Mama Ghio’s rich tradition lives on in the third generation. Mama’s grandchildren, Beverly Mascari, Rick Ghio and Craig Ghio now run the family’s restaurant enterprise. Anthony’s Fish Grotto has grown to include a variety of restaurants, as well as serving our food in PETCO Park! As we continue to improve, we will always stress the value of the original recipes, quality seafood and our excellent customer service.

Our Retail Fish Market (located inside the La Mesa Grotto Restaurant) allows our guests to take home the tastes of our kitchen. Retail items sold include fresh seafood, seafood spreads, sauces, dressings, flavored basting butters, breadings, and our famous chowders.

This diversification of our company is a crucial part of our continued success.

We are committed to providing an environment where each of our team members can fully engage each one another and our guests. Living in the moment is how we are able to create a moment of magic.

Our Values
We’re all about great seafood, great environments and great service.
We believe in dignity, respect and teamwork.
We believe each division must be financially profitable. 4. We are accountable for our actions.
We share our risks and rewards.
We practice open, clear, honest and timely communication.
We clearly value our team members; here are a few of them and what they think of Anthony’s.

Anthony’s Seafood Group continues to evolve and adapt to the changing marketplace. We are always working towards a brighter and more prosperous future and seek the input from team members and customers alike to help us reach our goals.

One of the newest ways we are growing as a company is through the addition of the Star of the Sea Event Center. After 40 years as one of San Diego’s finest restaurants, the Star of the Sea has been re-born as a venue for personal, social and corporate events.

The elegant and stylish setting, combined with the amazing Bay views work in harmony to create a truly interactive Bayside Experience that is sought after by locals and visitors alike. It’s another example of the excitement that our Anthony’s future holds!

Mama Ghio
Without Mama Ghio, there wouldn't be an Anthony's. Her loving guidance, her wise advice, and her dedication to excellence have been an inspiration – one that has helped to make our name synonymous with the finest, freshest seafood.

Thank you Mama Ghio.

Life at Anthony's
As with anything, before we can move forward, we must pay our respects to our past. Anthony’s has a rich history in San Diego dating back to 1946.

That little café on the waterfront seated only 18 people. Times have changed. Today, our combined locations serve 2,000 guests daily.

We have grown from a family of six to a corporation of almost 300 team members. We are proud of our history and look forward to our future with the best and brightest talent San Diego has to offer. Is that you? This is what Anthony’s is all about.

Our Past
Catherine “Mama” Ghio had a dream. She would start a restaurant featuring the same seafood that her family and friends loved so much when she cooked it at home. Working with her two sons, Anthony and Tod, and her son-in-law, Roy Weber, she realized her dreams, and opened our first location on July 18, 1946. The little café was located at 965 West Harbor Drive, in San Diego, and seated just 18 people. It offered many of the same items that we still proudly feature on our menus today. Mama prepared her sauces and chowder, Tod cut the fresh fish portions, Roy cooked them, and Anthony took care of the front of the house.

In 1954, we began operation of our own wholesale fish market, known as Ghio Seafood Products, in order to insure the quality and availability of our products. The Ghio Seafood operation not only buys fish directly from the local fishermen, who deliver it to us fresh daily, but also buys other types of seafood from all over the world. All seafood items served in our restaurants are stored, processed, and portion-controlled at Ghio Seafood.

In January, 1961, Anthony, Tod, and Roy built and opened a third restaurant on a spring fed lake in a natural setting in La Mesa, located at 9530 Murray Drive. Then, in June, 1966, the Anthony’s San Diego Grotto moved to its current location that was built on pilings over San Diego Bay on Harbor Drive at the foot of Ash Street.

In the same building, we opened our award-winning Star of the Sea in July, 1966. The Star of the Sea was San Diego’s first seafood gourmet dining room, with elegant cart service. The Star of the Sea was closed in 2006, and reopened to better serve our community as a special event center. With spectacular views of San Diego Bay, The Star of the Sea Event Center is San Diego’s premier location for any special occasion.

In August, 1971, the gift shop at the San Diego location was closed and the area remodeled to make way for the Fishette, a quick service seafood shop.

In November, 1974, Anthony’s built and opened a fourth restaurant, Anthony’s Fish Grotto of Chula Vista, at the I-5 and E Street in Chula Vista.

During the mid-1980’s, the company began a transition, as our original founders retired, and the next generation took over leadership. Anthony’s son Rick, Tod’s son Craig, and Roy’s daughter Beverly (Mascari) now oversee all facets of the company.

Anthony’s is grateful to providing service to San Diego for over 60 years, and we look forward to continue to serve the next generations.