Cesar and Gabriela Lomeli, owners of Fratellino’s Italian Kitchen, enjoy a nice spread of their classic Italian food. The new eatery is the restaurant’s second location. Their original Brea location is well-known in the area, for several years winning the top Italian restaurant in the Orange County Register’s Best of Orange County award.
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Fratellino’s Italian Kitchen
Cesar and Gabriela Lomeli know what it takes to run a business in Orange County. For 25 years, the husband-and-wife duo have operated Fratellino’s Italian Kitchen, their Italian restaurant in Brea. They’ve grown that eatery from eight to more than 40 employees, and recently opened their second location, this time in Orange.
Fratellino’s, which opened on East Chapman Ave. in March, offers classic Italian food, including traditional pasta dishes, pizza, panini and gelato.
“This city is very supportive of small businesses and family businesses, so we knew Orange was a great next spot for us,” says Cesar.
Their restaurant experience runs deep. Cesar worked for his brother at their family restaurant, Lomeli’s, for 13 years, earning his stripes in every position from pizza maker and baker to cook to manager. The experience fostered his passion for food, and in 2000, he and Gabriela decided to strike out on their own.
The name holds special meaning for the couple. Fratellino’s means “little brother’s place,” a nod to Cesar’s years working alongside his older brothers and learning the restaurant trade from the ground up.
When they opened their first restaurant, Gabriela left her career as a dental assistant to join Cesar full-time, allowing them to build the business together as a true partnership.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the same strength and success in Orange as we have built at our Brea restaurant,” she says.
The Brea location has become well-known in the community as a staple not only for family outings, but also for large corporate catering orders. Cesar says businesses like Home Depot, Disneyland, Chapman University’s film school and Mercury Insurance are frequent customers, and their largest order was for 1,200 people.
While the menu in Orange mirrors what they serve in Brea, the new location has a more relaxed, casual feel. Cesar and Gabriela are focused on providing a welcoming dining-in experience while also offering plenty of takeout options and a popular party tray menu.
At Fratellino’s, diners can enjoy a variety of classic Italian pastas and pizzas, baked specialties like lasagna or eggplant parmigiana, or additional entrees, including chicken and veal piccata and meatball casserole.
“We want to offer good food and service at a reasonable price, and at the same time, build a great relation- ship with the community here,” says Cesar. “That has been very important to us in Brea, and we’d like to be known for that in Orange, too.”
The family aspect of the business goes beyond just Cesar and Gabriela. Two of their sons, Marco and Gianni, work at the restaurant alongside them, keeping the tradition alive in the next generation.
“Our youngest son, Gianni, always comes in to work with me in Orange, and we really like making relationships with customers together and getting to know everyone,” says Gabriela.
For the Lomelis, working side by side has been central to their marriage and success.
“Being in business for 25 years hasn’t been easy, but the rewarding part is to see so many families consider our restaurant their home away from home, where they create family memories,” says Cesar. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see our customers as part of our family, just as they see us in the same way. The restaurant becomes an extension of their home.”
Fratellino’s Italian Kitchen
3436 East Chapman Ave., Orange, CA 92869 / 714-941-6005
