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Croces

Hours: 05:30 PM-12:00 AM Exceptions: Fri. & Sat. till 1:00 a.m. Sat. & Sun Open at 10:00 a.m. Closed from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily

Phone: 619-233-6945

822 5th Ave
Gaslamp, CA 92101

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Long before the sidewalks of the Gaslamp District teemed with tourists and restaurants huddled wall-to-wall along Fifth Avenue, there was Croce's Restaurant. It occupied the corner of Fifth and F streets at a time when the term "scruffy" was a more apt description of the Gaslamp than "chic" or "fashionable" or "must-do." Although it may seem implausible, Croce's was there when you could push the speed limit along Fifth Avenue on a Saturday night. Amazing.

Before Ingrid Croce opened the restaurant in honor of her late husband, Jim, the same corner was home to her blintz-based establishment, Blinchiki's. When the ultra casual Blinchiki morphed into the stately Croce's, things changed. Croce's became a dining destination. Its kitchen attracted acclaimed chefs whose cooking helped create a strong local client base, and international visitors.

Croce's was all about serving wonderful food. But music is in Ingrid Croce's soul, and it is hard to limit her to just one passion. So once Croce's was well established, Ingrid began an orderly march up Fifth Avenue. She took over the spot next door, and then the space next door to that. Soon, the upscale restaurant acquired several satellites: a café, a bar, a party space, and a live music venue that hosted headlining talent including Croce's son, A.J. The sounds of music transformed the street, and Fifth Avenue started to jump. Before long, Croce's had become the epicenter of the Gaslamp. Today, as the Gaslamp spreads in all directions, Croce's remains its heart and soul.