Old-school Italian restaurant Gold Mirror returns after two-year remodel

"The wait is over. Gold Mirror, the 56-year-old family-owned Italian restaurant out in the Sunset that has been closed since early 2024, is reopening at the corner of Taraval Street and 18th Avenue. The DiGrande family, which has owned the restaurant since 1969, is celebrating with two days of invitation-only parties for city politicos including the mayor, family, friends and neighbors, starting Saturday at 5 p.m. It will be open to the public next Wednesday."

""There's no place like this on the west side of the town," said Domenico DiGrande, who owns Gold Mirror with his brother Roberto and is a chef there. "This is like a dinner house in the 60s." The beloved neighborhood staple closed its doors in January 2024 for renovation and was expected to reopen that summer. But it took almost two years, and customers have been waiting anxiously. "We are desperate for your pizza," wrote one Instagram commenter in September 2024."

"Before the renovation, the restaurant was rustic. There was a facade resembling a Tuscan castle in the dining room, and iron chandeliers held candle-shaped lights. Today, "every single nail in this place is brand new," Domenico said. The dining room has a warm, golden glow from giant chandeliers. Three huge mirrors are marbled with gold, and shell-shaped sconces nod to the family's Sicilian roots."

Gold Mirror, a 56-year-old family-owned Italian restaurant in the Sunset, reopened at Taraval Street and 18th Avenue after being closed since early 2024. The DiGrande family, owners since 1969, held invitation-only reopening gatherings for city officials, family and neighbors before opening to the public. The renovation expanded from a planned facelift into a full rebuild, with most elements replaced and restored. The dining room now features giant chandeliers, three gold-marble mirrors, shell-shaped sconces referencing Sicilian roots, and dark green velvet booths that evoke the restaurant's speakeasy jazz-club origins. Customers waited anxiously for the return of the restaurant's food.

Read at Mission Local