Meet Mario Ibarra: Entrepreneurial Spirit in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Imagine the moments where you’re hungry for dinner yet too tired to cook, perhaps you are a weary traveler looking for a good meal and a place to relax, or maybe you just want to be around good energy and good people. This vibe describes the work of Mario Ibarra and his business partners. He greeted me with a big hug, a cappuccino and a “salud” to begin our meeting. I was immediately enthralled with his energy and could not wait to hear more of his story.

If you have lived in the San Lorenzo Valley for a while or have read the paper lately then you have most likely crossed paths with Mario. He is most recognizable as the previous co-owner of the former Casa Nostra Restaurant in Ben Lomond. Many of us have enjoyed the delicious cuisine of Mario’s new restaurant Aroma (with co-owner Pasquale Bianco), sang karaoke at Henflings, or hung out for libations and live music at the River Run Lounge at the Brookdale Lodge. “I have a lot of people around me, and I always get permission from my crew and family for everything. They said we support you, go for it. It became easy for me to jump into a new chapter and new projects.” Mario and his partners now own all three establishments, bringing new life to each one. Their plan is to keep the ownership of these three institutions within the community and give each its own identity.

Mario came to Santa Cruz from La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico at the age of 18. He began working at Star Bene, an Italian Argentine restaurant, and his culinary career was born. After apprenticing with skilled chefs, learning to speak Italian, and attending culinary school, he opened his own restaurant, Ristorante Da Mario in Saratoga.

One of his servers, Raffaele Cristallo, invited Mario to Ben Lomond. He fell in love with the town, went into partnership with Raffaele and the iconic Casa Nostra came to be. Subsequently due to the pandemic and CZU fire Mario moved on.

Next Chapter

Mario and his team have brought a lot of love and life into the valley and he continues to expand his reach and refine his establishments. “We are working on this right now. Aroma is authentic Italian with Pascuale Bianco as head chef, Henflings will continue to be the great American dive bar, and the Brookdale diner is going to stay 1950s style.” The Diner will serve breakfast beginning at 7am cafeteria style with pastries and room service for hotel guests. The team have reopened the lounge and beer garden at the Brookdale Lodge reimagined as The River Run.

Mario’s goal is to bring the community together, create fun experiences, and to celebrate the history of these dining and entertainment spaces. He collaborates with event coordinators and community and business organizations to make his venues inviting spaces. “We respect one another, help each other out in difficult situations and support each other. The heart has no colors, respect and love are the key,” he said. Mario looks forward to hosting new events at his three locations. With the cool weather approaching, it becomes more challenging to bring people out and about. So, Mario plans to do special “neighbor nights” with affordable food and drinks to keep the things humming. Enjoying time together and savoring moments are his mantra. “We are here together to make SLV a great place, with great vibes and beautiful places to gather.”

Thank you, Mario, for your warm invitations, it feels like home!

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This article first appeared in the November edition of the San Lorenzo Valley Post