The stereotype of a family-owned restaurant may not include the elaborate bar of Lala or the trendy social scene at Barbusa. The comfort food of Nonna, named after Italian grandmothers everywhere, is more what comes to mind when considering non-corporate dining. Yet the Busalacchi family still proudly owns and manages all three concepts in Little Italy. A new monthly tour highlights the hospitality and quality of each restaurant, as well as the Busalacchi family’s history in transforming the neighborhood.

“Since each restaurant is so different, we wanted our guests to experience what it’s like to eat at all of our restaurants with that same family feel, but the ambiance and atmosphere and food are different,” said Peter “PJ” Busalacchi, who leads the tour.

In honor of the Sicilian family’s 40th anniversary of owning restaurants in San Diego, the group launched Tavolo Tasting Tours, a monthly progressive dinner through all three restaurants on India Street. Surprising no one, the $100 tickets sold out quickly. At the inaugural tour on Thursday, Oct. 25, a dozen participants arrived at Lala for a cocktail and light bites. Then, they were shepherded to Barbusa for an appetizer board and pasta dish over a glass of wine. Executive Chef Nino Zizzo, a family cousin, stopped by to explain the inspiration behind his iconic Sicilian dishes. Participants finished the night at Nonna with a spread of drinks and dessert.

While Zizzo and PJ officially lead the intimate, behind-the-scenes tours, they ran into other family members including co-founder Frank Busalacchi. Guests left having met most of the family and longtime employees who are honorary members of the family. They also received a bag of merch and a 20% off coupon for their next visit. Busalacchi hopes this will build a rapport between the family and customers. “This isn’t this corporate team behind this. This is real people who work real hours and really take our time and make this part of our life,” he said. He is in the second generation of family restaurateurs after his father Joe Busalacchi Sr. and uncle Frank Busalacchi opened several restaurants in Grossmont Center, Hillcrest, and finally, Little Italy where they have stayed since.

While highlighting their own restaurants, PJ Busalacchi is also passionate about sharing the history of the family, and neighborhood, on the tour. The family has been entrenched in the neighborhood for so long they know all the local characters, like the owner of the single-family home beneath the Little Italy sign surrounded by high-rise condos. They are also considered one of the ‘founding families’ who transformed Little Italy into a gastronomic center of the city. Busalacchi shared how this neighborhood was once a forgotten part of Downtown, home to Italian immigrants in the tuna fishing industry. Much has changed, but the core of the neighborhood is still the same.

“Little Italy has become this premier destination for restaurants and nightlife. But if people were to come early in the morning and see the old men that are playing cards every morning in the street, or that there is still Italian spoken every day in the street by many different people, they would realize, it’s not this commercialized neighborhood,” Busalacchi said. “This neighborhood has deep, deep, deep roots, which you wouldn’t see from the outside.”

This is not the only way to learn the history of the neighborhood on a foodie tour. A few months ago, So Diego launched a wine-tasting tour and a Flavors of Little Italy tour led by a professional tour guide, stopping at a wide range of offerings in Little Italy. With options on most weekdays, So Diego tickets are certainly easier to snag.

Dates for next year’s Tavolo Tasting Tours have not been released, although Busalacchi said they may soon book birthday parties, corporate events, and other private tours in addition to the monthly tour. When tickets are available, they can be found at el Barbusa y Nonna sitios web