Sauced Pizzeria, the family-friendly Italian spot at 4475 Ingraham St in San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood, has new ownership. State filings show Happy Slice Inc, led by Halla Azo, took over the license on September 8, transferring from Sauced Pizzeria LLC, run by Christina Lynn Cunningham since 2022.
The address carries a long history in Pacific Beach dining. Cunningham opened Sauced Pizzeria in late 2021 after taking over the space from Marino’s Italian Restaurant, which had operated there for nearly 70 years under the Marino and Murino families before Cunningham connected with outgoing owner Mark Murino during the sale. Under Cunningham and her nephew, executive chef Chad Fields, Sauced built its own following, known for hand tossed pizzas, a one pound sausage lasagna slab, hand rolled meatballs and a full vegan menu alongside its traditional Italian dishes, plus a cult favorite garlic breadstick the kitchen calls Breadstick Dust.
Azo confirmed to What Now San Diego that the ownership change will be effective through September 15, and said there are no plans to make any changes to the restaurant going forward.
Pacific Beach’s dining strip has a reputation for long running Italian spots, with nearby Filippi’s Pizza Grotto standing as another neighborhood institution along the same corridor. Sauced has leaned into that same old school Italian identity, with live piano music on Friday nights and a menu built around hearty, family style portions.
