Sicilian Roast Celebrates a Decade of Italian Dining with a Revamp and the Opening of Its Molito Branch

Ten years after opening its first kitchen in Makati’s Legazpi Village, Sicilian Roast marks a major milestone with the launch of its newest branch at Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang, a move that signals both its growth and evolution into one of Manila’s most dependable names in Italian dining.

Founded in 2015, Sicilian Roast began as a modest neighborhood spot serving handmade pizzas, hearty pastas, and honest comfort food. Over the years, it has quietly built a loyal following and expanded to four locations across Metro Manila: Makati (Legazpi Village), San Juan (Santolan Town Plaza by Rockwell), Quezon City (The Arton Strip by Rockwell), and now Alabang (Molito). 

Each branch carries the same warmth and generosity that defined the brand from the beginning, while reflecting the refinement it has earned through a decade of steady growth.

“Especially in the last year, we’ve grown and refined every part of what we do, but our promise has never changed,” says Lorenzo Vega, CEO of Sicilian Roast. “We’ve always believed in serving honest food with soul and warmth. Ten years in, it’s still that passion that fuels us.

Guiding the kitchen’s evolution is Executive Chef Matt Navarro, whose nearly two decade-long career spans posh neighborhood spots in New York and international five-star hotels. After returning to Manila, he continued to build his craft across both fine-dining and upscale-casual restaurants, later consulting for a range of concepts – from bars and pizzerias to steakhouses, izakayas, and neighborhood eateries. His breadth of experience shapes Sicilian Roast’s direction today: a menu grounded in classic Italian flavors, executed with modern technique, and refined without losing the comfort and soul that defines the brand.

Together with Vega, Navarro has elevated the brand’s approach to ingredients and execution, showing how classic Italian cooking can stay true to its roots while evolving with the times.

The Molito branch introduces a completely refreshed menu (that will be available in all branches) that include a fine-tuned pasta line-up, an extensive steak menu, and a newly engineered pizza dough.

The updated dishes reflect Sicilian Roast’s signature style: refined but unpretentious, built around bright flavors, generous portions, and a focus on letting the food speak for itself.

Among the new additions is the Bottarga alla Carmen, a dish created in memory of Maria del Carmen Vega, Lorenzo Vega’s late mother. Made with angel hair pasta tossed with cured fish roe, it was one of her longtime favorites and a quiet tribute to the woman whose taste and warmth continue to shape Sicilian Roast’s spirit. 

“My mother loved simple flavors done right,” says Vega. “She had a particular affinity for pasta and Aperol Spritz’s, and so we even created signature one in her name. The special mural in Molito is a tribute to her and my father, whose enduring love for each other I hope permeates through the food.”

Through its partnership with Prime Cuts by Doubleday, Sicilian Roast is also one of the few restaurant groups in the Philippines certified to serve Ito Ranch Matsusaka Beef, Japan’s famed “Queen of Wagyu.” This collaboration reflects the brand’s continued focus on ingredient integrity and craftsmanship.

During the recent media preview, guests were treated to a first taste of the refreshed menu, featuring hearty portions of the signature dishes paired with drinks from the updated bar program. The event offered a glimpse into the next chapter of Sicilian Roast,  one that honors its roots while continuing to evolve for the next decade of diners.

With its updated kitchen, bar program, and welcoming design, Sicilian Roast Molito captures what the brand has become: a space where excellent food feels approachable and celebrations feel at home. The new branch represents the culmination of ten years of learning, rebuilding, and setting new standards for Italian dining in the country.

As Sicilian Roast enters its second decade, the group is hungry for further expansion and menu evolutions that will continue to help define Manila’s evolving restaurant landscape. 

For Vega and his team, the next chapter is simple: staying true to the values that built Sicilian Roast—care, consistency, and the kind of food that brings people together.

For reservations and updates, visit sicilianroast.com or follow @sicilianroastmanila on Instagram and Facebook.