Charleston’s appetite for Italian food still raging
Ken Vedrinski is 90 percent sure that his new Italian restaurant, Volpe, will open its doors on Rutledge Avenue in Charleston (SC) this Friday, March 21. The debut hinges on the city’s issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, as well as a few other unavoidable necessities, but the longtime restaurateur is otherwise raring to go. Sure, he’s aware he’...
Marcelina's Italian restaurant in SW Ocala: 'We make it feel like home.'
Edie Gandy paid Marcelina’s Italian Restaurant, in southwest Ocala, a lofty compliment while dining there recently with Alan Henderson. “We’ve tried a number of local Italian restaurants and Marcelina’s is the closest we’ve found to real Italian food,” Gandy said. The couple has tasted local fare while traveling in Italy. Henderson had veal parmigi...
Covington Restaurant Carmelo’s Delivers Italian-American Comfort in Stunningly Reinvented Space
Two veterans of prominent Cincinnati-area restaurants have teamed up to launch an Italian eatery in downtown Covington. Since Carmelo’s opened three months ago, diners have been flocking to its doors. It’s become so immediately popular that I was surprised at how hard it was to get a reservation any later than 6 p.m., even mid-week. In January, no...
50 Italian restaurants have opened in SC since 2022. What's behind the growth?
Anthony Scotto Jr. comes from a long line of Italians who immigrated to New York City more than 100 years ago. The restaurateur led prominent Big Apple eateries for about three decades before selling his stake and moving to Nashville to open two more. Charleston came calling next. Scotto, alongside his wife and children, is preparing to open Pelato...
Il Tartufo Ristorante: Parkland's "Italian-Italian" Restaurant
Parkland is home to a hidden gem of an Italian restaurant, and word is just beginning to get out about Il Tartufo. The story of Il Tartufo (Italian for The Truffle) began on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale 35 years ago. The original restaurant , which opened in 1990, was named one of the Top 450 restaurants in the United States (of any kind) Diarone Aw...
A new 'elevated' Italian restaurant is opening in downtown Greenville (SC) across from Fluor Field
Though it may seem like the people behind DeMarco’s Italian restaurant have been hinting at the opening of their new eatery for a long time, they’ve been thinking about it and working on it for even longer. DeMarco’s Italian began as a conversation between Anthony Pepe and Mike and Genine Baldassarra about three years ago. They wanted to create an...
NYC SoFlo Takeover Continues With New Coral Gables La Pecora Bianca
The New York restaurant takeover in Miami continues — this time with La Pecora Bianca. Known for its bold flavors and fresh ingredients, La Pecora Bianca has become a crowd favorite for those craving elevated Italian dining in a stylish, laid-back atmosphere. This past week, the popular spot has put up its signage at the Shops at Merrick Park in Co...
Wynwood Farm-to-Table Spot Opens with Italian Eats, Cozy Garden
Cozy West Village Italian spot Rosemary's, known for its pasta, outdoor garden, and farmhouse feel, has opened its doors on Friday, February 7, in Wynwood. Although this isn't the first New York City spot for Italian cuisine to open in Miami, it's certainly the most different. This time, its atmosphere is more rustic than high-end and modern. (We'r...
Giacobbe’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria to Debut at Moncks Corner
This is the latest from Giacobbe Scotto and his wife, Rachel , who both fell in love with Moncks Corner from day one, according to the company’s Facebook . The duo are from a small town called Bacoli, less than 13 miles from Napoli. While the restaurant is under construction, the owners hope to open the first Giacobbe’s in August 2025 . The restaur...
Donna Mare Italian Chophouse Opens in Miami Beach
Donna Mare Italian Chophouse, a newly reimagined dining destination adjacent to the historic Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club on Miami Beach, is now open. Led by renowned Executive Chef Luigi Iannuario, the restaurant celebrates the artistry of Italian gastronomy with an in-house sfoglina, a master pasta-maker whose craft is seasoned with generations of...
Rotolo's Craft & Crust opens its first SC location in Summerville
Rotolo's Craft & Crust, the Louisiana-based pizza chain, is opening its newest location and first in South Carolina. Located at 420 Cross Park Lane in the Marketplace at Nexton development in Summerville, the new Rotolo's Craft & Crust offers stone-baked pizzas, pasta, salads and other Italian-inspired dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingred...
Lexington (KY) Italian restaurant owner honored with lifetime achievement award: ‘Without your support I could not have survived’
Joe Bologna—a name everyone from Lexington knows for his iconic restaurant—received a lifetime achievement award for his over five decades of bringing Italian dishes to the city. On Tuesday, Bologna posted on Instagram that the Kentucky Restaurant Association had presented him with the award. “I am honored and humbled,” Bologna said. “Without your...