After an extensive rebranding – a new logo, updated design elements and online ordering system – Tomatina is ready to expand. In the last week the company announced that its newest location would be across from the West Valley shopping center in south San Jose.

Currently there are 5 locations in Northern California, and Tomatina plans to nearly double these numbers to 12 over the next two years. “This is an exciting time at Tomatina,” said Mark Nicandri, the restaurant’s vice president of operations. As a fast-casual Italian restaurant, they are not in a very competitive restaurant division. Pasta Pomodoro, which would have been its biggest competition, was sold a few years ago and isn’t planning any new locations for now.

Tomatina’s restaurant concept was developed in 1998 by celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, of Food Network fame. The restaurant serves made-to-order Italian dishes, revitalized with interesting ingredients and homemade breads and pastas. One of their signature items is the Piadine, an Italian “sandwich” baked in unleavened bread. They have 8 of them, a full line of pastas, large plates and expanded salads.