The owner of Landini’s Pizza is getting ready to open a new concept in the former home of Iron Pig Alehouse in Pacific Beach, located at 1520 Garnet Ave.
Earlier this week, owner Leo Landini applied for a liquor license for something called Chaparral but quickly pointed out to What Now San Diego that it will not be called that. He wasn’t able to provide additional details. SanDiegoVille reports the new concept will be called Slowly Bar & Restaurant and is expected to open in Summer 2024. The restaurant will likely feature a seafood-based menu with sustainably driven ingredients, as well as a variety of alcoholic options.
While not much is known about the new concept, other than it will offer delicious food and likely a handful of craft cocktails, Slowly Bar & Restaurant will move into a familiar area for Landini, who owns Scuderie Italia across the street. SanDiegoVille reports that Landini will bring on Spencer Hays as the new restaurant’s executive chef. Before this, Hays worked at NYC’s Le Bernardin, a three-Michelin-star French seafood restaurant from Eric Ripert.
As for Landini, he has spent the last two decades perfecting his craft in Italian cuisine, starting with his work at Trattoria La Strada, which was once considered one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the Gaslamp. Following this, he took over Little Italy’s Pizzeria Luigi and turned it into his namesake concept. Eventually, he added a full-service restaurant called Ristorante Illando above Lanidini’s Pizza. He began to open other concepts throughout San Diego, including a small-scale eatery inside Point Loma’s Liberty Public Market. The successful business owner is now focusing on Pacific Beach again, hoping to revitalize the former home of Salsa & Smoke in a few months.
