After 35 years, Cibo is under new ownership. Mario Catalano took to Facebook on Wednesday morning to make the announcement.
“It feels like the right time to pass the torch,” Catalano wrote in his post. Of the new owners, he added, “I know they will take good care of it.”
Cibo became popular for Italian classics, live jazz and a nightlife scene. Dudley Ashley—co-owner of Carmel destinations Pangaea Grill and Sur—takes over the restaurant starting Aug. 5. His immediate plans are to open for lunch and make better use of the patio space. The longer-term goal is to “upgrade the ambience” of the downtown Monterey space, making the dining room brighter.
Ashley expects to use Pangaea Grill as a kind of template, creating an upscale casual vibe and bringing Italian fusion to the menu, while keeping the favorite dishes.
“Do you know what the best selling item at Sur is?” he says with a laugh. “Seabass tikka masala.” Ashley promises some exciting new menu items and creative additions to the pizza lineup. “But if you want a nice Italian dish, we’ll have that.”
There is one change Ashley expects to make soon after taking over. “I’m going to move away from weekend clubbing,” he says. “Mario liked that. For us, that’s not part of our brand.”
In 2022, a man was stabbed to death in the late night hours after a fight outside the restaurant.
Catalano opened Cibo in 1990 with his parents and brother. “It’s been an incredible ride,” he noted in his Facebook post. “You’ve given me a lifetime of memories. Thank you for being part of the journey.”
As for the new owner, “I’m super excited,” Ashley says. “It’s a great location.”
Dining and Cooking