Swing back 80 years: It’s 1946 and Catherine “Mama” Ghio, a wife of a fisherman and mother of three, is sorting through her secret recipes, which she guards like a child.

The strong-willed Italian immigrant is ready to do what she always dreamt of doing – opening a seafood restaurant which she would call Anthony’s in honor of her grandfather back in Italy.

Anthony’s has a humble beginning at the old downtown ferry landing; small though it may be, it attracts droves of hungry San Diegans. Her top-secret, light-batter recipe gives her seafood dishes a unique flavor that keeps the customers coming back for more. That Mama Ghio recipe – it becomes a legend in itself. 

So popular is Anthony’s that in 1960, Mama Ghio upgrades to a larger – and iconic – location on the North Embarcadero of San Diego Bay. And now Anthony’s becomes Anthony’s Fish Grotto, featuring a modern design by renowned architect C.J. “Pat” Paderewski, known for its chowders, fish & chips and delicious tartar sauces.

Adjacent to the Star of India, it would become one of a handful of historic San Diego restaurants, spanning over 50 years.

The type of place you’d take friends and family when they came to visit.

With time, Anthony’s became a large and profitable enterprise with seven restaurants spread across the county. 

There was one in La Jolla we’d go to but my best memories are attached to the Anthony’s at the Embarcadero. My family would go there when my grandparents were in town and my late mom would take me there, just me and her. She’d have fried clams and I’d have the fish & chips and a Coke, which, as I grew older, was replaced by a draft beer. We’d watch the seagulls swaying high above and the naval ships in the distance and feel the San Diego sun warming our face.

In 2017, Anthony’s Fish Grotto at the Embarcadero closed, a big San Diego news story at the time. In a press release, Craig Ghio, Mama Ghio’s grandson, stated that he was “grateful to the patrons who have been loyal to our restaurant over the years,” noting that the establishment had served more than 22 million customers during its 52 years at the Embarcadero. 

Anthony Ghio, the last of the original co-founders of Anthony’s, passed away in 2018, at the age of 97, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Editor’s Note: Anthony’s at the Embarcadero will be remembered as one of the beloved historic San Diego restaurants. But fortunately you can still enjoy the same great seafood dishes inspired by Mama Ghio at the La Mesa location, “Anthony’s on the Lake.”

Address: 9530 Murray Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942 * (619) 463-0368

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