The owners of Il Dandy in San Diego's Bankers Hill have announced they are rebranding the year-old eatery into Civico By The Park, a second iteration of their popular Little Italy restaurant.
Last year, we broke the news that the family behind Little Italy's popular Civico 1845 had plans for a new restaurant concept in San Diego's Bankers Hill community. The upscale "Calabria meets San Diego" fusion restaurant named Il Dandy opened in May 2019 at the cost of $3 million and was launched in partnership with father-and-son chefs behind a Michelin Star awarded Italy-based eatery.
"We have exciting news in this unfamiliar time," wrote Il Dandy owners on a post to the company's social media. "While we are incredibly passionate about the beautiful things we have created at Il Dandy & Arama, we’ve made the decision to put the project on hold. My brother and I have decided, after 5 solid years in Little Italy, we will be expanding Civico 1845, bringing the same authentic experience you've grown to love to Bankers Hill. We invite you to Civico By The Park. Big news about our new concept and menu in the following days."
The founding family behind Little Italy's Civico 1845 and the incoming Civico By The Park consists of Eugenio and brothers Dario & Pietro Gallo, who all hail from the city of Cosenza in the Calabria region of Southern Italy. For Il Dandy, they partnered with father and son chefs Antonio and Luca Abbruzzino of Ristorante Abbruzzino, who operated the first spot from Italy’s Calabria region to be awarded a Michelin star. Il Dandy was built in the nearly 7,000 square foot of ground floor space in the iconic Mister A's building. The eatery also operated a 6-seat "restaurant within a restaurant" called Arama which offered two servings per evening with a 12-course price fixed menu featuring upscale Calabrian dishes.
Word on the street was Il Dandy was not performing to expectation. Chefs Antonio and Luca Abbruzzino will not be part of the incoming Civico By The Park, which is expected to open as early as July 1 at 2550 5th Avenue, Suite 120, in San Diego's Bankers Hill. Like the Little Italy location, expect southern Italian cuisine with an entire menu devoted to vegan dishes. The restaurant is also now partnering with Italy-based Pizzasnella Corrado Di Marco, one of the originators of pinsa Romana, a square style of pizza originated in Rome that is also know as pizza in teglia. Civico By The Park will be the first restaurant in San Diego recognized with the Certificate "Originale Pinsa Romana".
This is a developing story. We will update this post as we learn more.
This is a developing story. We will update this post as we learn more.
