Buona Forchetta To Open Coronado Location | Garage Buona Forchetta Coming To San Diego In 2019

October 26, 2017

Buona Forchetta's San Diego expansion continues! The Italian pizza house and restaurant, which first opened in the South Park neighborhood in 2013, will take over the space currently occupied by El Cordova Garage in Coronado for the opening of Garage Buona Forchetta.

We recently announced that Buona Forchetta had secured a space two doors down from the original South Park location for the opening of Enoteca Buona Forchetta, an Italian bodega, bistro and wine bar. This is in addition to operating the flagship restaurant, a somewhat new Liberty Station outpost of the Officine Buona Forchetta offshoot, and working on the construction of a second Officine coming soon to Encinitas.

Buona Forchetta owner Matteo Cattaneo

Buona Forchetta husband-and-wife founders Matteo and Alexa Cattaneo live in Coronado with their two daughters, so a Coronado location makes perfect sense, as it was a desire to have traditional Italian food in their neighborhood that spawned the birth of the flagship South Park outpost when the couple lived in that neighborhood. When Kleege Enterprises approached him with the corner space on C Street, Matteo envisioned a new life for the historic car dealership, which most recently had been operating as an auto body repair shop.

"Living in and eventually opening a restaurant in Coronado has always been my dream, and I’m excited to have found the right space," explained Matteo. "My whole family lives on the island, and it’s my hope to make Garage Buona Forchetta the heart of our community, all while supporting our local schools and charities."

The former El Cordova Garage at 1000 C Avenue Matteo will work with local neighbors to preserve and enhance the 1940s-era, 5,000 square-foot structure as the space is redesigned into Garage Buona Forchetta. There will be a kid's area like at the Liberty Station branch, a custom Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, and sidewalk improvements that include additional trees and greenery, and eventually, an outdoor patio.

Originally built in 1946 as the Dodge/Plymouth dealership of Coronado, Matteo is enlisting the help of Ruland Design Group, who oversaw the transformations of both Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station, and the upcoming Buona Forchetta in Encinitas. Restoring the historic space, Principal Audrey Ruland plans to unpack the nearly 80-years of history, utilizing artifacts and décor currently stored inside the building for her buildout of Garage Buona Forchetta. The corner location boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that curve along with the street and will display Buona Forchetta’s iconic vintage pizza truck in the window, a nod to the Plymouth De Luxe and Dodge Coronet’s that once graced the showroom. Inside, the 2,900-square-foot space will accommodate approximately 150 diners, with custom-made chairs, tables, and finishes throughout the space that fuse the traditional with the unexpected, offering plenty of visual surprises for visitors to sink their teeth into.

Garage Buona Forchetta’s menu will be helmed by Master Pizzaiolo Marcello Avitabile and long-time Buona pizzaiolo Luca Zamboni. While Marcello will focus on his signature Neapolitan-style pies, Luca will be introducing a new pizza Romana and Teglia pie to the offerings. Characterized by a more weighty, crispy crust, this new Roman-style pie will include traditional and chef-inspired toppings, while Teglia pizza distinguishes itself by its square shape, which is sold by the pound and cut using specialized scissors. Diners can also expect a full line-up of Italian entrees that include pastas, calzones, entrees and a selection of antipasti dishes. Matteo's mother will continue to make the classic Italian desserts that patrons have come to know and love. An onsite bodega will also operate inside the restaurant, offering beach-goers and weekend cooks the opportunity to grab pre-made dishes or freshly made pastas and ingredients to-go.

Garage Buona Forchetta is not anticipated to open until 2019. Matteo and family hope to slow down expansion efforts once Coronado is up and running so that they may enjoy the fruits of their labor. For more information on Buona Forchetta, visit buonaforchettasd.com.