1919's Last Call Launches Cocktail Program; Italian Chefs Team Up

GASLAMP— This Sunday, May 1, downtown's 1919 will roll out the new food and drink menu for its upstairs bar Last Call. Snacks include 1919's fried pickle chips, short rib sliders and charcuterie place while the drink list from lead bartender Ryan Andrews ranges from twists on the classics to two sizes of punch bowls filled with gin and housemade tonic to a the Frozen Tropical Negroni, a boozy slushy made with gin, sweet vermouth, Campari, elderflower liqueur, coconut and R&D Aromatic Bitters #7. The bar will also offer live music Sunday through Tuesday. [EaterWire]

LIBERTY STATION— A dinner series featuring four prominent Italian chefs continues its run at Solare Ristorante on Thursday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m. Featuring the wines of Batasiolo Winery in Piedmont, the multi-course dinner will highlight the cooking talents of Solare's Accursio Lota, Piazza 1909's Stefano Ceresoli and BiCE's Mario Cassineri and Francesca Penoncelli, whose dishes will include risotto, with fresh peas, lemon cherry tomatoes and wild Baja shrimp and roasted Sonoma lamb with ash-charred artichokes and mint. The dinner $89 plus tax and gratuity; contact info@solarelounge.com to reserve. [EaterWire]

AROUND TOWN— Support the San Diego Food Bank’s Food 4 Kids Backpack Program by dining out during the month of May for the annual "Dollar-A-Dish" campaign, when participating restaurants will donate $1 to the program anytime a pre-selected signature dish is sold. The backpack program, which serves 11 local school districts, provides weekend backpacks filled with food to elementary school children in need. Dishes include the Ultimate Burger at Cowboy Star, lunchtime pizzas at CUCINA urbana and CUCINA enoteca, Skirts on Fire at Indigo Grill and ice cream cakes at MooTime Creamery. [EaterWire]