Solare

The story

Solare Ristorante – Authentic Italian Cuisine in San Diego's Liberty Station

A Family Table in Liberty Station

Solare Ristorante Italiano is a family-owned and operated restaurant at the corner of Roosevelt Road and Historic Decatur in Liberty Station, Point Loma — easy to spot by the big white lights on the columns. Randy, Brian, and Tommy Smerik built it into one of San Diego's most recognized Italian restaurants, earning a place in the Michelin Guide, a Gambero Rosso fork, and multiple honors from San Diego Magazine including Best Italian Restaurant, Top 5 Restaurant in all of San Diego, Best Service, and Best Wine List.

The restaurant was among the first to open in Liberty Station, a neighborhood that has since become one of San Diego's leading cultural and dining destinations.

The Kitchen's Foundation

The authentic Italian cuisine at Solare is grounded in fresh, locally sourced ingredients: pasta made each morning, organic produce, wild fish, and hormone-free meat. The menu rotates through dishes like Spaghetti all'Aragosta, Ossobuco di Maiale, Carpaccio di Wagyu, and Medaglioni di Manzo — a range that reflects both classical Italian technique and the seasonal availability of San Diego's larder.

A recurring figure in the kitchen is Chef Accursio Lotà, born and raised in Menfi, Sicily, whose background shapes the restaurant's commitment to regional Italian authenticity. His cooking classes in Cucina Siciliana and collaborations with other award-winning local chefs at multi-course dinners have made Solare a hub for serious Italian food culture in the city.

Beyond the Dining Room

The space includes a full bar, two outdoor patios with heated and lawn seating, a private Wine Room, and a Chef's Table available by request — suited equally to a quiet dinner or a large celebration. Solare hosts cooking classes, winemaker dinners, weddings, and corporate events, and has catered off-site as well.

The wine program is a particular point of pride: Italian producers from Piemonte to Sardinia have poured at the restaurant's boutique dinners, and the list earned its San Diego Magazine recognition on its own merits. For anyone serious about Italian cuisine and its natural companion at the table, Solare makes a strong case as the standard-bearer in San Diego.