Skip to Content

Tom Segura’s Italian Cafe Ciccio Bomba Opens Flagship Location in Austin

The comedian’s bakery and cafe expands with handmade pastries, fresh pasta, Italian aperitifs and a full-service dining room

  • By Erin Russell
  • May 05, 2026
Ciccio Bomba co-owners Tom Segura and Marlo Vinzoni hand out pastries to customers at the cafe’s South Lamar flagship location in Austin
Ciccio Bomba co-owners Tom Segura and Marlo Vinzoni hand out pastries to customers at the cafe’s South Lamar flagship location in Austin. (Photo courtesy of YMH Studios)

Ciccio Bomba, the bakery and cafe from comedian Tom Segura, Italian chef Gianbattista “Gianba” Vinzoni and his wife, Marlo Vinzoni, is opening its flagship location on South Lamar on May 3. The cafe has operated two pop-ups downtown, at the Fareground food hall and on the ground floor of the Scarborough Building, but the cafe at South Lamar Union, 1100 South Lamar Blvd., will showcase more menu items and a broader expression of Italian hospitality.

Ciccio Bomba co-owners Chef Gianbattista “Gianba” Vinzoni and his wife, Marlo Vinzoni. (Photo courtesy of Fareground)
Ciccio Bomba co-owners Chef Gianbattista “Gianba” Vinzoni and Marlo Vinzoni. (Photo courtesy of Fareground)

A morning ritual becomes a business partnership

Though Segura calls himself a steak guy — Red Ash is one of his favorites in Austin — he has a soft spot for pastries. A tip from a friend who knew of Segura’s love of chocolate croissants led him to Cinque Terre West in Pacific Palisades, California, where Vinzoni is chef-owner.

“I went, I tried them, and I was blown away,” Segura said in an interview. “A lot of croissants are dry — no flakiness, no give. Then you find out Gianba takes three days to make a croissant, and it all makes sense.”

Segura became a regular at Cinque Terre West and struck up a friendship with Vinzoni. After moving to Austin in 2021, the next step — despite having no prior restaurant experience — was to bring Vinzoni’s pastries to his new city. Segura calls Vinzoni, who served in the Italian navy before becoming a chef, the hardest-working person he knows.

“I’ve never had to sell anyone on how good Gianba’s food is,” he said. “I just knew that if I could get someone to try it, they’d understand.”

Assortment of Italian pastries from Ciccio Bomba
An assortment of Italian pastries from Ciccio Bomba. (Photo courtesy of Fareground)

The flagship location

Ciccio Bomba, which means “little fat kid” in Italian, opened at Fareground in November 2025. The morning menu includes coffee, breakfast sandwiches and flaky pastries like a creamy pear danish or the now-signature chocolate croissant. Afternoon offerings shift to focaccia, pizza, bread, lunch sandwiches and salads.

The Scarborough location opened with a similar menu in April 2026. Those locations have served as testing grounds for the concept while permits worked their way through Austin’s bureaucratic process for the South Lamar space.

“I knew it would take time, but it’s been a whole thing,” Segura said. “You quickly realize you can’t rush permits.”

The South Lamar location will provide more room for Vinzoni’s creativity, doubling the number of pastries and expanding into pastas and entrées like branzino and slow-cooked short ribs.

“The fun thing about Gianba is that there are the fixed items, but every time I go in, he’s made something completely new that’s not on the menu — something he was just inspired to make that day,” Segura said. “The guy truly loves to cook and bake.”

Segura points to Austin’s social nature as part of the inspiration behind the space, which is designed to encourage guests to linger. While a standing coffee bar allows for quick stops, the cafe also offers full service at booths and tables.

A projector screen plays movies against one wall, while another wall features a photo collage with mementos from Segura’s touring. The cafe will also include a pizza oven, fresh bread baked daily and a full bar with classic Italian aperitifs and brunch cocktails.

Customers line up to try pastries at Ciccio Bomba on South Lamar.
Customers line up to try pastries at Ciccio Bomba on South Lamar. (Photo courtesy of YMH Studios)

The Segura effect

Given the strong response to Ciccio Bomba so far, the team plans to keep all three locations operating, building what could become a small Italian cafe group in Austin. While Segura’s name may draw initial attention, he said Vinzoni’s food is what keeps people coming back.

“I get messages constantly from people saying they stopped by and it was amazing,” Segura said. “I don’t have to convince anyone — the food is the star. People will associate my name with it, sure, but the reason you’re coming back is the food.”

Segura said the project has been especially rewarding because it allows him to share something he genuinely enjoys.

“My favorite thing about a great meal is telling people about it and then watching them try it for the first time,” he said. “That reaction — ‘Oh my God’ — is such a thrill. To be behind a place where I can say, ‘I’ve been telling you about this, now try it’ — that’s exciting to me.”

RELATED: Austin’s Most Anticipated Restaurant and Bar Openings