Solare Ristorante Named 2014 Best Italian Restaurant and Chef Accursio Lotà is Best Chef in San Diego

Family-Run, Southern-Italian Restaurant wins the Readers' Pick in San Diego Magazine's 2014 Restaurant Issue. End Quote

San Diego, CA (1888PressRelease) May 24, 2014 - Solare Ristorante is named Best Italian Restaurant in the 2014 restaurant issue of San Diego Magazine. Additionally in the same issue, Solare's Executive Chef Accursio Lotà was named Best Chef in San Diego. Both awards were in the readers' pick category, making the recognition that much more significant. "We are a family-run, farm-to-table Southern-Italian restaurant focused on treating our guests as famiglia and providing them with a tour of Italy without having to leave home," said Randy Smerik owner of Solare. "It's reinforcing that our customers value what we are doing here and elected Chef Accursio and Solare for these awards."

Randy Smerik took the helm of Solare Ristorante Italiano in October of 2012 and quickly teamed with Sicilian-native Chef Accursio Lotà to transform Solare into the authentic, Southern-Italian restaurant, bar and lounge it is now. Together with his sons Brian, Sous-Chef/pizza expert, and Tommy, mixologist, Randy has grown Solare into a gem of Liberty Station in Point Loma.

The San Diego Magazine 2014 Restaurant Issue featured Chef Accursio's dishes of creamy black truffle risotto and house-made gnocchi with San Marzano tomato sauce as the centerpiece of the Italian category page. "It is an immense honor to receive this award," said Chef Accursio "I am passionate about remaining true to the authenticity of Italian cuisine. That means using fresh, organic and local ingredients to develop a seasonal menu, which translated perfectly in the images San Diego Magazine captured."

Raised in Menfi, Sicily, Accursio grew up with the traditional cooking of his mother and grandmother, which inspired him to pursue a culinary career. He was later formally trained at Sen. G. Molinari Culinary School in Sciacca, Italy and now hosts cooking classes at Solare.

Solare has a spacious and inviting patio where guests can drink, dine and relax, as well as, a full bar where mixologist Tommy shakes up farm-to-table cocktails and pours from a selection on over 2,000 wines. In the center of the restaurant is a floor-length, glass, wine-cellar structure filled with hundreds of bottles where guest can dine in private, with no required minimum.

Perfect for private parties, the Prana Room at Solare is cozy and intimate ideal for a special occasion. Both kitchens are visible to passing guests dining in, with the main kitchen providing a chef's table for 2 to dine with front-row seats to their meal's preparation.

For more information on Solare, please visit www.solarelounge.com.

About Solare:
Family-owned and operated, Randy Smerik and his team are dedicated to providing an amazing dining experience for you. Chef Accursio Lotà's authentic Southern-Italian cuisine features a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients including: pasta made each morning, organic produce, wild fish and hormone-free meat. We offer a full lounge and bar offering a deep selection of wines, beers and craft cocktails. Even our design and interior is rooted in organic elements, like teak for the customized furnishings, and natural wood floors as well as, fabrics imported from Bali.

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