OperaCaffe Mobile is the new delicious adventure by the owners of the OperaCaffe Restaurant in Downtown San Diego. Serving up fresh and delicious Tuscan style cuisine daily all over Americas Finest City. Come check out what they are doing for the love of food!

 
OperaCaffe Mobile is a food truck version of the incredible restaurant operating in Downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp district, where serving up the finest in Tuscan style dining their passion. OperaCaffe is owned and operated by husband and wife duo Patrizia Branchi and Roberto Bernardoni. Roberto opened his first restaurant, Ganino, in 1977 in Florence Italy. Roberto gained popularity not only in Italy but worldwide through Ganino. He decided to then open his second restaurant L’Osteria delle Tre Panche with his wife Patrizia. In 1991 Roberto was able to achieve his lifelong goal – running a restaurant in the United States. For 16 years Roberto and Patrizia served some of the finest Italian cuisine in San Diego at La’Strada, which was also located in the Gaslamp District. Roberto was able to sell his restaurant in Florence and put all of his focus into cooking in San Diego. “Once a Florentine, always a Florentine,” he says. Roberto gives the credit to his Grandmother for teaching him the art of cooking. He says, “Its all about maintaining simplicity; food can become very complicated if you let it. The secret is to keep it simple and genuine.”

Which now brings us to their newest venture – OperaCaffe Mobile! OperaCaffe Mobile brings hungry locals the same fresh, high quality Tuscan dishes as its mother restaurant in Downtown. The same passion and love for food that has distinguished OperaCaffe as one of the best in San Diego flows straight into the OperaCaffe Mobile food truck. Creating genuine Tuscan style cuisine fresh daily inside the restaurant and on the food truck and serving it all around town – For The Love Of Food! Some of the delicious dishes being served by OperaCaffe Mobile include a caprese sandwich. Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella on freshly baked bread served with a side golden brown fries. Their signature opera sandwich – breaded chicken breast cooked to perfection topped with fresh bruschetta, arugula and freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. OperaCaffe Mobile declares this sandwich is so good it will make you sing the opera! You can also find on the menu homemade meat lasagna served with hot and fresh garlic bread as well as braised pork shoulder served with risotto. One of the fan favorite menu items is their fried ravioli. Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and poblano peppers, fried to a gold brown and served with a bell pepper dipping sauce. Limited items include Padrino fries – their signature bolognese meat sauce layered with crispy fries. Of course, you can always order up some of their classic tiramisu for a sweet treat.

Please join us as we get to know Kika from OperaCaffe Mobile!

When did you realize you had such a passion for cooking?

Well I’m definitely NOT the cook although I should have been a great chef by now since I pretty much grew up inside a kitchen in Firenze. See my parents had lots of successful restaurants in Florence and since both of them are chefs I always had the best food and the excuse of never learning how to cook.

After successfully running OperaCaffe Restaurant, what was the idea behind starting the mobile food truck?

The food truck business was in our mind since early 2000 but never had the time or the right information to ever start it until last year. This is definitely a good way to branch out and bring fine Tuscany cuisine to you.

What are some of the different menu items offered with Opera Caffe Mobile that you might not be able to order at the restaurant?

Well in the truck we carry sandwiches made with homemade bread that you won’t find at the restaurant. Also you won’t find our Braised Pork shank served with risotto. This is definitively a reason you have to have to try us.

What would you say sets Opera Caffe Mobile apart from others in the food truck game?\

Our authentic TUSCAN cuisine. We make it the same way we make it back home with quality imported products that we get delivered thanks to our restaurant.

In your opinion, why have food trucks and street restaurants become so popular in not only San Diego but in the US?

Word of mouth is the best marketing tool. That’s what we pride our self on.

What are some of the Opera Caffe Mobile crews favorite local breweries and favorite local beers?

Our favorite ones have to be Greenflash brewery, Iron Fist brewery and Lost Abbey brewery.

If you were to choose one local brew that compliments one of your dishes, which would it be?

Well with Greenflash beer I would definitively recommend the Sampler (fried ravioli, arancini, coccoli fish and chips)

What can we expect next from Opera Caffe Mobile?

More exciting new dishes with the same great taste.

Please finish this sentence… If I was not running an awesome food truck…

……Sun tanning in Miami.

 
We would like to Thank Kika and the OperaCaffe Mobile team! Please visit their website by clicking here. Follow them on Facebook and Twitterfor location information.