Mama n’ Papa’s Pizza Grotto / 988 Civic Center Drive Vista, CA 92083

We first discovered this gem in 2006 when my work transferred me to Vista. It quickly became the go to Italian restaurant throughout our time spent in this area until 2012.  

It’s hard to pick just one favorite dish. The meat sauce for the lasagna has deep, rich flavor notes. The bread is fresh, soft with just the right amount of crunch. Add butter or just dip in the meat or marinara sauce and that alone could be my meal. Pizza crust is not too thin and has a mild sweet flavor. Add in the toppings, sauce and cheese and that has been my meal many times over. Ravioli with the meatball, my oh my. Not sure if they still make their meatballs huge, but I do remember they were pretty darn large, absolutely delicious meatballs. I always wondered what the heck their secret ingredient was. My daughter loves them.

My only complaint is I wish I lived closer so we could eat here more often! These pictures are from the last trip in May 2021. We did dine inside with a limited seating capacity.

The people here were always very welcoming to my daughter and I and made us feel like family. One of the many reasons why we will keep coming back.