San Diego’s beloved Little Italy institution, Filippi's Pizza Grotto, now counts locations throughout the area. The original India Street restaurant was opened by Italian immigrant Vincent DePhilippis and his French wife, Madeleine, in 1950. This location remains a trip through time, as you first walk through an jam-packed Italian grocery to a dimly lighted back dining room area with red checked tablecloths and Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling and serving as candle holders. His descendants still own and operate the restaurants, which feature thick, loaded pizzas and simple, traditional pastas with a wondrous marinara sauce. Try the Special pizza with mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, black olives, onions and meatballs. Pastas and other entrées include lasagna, rigatoni, linguini with clams, and veal or eggplant Parmesan. Minestrone soup and meatball sandwiches are other highlights. Try the spumoni or cheesecake for dessert. Voted Best Italian Restaurant in the 2007 San Diego Union-Tribune readers poll. Beer and wine available. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Hours vary by location.