The new concept comes from Sicilian-born local chef and restaurateur Vincenzo Loverso, whose portfolio includes downtown’s Greystone Steakhouse and Osteria Panevino, as well as Vincenzo Cucina and Lounge in Little Italy, where cheese wheel pasta and Aperol spritzes take center stage. Romanella promises an upscale yet family-friendly take on Italian dining, with promotional material teasing the tagline, “from Roma with love,” and describing the restaurant as a place “where every night feels like a celebration.” A menu has not yet been released, but pasta, hearty entrees, and traditional Roman-inspired flavors are expected.
Loverso has built a long résumé in San Diego dining since relocating from New Jersey, where he first ran Grotta Azzurra. His ventures here have spanned from classic steakhouses to flashy Italian lounges, and Romanella is the latest in a string of openings, closings, and retools. The group behind these projects has developed a reputation in San Diego for frequently refreshing concepts and turning over spaces - a pattern that has drawn both curiosity and some skepticism in the city’s restaurant scene. Still, the team’s ability to repeatedly launch ambitious new restaurants keeps them at the center of the ever-evolving local dining conversation.
Romanella Cucina Romana will open Wednesday, October 2, at 3055 Clairemont Drive in San Diego’s Bay Park neighborhood. For more information, follow @romanellasd on Instagram.
Originally published on September 25, 2025.
