Sorriso Italian Cafe Badly Damaged in Fire

A Pasadena Italian restaurant will likely be closed a minimum of several weeks after a fire caused significant damage to the business’ kitchen area 

No one was hurt in the fire, which broke out about 6:40 p.m. at Sorriso, 46 E. Colorado Blvd., according to Pasadena city and fire officials.

The restaurant was open for takeout orders when a smoke alarm went off, said owner Jack Huang.

“There were no flames, but smoke was coming out of the roof,” Huang said.

Firefighters quickly arrived and ultimately found the source of the smoke within a wall of the kitchen, according to Huang.

“It took them a while to isolate the issue,” he said. “It was behind the wall, in between the walls.”

Firefighters declared a second-alarm as they worked to locate the fire’s origin, officials said.

A dollar-value estimate of the damage was yet to be determined, officials said. The investigation into the cause was ongoing, but Huang said the initial investigation pointed toward an electrical problem within the wall.

Huang said the business was insured and he hoped to rebuild and reopen as soon as possible, but he suspected it would take a matter of weeks. Holes in the floor and ceiling will have to be repaired, along with the wall, and the building also sustained significant water damage.

Operating on only takeout orders due to pandemic restrictions, Huang said the business has been generating just enough revenue to cover the payroll.

The restaurant had just installed a new street-level deck to accommodate patrons, he said. Sunday was the first day the new deck was available for use.

With the restaurant out of commission for the immediate time being, Huang said he was looking for other ways to help his employees, such as an online fundraising account.

Huang has operated restaurants in Pasadena and formerly sat on a city commission.

He thanked the firefighters for their response, as well as offers of assistance.

“They were wonderful,” he said. “We have the best Fire Department.”