Ciao Ciao Piadina - Italian Aperitivo Café
Can’t dart to Italy on your private jet? Might as well head over to Ciao Ciao Piadina to enjoy a delicious spritz, paired with a charcuterie spread or a piadina. A fun little spot in La Jolla that transports you directly to the bustling streets of Italy.
Written by Ashley Dunn
Adorable Modern Dining Room - Photo by Robert Reyes
The Atmosphere
Their adorable photo set up located right outside!
You know you’re in the right spot when you see the cutest photo opportunity outside. - right next their adorable Ciao Ciao sign and blue little vespa. Might be good to get a picture in before the Wine & Spritz, you never know how long you might stay!
You walk in and see the statue of David painted on the wall, sporting a hot pink muscle shirt (of course). It really embodied those old school bar vibes, with a splash of modernism (and a lot of pink!). A perfect instagramable spot, if you don’t have time to dart to Italy after work.
They also have the perfect amount of seating, ranging from an outside patio to an old school bar set up. Still maintains that small/quant feel, but has enough room to host a larger group of friend. It’s the perfect spot to grab a drink on your own or meet some folks for lunch/happy hour. You can tell they’re starting to get their regulars coming around already! We heard some folks recommending great drinks to others and also saw a few people on their own just enjoying the vibe.
The Aperitivo
For all of those 21 and older, we recommend the Apertivo, 4 PM - 9 PM Monday - Sunday. This includes one drink and unlimited bites and finger foods all night (we will note that every drink after the first is regular price). There’s two price tiers, where the slightly pricier tier opens up the drink menu to some very special wines. I went with the first tier and enjoyed a delicious Spritz, while my girlfriend spiced it up and ordered the Rose’ des Noir (the slightly pricier option).
The Appertivo Selection with the Pantalone Spritz.
The Pantalone Spritz was a delicious option, that was somewhat of a gin and tonic take on a spritz. It was light and refreshing, with just a little bit of bitterness from the juniper berries and tonic water
Rose’ des Noir was a great choice as well. Similar to a Champagne (did you know Champagne can only be called Champagne if it’s from Champagne, France?) it was dry and elegant, with tons of vibrant fruit notes.
Then came the food! Chef sent out an amazing selection for us to nibble on! They mentioned that they’ll change up the spread here and there, but will maintain the “endless” piece (if you order the Aperitivo). We enjoyed a great selection of pecorino cheese, prosciutto, spicy salami, bruschetta, and my favorite the ricotta salta dipped in honey!
Looking for something more? We also had the opportunity to try the Un-Beet-Able Carpaccio. A great vegetarian option with red beets, pink skim ricotta, raspberry, pistachio, skinny raspberry vinaigrette, and Micro Greens. It was slightly sweet with a little crunch from the pistachios. Overall it was a light choice that paired perfectly with my Rose!
Piadina
A local “street food” in certain parts of Italy, the Piadina is what they call the “Italian quesadilla”. Something we’ve never tried before, but was surprised on how simple, yet delicious it was.
We ordered #6, which was mortadella from bologna, crescenza and parmigiano cheese, with baby Arugula and a pistachio mayo. Our server recommended to add truffle and mushroom, which made the dish PERFECT.
Overall, we highly recommend Ciao Ciao Piadina for any casual occasion. Whether it’s a little date night, a get together with friends, or even if you’re just craving the flavors of Italy on a casual Monday night.