Franco’s Italian Caffe in Scottsdale, 4 stars
Way back in the 20th century, before smartphones, iPods and Facebook, Tuscan-born Franco Fazzuoli introduced Valley diners to an unknown foreign cuisine: Italian. Prior to Franco's arrival, what passed for "Italian" fare in this town was actually Italian-American: fried mozzarella sticks, spaghetti and meatballs, veal parmigiana and sauce-drenched...
Take a Look Inside Marmo Italian Cafe, Now Open Downtown
by Chad Walsh After graduating from USC business school, managing Cafe Nell for a year-and-a-half and managing operations at ChefStable for another two-and-a-half more, Kevin Chambers knew it was time to strike out on his own and run his own place. Last week, that plan became reality when he officially opened the doors to Marmo De...
Review: Cucina Cucina in Phoenix nails Italian classics
In this crazy busy world, sometimes there is nothing better than a big, soothing bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. You know the kind, where the sauce has chunks of real tomato and bits of fresh basil leaf; the al dente noodles curl around the fork; and there is no stinting on the meatballs, dense and beefy and glistening in more sauce. A shower of f...
5 of the absolute best pizza joints in Utah
We are a society fueled on pizza. It's confirmed science fact (and not at all something I made up) that 53.6 percent of all calories consumed in the United States are derived from some style of pizza, whether New York, Chicago, Boston, or the newer and more ambiguous California. You're probably eating pizza right now. Look down. Do you hav...
The Best Pizza in America is in...Phoenix???
You've got to be joking, right? It sounds like a preposterous claim, and will certainly garner a a dismissive snicker from hard-core pizza enthusiasts in Boston's North End, New York City, and Chicago. But Phoenix's Pizzeria Bianco, tucked away in a corner adjacent to Heritage Square, has received accolades as the country's best pizza...
Nostrana Voted the Best Italian Restaurant in Portland, Ore.
Nostrana is often cited as serving one of the city’s most authentic Neapolitan pies, and for good reason. The blistered cornicione and thin crust provide scrumptious, beautiful canvases for the hand-made mozzarella the restaurant makes daily. There are eight pies on the menu including standouts like the diavola (spicy sausage, mozzarella,...
Restaurant review: Bella Marie’s in St. George is Italian at its finest
Having been born in the Bronx to Italian American parents, it is my birthright to seek out and enjoy the best Italian food in any area I live or visit, especially pizza. Unfortunately, the further west on my travels, the less authenticity I am likely to find. Having lived in southern Utah for more than a decade, I have found only one place...
First Look: Little Lago Italian Grocery Opens in Portage Bay
By Jackie Varriano Carla Leonardi, owner of Seattle's iconic Cafe Lago, is getting into the grocery business. When she heard that the short-lived Canal Street Market in her own Portage Bay neighborhood was closing, she decided to jump on the opportunity to expand her reach and fill a need in the community. Leonardi grew up in a grocery store and...
Salt Flats Out, Italian Java In
By Ted Scheffler Utah's first Illy Artisti del Gusto location, Caffe 222 (801-561-3018), has opened at 222 Main downtown. It will occupy the space that was the short-lived home to Sonny Bryan's BBQ and the even shorter-lived Salt Flats Grill & Taproom. Maybe the third time's a charm. "The opportunity to be aligned with Illy has been a...
Bettolino Kitchen Opens in Redondo Beach
by Dan Myers Bettolino Kitchen has opened in Redondo Beach with Michelin-starred chef Fabio Ugoletti, who moved to the United States from Italy to open the restaurant, at the helm. The restaurant is under the same ownership as the popular Gaetano's Restaurant, and the 65-seat plan offers tables, booths, and communal seating. The k...
Chef de Tucson: Vito Croce, Viro's Real Italian Restaurant & Bakery
By Mary Minor Davis When Vito and Rose Croce came to the United States from Italy, both at the age of 15, they had no idea they would end up in Tucson, owning and operating an authentic bakery and Italian restaurant. The former Milwaukee couple came to Tucson 30 years ago and opened a bakery that would offer authentic Italian fare. &...
Seattle's Latest Italian Restaurant Serves up Rustic, Homey Fare
Named for a monastery outside of Lonigo, Italy, San Fermo in Ballard is probably the first new Italian restaurant in a long time that wants to make its name in rustic, homey southern Italian food. Instead of focusing on the current trend of modern, interpretive Italian dishes, co-owners Tim Baker (Percy's & Co.), Scott Shapiro (Melrose...