San Diego's nearly 70 year-old red sauce Italian food destination Nicolosi's is in the process of opening a new location in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, taking over the space that long housed De Medici Ristorante Italiano.
Sicily-native Salvatore Nicolosi opened the original Nicolosi's as a bakery in 1952 in the Mission Hills District before moving it to 40th and El Cajon Boulevard in 1954. In 1991, ownership moved Nicolosi's to Adobe Falls and Waring Roads because the Interstate 15 construction project developed through their former restaurant. Under third generation ownership, the restaurant moved for a third time to its current location at 7005 Navajo Road near Cowles Mountain. Earlier this year, a "ghost kitchen" outpost of Nicolosi's opened within the new Barrio Food Hub in Barrio Logan.
Sicily-native Salvatore Nicolosi opened the original Nicolosi's as a bakery in 1952 in the Mission Hills District before moving it to 40th and El Cajon Boulevard in 1954. In 1991, ownership moved Nicolosi's to Adobe Falls and Waring Roads because the Interstate 15 construction project developed through their former restaurant. Under third generation ownership, the restaurant moved for a third time to its current location at 7005 Navajo Road near Cowles Mountain. Earlier this year, a "ghost kitchen" outpost of Nicolosi's opened within the new Barrio Food Hub in Barrio Logan.
Nicolosi's will soon open a new restaurant dubbed Nicolosi's Fifth Avenue within the space occupied by De Medici Ristorante Italiano from 1995 until it closed earlier this year. The restaurant will have an urban design with rustic brick walls, a 30 foot bar with, a private dining room, and an outdoor patio overlooking the bustle of the Gaslamp. Like the original, the new eatery will serve a menu of "red sauce Italian" dishes, including scratch-made ravioli, hand-tossed pizzas, baked pastas, hot & cold sandwiches, salads, and classic entrees like eggplant Parmigiana, chicken Marsala, and linguine with clams. The new location will also have a full bar with cocktails, beer and wine.
Nicolosi's Fifth Avenue is expected to open as early as April 1 at 815 5th Avenue in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. For more information, visit nicolosis.com and check out the menu below.
