Sicilian families in Independence who have been growing cucuzza, also known as Italian squash, for generations have been sharing them with the community for the last several years for Cucuzza Day at the Independence Italian Cultural museum. "It's basically a family day and to introduce people to the cucuzza, and promote the cucuzza," said Donnie Or...

Stefano’s Authentic Italian, 17188 Airline Hwy Suite L., is bringing “a wide variety of authentic Italian comfort food items” to Prairieville, LA. A soft opening was planned for Thursday, Aug. 15. “There is literally something on this menu for everyone,” said Stephen Guilbault, owner and executive chef of the new restaurant. He said they will serve...

The American Italian Cultural Center is set to present “Opera in the Piazza 2024,” a captivating evening of live opera performances under the stars, on Friday, June 7, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Piazza d’Italia, located at 377 Poydras Street, New Orleans. This event promises a magical experience as talented opera singers take the stage to perform a varie...

It’s safe to say schiacciata (pronounced skia-cha-ta) bread, foccacia’s thinner, crustier cousin out of Tuscany, is having a moment. That ideal sandwich bread has made it to New Orleans, courtesy of New York native Lisa Greenleaf and her son Jack Greenleaf, who are serving stuffed and square Tuscan-style sandwiches from their pop-up, called Lunch....

Mosca’s restaurant isn’t the kind of New Orleans-area tourist destination you stumble upon by accident. The long-standing Italian joint is a 30-minute drive outside the city, located on the edge of a large swath of forest on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. The squat white building looks more like an illegal fireworks store than a place you’...

Generations of New Orleanians with sweet tooths have looked up at a brown and neon sign flashing the words “A. Brocato Spumone and Cassata Ice Cream” against a stark blue sky. Eventually, those visiting duck under a red-striped awning to peruse cookies, tarts, and gelato in glass display cases while waiting their turns in a line that often meanders...

A viral Italian TikTok foodie known for his often delighted and sometimes horrified reactions to American food and culture recently visited New Orleans to celebrate the anniversary of meeting his wife and sample all the delicious culinary staples the South has to offer.  With his American wife and Tulane grad, Jessi Higgins, as his tour guide, Ales...

Our video series “Eating with Ian” has been a great way to introduce my colleague Chelsea Shannon to a wide range of restaurants. This time we’re headed to the North Shore to Del Porto Ristorante. When people ask me for an upscale North Shore lunch recommendation, I know they’ll love Del Porto. The weekday happy hour is scene too, with good deals o...

Creole Italian food has a particular slant in New Orleans, informed by a wealth of Gulf seafood and the local creed that more — sauce, cheese, cheese on seafood — is better. The city’s influx of mostly Sicilian immigrants in the late 19th century (an estimated 290,000 settled here) expanded the New Orleans table to embrace that island’s particular...

Cabrini High School on Esplanade Avenue offers the most tangible reminders of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s legacy in the city, but Mother Cabrini’s first stop in New Orleans was the French Quarter. It’s where she and her Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus cared for the poor, especially Italian immigrants just as in New York, as depicte...