“Working In The City” is The San Diego Sun’s feature Q&A series with downtown San Diego business operators. It’s a way to get to know the city by meeting the people who work here. This is the 13th in an ongoing series.
Company: Osteria Cotto e Mangiato (702 Ash Street, Cortez Hill, at the bottom of the historic El Cortez building)
What we do: We’re a cozy little Italian restaurant. Osteria Cotto e Mangiato opened its doors in October 2023. It’s a family business. I worked on yachts and cruise ships for 15 years as a captain, first officer and in other management positions. My brother was in San Diego, owning and managing restaurants. I wanted to come to America. My passion is cooking and I came here to begin a new chapter of my life as a restaurateur.
Definition: In Italy, osterias are casual places where people come together with wine, food and camaraderie. Bringing my Sicilian roots to Osteria Cotto e Mangiato is meaningful to me. When you walk in, you’ll see items from my hometown of Bagheria and hear Italian music. We are known to be passionate people. Upon entering, I want everyone to feel like they are receiving a hug.
Specialty: Homemade sauces. The queen is our Lasagna. We have numerous types of pastas and a tableside cheese wheel experience. Carbonara has been my favorite food since I was a child. That’s on the menu, along with flatbread-style pizza.
Owner/Manager: Andrea Provino. I’ve lived in San Diego since July 2023. My commute from North Park, in my cherry red Fiat 500, is 12 minutes.
Employees: 10.
Pets: I have a ragdoll cat named Lola. The restaurant has a large patio and we’re animal friendly.
Company motto: Make the customer happy and deliver an unforgettable, unique experience.
Regulars: We have a lot of regular customers who live in the El Cortez building. All are all very supportive.
Best aspects of working downtown: We’re close to the airport, zoo, museums, convention center, Gaslamp Quarter and more. Being in a residential neighborhood in the city is wonderful – we have ample parking all around us.
Worst aspects of working downtown: The rent.
Most surprising part of working downtown: It’s such a beautiful city.
Funniest downtown work memory: Being stopped by a stranger to say hello while walking because someone recognized me on social media.
Scariest downtown work memory: Around Christmas, a drunk homeless man asked for money. I gave him a plate of pasta. He threw the plate of pasta back at me right in front of my customers.
Homelessness: Fortunately, there isn’t a large homeless presence in Cortez Hill.
Big event boosts: We follow the schedule of city events and make special offers and dedicated menus depending on what is happening. We had a special menu and hours for Comic-Con.
Celebrity sightings: I’ve had some famous musicians, people from Bachelor Nation, and a famous Mexican pastry chef.
If the business was made into a movie, it would be called: La Dolce Vita. That’s the name of our outdoor patio. Our most requested table is under the La Dolce Vita sign. To star in the movie we’d get an ensemble cast of American-Italian actors: Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino, Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale and Vittorio Gassman.
Best tip for running a downtown SD business: Be yourself, be unique, give people a reason to visit and a reason to return. SDSun
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