Cesarina Group announced a new concept in the works in the Ocean Beach neighborhood this week. The restaurant group recently leased a restaurant space on Point Loma Boulevard previously occupied by BO-beau Kitchen + bar to introduce its next eatery, Elvira.
The team behind Cesarina Ristorante, a Michelin Bib Gourmand designated restaurant, includes husband-and-wife duo Niccolò Angius and Cesarina Mezzoni, and longtime friend Giuseppe Capasso.
The three Italians-turned-San Diegans continue to invest in the Ocean Beach/Point Loma neighborhood and home of its flagship restaurant, Cesarina. The team had planned to open a Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant called Angelo in a nearby space but have postponed the project.
While an official menu is still in progress, Elvira will feature traditional Roman cuisine like handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and seasonal dishes. The restaurant will also feature a private dining area named Cucina di La Nonna, inspired by Niccolò’s great-grandmother and the namesake of the restaurant.
“My great-grandmother was a self-made woman—incredibly independent and fueled by passion despite the lack of opportunities afforded to women in the early 1900s,” Niccolò Angius shares in a press release. “The kitchen was her happy place, and food was her love language.”
Cucina di La Nonna will model the late Elvira’s dining room for family-style meals, with room for 8 diners surrounded by an assortment of vintage items, offbeat decor, and the classic China cabinet displaying mismatched dinnerware.
At the bar, guests can partake in classic Italian spirits like grappa and amaro, and wines from the Lazio region of Central Italy on draft.
Italian architecture and interior design firm Limes Architetti will renovate the 2,400 square-foot space, maintaining the location’s neighborhood charm while bringing together Elvira’s theme of Roman simplicity and family tradition. Art renderings of the space show wood-paneled walls, earthy colors, retro fixtures, and family photos adorning the walls.
Elvira will reportedly debut in late Summer 2023. Get to know Cesarina Group by visiting the official website of Cesarina Ristorante.
