Sardinia has been named one of the world’s top culinary places to eat this year, according to an article by Eater. Travelers have flocked to the small Italian island to celebrate the local flavors and dine on ornate handmade pasts, varieties of salted sheep’s milk, authentic Italian sweets and savory bottarga.
No need to book a trip and hop on a plane to taste the renowned cuisine of the island. Experience authentic, luxurious Italian-inspired fare in the heart of San Diego at Garibaldi.
The bayfront rooftop restaurant located on the fourth floor of the InterContinental San Diego has launched a new menu highlighting the flavors and essence of the Italian region.
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New chef de cuisine Ricardo Heredia cites Sardinian and Sicilian culture as the core influence of Garibaldi’s new menu.
“Our ingredients are always at the forefront; and showcasing San Diego’s fisherwomen and men in our offerings helps drive the stories of these two Islands,” says Heredia in a press release.
Through Garibaldi’s newest additions, Heredia hopes to invoke memories for those who have been to the islands and create new ones for those yearning for a new, unique experience.
Garibaldi’s menu has traditionally centered on cuisine from the southern Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The new menu, which debuted earlier this month, reconfirms Garibaldi’s focus on Sardinian fare.
A selection of Italian bread has been added to the menu, inspired by the ancient Sardinian saying, “one who has bread never dies.”
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Enjoy new offerings like sheet music bread and pane carasau, a paper thin, crisp bread topped with sheep’s milk ricotta, olive oil, black pepper, lemon and bottarga.
Start your dining experience with a selection of stuzzichini, Italy’s version of appetizers, and choose from a variety of sfinciones (Sicilian pizzas with a focaccia-like base) topped with traditional Italian delicacies.
In addition to hyper-local seafood offerings, Garibaldi expanded their main course menu to include fregola all’onda served with potato scallops, tomato, baby zucchini, fried blossom and pecorino, and braised lamb with artichokes, served with fingerling potatoes and polenta and topped with a vermentino lamb jus.
Come sunset, enjoying the rooftop’s waterfront view and toast with cocktails and limoncello from Garibaldi’s new bar menu, courtesy of new beverage manager Charles Crisp.
Sip on Garibaldi’s newest additions, the ‘green flash tonic’, crafted with Wild Sardinian vodka, ‘mirto verde’ with tonic of fig, chichona bark, peppercorn, cinnamon and cardamom, and the ultra-high-end ‘Sophia and Rose’, featuring Barolo-based vodka, rare passito and Campari Cask Tales.
The bar also offers a wine program focused almost purely on Sicilian and Sardinian wines, including a unique orange wine, a variety of Italian beers and a selection of amaros. 
In addition to new bites and sips, Garibaldi has enhanced their late night and weekend offerings.
Guests can sip on cocktails and enjoy sharable bites like oysters arrostito, and culurgiones fritti, the iconic Sardinian stuffed pasta, at Garibaldi’s late-night happy hour Thursday through Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. 
On Saturday, enjoy the sea and salt that encompasses Sardinia for brunch on the rooftop. Choose from a selection of sweets, like traditional Sardinian pardulas with whipped ricotta, honey and saffron, or opt for something savory like a lamb smash burger, perfect for pairing with an Italian beer.
The restaurant’s bottomless beverage selection has expanded to include bottomless limoncello spritz, sbagliato and Aperol spritzes.
From debuting a new menu to toasting to cocktail additions, Garibaldi has a lot to celebrate this year. 
The James Beard Foundation recognized Garibaldi’s seafood sustainability efforts and passion for protecting the water seen from the terrace, awarding the restaurant “Smart Catch Committed” status.
The Smart Catch program was created by chefs, for chefs, with the mission to increase the sustainability of seafood offered on menus. The program recognizes the efforts of restaurants committed to serving local and responsibly sourced seafood and emphasizes the importance of improvement in both culinary spaces and seafood supply chains.
Garibaldi is committed to serving locally and responsibly sourced seafood whether it’s the sand dabs in the sogliole alla parmigiana or the oysters and prawns in the iconic seafood towers.
Instead of booking a plane ticket, choose to book a reservation and transcend to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily through Garibaldi’s new offerings.
Garibaldi is located on the fourth floor of the InterContinental San Diego at 901 Bayfront Ct Suite 1, San Diego, CA 92101.
Photography by: Victoria Perez / Garibaldi
