Garbatella Osteria Brings Roman Cuisine to South San Diego County

January 26, 2023

Now in San Diego’s South District is the Garbatella Osteria, a 200-seat, Roman-style bar-restaurant run by seasoned restaurateurs.

Garbatella Osteria is owned by two husband and wife duos, Antonio Luiu and Diana Gonzalez, as well as Saul Plata and Karelma Rodriguez. After three decades of operating restaurants in Mexico and Canada, this is their first concept in the US. Garbatella Osteria Bar, located in downtown Rancho Otay, is a 206-seat restaurant with a full bar, event space, outdoor patio and an Italian café. It features an imported Italian wood-fired pizza oven, private wine lockers and frequent live music performances. The menu will reflect the true Italian experience and dishes Chef Antonio Luiu grew up with. Luio-Gonzalez and Plata-Rodriguez chose Otay Ranch in Chula Vista for their first U.S. restaurant, sixth overall, due to a strong sense of community. Otay Ranch Town Center is perfect.

“Garbatella is the area in Rome where I lived after moving from Sardinia,” Chef Antonio explained. “Translating our name from Italian to English – ‘Garbata’ means ‘modest’ and ‘Bella’ means ‘beautiful’ – seems like the right choice for our new home here in Chula Vista.”

The Garbatella Osteria menu will include dishes such as Parmesan fondue, lasagna della garbata, classic carbonara and Antonello pizza with giant prawns. The traditional Neapolitan pizza oven will be operated by pizzaiolo who have come from Italy and have been trained in it. In addition to the nightly dinner, Garbatella Osteria will also offer breakfast and lunch, a high quality Italian coffee program, pastries and bread from the café.

Garbatella Osteria is located at 2015 Birch Road in Chula Vista, South San Diego County. For more information, visit garbatellaosteria.com.