Get Ready for a New Era at Nick & G’s

Rancho Santa Fe institution Nick & G’s is getting a top-to-bottom renovation ahead of its 10th anniversary, and Chef/Partner Alex Carballo is leading the culinary refresh with a fresh California-Italian perspective.

The project marks a new chapter for one of North San Diego County’s most storied restaurant addresses, with completion targeted for fall 2026.

A Century of Stories Inside One Building

Long before it was Nick & G’s, the two-story building at the corner of Paseo Delicias and La Granada was a family home, built in the 1920s by the Millar family, who came to Rancho Santa Fe to farm avocados in the earliest days of the Covenant, the Lilian Rice-designed Spanish Colonial Revival village.

The building later became a restaurant space, most famously home to Delicias for a generation, before the DiCicco family’s Grand Restaurant Group took over the address and opened it as Nick & G’s in 2017.

A Family Legacy Continues

Leading the renovation is Gianina Pickens, Chief Operating Officer of Grand Restaurant Group and the “G” the restaurant was named for.

She’s a next-generation leader of a restaurant tradition more than five decades in the making, tracing back to her grandfather, Nicola DiCicco, who emigrated from Pacentro, Italy, and built a family restaurant business with his four brothers in the Fresno area.

“As we approach our tenth anniversary, we wanted to honor what our guests have always loved about Nick & G’s while creating something fresh for the next chapter,” said Pickens.

“It’s incredibly meaningful to continue our family’s hospitality legacy in a place that has become such a special part of the Rancho Santa Fe community.”

Chef Alex Carballo’s Vision for Nick & G’s

Joining Pickens on the culinary side is Chef/Partner Alex Carballo, a 20-year San Diego hospitality veteran whose résumé includes Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens and Fox Point Farms.

Carballo is already turning heads with Grand Restaurant Group’s newly reimagined Nómada in Carlsbad and the upcoming Bangers BBQ in Escondido.

At Nick & G’s, he’ll debut an approachable California-Italian menu that revitalizes the handmade pastas, pizzas, and seasonal shared plates the restaurant has long been known for.

The Redesign at a Glance

Beyond the menu, the renovation will bring a redesigned indoor dining room and bar, along with reimagined private event and patio spaces.

Initial design inspiration was developed in consultation with Rachael Lorraine Harris in collaboration with Michael Soriano, with Carballo leading design and project management throughout the remodel.