A Slice of Naples
In 2021, Austinites lamented the closing of the eight-year-old pizzeria, one of the best spots to enjoy a pie in the city. What had felt like another devastating loss due to the pandemic turned out to be a logistics issue; the lease was up, and they needed to move. In November 2022, the eatery re-opened on East Cesar Chavez, returning a staple and...
Charles Marsala invited to the White House for Columbus Day Reception with First Lady Jill Biden
On Thursday, Charles Marsala, President of the American-Italian Federation of the Southeast will be at the White House with 30 other national Italian-American Leaders as a guest of First Lady Jill Biden. Ms. Biden’s heritage is Sicilian from the Messina Region. For the second consecutive year, the White House’s Columbus Day Proclamation has acknowl...
Rosati’s brings Chicago-style pizza, Italian specialties to Cedar Park
Husband-and-wife team John and Shawn Bartlik made it their mission to bring classic Italian cuisine to the Cedar Park area, one mouth at a time, with the opening of Rosati’s in 2020. Some context John’s family migrated to New York from Italy, where his parents opened several Italian restaurants. After meeting his now-wife, Shawn, and running their...
Franco Valobra, Louisiana’s New Honorary Italian Consul, Honored at Grand French Quarter To-Do
ONE OF HOUSTON'S favorite personalities and businessmen — Franco Valobra, who divides time between here and New Orleans — recently celebrated a high honor in his other home state of Louisiana. He was named Louisiana’s Honorary Consul for Italy, and he threw a grand party at the new Italian Honorary Consulate in the French Quarter to celebrate. “The...
A New French-Italian Bistro Takes Over the La Traviata Space in Downtown Austin
The restaurant group behind Austin Italian restaurant Gusto is opening a new French-Italian bistro later this year. Gina’s on Congress is moving into the long-vacant La Traviata space at 314 Congress Avenue starting in December. Gina’s will serve dishes like pasta, tartare, carpaccio, mussels and frites, and meat dishes like a veal chop. Drinks-wis...
Columbus Day in New Orleans: Knights of Columbus Mass, Procession, & Reception
The City Council of New Orleans awarded a grant of $10,000.00 to a Committee of Fifty appointed by the mayor that purchased Winchester rifles to conduct the massacre. In 2019, Mayor Cantrell acknowledged the role the City Government of New Orleans played in the massacre and recognized the contributions of Italians to the city of New Orleans. The ev...
The Story of MIANONNA
In authentic Italian cuisine, community is perhaps the key ingredient. The best Italian recipes are often made with love, passed down by family, and steeped in old-world tradition. No one understands this more than Joseph Lafferty. Grandson of Dallas legend Pietro “Pete” Eustachio, Joseph made many childhood memories in the kitchen of Lower Greenvi...
Award-winning Austin restaurant Birdie's revives Italian pop-up Aiello's
Birdie's has made waves in Austin's food scene since opening over two years ago. But the East Austin restaurant and wine bar is still experimenting with new concepts. From October 3-7 and again on October 10-14, Birdie's will re-introduce its Italian American pop-up, Aiello's, with a custom menu on consecutive weeks, per the restaurant. The concept...
An Italian grocer, a famous sandwich and a long-awaited comeback
When Hurricane Ida blew through New Orleans two years ago with 113 mph winds, the Central Grocery Company, a hallmark of the French Quarter for 117 years, was left in ruins. The closure of the old-time Italian deli left New Orleanians, transplants, and tourists hungry for its world-renowned original muffuletta — a gigantic sandwich made on 9-inch-r...
How to Create Your Own Italian Vacation in Dallas
Summer 2023 is coming to a close, and Dallasites have returned from their trips across the country or around the globe. For many of us, the best thing about the season is the opportunity to travel and experience life in a different place for a little while. In June, I did just that on a wine-focused trip to two wine regions in Italy: Veneto and Abr...
Tontitown: Arkansas's Italian Village (Where Red Sauce Meets Redneck!)
When most people think of Italian America, they probably think of the many famous East Coast Italian enclaves, but we've come to learn that some of the finest fruits of Italian influence in American life actually exist well off the beaten path. And few places we've visited, if any, bring the story of Italian immigration to life quite like Tontitown...
Austin enters ‘historic’ agreement with Florence, Italy
The City of Austin and Florence, Italy entered into a “historic agreement” to facilitate educational, cultural and business collaborations between the two cities, according to a city release Wednesday. The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department announced the signing of the Protocol of Cooperation Agreement. Officials noted international c...