Buona Forchetta Brings Its Magic to North County

North County residents who have been driving to South Park for years to get their pizza and pasta fix at Buona Forchetta will be overjoyed to know that the Italian restaurant is now up and running in Encinitas. Open from noon to 3 p.m. for lunch and starting at 4:30 for dinner, every day except Tuesdays, the new spot on Highway 101 is cozy, just 1,100-square-feet with a small side patio; in the kitchen, beyond a glass partition, sits the eatery’s now-iconic, gold-tiled pizza oven.

In consideration of his regular customers, owner Matteo Cattaneo has kept the menu in line with the South Park location; all of the longtime favorites are here, along with some additional seafood dishes. Cattaneo, who just opened a new wine bar and market in South Park, has a very full plate. Next up is another eatery in the former Rebecca’s Coffee House space, an all-day cafe opening by early 2019 that will run as a foundation, with proceeds going to local non profit organizations, and a large-scale restaurant called Garage Buona Forchetta that will open in Coronado next summer serving both Neapolitan and Roman pizza styles and featuring an all-day cafe, bakery, and market component.