How a Beloved Aunt Inspired Zia Pia, an Italian Importer in Charlotte, NC
Named after Victoria Custodi’s beloved Aunt Pia, Zia Pia is a boutique importer of fine, regional Italian foods, products that are deeply rooted in tradition, authenticity, and beauty. The company’s mission is simple: bring the spirit of real Italian food to American kitchens, one exquisite ingredient at a time. Victoria’s story begins in South Car...
Luca Turci lends a credible roster of serious Italian fare to Park Avenue
Social media considerations have become a reality in restaurant design and, frankly, I’m here for it. I get a kick out of whimsical interiors and their statement pieces intended to influence the influencer. Striking bars and ambient lighting? Why, they’re Instagram gold. But this tendency toward kitschy luminous signs and fake grass walls? Heavens...
From Florence with love and schiacciata: Famed Italian sandwich shop All’Antico Vinaio opens in Nashville
All’Antico Vinaio, the world-famous Florentine sandwich shop, has officially opened two new locations in Nashville. They mark the brand’s continued expansion across the U.S., and the first foray of these creamy and piled-high Italian sandwiches into the Southeast. When All’Antico Vinaio made its debut in the United States in 2021 in New York City, ...
Bella Atalia Ristorante Debuts in Naples
Now in the former home of Real Seafood Co. at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, Bella Atalia Ristorante has taken up residence with chef/owner Kenny Purisic at the helm. If that name seems familiar, perhaps it’s because Purisic also owns and operates Molino’s and Manhattan Steakhouse in Bonita Springs. He decided to open a restaurant farther sout...
Eataly Italian marketplace sets opening date in Aventura
One of the most anticipated dining experiences of 2025 finally has an opening date. Eataly, the international Italian marketplace, will open at the Aventura Mall at 3 p.m. June 12. Created by Oscar Farinetti in 2007 in Torino, Italy, the 30,000-square-foot space at the mall will include two sit-down restaurants, a cafè with several quick service co...
Popular Italian Bakery Chain Opens First Georgia Location in Buckhead
Experience authentic Italian café culture as Rosetta Bakery opens its first Georgia location in Atlanta. The bakery that honors and celebrates the legacy of Italian baking has opened its doors and is offering freshly baked pastries, artisan-style bread, and perfect pours of coffee. Rosetta Bakery has debuted in Atlanta at 2 Buckhead Plaza, 3050 Pea...
Italian food is having a moment in Charleston. Our food editor went to Tuscany and discovered why.
Chef Andrea Madonia works quietly under a stainless steel kitchen hood inside Brassica Osteria Contemporanea, a 15-seat restaurant in the small town of San Miniato, Italy, located about 30 miles east of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The pint-sized restaurant he owns with his best friend — who is doubling as our server — has been rearranged to fit our...
New Italian restaurant opens in Sarasota with a 'Famous Meatball Bowl' on the menu
A new Italian restaurant has opened in Sarasota, taking over the former space of another eatery, and featuring the former owner of a Bradenton restaurant, that served the same cuisine. Bella Vita (Italian for "beautiful life") Italian Kitchen recently opened at 501 N. Beneva Road #250, in the former space of New York Slice Company and in the same p...
Italian restaurant sets opening date inside former Butcher & Bee space in Charleston
Theresa Scotto remembers the feedback shortly after Pelato opened in Nashville. “This isn’t what we had in Italy,” diners would say. They were right. Meatballs with tomato sauce. Guanciale-stuffed arancini. Chicken Parmesan, layered with tomato, basil, Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh-made mozzarella. Potato croquettes that Scotto would fry two at a t...
She Who Feasts: Little Hats Italian Market
It feels good to have your socks blown off every once in a while from a good meal. I heard rumors of Nashville's Little Hats Italian Market expanding to Williamson County and was excited to read the news of its official opening. We jumped in the car, excited to see what the hype was about because, as with every new establishment, social media was b...
Tony Macaroni prepares to open next week
Those looking for a new restaurant on the Bloomingdale end of Kingsport (TN) don’t have much longer to wait. Tony Macaroni, a new Italian restaurant in the former location of Mama’s House, is scheduled to open mid-next week, according to owner Peter Symeon. Symeon said in an interview Wednesday that he and his staff are looking forward to servin...
‘It’s not just food, it’s an experience’: Bologna-born chef brings Italy to Athens
With complete focus, Chef Filippo Trapella tosses freshly boiled pasta in a pan full of his homemade sauce, the rich aroma filling the air, and he completes the dish with finely grated Parmesan cheese. For Trapella, cooking is less about serving the food and more about sharing his Italian culture and letting others experience it firsthand. As an It...