Popular SLO County chef opening new restaurant at Paso Robles winery. See menu

Vina Robles Winery in Paso Robles is set to open its own restaurant in its new tasting room — with an acclaimed chef at the helm.

Chef Nicola Allegretta of Mama’s Meatball and Mistura was looking for another project to take on. When Vina Robles representatives asked him to craft a menu for its new tasting room at 1650 Ramada Drive at Suite 140, Allegretta jumped at the opportunity, alongside his two brothers Luca and Cosimo.

“They were looking for somebody for quite a bit,” Allegreta told The Tribune. “I have a lot of customers to deliver here in the North County, and they always tell us, ‘Why don’t you open a place in Paso?’ I never found the right spot, and this is a great opportunity.”

Set to debut this Friday, The Eatery at Vina Robles boasts a seasonal Italian-inspired menu with pizzas, salads, sandwiches and Allegretta’s signature meatballs.

Vina Robles’ new tasting room comes after the winery moved four months ago into its current location. The new space features a kitchen with large windows and the centerpiece, a handmade Neapolitan pizza oven from Italy.

“We always knew that we wanted to incorporate a restaurant component,” director of operations Nina Leschinsky told The Tribune. “Incorporating the food component with wine tasting is the key to success these days in our industry.”

The kitchen has no stovetop, so Allegretta uses traditional Italian methods with the oven to heat all his signature dishes.

“Back in the time ... there used to never be a stove at home,” he said. “What they would have would be like a little oven where they throw wood inside and that’s how they cook it. We baked a lasagna directly inside the oven and it came out perfectly.”

The Eatery’s menu includes six different types of wood-fired pizzas, a prosciutto sandwich, four salads and bruschetta. The highest priced item is a charcuterie board at $23.

For dessert, classic tiramisu, Italian cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake and gelatos satisfy any sweet tooth.

While The Eatery’s menu options vary by the seasonal fruit and vegetable offerings, a weekend menu of the full-scale dishes are offered from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Friday to Sunday. For weekdays, grab-and-go pieces of salads, sandwiches and prepared items are available for guests.

From his hometown of Bari, Italy, Allegretta’s culinary experience includes cooking all over the world, but working in SLO County has a special place in his heart, he said.

“I really love it,” Allegretta said. “I really enjoy a lot of the Central Coast. If it was not for the Central Coast, I would not be what I am right now.”

The Eatery at Vina Robles is not the only undertaking of the chef, however. A new Peruvian-Italian restaurant in SLO is opening its doors in mid September, Allegretta said.

Called Nicola after the chef’s first name, Allegretta said it will be nestled in the Laguna Village Shopping Center and will bring together the favorites of Mama’s Meatball and Mistura, after countless requests to have the best of both worlds.

“All the time people say, ‘I wish I could have a pizza from the other side. I wish I could have a ceviche from this,” he said. “So what about a place that can do both? So it’s going to be amazing.”

Meanwhile, The Eatery at Vina Robles is set to debut this Friday at 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The restaurant will be open with the full menu Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about the winery and its restaurant, visit its website.

This story was originally published June 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM.