Opening Wednesday, November 7 at Fashion Valley Mall, front and center next to Bloomingdale’s, is the fifteenth location of North Italia. The modern Italian restaurant is a proven smash for Fox Restaurant Concepts, which also runs Flower Child in Del Mar and Blanco Tacos + Tequila which opened earlier this fall in Fashion Valley.

The hospitality group, operator of 50 eateries nationwide, is establishing quite a presence in San Diego; another North Italia is planned for the One Paseo development and a yet-unnamed restaurant is coming to Coronado, where founder Sam Fox owns a home. North Italia may be new to San Diego, but its executive chef is a familiar face. A former ‘Top Chef’ contestant, Rich Sweeney has been cooking in San Diego for over a decade, running his own eateries and most recently working as the executive chef of Waypoint Public.