New owners revamp Pasta Pomodoro menuNew owners revamp Pasta Pomodoro menu

Lisa Jennings

SAN FRANCISCO The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The new menu was in place at the end of April at the chain’s 22 Northern California locations, and is scheduled to be rolled out to the seven Southern California units by summer.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The San Francisco-based chain was sold by founder Adriano Paganini in February to two entrepreneurs who plan to carve out a niche as an affordable and fast casual-dining brand that will compete with neighborhood Italian restaurants. (EARLIER: Pasta Pomodoro under new ownership)The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Matthew Janopaul, chief executive and one of the new owners, said the new menu aims to make the dishes more authentically Italian, but also beefs up the use of local ingredients, wine and beer.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

With the new ownership, he said, “we have a new set of eyes and a new philosophy of ingredient transparency, and we want to support local relationships.”The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Specials, for example, will be designed to showcase specific ingredients such as the highly regarded Niman Ranch meats, Zoe’s Meats and Belfiore Cheese Company, he said.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

“We went back over the past three years to see what specials were guests favorites that deserve to be on the menu,” he said. “We are listening to our guests and what they wanted.”The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Beer and wine also will come from more local sources, he said. New wineries featured will include the family-owned Macchia Winery from Lodi, Calif., for example and beers from Northern California, such as Trumer Pils and Speakeasy Ales & Lagers. Exclusive custom wine blends have been developed by Lodi-based LangeTwins Winery & Vineyard, as well as the Cantina Tollo winery in Italy, Janopaul said.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

New menu items include vongole, a traditional pasta with linguine, Manila clams, white wine or spicy tomato sauce and fresh parsley, chile flakes and garlic. Also added is a vegetarian version of lasagna made with roasted vegetables, as well as eggplant Parmigiana.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

In some cases, existing menu items have been lightened up, Janopaul said. The new menu includes a more healthful version of the limone pasta, for example, with less cream and cheese and a brighter lemon flavor.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Panini sandwiches on the lunch menu will include more seasonal and organic ingredients, such as the pollo panini with grilled chicken, provolone, organic arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and basil pesto, and a meatball panini on house-made garlic bread with provolone and spicy tomato sauce.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Coming soon will be the use of more “ancient grains” that are traditionally linked to Italian cuisine, such as quinoa, farro and kamut, Janopaul said.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The new menu does not include significant price increases, he added, and the average check will remain about $25.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

When the menu is rolled out to Southern California locations, those units will also get new signage bringing them under the Pasta Pomodoro brand name. Under the previous owner, those units had been named Pomodoro Cucina Italiana.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Six Pasta Pomodoro locations closed earlier this year, largely as a result of poor real estate decisions, Janopaul said. In April, a location in San Francisco also closed, which was part of the acquisition agreement, Janopaul said. No more closures are planned.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The company is looking for a new vice president of restaurant operations to replace Edmondo Sarti, who left to join Paganini’s recently opened Super Duper burger concept in San Francisco. Paganini also owns three other Bay Area restaurants: Starbelly, Delarosa and Beretta.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Janopaul said Pasta Pomodoro is currently developing a new design prototype with the goal of opening new locations in California by the end of the year.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

“We’re going to spend the next year refining the concept,” Janopaul said.The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.

The 29-unit Pasta Pomodoro chain has begun rolling out an overhauled menu with a focus on local ingredients that new owners hope will revitalize the Italian casual-dining brand.