With Domenico Stile joining as culinary advisor and Emanuele Olivero as director of gastronomy, the restaurant introduces a renewed culinary vision that embraces its roots and strengthens its connection with the Los Cabos community.
Twenty years of sunsets, gatherings, and celebrations mark the beginning of a new chapter at Sunset Monalisa. The restaurant announced Italian Heritage, an evolution of its culinary offering that brings together tradition, contemporary techniques, and regional ingredients, with a special invitation to those who call Los Cabos home.
During a press conference, the leadership team outlined three priorities for this new chapter: reaffirming the restaurant’s Italian identity, placing greater emphasis on its à la carte menu, and offering an experience that continues well beyond sunset.
For Giammarco Vela, the restaurant’s owner, the anniversary also presents an opportunity to renew his commitment to the destination. His vision stems from a personal experience: more than two decades ago, it was from these very terraces that he and his wife first imagined making a home in Los Cabos.
Since then, he explained, the mission has been to create unforgettable moments and help visitors fall in love with the destination, just as he did. Today, that intention also means reconnecting with the local community and offering more reasons to return.
A Return to Italian Roots
This new chapter welcomes Domenico Stile, chef of Rome’s two-Michelin-starred Enoteca La Torre, as culinary advisor. Alongside him, Emanuele Olivero takes on the role of director of gastronomy, returning to a restaurant whose team he joined in its early years.
In his remarks, Stile described Italian cooking as an expression of family, quality ingredients, and respect for each product. That understanding of the table guides his collaboration with Sunset Monalisa: creating a distinctive dining experience that conveys the warmth of feeling at home.
His vision, combined with the team’s experience in Los Cabos, comes to life in Chef Experience, a tasting menu that brings together Italian identity, locally available ingredients, and contemporary techniques.
For Olivero, who has spent much of his professional career in the destination, this approach also means recognizing the richness of Mexican products and seeking ingredients that allow Italian cooking to reflect the place where it is prepared.
Both chefs emphasized that consistency will be one of their greatest priorities: bringing the same care to every dish, every day. Training and teamwork in the kitchen will be essential to sustaining this new chapter.
More Reasons to Return
Alongside its tasting menu, Sunset Monalisa will place greater emphasis on its à la carte menu, offering modern, casual Italian cuisine. The goal is to make every visit different: choose one dish, discover another on a future visit, or share a meal without always committing to a multi-course experience.
This approach aims to strengthen the restaurant’s relationship with local residents, giving them reasons to return more often and celebrate special occasions.
The evening will also unfold in two distinct stages. The first preserves the romantic atmosphere that accompanies sunset; the second invites guests to linger in a livelier setting, with live Latin music and opportunities to gather and connect
Small Bites to Share
During the presentation, guests were introduced to cicchetti, small bites associated with Venetian tradition that encourage sampling different dishes and sharing around the table.
The selections included an eggplant arancino, salt cod whipped with olive oil, stracciatella, and shrimp bruschetta, offering a taste of the flavors that accompany this new culinary direction.
With Italian Heritage, Sunset Monalisa celebrates its first 20 years by looking ahead while embracing the spirit of its origins: a table where food, hospitality, and scenery come together. An invitation for those discovering Los Cabos and those who call it home.
