New pizza bar, pastaria to open soon in San Luis Obispo

After closing longstanding Italian restaurant Vieni Vai Trattoria, owners plan to open a new pizza bar and pastaria in the same downtown San Luis Obispo location.

Flour House, owned by Gessica and Alberto Russo, is slated to open in late March or April. Gessica Russo said that she and her husband wanted to open up their own vision with Flour House.

The Russos took over Vieni Vai Trattoria about 1 1/2 years ago from Gessica Russo’s parents, Debby and Giuseppe Silvestri. The Silvestris opened the restaurant at 690 Higuera St. 18 years ago.

Vieni Vai Trattoria closed on Jan. 4; preparations for the new restaurant are underway.

Flour House will feature new furniture and equipment, a new bar, a pasta press area, a small bar and lounge area on the outside patio and a Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven. The Italian pizza oven is built specifically for pizza napoletana — a type of light, simple pizza specific to Naples.

Alberto Russo will be the restaurant’s pizza chef, making all of the pizza doughs and sauces. Russo is from Salerno — an Italian city near Naples, Italy. He trained to make pizza in Italy.

Flour House will offer homemade pastas and pizzas, including gluten-free options. The menu will change monthly, with new fish and meat dishes weekly. Pizzas will range from $15 to $18, with pasta dishes around $14 to $19.

Gessica Russo hopes to create a fresh and elegant atmosphere — less of a “full Italian restaurant” and more of a prime hangout spot to grab a cocktail. It will offer a daily “aperitivo hour” — the Italian equivalent of a happy hour, offering drink discounts and free appetizers with drinks.

She declined to disclose financial information for the restaurant. She said they’re looking to re-hire many of the same staff from Vieni Vai Trattoria.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 4:31 PM with the headline "New pizza bar, pastaria to open soon in San Luis Obispo."