Enoteca Adriano, a beloved Italian staple found in Pacific Beach at 4864 Cass Street, is getting ready to change ownership.
Francesco Tassone has owned and operated the restaurant since its inception in 2009. Now, Tassone will pass ownership of the restaurant to another Italian-born chef, Giuseppe Ciuffa, starting November 2024, according to SanDiegoVille. The new owner plans to preserve the restaurant’s legacy while making small adjustments with a few new menu items and subtle design updates. While Ciuffi intends to add minor changes, he plans to keep the restaurant and its menu unchanged.
This is a massive accomplishment for Ciuffi, who moved to San Diego in 1998 before purchasing Come On In! Café. After he sold his stake in the cafe, the Italian chef launched Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering in 2001. In the 18 years it was operating, Ciuffi opened a handful of restaurants in San Diego, including Bottega Americano in San Diego’s East Village. While that restaurant closed in 2018, Ciuffi still operates a handful of other restaurants in San Diego, including Caroline’s Seaside Café at the Scripps Forum, Candor, and Giuseppe’s at The Conrad. When he takes over Enoteca Adriano, he will spend half the year living in Italy, where he plans to open Gnocchi Franco, a gnocchi-focused restaurant in Peschiera on Lago del Garda near Verona.
“Enoteca Adriano is a unique yet casual place modeled after the Enoteca’s of Italy that is at the center of Italian culture,” according to the company’s website. “Diners can experiment with ancient Indigenous varieties like Aglianico or try Italy’s old-world take on familiar varietals such as Cabernet, paired with tempting antipasti, the famous fresh Burrata, seasonal salads, distinctive soups, savory pasta dishes, and delectable desserts. Whether you are looking for a romantic evening or a casual meeting with friends and family, the patio piazza makes Enoteca Adriano a must-stop for anyone in San Diego, residents and tourists alike.”
