Franca's Italian Kitchen and Bar in Alpine reopened the former Donato's Italian Restaurant space at 2654 Alpine Blvd under the management of the original founders' relatives, preserving the location's Italian dining legacy on the Alpine Boulevard corridor. The dinner-service menu runs from bruschetta and calamari fritti through entrees like short rib ravioli, penne alla vodka, and chicken parmigiana, complemented by a wine-and-cocktail bar that pairs with the retail bottle selection at Country Wine & Spirits on Alpine Blvd. San Diego County's Environmental Health division assigned the kitchen a 90-out-of-100 inspection score, and the dining room's interior preserves much of the original Donato's layout with a refreshed, more open floor plan and a modernized bar area. The fra diavolo preparation anchors the spice-forward end of the pasta menu, building a red-pepper-and-garlic tomato sauce over the diner's choice of spaghetti or rigatoni. Weekend brunch service and a rear parking lot expand accessibility for guests staying at Ayres Lodge Alpine on Tavern Road, who drive the short stretch of Alpine Blvd to reach the restaurant. The 16-inch pizza program covers builds from a classic Margherita through the Meat Lovers and Roasted Garlic Chicken, each stretched on house dough and fired alongside the pasta and entree lineup.