By Christopher Gomez | Little Italy News

This year, San Diegans and visitors can experience a one-of-a-kind, Tuscan-inspired evening at the Little Italy Association of San Diego’s (LIA) brand new, premier event, Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso (Dinner in Red) presented by PenFed Credit Union. The event will transform the recently opened Piazza della Famiglia into a magical evening on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 5-10 p.m. The flagship event features a curated and immersive dining experience that encourages guests to dress in their best red attire. Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso will help raise funds for the LIA to continue its efforts to enhance and preserve the rich history and charm of the community, while creating a truly authentic Italian experience for guests.

The Piazza della Famiglia will come to life on this special evening, with Tuscan farm tables lining the new piazza for an exclusive family-style dinner featuring endless Italian courses, sips of Italian beverages, strolling Italian entertainment, interactive performances, Gesso Italiano (chalk art), dancing and more. During the communal dining experience, guests will be waited on and engage with cheese experts who will offer each table a selection of gourmet cheeses to taste. While enjoying the delectable cuisine with friends, family and neighbors, opera singer, Natalie Moran Clegg will dazzle the crowd with an exquisite performance from one of the balconies in the piazza. Headliner and Naples-born-and-raised singer, Pasquale Esposito, will put on an amazing performance that will get guests out of their chairs and ready to dance the night away.

Before the orchestrated dining experience, guests can stroll through W. Date Street between Columbia and State streets, to explore the Luxury Galleria, and a cocktail hour from 5-6 p.m. The Luxury Galleria will feature wine from Mignanelli Winery, olive oil tastings from Della Pace, a pop-up Italian soda bar, live entertainment, an exotic Lamborghini model range display, an Italian fashion show by Roberto Cavalli, live Gesso Italiano and more. Guests can snap their picture-perfect Italian photo-op at one of the photo vignettes with Lamborghini and Vespa.

The public can experience elements of the Luxury Galleria at no cost after 6 p.m. They can expect to see the Gesso Italiano photo vignettes, the Lamborghini model range display, Italian vendors and more. A limited number of Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso tickets are available. Tickets start at $200 and can be purchased at soloitalianosd.com.

Each year, Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso will take on a new Italian-centric theme to ensure a unique experience every year. The LIA’s goal for the future is to create a festival to take place the day after Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso to give more San Diegans and visitors the opportunity to immersive themselves in Italian culture. The Luxury Galleria will give guests a glimpse into what a Solo Italiano day festival will look like in the upcoming years.

To stay connected with Little Italy, check out what’s going on in the neighborhood by following us on Instagram and Twitter: @LittleItalySD and Facebook: LittleItalySD. To learn more about Solo Italiano: Dinner in Rosso presented by PenFed Credit Union and Little Italy Association, visit LittleItalySD.com.

—Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s district manager since 2000. Reach him at chris@littleitalysd.com.

Tags: Christopher Gomez, Dinner in Rosso, Downtown, Downtown News, Little Italy, Little Italy Association, Little Italy News, news, Piazza della Famiglia, Roberto Cavalli, San Diego, San Diego Downtown News, Solo Italiano