SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – (November 7, 2018) – Palio d’Asti, an iconic Italian restaurant in San Francisco’s financial district, beloved for its welcoming atmosphere, delicious food, unparalleled customer service, and exceptional private dining, will reopen this December as Palio. Originally opened in 1990, Palio has been completely reimagined by owner Martino DiGrande after closing in May 2018 to undergo extensive renovations. Palio will open with a brand new, 200-seat dining space comprising an expanded bar and lounge, full-service dining room, the restaurant’s original exhibition kitchen, and three private and semi-private dining rooms which are all available now for event bookings in December and beyond. Unlike Palio d’Asti’s original menu, which focused on the Piedmont region of Italy, Palio’s new pan-Italian menu will feature different regions of Italy while maintaining its emphasis on seasonal, sustainably sourced California ingredients.

Born and raised in San Francisco, DiGrande became Palio d’Asti’s third owner in 2012 and, since then, has only strengthened the restaurant’s reputation for providing a refined yet approachable Italian dining experience. Part of a large Sicilian restaurant family, DiGrande worked for his father at DiGrande’s restaurant in the Sunset District, and later at Alioto’s on Fisherman’s Wharf while earning a degree from the University of San Francisco’s hospitality program. DiGrande is a Golden Gate Restaurant Association “Rising Star” award recipient, and won an internship to work at Sicily’s famed Planeta Winery before joining the team at Palio in 2006 as the restaurant’s dinner manager. By 2008, DiGrande’s hard work and dedication led him to become the general manager, then partner, then owner four years later at the age of 28. Palio is a family business, as Martino’s wife Valeria DiGrande is the restaurant’s director of special events and is integral to the restaurant’s ongoing success.

“As a native San Franciscan, I am honored to build upon the legacy of this beloved restaurant alongside my wife, Valeria, and our incredible team of consummate professionals. At Palio, we are committed to providing a stellar culinary experience that is undeniably authentic, and service that epitomizes professionalism. We are excited for this next chapter and the great memories that lie ahead,” said Martino DiGrande.

Executive chefs and brothers Mauricio and Jose Alberto Martinez, who helped establish the original Palio d’Asti in the 1990s, have created a seasonal Italian menu with a modern twist. Over the past 28 years working at Palio and other renowned San Francisco restaurants such as Stars, Etrusca and Antica Trattoria, both chefs have developed a reputation for creating mouth-watering dishes, using traditional techniques and only the finest and freshest ingredients. Highlights of the new Palio menu include house-made pastas such as Pappardelle con Cinghiale (wide cut pasta with wild boar ragu and pecorino Romano); braised meats including Brasato al Barolo (Barolo braised beef short rib, polenta, broccoli rabe, mustard and horseradish breadcrumbs) and fish such as Branzino (whole Mediterranean sea bass, herb dressing and sautéed spinach); seven different wood-fired pizzas, and weekly specials celebrating the different regions of Italy. Lunch specials will change weekly and will feature Palio’s signature hearty soups and sandwiches such as the dairy-free mushroom soup, a Palio favorite, and Porchetta Sandwich with pork slow roasted in the wood-fired oven, crispy skin, pickled onion and salsa verde.

The beverage program at Palio, created by Shirley Brooks and Matt Grippo, features two draft cocktails: an Aperol Spritz and a Negroni-inspired beverage. The wine and beer programs consist of a carefully curated, rotating selection of California and global wines available by the glass and four draft beers on tap that were chosen specifically to complement Palio’s pan-Italian cuisine.

Designed by AnV Architects, the newly renovated Palio features a modern, white tablecloth dining room that spans the length of the restaurant’s original 800 square-foot exhibition kitchen, including a wood-fired pizza oven and a dedicated room for pasta-making. The focal point of the restaurant is the expanded bar, which has been rotated 180 degrees to face Sacramento Street and now seats 24 guests. The bar serves the new lounge area that seats 50 and is the ideal spot for a quick lunch, business meeting or post-work, pre-dinner cocktails.

Open and airy, the new Palio offers a dynamic, sophisticated dining ambiance with pops of black, white, red and metallic gold, as well as custom lighting that shows off its beautifully plated food. The restaurant will continue to offer a quiet meeting space for local business clientele, who have long appreciated Palio’s refined, high-touch service. In addition, owner Martino DiGrande pays homage to his family’s long history in the restaurant business with vintage family photos throughout the restaurant.

Many of Palio’s front- and back-of-house team members have been with the restaurant for more than 20 years, including Executive Chefs Martinez, Pasta Chef Eva Perez, Pastry Chef Esperanza Cuellar, Pizza Chef Donaldo Cruz, and waiter Luis Castalero, who is retiring after 28 years with the restaurant this fall. These and many more knowledgeable industry professionals are returning to the restaurant after its renovation and are committed to providing an outstanding dining experience with a fun, approachable spirit.

In addition to AnV Architects, other local vendors and craftsman that have contributed to Palio’s renovation include Zutalé Design, Rudolph and Sletten, Metropolitan Electric, Anderson, Rowe & Buckley, Restec Contractors, Sunshine Construction, Bakers Floor and Surface, Precision Tile and Granite, and ASF Electrical.

When it reopens in early December, Palio will be open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Lounge will be open from 11:00 a.m. to close. Happy Hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. The restaurant is located at 640 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA. For reservations and additional information, please visit www.paliosf.com or call 415-395-9800.

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Photo captions and credit
Photo 1: Palio Owner Martino DiGrande and Director of Special Events Valeria DiGrande by Kristen Loken
Photo 2: Palio Executive Chefs and brothers Mauricio and Jose Alberto Martinez by Kristen Loken
Photo 3: Palio Branzino (whole Mediterranean sea bass, herb dressing and sautéed spinach) by Kristen Loken
Photo 4: Palio Bar and Lounge Rendering by AnV Architects