After recently throwing shade at Starbucks over its new line of olive oil coffee drinks, I wanted to get some positive Seattle coffee vibes out there. So, let's talk about Caffè Umbria. Catch up quick: Caffè Umbria opened its flagship store in Pioneer Square in 2005, but its roots go further back. It's co-founded by a member of the family that ran...
READ MOREMenu envy, or order envy as it’s sometimes known, is a real thing: The food hits the table and you know you should have ordered what your friend ordered. But the opposite feeling has to exist, too. Sometimes you’re the one smiling, as fellow diners sadly compare their plate to yours. I don’t know what that latter feeling is called, but I was the on...
READ MOREI have a new favorite bartender. His name is Enrico, and he works at a place in Red Hook called Bar Mario. It’s been open for only about a month, though most of the people inside already know Enrico’s name as well. Before Bar Mario, he worked at restaurants in Manhattan for a couple decades and before that owned a bar and pizzeria in a mountain tow...
READ MOREAdolfo Marisi, chef and owner of Lupa Ristorante in Berkeley Heights, has prepared Italian fare in a Tuscan medieval fortress, and served celebrities and professional athletes. He co-founded European powerhouse eatery De Novo in Montclair and Edgewater, helping put the refined restaurant on the map during its early days in some of the most discerni...
READ MOREMad Nice — the Heirloom Hospitality Group’s latest project that brings coastal Italian flavors and California Vibes to Midtown — has an opening date. Beginning March 12, the dramatically renovated space at 4120 Second Ave. will be open to the public, with lunch service starting March 15. Guests can expect dishes that highlight natural fermentation...
READ MOREJoseph Zucchero, founder of the famous Mr. Beef Italian beef stand in River North, has died. Cooney Funeral Home said Zucchero passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday of last week. He was 69. On Instagram, son Chris Zucchero wrote: "A part of me, my family, and Mr. Beef died today. I was incredibly lucky to be this man's son. I know this. Most don't...
READ MOREMario and Alessandra De Benedetti, both of whom were born and raised in Italy, share a keen appreciation of nature and good food. Combiningthese passions, the couple began developing an interest in the nutritiona and emotional benefits of flowers and herbs. When the De Bennedettis relocated from Milan to New York about five years ago, they realized...
READ MOREPerfectly imperfect, maltagliati might be a little rough around the edges, but that's exactly the charm of this unique pasta variety. One of the countless noodle shapes that exist, you might yet have come across maltagliati, but it's better late than never. Just as horizontally challenged as it is vertically, maltagliati are a flat pasta whose shap...
READ MOREOn an overcast winter morning, the four acres of Wild Roots Farm look pretty dormant to the untrained eye. A string of winter storms and some 20-degree nights have left what looks like rows of muddy soil with spots of wilting vegetation mixed in. But Mary Colombo sees things a little differently. “On the outside it’s all slimy and dead,” said Colom...
READ MOREPizza, pasta, espresso, gelato. Some things (okay, a lot of things) are just better in Italy. Try as we might to remake the magic here in the U.S., a dish or a product is only as good as its ingredients, and there's no denying that, in many cases, Italy produces better, higher-quality ingredients. That's because more often than not, authentic Itali...
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