Rising Stars: Meet Johnny Coppola of West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny Coppola

Hi Johnny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a young boy, business wasn’t even on my radar. I was all about skateboarding—dedicating every free moment to my board, exploring every corner of Los Angeles, landing sponsors, and fully immersing myself in the skate scene. But everything changed at 18 when I was scouted at a skatepark one night in the Valley for a commercial and modeling gig. That first experience opened a new world to me, and I dove in headfirst. Soon, I was taking every acting gig I could get, doing commercials, and working background roles in at least 100 movies. I fell in love with the hustle, completely hooked on the grind and the thrill of working.

A mutual friend eventually introduced me to the insurance business, where I met a broker earning $100k a month without breaking a sweat. That moment sparked something in me. Obsessed with success, I tried to build my own insurance business at just 18. But being young and inexperienced, I eventually realized that insurance wasn’t my path, and I stepped away from it. That led me to open a marketing agency for restaurants, where I discovered a new love for the restaurant industry. With my grandfather, uncle, and great-grandfather having run restaurants, maybe it was in my blood. But even then, I held off on starting my own restaurant, instead shifting to real estate while going back to school. I remember closing deals in the middle of class, hustling on all fronts.

For nearly four years, I worked in real estate, eventually saving up enough to buy my first home. I flipped that, bought another, refinanced it, and finally had the capital to launch Si Roma, the restaurant concept I’d been dreaming of for years.

To backtrack, Si Roma was invented during Covid. I was living at my grandma’s house, spending hours in the kitchen, reconnecting with traditional Italian cooking. I became especially passionate about making Italian panini (sandwiches), which sparked the vision of my restaurant. I could see Si Roma clearly in my mind. The logo would be inspired by a little knickknack from my grandma’s house, and I wanted a name that felt authentic but was easy to pronounce—Si Roma.

Years later, I finally got it off the ground. My original plan was to open in Napa, California, but funding challenges meant changing directions. Instead, I launched Si Roma as a food truck in Glendale, working from a small converted school bus. From the start, we had success, but the costs of running a food truck—labor, gas, constant maintenance—added up fast.

While operating the food truck, I met another restaurateur named Arthur, who had quite the restaurant empire himself. We quickly became friends, bonding over our shared passion for food and business. Over time, we decided to partner and work together to grow Si Roma into the vision I’d always dreamed of.

Eventually, the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar location in West Hollywood came along, and I knew it was time. My vision for Si Roma is to become the “Italian Chick-fil-A,” offering exceptional quality at an accessible price. Many Italian-American spots are affordable but don’t offer true Italian flavors, while genuinely Italian places are often overpriced. My goal is to bridge that gap with authentic Italian food everyone can enjoy.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been anything but smooth. Growing up, I was always getting into trouble, and when I decided to pursue entrepreneurship, I had to completely reinvent myself. I had to learn how to be responsible, how to communicate well, how to dress professionally, and how to build positive habits. It felt like going from zero to a hundred overnight.

This business has thrown me into the deep end from day one. Starting with a food truck, I faced daily struggles. Not having any experience in food service made everything feel like a steep learning curve. The truck was constantly breaking down, managing employees was new territory, and figuring out how to handle bills and cash flow was overwhelming. Every step of the process has had its challenges.

But as I kept pushing, learning, and putting in the hard work, things slowly started to click. The best way to learn really has been to just get up each day and do it. Looking back, I’m grateful for how tough it’s been—each challenge has pushed me to grow. Art is long, life is short.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I run and operate Si Roma, where our mission is to offer authentic Italian sandwiches at an incredible value. What sets us apart is our commitment to using exceptional ingredients while keeping our prices highly competitive. We stay well-informed on our competitors’ offerings and pricing, which allows us to consistently deliver both quality and value that stand out in the market.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’d like to share a favorite quote that’s always inspired me:

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

This quote reminds me to embrace boldness and resilience, striving for triumph even when failure is part of the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://siroma.restaurant/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siroma.restaurant/