In this episode of The Good Stuff presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk to Nico Diana, Co-Owner of Ca'Bianca Ristorante Italiano.
Nico Diana, co-owner of Ca'Bianca, was born in San Francisco and lived there until his family moved to Sonoma County to open Ca'Bianca in 1996. He attended elementary and high school in Sonoma County, graduating from Cardinal Newman. Nico later earned degrees in finance and international business from San Diego State University. After living in Germany and working in banking for several years, Nico returned to his roots in the restaurant industry.
Nico’s mother immigrated from Munich, Germany, and opened a bakery in San Francisco. His father, originally from the Milan area in Italy, entered the restaurant business, opening restaurants in California for Larry Mindel (Il Fornaio) of Spectrum Foods. He then managed the Fairmont in San Francisco before leaving to open several restaurants in and around SF with friends. When Nico was born, his parents decided to move to the North Bay to raise their family. They found the Marshall House, fell in love with it, and spent a year living in and restoring the building with a crew of four.
Ca'Bianca opened in March 1996, and Nico has been involved since a young age, helping as a little busboy at Mother’s Day brunches from the age of 7. Growing up, he spent countless holidays—NYE, Christmas, and others—at the restaurant, doing homework at the bar. After years away from Sonoma County, and with his parents' careers winding down, Nico returned to help run the family business. Now a co-owner of Ca'Bianca, he works alongside his parents, who spend more time in Europe while he manages the restaurant. He deeply values the long-standing relationships with his employees, many of whom have been with the team for over 25 years, with one staff member marking 30 years in March—since day one. His cousin, originally from Italy, lived with them while he was growing up. She is a sommelier who worked in Tuscany for eight years and sparked his interest in wine, further fueling his passion for the industry.
At 31 years old, Nico is committed to staying in Sonoma County, where he plans to continue raising his son with his wife. He takes great pride in his family’s legacy in the area and the community ties they've built over nearly 30 years of business.
Ca’Bianca History:
Ca'Bianca Ristorante Italiano is a family-owned Italian restaurant located at 835 Second Street in Santa Rosa, California, within the historic Marshall House—a Victorian mansion built in 1876 by pioneer James Marshall. Throughout the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries, the home was a noted gathering place of prominent Santa Rosa residents. The Marshall family owned and maintained the home until 1963 when family friend Harriet Watson purchased the property. Harriet made sure that the house maintained its structural and design integrity, retaining many of its original fixtures such as its ceramic fireplaces, stained glass, and crystal chandeliers.
In the mid to late 1990’s, after discovering and falling in love with the property, Marco Diana and his wife, Karin Hoehne, relocated to Sonoma County to restore the home. With a small team, they transformed it into Ca'Bianca Ristorante Italiano, launching the restaurant in March of 1996.
Ca'Bianca's cuisine blends flavors from multiple regions of Italy, from Milano in the north to Sicilia in the south. The restaurant is open for lunch on weekdays and dinner nightly. It also offers private dining areas and hosts events.
And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!
