Domenic Brunetto (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
Mona Lisa, Little Italy
Domenic Brunetto Talks About Mona Lisa’s History and Culinary Gems
By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Whether you’re on the hunt for prized Italian groceries or a hot meal stamped with Italian soul, Mona Lisa in Little Italy has you covered.
The business has been a culinary landmark on India Street seemingly forever. It features a small, bustling store and deli on one side, and a popular, old-school, sit-down restaurant on the other. Though as we learned from co-owner Domenic Brunetto, whose late father founded the operation, Mona Lisa’s original roots stretch back to the 1950s in Downtown San Diego.
Brunetto also piqued our interest when steering us to some deliciously obscure products in his inventory—things you would be hard pressed to find in mainstream grocery stores. As we learned long ago, this is a playful place to shop.
Downtown Condo Guys: Where are you and your parents originally from?
Brunetto: My siblings and I grew up in a small apartment in Little Italy before my parents bought a house up the street in Bankers Hill. My dad, Stefano, was from Sicily and my mother, Renata, was from central Italy. [Author’s sidenote: It was warmly pointed out to me during our interview that Renata’s maiden name was coincidentally Sabatini ☺️.]
Downtown Condo Guys: What came first? The store or the restaurant?
Brunetto: The restaurant, which my dad started as a pizza house in 1956 on 11th and Broadway in Downtown San Diego. He would flip pizzas in the window—and he was also a commercial fisherman. I remember when I was about 5 years old, I would help him wash dishes, standing on a Coca Cola crate.
Downtown Condo Guys: For how long did he run the business downtown?
Brunetto: Until about 1965, when we opened Mona Lisa restaurant in Chula Vista. We then opened in Allied Gardens and Clairemont and had three restaurants going at the same time.
Then in 1973, we sold off all the locations and pooled our money together with other family members, including my two brothers, John and Benny, and me to finance this location in Little Italy. At the time, we were also supplying tuna boats with cheeses, sausage, and pasta, and selling cottonseed oil to the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana. Then about 10 years later, we got out of the wholesale business and immediately expanded the restaurant.
Downtown Condo Guys: What percentage of grocery products in the store are imported from Italy?
Brunetto: About 75 percent, such as canned tomatoes, dried pasta, anchovies, and our wide selection of tasty olive oils.
Downtown Condo Guys: Which products would we have a tough time finding in other stores?
Brunetto: There’s a lot. We carry Italian nougat candy called Torrone; canned scungilli (conch) that comes in two different sizes; and caciocavallo, which translates to ‘horse cheese’ – possibly because it used to be delivered by horse carriage. It’s actually made from sheep’s milk and is sharp in flavor and similar to Provolone. We also have dried, salted baccala (cod) that we carry year round, and we even have an Italian antacid called Brioschi, which comes in the form of lemon-flavored pellets that dissolve in water.
Downtown Condo Guys: From all of the fresh pasta, ravioli, meats, cheeses and olives sold from your deli counter, what are the top sellers?
Brunetto: Our deluxe sub and caprese sandwich. Both are made to order. The sub comes with ham, cotto salami, mortadella, and Provolone. Mayo, mustard, Italian dressing, lettuce, tomato, and onions are available upon request. And the caprese has fresh mozzarella and basil.
Also, our $1.75 pre-made mini subs from the deli counter are big sellers. Those contain cotto salami, mortadella, and mozzarella. We make about 120 of them a day, and they usually sell out before noon.
Downtown Condo Guys: Do you make your own bread?
Brunetto: It’s made for us by a talented local baker. We developed our own recipe to match the crusty bread from Solunto’s down the street. But we do make our own fresh pasta, sausage, and sauces right on the premises, in our restaurant kitchen.
Downtown Condo Guys: Are the house-made foods all from family recipes?
Brunetto: Yes, they’re mostly from my dad’s side. My dad, brothers, and I helped to develop the recipes.
Downtown Condo Guys: Given that Mona Lisa is so well known to locals and tourists, do you ever attract any big-name customers?
Brunetto: Yes, basketball legend Will Chamberlain came here and had to hunch down to make it through the doorway. Huey Lewis visited once for a sandwich, and we’ve also seen quarterback Dan Fouts, singer Frankie Laine, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (when he was governor).
Downtown Condo Guys: Is the competition between you and nearby Filippi’s friendly?
Brunetto: Absolutely. We’ve always gotten along. And a lot of our employees have gone back and forth working between the two businesses.
Downtown Condo Guys: What are the latest additions, if any, to Mona Lisa’s restaurant menu?
Brunetto: My son, Stefano, recently added to the menu bruschetta, calzones, a cheese and meat platter incorporated from our deli, and a linguini dish with octopus, clams, and shrimp in a tomato basil sauce.
Downtown Condo Guys: Do you and other family members still work at the store and restaurant?
Brunetto: Yes, including the next generation like my son, Stefano, my nephew, whose name is also Stefano, and my daughter, Renata. They’re all college graduates, and they want to take over the business because my brothers and I will soon be semi-retiring. June 1st marked our 49-year anniversary on India Street, and we’re confident that we’ll be here for at least the next 50!
