Family-Owned Restaurants Offer Unique, Fresh and Tasty Cuisine
In addition to each having its own tasty, unique menu selections, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. and Café Luna have many similarities:
- Both are located on nearby Carmel Ranch Drive.
- Both offer complete catering services.
- Both are family-owned.
- And both restaurants celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.
However, each acclaimed restaurant is unique – both in food selection and atmosphere.
Café Luna A Celestial Experience
“Café Luna is a hidden gem, tucked away in a strip mall in Carmel Mountain Ranch, just off I-15,” said Susan Haywood, who has owned the restaurant known for its freshly made Italian cuisine since 2008. “Our word-of-mouth reputation brings in new customers, but it’s the food that keeps them coming back.”
Haywood stressed that Café Luna is passionate about providing diners with “a celestial dining experience,” and believes in developing a personal relationship with customers. “We want to be a part of all their special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries or any celebratory event,” she said, noting that the restaurant provides on-site and off-site catering for all sizes of events.
“Café Luna creates homemade pasta dishes with a European flair. Our food is over the moon,” said Haywood. “Some of our signature dishes include our Fusilli Umbriaco and our highly requested Rosetta – a homemade pasta sheet rolled with ham and Swiss cheese that’s sliced and baked with cream and parmesan.” She added that the chef prepares specialty dishes each night, and that the experienced staff can always recommend a great wine pairing with each meal.
As part of the 20th anniversary celebration, Café Luna updated the restaurant’s interior, expanded the website (www.cafelunasd.com) and redesigned the logo. “The original logo was celestial moon and stars, and later was updated to include the crescent moon and restaurant name,” Haywood said. “In 2010 the Café Luna logo was redesigned to include an angel playing the French horn filling each night with twinkling stars, in memory of Chelsea King (the teenager who was murdered while running in a local park in 2010 – and a frequent diner at the restaurant).”
Café Luna has a romantic, yet comfortable, ambiance. “You can dress up for a special occasion or come casually and enjoy a glass of wine at the bar with friends,” said Haywood. “Families frequently come in and bring the kids. No matter your age group, you will love coming to Café Luna.”
Oggi’s Fun and Festive for Family
Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. – also celebrating 20 years in business – is an amazing sports-themed restaurant offering pizza, salads, microbrew beers – as well as delivery and catering services, according to Haywood.
“Oggi’s stands for ‘today’ in Italian, and it symbolizes freshness and ‘the here and the now’ – making it congruent with high quality pizza, pastas and salads,” Haywood said. “Oggi’s pizza dough is made fresh daily at the restaurant, as are our sauces, dressings, burgers and other foods.”
Haywood said Oggi’s takes reservations for large groups or team parties, and provides catering services for groups large and small – including corporate meetings, company picnics, birthday celebrations and last-minute family gatherings. Food delivery is available from Oggi’s throughout the I-15 corridor region – and can even include a half-gallon of cold, fresh microbrew or wine.
But it’s the sports and beer that attracts many regular customers to the convenient Oggi’s location, just off I-15 near the Ted Williams Parkway exit. “Oggi’s is festive and fun. It’s a great place to come with the whole family, or with a group of friends, to watch the game. We have flat screen televisions tuned to sports throughout the restaurant,” Haywood said. “Not only is Oggi’s the official pizza of the San Diego Chargers and the Del Mar Race Track, but our microbrews have been honored at several prestigious beer competitions, including the World Beer Cup.”
Haywood – mother of three school-age children – purchased Oggi’s in 2004 with husband and business partner Trevor, who unexpectedly died earlier this year after being hospitalized with a serious strain of pneumonia. From the beginning, the restaurant was all about family. “Don’t worry about the kids at Oggi’s, as they can be entertained in the game room while the parents relax and enjoy themselves,” Haywood said. “We want everyone in the family to come experience quality in our neighborhood.”
Café Luna is located at 11040 Rancho Carmel Drive, just off I-15 via Carmel Mountain Road; for reservations or catering information, call 858-673-0077. Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co. is located at 10155 Rancho Carmel Drive, just off I-15 via Ted Williams Parkway; for delivery or catering information from, call 858-592-7883.
