Farm to Table Italian Restaurant is Coming to Rutherford
Fiorentini, a new restaurant offering “Italian cuisine with a global and modern flare”, is coming soon to Rutherford. Husband and wife duo Antonio and Brenda are both hail from Florence — they are Fiorentini, the Italian word for ‘citizens of Florence’. Antonio attended the International Culinary School and has worked at a number of NYC restaurants...
Officina Cafe Is Opening Up in Downtown D.C.
Chef and restaurateur Nicholas Stefanelli will open a third outpost of his Italian cafe Officina on Monday, August 30, this time in downtown Washington. The original, three-level restaurant, amari bar and market opened in 2018 at the Wharf, and since then has expanded to Georgetown. This new downtown Officina Cafe is located on first floor of The H...
Arrivederci: Richmond bids farewell to one of its most beloved restaurants, Mamma Zu
Twenty-seven years ago, second-generation Italian American Ed Vasaio opened Mamma Zu restaurant at the corner of South Pine and Spring streets in Oregon Hill. To someone unfamiliar, the inconspicuous brick eatery with a hunter green door and faded cursive signage could have appeared abandoned, but the pungent smell of garlic and lines of eager patr...
Quality Pies + Family Ties at Carmine’s Pizza Factory in Jersey City
For Carmine Testa, co-owner of Carmine’s Pizza Factory, pizza making is a family trade. Since his father opened a pizzeria when he was 13 years old, Carmine has been working in the kitchen. “I learned to cook the entire menu,” he said of his teenage years at his father’s restaurant. “I enjoyed doing it.” In 2000, he opened Carmine’s Pizza Factory w...
Owners of century-old Italian ice shop seek buyer who will keep the tradition alive
The iconic DiCosmo's Italian Ices shop in Elizabeth sits at or near the top of just about every food critic or food lover's list of the best in New Jersey. The recipes haven’t changed in over a century. But some changes to the business are on the horizon. “I need to tell people, ‘This could be theirs,’” says co-owner Nancy DiCosmo.Nancy and John Di...
Owner of Luce, an Italian fusion spot in downtown Norfolk, opening ‘Secondo’ in Chesapeake’s Summit Pointe
Antonio “Tony” Caruana opened his first restaurant, Luce, in downtown Norfolk, so it’s only fitting that he open his second, Luce Secondo, in Chesapeake’s new metropolitan center. It was eight years ago that Caruana opened Luce at 245 Granby St. That’s where he serves up a modern take on regional authentic Italian fusion. “I pay respect to the orig...
Enjoy the taste of tradition at Nonno Carlo
Enjoy the fresh taste of traditional Italian food at Nonno Carlo in Suncrest Towne Centre. Owner Nick DeMedici, whose family emigrated to north-central West Virginia from Italy in the early 1900s, has always had a passion for honoring his heritage through family and food, and created the eatery as a way to celebrate Italian culture. "From the decor...
Bisnonna Bakeshop Will Open Soon At Tysons Corner Center
Why is Nicole Liberatore obsessed with cannoli? “Cannoli is that perfect combination of a crispy, crunchy shell and a smooth, creamy filling,” she says. “It’s really just the perfect bite.” And for the baker, who owns Bisnonna Bakeshop with her New Jersey-native husband, Dominick, that fixation has turned into a thriving business. Since late 2019,...
First Look: At Via Roma, It’s Not Pizza, It’s Pinsa
Walk into Via Roma in Camp Springs, Maryland, and you might think you’re in a pizzeria. The ovular pies coming out of the oven certainly look like pizzas. They’re not – they’re pinsas. The difference lies in the crust, which manages to be crispy on the bottom and bubbly soft on top. Though the pizza-adjacent dish is popular in Italy, it’s only star...
Pupatella announces $7.5 million raise for expansion in DC Metro
Known for serving authentic Neapolitan pizza to adoring fans in a few lucky neighborhoods, Pupatella announced today it has secured an investment of $7.5 million to expand its reach in the Washington, D.C. metro area and beyond. As many as 15 additional company-owned pizzerias are planned over the next few years. This most recent capital raise doub...
15 Beloved New Jersey Italian Restaurants Too Delectable Not to Try
If there's one thing New Jersey knows, it's great Italian food. Are you ready for a culinary road trip? Because these spots are a must. My top 15 spans north to south and features a wide variety of eateries. Some have been around for many years and specialize in the classics. Others are newer and put a unique spin on an old-world style that goes ba...
This old-school Italian restaurant makes N.J.’s best chicken parm, national site says
No Italian American dish may be more beloved than chicken parmesan, and understandably so. What’s not to love about a chicken cutlet drenched in marinara sauce and topped with melty mozzarella? If that sentence made you crave a chicken parm (how could it not?), you need to head to North Jersey for the Garden State’s best take on this dish, accordin...