Mangia Mangia Deli

I admit I don't eat Italian food too often, due to the rich creamy sauces and cheese that accompany it BUT Mangia Mangia is worth it! This business was originally just a food truck, but a very darn good one at that! My favorite item was their Mangia Burger! They still have the food truck traveling around town all week but I'm oh so happy that they have a permanent deli location off Clairemont Mesa Blvd. The downside is that it's only open for weekday lunch! Luckily for me, I work nearby!

Mangia Mangia Deli - Sign

This deli is actually a bit hard to find on your first try. Since my coworkers got lost as well, here are some extra directions. From Clairemont Mesa Blvd, you turn onto Industrial Park Driveway, which has a stoplight, and drive north past a few business buildings until you see Societe Brewery on the left and a big blueish purple flag as above on the right. Take a right turn into the lot immediately after that flag (not before) and at the very back of that lot, you'll see the second flag! The deli is in this corner with the door on the left!

Mangia Mangia Deli - Counter

Besides their regular menu, they also have daily specials posted on their sideboard. The deli itself has no seating inside. People pretty much take everything to-go, very similar to their food trucks.

Mangia Mangia Deli - special outdoor seating table decorations

I wanted to come here with the lunch crew and the owner Marko offered to set up a table for us outside (thanks to coworker Bob for organizing this). There was even a large shady tent above the table to keep us out of the sun! I also thought the centerpieces were cute. It happened to be a beautiful day out too and the breezy peaceful shade was the perfect ambiance for a weekday lunch. You can see the tent and table out back if you look at the first picture of this review.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Italian Lollipops

To start, we ordered some appetizers family style. This is their famous Italian Lollipop, which is a meatball fried in dough on a stick! It's absolutely delicious and served with their fantastic house marinara sauce.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Panzanella

The Panzanella(?) meat was good too, with minimal saltiness and very fresh feel. I liked the mini spicy rub on the edges.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Bruschetta

The Bruschetta bread had a little crunch without being too hard but I would have liked the tomatoes a little more firm. This was a typical implementation to me so I rate it average.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Fried Mozzarella

The Fried Mozzarella was lightly breaded and fried with an excellent crust. More of the delicious house marinara sauce was drizzled on top with parmesan cheese and basil. I'd love to order it again.

Mangia Mangia Deli - BBQ Short Rib Lasagna

The Beef Short Rib Lasagna had meat that was already shredded into the layers and the sweeter glaze on top made this a really unique lasagna taste that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Spaghetti and Meatballs

The Spaghetti and Meatballs were wonderful with the same marinara sauce as before and the addition of well seasoned meatball chunks. The noodles were cooked just right too. It tells a lot about the chef if they do well with the basics AND the complex recipes.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Mahi Mahi Pasta

I didn't really care for the Mahi Mahi Pasta special of the day because I couldn't taste much of the fish. They were tiny pieces and buried in the noodles. I've never been a fan of seafood pastas though. My coworkers thought it was relatively good.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Pizza Burger

We cut our burgers into fourths for sharing. This one was the Pizza Burger. The beef was juicy moist and the cheesy marinara sauce combo on top gave it a distinct taste for a burger. The thick buns were toasted nicely and held up really well.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Mangia Burger

By the time I got around to the Mangia Burger, I was pretty full and it wasn't hot anymore. From previous experience though, this one packs lots of flavor into one bundle and I'd definitely recommend this!

Mangia Mangia Deli - Pesto Fries

These are the Pesto Fries. They were thin and crispy with a good flavor.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Sundried Tomato Fries

I think these are the Sundried Tomato Fries. You'd get a good chunk of tomato flavor with the red bits but I preferred the pesto ones a little more.

Mangia Mangia Deli - Cannoli and Tiramisu

One of my coworkers had a birthday that week and Marko generously brought out some desserts to celebrate, even though the coworker had *just* left to get back to work. The Tiramisu had a cold, almost icy cream layer inside which I enjoyed with the rest of the fluffy creamy cake! The guys ate the Cannoli and reported them as yummy.

Everyone was pleased with the food and service and they claimed that it was THE BEST LUNCH in two years! The lunch crew goes out about once a week so that's quite a bold statement! I give a big thumbs up to Marko and his staff, who make it a priority to please the customers! They also do catering which I bet is fantastic! Looks like we'll be back for more another day!

NOTE: Food is typically served in a styrofoam to-go box so the presentation of these dishes may differ from your food.

Mangia Mangia Deli
8360 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Ste 112
San Diego CA 92111
(858) 405-0070

Share this post on...

Comments

Faye's picture
Submitted by Faye (not verified) on Fri, 03/14/2014 - 9:46am

Oh this place looks great! I've heard of them but wasn't really into the whole food truck craze. I will have to visit them at this location (thanks for the details on how to get there too).

Fried meatball on a stick?! Sold! Was it expensive?

Did they serve the food that day on regular plates b/c it was your co worker's bday?

lynn's picture
Submitted by lynn on Fri, 03/14/2014 - 12:58pm

The Italian Lollipops (fried meatball on a stick) were $6.

We had talked with the manager about bringing a larger group who preferred sit-down so he offered the table setup to accommodate. Once there, I had suggested family style for sharing and tasting so maybe that's how we got the bigger plates! Fantastic host and full of fun stories too!

Mary's picture
Submitted by Mary (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2014 - 8:50am

I've seen this food truck before but haven't ever stopped there. The pesto fries sound totally amazing and different to me - I'd definitely love to try that and the "lollipops". Clairemont isn't super far for lunch, so hopefully I can make it down for a lunch sometime. Great find!

lynn's picture
Submitted by lynn on Fri, 03/28/2014 - 3:01pm

Definitely try it! My coworker is already planning another group trip in april for a couple of new people to experience.

Barbara's picture
Submitted by Barbara (not verified) on Mon, 03/31/2014 - 12:05pm

I had no idea they had a location as well as a food truck. Those pesto and sun-dried tomato fries look bomb!

lynn's picture
Submitted by lynn on Tue, 04/01/2014 - 11:39am

Their food truck menu is much smaller so the deli gives you a chance to try some other foods. Pretty much everything I've tasted by them is really good!

Add new comment