Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Harry Gimber as a former Navy SEAL. He is a retired Navy officer.
After 31 years of operation, the Sarber family announced the closing of Island Pasta in Coronado at the end of October.
“The Sarber’s extend a warm thank you to everyone in town for their patronage over the past years in this wonderful community,” said the announcement of the closure. “For Island Pasta’s staff, it has been an incredible privilege to get to know so many friends and be a part of so many families.”
The Sarber family announced the place is closing in a statement by Carol Sarber, her daughter Emily Sarber and Carol’s sister Kathy Byrne, who all thanked long-time patrons and employees who they said have been a staple to the family-owned restaurant.
“After three decades providing pasta, pizzas and salads to multiple generations, Island Pasta will be missed by dedicated fans,” the statement said.
Established in 1994, Island Pasta nurtured a family-friendly atmosphere and kept its doors open to longtime residents and newcomers.
“This place is all about the patron,” said Coronado resident Wil Serrano, who preferred happy hours at Island Pasta. “They want everybody to have a great time and enjoy their food … Whether they’re local or tourists, they always treat everybody with so much kindness.”
The Sarber family, which has been in Coronado for more than 60 years, says Island Pasta was one of the first restaurants to serve homemade pastas in Coronado and is one of the last non-corporate businesses in town.
“It’s always sad saying goodbye to an old restaurant that we love,” said Coronado resident Belle Mitchell Wood, a close family friend. “It was like the ‘Cheers’ of Coronado at one point.”
The restaurant was founded by Brant Sarber and his wife Carol who throughout the years managed the finances alongside Byrne who ran the day-to-day of Island Pasta and Emily who supported the business.
“It’s sad for (people) to see it go,” said Brant’s sister Kelly Sarber about the restaurant founded by her late brother. “And it’s sad for us, too. But Carol and Kathy need to go to their next chapter. They’ve been working here for 31 years.”
A dream come true
The Sarber family says Brant dreamed of owning his own restaurant while working at the Chart House in Coronado, and found the perfect spot in the space previously occupied by Oriental Arts, at 1202 Orange Ave.
“I have never seen my brother so excited as when he took this place over from Oriental Arts, and then converted it into this restaurant,” said Kelly. “It was his dream come true.”
Kelly said Brant recycled wooden floor slats from their school gymnasium to build a friendly bar area shaped like a horseshoe.
“It was challenging because (the building) wasn’t a restaurant, so he had to build a kitchen,” said Kelly. “He had to build everything from scratch.”
Brant and Carol opened Island Pasta days before the 4th of July in 1994, and the rest was history.
Kelly said her brother later opened a second restaurant, Costa Azul, across the street from Island Pasta where The Henry is currently.
“He was always back and forth … His life was full managing these two restaurants,” said Kelly. “So when he died it was a loss to the family, and the community, and also to Carol and Kathy, because his dream was their dream.”
After Brant’s passing in 2022, Carol and Byrne managed both restaurants. Costa Azul, which had relocated near the Ferry Landing, closed in 2024.
Generous service
Kelly calls Island Pasta one of the few long-time, family-owned eateries in Coronado.
Because their late father had been a Navy SEAL, Kelly said, Brant had a pasta special for SEALs during training for Hell Week.
“He kind of opened with a sense of locals and military, and then Arizona people, who would come in the summer. This could be the first restaurant that they would come back to,” said Kelly.
Coronado resident Harry Gimber, a retired Navy officer, said Island Pasta was packed when it opened and he remembers other SEALs crowding the bar area.
“It hasn’t changed a bit,” said Gimber, who frequented Island Pasta on a monthly basis. “It’s a friendly place that has good food and reasonable prices.”
“It’s sad,” he added, speaking of the closure. “I don’t know how many other places have been here for 30 years.”
Emotional closing for all
Chef Aurora Gonzalez, who has worked at the restaurant since its opening, said employees at Island Pasta typically spent several years with the establishment.
“She’s a member of the family,” said Kelly about Gonzalez.
Kelly said Brant gave a lot of people jobs in Coronado, including younger kids he hired during the summer who would normally come back.
“This restaurant definitely means a lot to all of us,” said Alexander Arvizu who attended CHS and worked approximately six years at Island Pasta. “We’ve all grown a good connection together.”
Gonzalez joined Island Pasta after meeting Brant and Carol when the owner of a previous restaurant she worked at closed and the owner recommended her.
“It makes me sad,” Gonzalez said in Spanish days before the closure. “It makes me want to cry, and I don’t want to.”
