Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Mamma Mia! Francesca's Moving In

Little Italy Update: Zagarella, the long-time Italian restaurant at 1655 India Street, r.i.p., is a mess. That’s because a big gent from Chicago has taken the property over, ripped out its bowels, and is turning it into another Mia Francesca. Okay, nobody’s heard of it here. But watch out. During the last two decades, Scott Harris has opened 27 restaurants, 22 of them Mia Francesas (named after his ex-wife). None have closed. Now he’s starting off his invasion of California right here in Little Italy. Plus he’s got six new ones on the drawing boards around the country, plus six “affiliates.” Dang. So what’s the secret of his success?

I walk into this wood and concrete cavern Friday to find out. There’s this clump of people sitting round on chairs next to the rubble of the back patio, yakking away. Turns out it’s an interview with Riviera Magazine. Scott’s the big guy in shorts who you’da thought was the carpenter. “Actually, my dad was a carpenter, but I didn’t like carpentering,” he says. “My mom was a waitress, so I went and washed dishes at her place. I was 14.”

A lot’s happened since. He isn’t quite fifty, and the recession has rolled off his back like the proverbial water on the duck. It’s the ideal time to expand, he says. “In these times, the deals are better. The deals we’re getting are hard to turn down.” ’Course, he’s a bit worried to come in to ’Diego, and Little Italy, with the “Chicago” label. He knows how California “invaders” have been run outa town back in the Windy City. “But I do have my aces in the hole,” he says. “My Italian guy is coming momentarily.” Everyone laughs. So: His secret? General agreement seems that he succeeded by doing high-end northern Italian for “casual” prices. Meaning, maybe fifteen bucks for a main? Bottom line, the Chicago Tribune said last year, is “large portions and relatively modest prices.” Whatever, it must work. In 2009 Mia Francesca’s grossed $42 million. I ask if he’d come stand by a construction ladder out back for a picture. “Beside it, not under it,” he says. “Not on Friday 13th."

Opening: Probably around mid July.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

The Fellini of Clairemont High

When gang showers were standard for gym class

Little Italy Update: Zagarella, the long-time Italian restaurant at 1655 India Street, r.i.p., is a mess. That’s because a big gent from Chicago has taken the property over, ripped out its bowels, and is turning it into another Mia Francesca. Okay, nobody’s heard of it here. But watch out. During the last two decades, Scott Harris has opened 27 restaurants, 22 of them Mia Francesas (named after his ex-wife). None have closed. Now he’s starting off his invasion of California right here in Little Italy. Plus he’s got six new ones on the drawing boards around the country, plus six “affiliates.” Dang. So what’s the secret of his success?

I walk into this wood and concrete cavern Friday to find out. There’s this clump of people sitting round on chairs next to the rubble of the back patio, yakking away. Turns out it’s an interview with Riviera Magazine. Scott’s the big guy in shorts who you’da thought was the carpenter. “Actually, my dad was a carpenter, but I didn’t like carpentering,” he says. “My mom was a waitress, so I went and washed dishes at her place. I was 14.”

A lot’s happened since. He isn’t quite fifty, and the recession has rolled off his back like the proverbial water on the duck. It’s the ideal time to expand, he says. “In these times, the deals are better. The deals we’re getting are hard to turn down.” ’Course, he’s a bit worried to come in to ’Diego, and Little Italy, with the “Chicago” label. He knows how California “invaders” have been run outa town back in the Windy City. “But I do have my aces in the hole,” he says. “My Italian guy is coming momentarily.” Everyone laughs. So: His secret? General agreement seems that he succeeded by doing high-end northern Italian for “casual” prices. Meaning, maybe fifteen bucks for a main? Bottom line, the Chicago Tribune said last year, is “large portions and relatively modest prices.” Whatever, it must work. In 2009 Mia Francesca’s grossed $42 million. I ask if he’d come stand by a construction ladder out back for a picture. “Beside it, not under it,” he says. “Not on Friday 13th."

Opening: Probably around mid July.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Amazing Grace and the Maestro

Next Article

Ali Baba’s in Sorrento Valley: Fast company, fast fish

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader