OCEAN BEACH — Ocean Beach has long been a prime destination for dining and entertainment, with new venue options popping up regularly — offering something for just about every age group and price range. One of the newest additions to the community is Ciao Bella Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria. Owned by the Mezzetti family, which is also is behind a Pacific Beach favorite — Mama Mia — Ciao Bella was originally a La Mesa eatery. The restaurant relocated to Ocean Beach in March. The restaurant made an immediate splash in the area, not only for its food, but also for the premises. Designed to replicate a dining experience in Italy, Ciao Bella captured the design award for Best Themed Remodel at the 2010 Ocean Beach MainStreet Association awards in October. Ciao Bella places emphasis on an intimate, Old World-style dining experience, featuring a range of Italian dishes, including 26 varieties of pizza to choose from. However, on Sundays the venue amps up the energy a bit with La Domenica Italiana — an evening of music, food and camaraderie. “It’s very casual, very OB-style, but it’s also like being in Italy,” said Francesco Mezzetti. Mezzetti has been in the restaurant business for decades, he said. One can hear his pride for Ciao Bella in the enthusiasm of his voice. He said he’s kept Ciao Bella as authentically Italian as possible, even hiring Italian artists to paint the building’s interior. The same holds true for Ciao Bella’s entertainment, which is provided by Italian singer and guitarist Daniele Spadavecchia, a recent transplant to the area. Spadavecchia relocated here after a stay in New Orleans, finding himself in San Diego post-Hurricane Katrina. “It took me four months to get this guy,” Mezzetti said. “He’s a real talent and in demand at a lot of places like the Little Italy restaurants. He does a wonderful job with Old School Italian songs. Of course, he mixes other things in and he has a few of his own, but mostly he plays tunes that everyone knows like ‘Volare.’” Spadavecchia is adept at everything from Pachabel’s “Canon in D” to Dick Dale’s “Miserlou,” his music lending Ciao Bella even more of a sense of authenticity. Mezzetti notes that patrons often join in for a sing-a-long. “People go nuts,” Mezzetti said. “(Daniele) brings the energy. Put that along with the ambience and the food, people go crazy.” While the music has a definitive start time of 6:30 p.m., the end of the night depends on the clientele. “We continue until we close — 10, 11, whenever,” Mezzetti said. Mezzetti said business has been good. In fact, Mezzetti said he plans to add a restaurant in Bird Rock to the family’s roster. “The food speaks for itself, but the restaurant itself is such a lively place,” he said. Mezzetti also said he happy with the location of Ciao Bella. “Ocean Beach has the most eclectic community in San Diego,” Mezzetti said. “Over here, everybody is so different. Man, we got everybody from everywhere. Plus, we are on Newport Avenue, a block and a half from the ocean. It’s incredible.” “Everyone has been so supportive,” he said. “The community is beautiful. They’ve been so good to me.” Daniele Spadavecchia performs next at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 30 at Ciao Bella, 4953 Newport Ave. All ages. For more information, visit wwww.ciaobellasandiego.com.
