When Ciccia Ostera opened in Barrio Logan—a neighborhood where taco shops outnumber trattorias* approximately 5,000-to-one—it felt, to some, a bit out-of-place. But after six years, it’s safe to say chef-owner Mario Cassineri’s brand of homey, high-quality Italian cuisine is exactly where it should be—not lost among piles of inferior pastas in Little Italy, not glossed over by diners more interested in taking a picture of their food than devouring it. In fact, Cassineri’s done so well with Ciccia—ranked in SDM’s “Best Restaurants” list for years and recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand—that he’s ready to expand with the help of his partner Massimiliano “Max” Farina (Bice Ristorante).
They’re opening a pizza restaurant three doors down (2215 Logan Ave.), hopefully by the end of the year.
Right now, he only has the second half of the name, “By Ciccia,” but does have a vision for the concept. The pizzas will fall somewhere between thin, soft Neapolitan; and the similarly thin, but stiffer Milanese —what Cassineri calls “my style.” He’ll probably add some Sicilian crust options as well, plus a few sides, appetizers, and anything that complements the primary prerogative: pizza.
“It’s not going to be an Italian restaurant,” he explains.
Like Ciccia, the space will have a large front patio with around 60 seats, about 2,000-square-feet. Eventually, he hopes to add backyard-style seating, and one day, an omakase concept a la Pizzeria Sei in Los Angeles.
Over the past six years, Cassineri has seen Barrio Logan become a dining destination with national recognition. But it’s the longtime customers and locals who have supported him since before it was cool that he credits to Ciccia’s success, and what fuels his determination to continue investing in the neighborhood.
“I believe in the neighborhood,” he says. “This is the reason why I prefer to [open] here, close to my restaurant instead [of going] somewhere else. We’re going to create something like Ciccia. Something unique, but authentic.”
*Yes, I know there’s a difference between a trattoria and osteria. Let me lean into my alliteration habit!
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Go Plastic-Free This July (And Really, For As Long As You Can)
Apparently we all have a spoonful of plastic in our brains, which is… alarming, to say the least. Given that gross stat, reducing, reusing, and recycling feel fairly important. In the local brewery world, The San Diego Brewcycling Collaborative (SDBC) helps with those efforts. This year, they’ve launched Plastic Free July with a new initiative—the BrewSCRAPS Transportation Pilot Program. The goal: divert hard-to-recycle materials like plastic shrink wrap and malt bags from the landfill. On board with the movement are places like Pizza Port Brewing, The Roadies Brewing Company, Barley & Sword, AleSmith, and many more. You can hear from each partner about why they’re participating in this short documentary, or you can join the movement by checking out the nonprofit group’s goals here.
Beth’s Bites
- After a 20-plus year hiatus behind the pottery wheel, I recently signed up for an introduction to clay throwing at Tao of Clay in Barrio Logan. Little did I know my artistic endeavors would fatefully crash into my foodie sensibilities when I saw the space is hosting an experiential studio dinner on Sunday, July 13. Chef Lay Alston (Yaya’s Crib) brings her goal of making kitchens (and the world at large) accessible spaces by using a fish- and vegetable-forward, Japanese-inspired menu as the culinary medium in the creative hub. Seats are limited, but in true community art studio fashion, each one comes with a handmade ceramic plate for each guest to take home.
- Comic-Con is coming, and with it the avalanche of parties, pop-ups, and activations spread across the city. As a writer, I’ve always been interested in the more behind-the-scenes people in pop culture, and I was excited to see that the Emmy Award-winning Bill Oakley (The Simpsons, Portlandia, Futurama) will be jamming around San Diego for at least two special events, his “An American Culinary Curiosity Dinner.” On Tuesday, July 15, catch him at Ponyboy at The Pearl Hotel for a five-course feast and storytelling event, or head to Ballast Point Brewing on Wednesday, July 16 for more laughs and libations. Or, if you’re feeling particularly curious about the wonderful world of American regional cuisine, nobody’s stopping you from going to both.
- I audibly giggled when I heard about the new ice cream concept Scoopy Scoopy. It’s fun to say! And it sounds delicious to boot. I’d expect nothing less from Sam the Cooking Guy’s progeny. Catch the new scoop shop at Bump Coffee’s two locations in Cardiff and Leucadia when the clock moves from coffee time to treat time. (That is, at 3:30 p.m.)
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