Matteo is pure heart and deliciousness
Matteo is a non-profit restaurant from the Buona Forchetta family
Neighborhood: South Park
Price: $-$
Vibe: Beautiful open-concept restaurant and bakery with seating inside and out. This warm and energetic neighborhood joint just feels like home with a bit of an edge. Dine here on Sunday mornings with a DJ spinning great music.
I love the South Park neighborhood of San Diego. This charming urban neighborhood is home to some fantastic restaurants in San Diego (a couple of really great vegan restaurants which we will blog about later!), not to mention some of the coolest indie boutiques and vintage stores in the city. Situated in the heart of the ‘hood’ is Matteo, a beautiful open concept eatery with a little market inside, in case you want to take home some homemade Bolognese sauce and fresh pasta for later. The staff at Matteo just bubble with warmth and smiles, and immediately make you feel happy you stopped in. And did I mention that it’s a nonprofit restaurant from the Buona Forchetta family, with 100% of the profits benefiting community-based charities and causes? I haven’t even gotten to the food yet, and already, I love it here.
Love the indoor/outdoor vibe of this amazing spot
Patio seating outside is perfect for San Diego weather, and you can bring your furry friend
To make things even more amazing, the food is just fabulous at Matteo! The menu focuses on breakfast dishes and Italian baked goods — so try the bread! Do it, you won’t be sorry.
As I tend to do at a new restaurant, I asked our friendly waiter what dishes he likes best and I’m SO glad I did. Though, based on our first meal here, I don’t think there is a bad item on this menu, I’ll let you know, because I plan to go back as soon as possible. Here’s what we tried during our first brunch excursion at this lovely spot:
Breakfast combo
One of the recommended dishes was the Breakfast Combo which is perfect for someone that wants a little of everything for breakfast. Served with homemade sausage and fresh fluffy pancakes, even the potatoes were flavorful with fresh herbs and rosemary. This was a big hit at our table as half the group got this option!
Porchetta panini
The dish that I ordered was another recommendation by our fabulous sever - the Porchetta Panini. The focaccia bread and the porchetta were both made in-house — I cannot recommend this enough, try the baked goods here. Just, wow! The panini was served with arugula, provola cheese and fresh sliced tomatoes. I don’t think pictures can do this panini justice because there isn’t really a way to capture the deliciousness of these ingredients in an image.
Not only did we love our food and enjoy the indie vibe of the South Park neighborhood, but there is also something so special about this being a restaurant 100% dedicated to giving back the community. A huge kudos to the Buona Forchetta family for this thoughtful and truly enjoyable experience, and for doing something we don’t see often enough — showing love for your city and the people in it.