were mighty tasty and a caprese salad which was good and refreshing, shared the penne bolognese which was meaty and cooked well, and ended with some tiramisu with a side of dulce de leche gelato.
The tiramisu was good but the dulce de leche looked and tasted exactly like vanilla carton ice cream :/​super disappointing since a lot of the reviews raved about the gelato of this place.
But the food was good and we’ll be back to try some of their other options!

I was visiting California a few weeks ago for my graduation from Ashford University. One of those nights, we decided to check this place out based on all of the positive reviews. When we walked in, I was taken aback. The place was cozier than I expected and it was in a strip mall. In my opinion, it’s not a place that I would take someone if I wanted to have a romantic night on the town. When we walked in, the server was friendly and helpful. She gave us advice on the food options. I was excited to taste the garlic knots. When they arrived, they left a lot to be desired. They were big and doughy but crispy on the outside. Wasn’t impressed and was a little nervous about what the actual entrees would taste like. I decided on the lasagne and he ordered the fettucini alfredo with chicken. Overall, i was happy with my lasagna. It was pretty good. His chicken fettucini was bland and dry. I tasted it for myself and the chicken had no flavor. We asked to send it back and were told that all they could do was take a couple dollars off. After we sent it back, the chef came over and made us feel very uncomfortable. After a couple of minutes of him coming over and telling us that was the way it was supposed to taste, I asked them to wrap our food up so we could go. I would not come back here based on that experience.

This place has excellent Italian food at affordable prices. Decent portions. Everything we ordered was really good! We got the Bruschetta, spinach salad, calamari, eggplant parm, and pesto pasta with chicken. We asked to split the Eggplant parm and it came out on 2 beautiful plates! Each pasta dish came with 2 absolutely mouthwatering garlic knots! We had 4 people and it was the perfect amount of food and we left stuffed! Would definitely come here again.

Best homemade Tiramisu I’ve EVER tried! Such a big slice for a good price ($ 7.95)! The cannoli also was very tasty, so light and creamy. You can taste that it’s homemade. Atmosphere is very nice and the interior design is very cool! Customer service was great, explained what each dessert included and how it was prepared. Given water and seated for our tiramisu and cannoli. Can’t wait to come back to try their food food, but as of now, their desserts were absolutely delicious!

Review for those gluten free — I had checked the menu before we decided on this place and was excited for what I thought was a lot of GF options, clearly marked on their menus online and in store.
First, I decided to go with the gnocchi (GF option) and was told that although listed as gluten free, they were in fact not. So, second I picked the eggplant (GF option) and was told that too was not gf despite being advertised as so. I was super disappointed realizing this place was just a bait and switch.
Ended up with alfredo with spaghetti. I wasn’t a fan and didn’t finish it. They did charge a couple extra bucks for the GF noodles (as most places do) but considering they don’t have any replacement for the bread rolls that come with the dish for non gf eaters, you would think it would be a wash. I left hungry and disappointed and wont be returning.
I did leave three stars though b/​c my friend who was not gf said it was good and I dont want to tarnish their rep for non gluten free eaters.

My date discovered Cucina Amore recently and had raved to me about the cappuccino and gelato, as well as the friendliness and authentic cooking of the two owners, Clint and Yuri. I had looked at the Cucina Amore website and discovered they have many gluten-​free and vegetarian options, which thrilled me because I must eat gluten-​free for medical reasons. We had a great dinner there. Both Clint and Yuri were very attentive to check every item we were considering ordering to make sure they could do a gluten-​free version. If you do need to eat gluten-​free, definitely ask Clint or Yuri to see if any menu item is pre-​floured, because the menu may indicate that a gluten-​free option exists but it may already be breaded or with added flour.
However, they were incredibly helpful in recommending what I could eat safely. My date graciously offered to order everything gluten-​free so we could share (yes, he’s a gem, the only other people who ever offer to order gluten-​free when I’m with them are my parents). We shared a Caprese salad which was beautifully arranged on the plate with drizzled balsamic vinegar, as well as tasty and very fresh. For entrees, we split the Pollo Piccata (Chicken Piccata) and the Spaghetti Bolognese, all made with gluten-​free pasta. Everything was delicious and portions were hearty, but we agreed that the meat sauce on the Spaghetti Bolognese was actually our favorite. I felt great from the food, and typically I will react if there’s even the slightest amount of gluten, so they did a great job of preparing the food meticulously.
We ended the meal with large, attractive cappuccinos. We had been hoping to order gelato which Cucina Amore is known for, but we were too full. I don’t think I’ve ever turned down chocolate gelato in my entire life, so that just testifies to how satisfied we were from our dinner. But I do look forward to returning just to relax over coffee and dessert.

A quaint little restaurant that offers pizza by the slice, gelato and a casual dining experience. There are about 6 tables total, so not good for large groups, maybe 6 people at most. We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday night. We placed our order and waited almost 40 mins for our food. Our waiter looked overworked, perhaps they were short staffed this evening as he was serving all six tables, and attending to the cashier and the gelato customers.
We ordered two plates of the fettuccine Alfredo and calamari (by recommendation of Unilocal reviews). I thought the calamari was overrated. It was bland, there was a nice texture as the pieces of calamari were cut small and the batter was thin. The marina sauce that it was served with it was flavorful but the calamari itself just seemed like it came out of the freezer and fried up. For our entrees we ordered two plates of fettuccine Alfredo. We added pancetta to one and sun dried tomatoes to the other. You have the option to add a protein for an extra $ 3.99. The Alfredo sauce was bland, it lacked any salt and tasted of heavy cream and butter. I needed to add salt and craved some additional garlic. The noodles on the other hand were fresh and absolutely delish.
While service was a bit spotty, we were compensated by a plate of free garlic knots which are off the hook. Fresh out of the oven with the perfect amount of garlic and Italian seasoning. Totally worth ordering.
I will be back to try their other dishes, for sure the garlic knots.

Was in San Marcos over the weekend for a wedding and realized the number of restaurants/​things to do in San Marcos was sparce. However, we were happy with our decision to eat at Cucina Amore. Cucina Amore is a small casual restaurant, not necessarily a date night type of place or a large group type restaurant. However, they were very kind about accommodating 6 of us and moved a few of their small tables together. The pizza portions are extra large and have about 7 large slices. We ordered a few items and shared and it was a perfect amount for 6 girls. Garlic knots were on point! We were well attended to and had our waters refilled constantly.
Not a big deal, but the stove is in the same room as the eating area (like I said, small restaurant), so you’ll end up smelling like yummy Italian food when you leave. If that kind of thing bothers you, you might want to leave your dry clean clothes at home when you come eat here.
Oh! and just a tip, the sign outside says «Italian Ristorante», which may seem like it’s another business, but rest assured — it is Cucina Amore.

Had a holiday dinner here recently with a little Unilocal crew. Cucina Amore is a newly transformed local eatery in one of San Marcos Blvd’s strip malls. On a Sunday evening, we had no trouble securing a reservation in the cozy restaurant.
Garlic Knots, Caesar Salad, and Caprese were our starters, which were enough to pass around and be enjoyed by the four of us. The Caesar was my favorite, with humble croutons that were easy to nibble on and the right amount of dressing on the greens.
For our mains, we decided to have pizza, Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Eggplant Rollatini to share family-​style. With the exception of the pizza (a bit salty for my palette), every dish was savory and delicious.
We capped off the night with samples from the gelato bar, bringing plates of Tiramisu & Nutella Vanilla Cake (both good) back to the tables as we finished the last of our chummy laughs.
Regina and the staff accommodated us like VIPs until closing (thank you!). With decent Italian food, a welcoming atmosphere, and accessible location, Cucina Amore is a great place to dine at.

I love finding the small little restaurants, often hidden in a strip mall, industrial area, etc. They are like diamonds in the rough (sorry, Aladdin reference, seen too many Disney movies…).
I made reservations for our Holiday Party of 4, for Sunday night at 7. It turned out not to be necessary, because we were the only diners in the restaurant, and we closed the place down. But I knew that this was a small place, and didn’t want to take a chance. BSTS.
Regina was our server, and did a good job of keeping us happy, tolerating us like we were daffy tourists taking too many photos of everything. And we were, but that’s the Unilocal Disease, not our fault.
The garlic knots are amazing. We ordered some as an app, and they were gone quickly. More come with the pasta entrées, so we had some to take home. Carby goodness, definitely order them.
We ordered family style, with plenty of food to feed a Roman Army (in case some show up, like we are in a Doctor Who episode). She even had to add another table, just to hold the pizza.
The pizza was the all-​meat. It was good, but a little salty, probably because of the high concentration of cured meats.
We ordered a Caesar salad and a Caprese, both were good. I prefer the Caesar, because I don’t like raw tomatoes, and then the Caprese is just Moz and Basil. The Caesar was huge, plenty for the 4 of us to sample, and have a little more for seconds.
We ordered a Chicken Parm, an Eggplant Rollatini with penne in Vodka sauce, and an Alfredo-​like pasta with bacon (daily special, can’t remember the name). All were good, but I obviously didn’t try the Vodka-​sauced penne. We even had a little to take home.
Saving room for dessert, the girls tried the Tiramisu, and I had the Vanilla cake with Nutella (another Special). The cake was very good, rich and custardy. The girls seemed to enjoy the very rich, rummy Tiramisu.
I am eager to return, with my Mom, so she can try their Lasagna, as she is a true conniseur.
It is a little hard to spot, as the temporary banner signage says Italian Restaurant, and is left over from its incarnation as Knight’s Hood (because of its close proximity to San Marcos High…). Near Carl’s Jr, on the leg of the center before you get to the now defunct Haggen.

Stumbled upon this place on Unilocal and saw it had 5 stars, definitely wanted to check it out. My boyfriend and I came here for dinner Thursday night, and we can see why they have 5 stars! It was absolutely amazing! Without a doubt the best Italian food I’ve had, I already can’t wait to come back!
We started with the calamari; wow it was great. Very crunchy, and had such great flavor. After my boyfriend had the caesar salad and I had the caprese, we both enjoyed it very much. Both salads had 2 Garlic knots with it. I was extremely impressed with the caprese it was excellent I would definitely recommend; the mozzarella was so good and very fresh. After I had the pasta primavera and it was delicious, my boyfriend ordered the pollo parmigiana he loved it! He said it was the crispiest chicken he’s had, not soggy at all very good. We were also surprised to see more garlic knots with our pastas! Yum!
The service was great as well, the food was extremely delicious. The location I’d say is a bit odd but don’t let it scare you away! I can’t wait to come back and try more!
Also, the garlic knots are made fresh!

Located in a tiny strip mall, you could easily drive past this place and miss out on amazing Italian food! Say what?! Yup, you read that right!
Formerly known as «The Knights Hood», Cucina Amore is a fantastic addition to San Marcos. It’s cozy but don’t let that deter you!
Four of us dined there as a holiday treat and boy, we were treated to a fantastic meal. It wasn’t crowded at all. Regina was super accommodating.
We decided to order a bunch of food, share everything, and just keep eating! Mission accomplished!
We ordered two salads– caesar salad and caprese salad. I’m generally not a fan of caesar salad but this was delicious. Caprese salad was on point.
My dish was eggplant rollatini (minus the mushrooms). I haven’t had this since I left Brooklyn… and let me tell you, it was like I never left. I could close my eyes while eating and hear heavy Brooklyn accents in my head. My dish came with a side of ziti in a cream vodka sauce. I refrained from licking the plate… even though I really wanted to. I did sample the chicken parmigiana, meat pizza, and fettuccine alfredo.
The chicken parmigiana was my next favorite dish. It really was cooked perfectly. The fettuccine alfredo was enjoyable but the other two dishes were better. I wasn’t crazy about the pizza (surprise, surprise!). I say this all the time… I’m not a snob in real life, but when it comes to pizza, I am! I didn’t enjoy the crust or sauce.
Dessert was fantastic. We sampled gelato but opted to go for the tiramisu and nutella sponge cake.
The deliver (not sure about their distance) and they definitely do take out. I would absolutely eat here again!
Mangia!

You know, I really like it when you find great, little gems like this in rundown strip malls. Seeing tasty places that you wanna go back to, despite them being next to an old grocery store and/​or vacuum repair ship, kind of gives me hope that some shopping centers can be saved. And this is a great, little Italian Shop. Came here on an impromptu, family get together for dinner, and found this cute, clean place with great reviews and was not disappointed; good food, great service, and an all around nice dinner.
We started with an order of Garlic Knots. Typically, you would see these served drenched in salted butter, chunks of garlic sweetly caramelized across the top. I have to admit, I do prefer it that way, but the simple way it was served here, allowing the fresh dough to shine through with its own flavor and a sprinkle of basil, was quite tasty.
Next up was a Cesar Salad. The dressing was sweeter than I’m used to, making a nice change from the norm, with fresh croutons that made for a good precursor to dinner.
Our Pizza was the Sausage and Pepperoni; this was damn near perfect. Delicious crust, well tossed, a sweet burn on the bottom, and topped with a great spread of sauce and a lightly spicy sausage and salty, juicy pepperoni. Seriously, it was fantastic, best part of the night and something I recommend anyone to come and try, even for a quick take-​out.
We ended with a an Orange Cheesecake and Cannoli. Both were creamy, sweet, and the cheesecake had a good hint of citrus to it, not overwhelmed by with a fake orange taste. It was a good blend, very well done. Next time I come by, I’ll have to try their gelato. I’ve heard good things.
All in all, Cucina Amore is pretty good. Not the best I’ve ever had, though that pizza did shine, but definitely worth checking out if you’re nearby.

Cucina Amore is a decent Italian food option located in a small strip mall in San Marcos. This place has a bunch of positive Unilocal reviews, which is cool and made it worth a try. The service and friendliness factor is awesome with the server literally making sure that you have a positive dining experience. The location itself leaves a bit to be desired as it is essentially a small property located in an older strip mall. The inside is decorated nicely but the seating layout is a bit awkward when full on dining. For desserts and snacks it is a perfect layout. The food itself was average, but not great, perhaps I hit them on a bad night? Had chicken parm and some lasagna, both actually had decent flavoring but were significantly overcooked. The lasagna’s bottom layer was burnt (literally black and hard) and the sauce was a tad bit bland. The chicken parm was a large portion but again overcooked, dry and also had a bland sauce. I will give a big shoutout to the garlic knots, which are extremely delicious when fresh and hot but unfortunately half of mine were cold which just made them taste like dry bread. Overall, this place is not bad, but it does leave a bit to be desired, especially for the price.
Pros–
Portions
Fantastic service
Menu
Delicious Desserts
Tons of Parking
Gelato
Hot garlic knots
Cons–
Bland sauce
Overcooked
Quality to price ratio
Odd seating layout
House salad was not good
Cold garlic knots
No fountain drinks

Had to come here before my groupon expired, because I kept forgetting I had it. Decided to try out the Pollo Parmigiana for lunch, with a Tiramisu for dessert. I didn’t make it to the dessert until I went home and took a break, since the main entrée was big enough for two people. After I ordered my food, I sat down and was given a big bottle of water, a cup, and my soda. A few minutes later came a pair of garlic knots, which I thought were like the bread they give you at some restaurants as a pre meal snack. I ate one, it was pretty good. It had kind of a cheesy buttery taste to it, even though it didn’t have any cheese on it.
When my meal came, I was surprised to see 2 more garlic knots flanking my pasta dish. The pollo parmigiana was good, it reminded me of an Italian spiced chicken fried steak, but with chicken, and topped with mozzarella cheese. The breading wasn’t too thick like a chicken fried steak though. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the sauce was really good. It had a fresh tomato taste, bright and tangy, and not sweet like most of the sauces you buy in the store.
The Tiramisu I didn’t get to until I got home and let the lunch digest, and I wanted some coffee to go with it. It was really creamy with what tasted like a mascarpone cream custard, and a pronounced coffee flavor in the lady finger layers. Eat this with a cup of coffee, it makes it twice as good! I wanted to try the gelato, since I heard they were featured on a local news station about it.
The staff was really friendly, always checking up to make sure you don’t need anything. They also have a lunch special, 2 slices of pizza and a beer for just under 8 bucks. Everything I tasted was really good, and I’ll have to come back for that pizza special and the gelato.

Authentic! Great service, amazing food, generous portions, to die for gelato. Need I say more?
Chicken parm is perfection. Try the almond cookies, great for a cheat day!