The Italian connection: Why we have SO MANY Italian restaurants in Fort Myers
Q: Many of us transplants from up north wonder why it seems there are Italian restaurants on every street corner here, and why most of them are not very good? — Randall H. A: I think anyone who's lived in Southwest Florida long enough has pondered this same question. I once took a winding path from south Fort Myers to Fort Myers Beach. I passed Ol...
Review: Alex & Teresa’s Pizzeria & Trattoria offers tour of authentic Italian cuisine
People who stopped in to check out Alex & Teresa’s in the first few months after its opening were greeted by Sinatra tunes and floor-to-ceiling murals of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. If they took these cues to mean that they had just entered a New York Italian pizza-pasta joint, they were in for a surprise when they opened t...
Another Italian restaurant, Talento, to open on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale. That makes a dozen
Another month, another Italian restaurant opening on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Talento restaurant is set to debut later in June at 1307 E. Las Olas Blvd. It will be the third Italian eatery to open this year on Via Veneto, uh, make that Las Olas, joining Tuscan Prime (May) and Piazza Italia (February). Talento has announced a June 26 r...
Bellini brings Italian fare to Miami
A new Italian spot has made its debut in the neighborhood. Called Bellini, the newcomer is located at 2988 McFarlane Road in Coconut Grove. Bellini serves up rustic Italian fare, with menu items ranging from classic paninis, pasta and risotto to house specialty dishes like rib eye steak, lamb chops and wild-caught salmon. With a 3.5-star rating out...
Le Farfalle Owners Plan Second Italian Restaurant in NYC
Charleston Village Italian restaurant Le Farfalle opened in the summer of 2016, and now the owners Michael and Caitlin Toscano announce that they will start a second modern Italian restaurant in Manhattan. Named Toscano, the new place will premiere later this year at 24 Minetta Lane in Greenwich Village. The address is the former home to Perla wher...
Milantoni Offers Italian The Old-Fashioned Way
Once upon a time, within living memory for many of us, Italian dining meant hearty, red-sauced pasta, garlic bread, maybe a little lasagna and fake ivy on the ceiling. Then, just like that, back in the ‘70s, Italian went upscale. Before we knew it we were all gaga about what we called Northern Italian cuisine, with nary a drop of marinara in sight....
Fino's is back; here's what to expect at the reopened Midtown Italian deli
Fino’s is back. The beloved Midtown Italian deli will reopen its doors at 11 a.m. Thursday. Regular customers will be happy to hear that the new ownership group has not changed the core menu or the recipes. All the favorite sandwiches will be back. The Aquisto with ham, mortadella, salami, provel and green olive dressing. The Fino with salami, prov...
The Little River Chamber of Commerce welcomes Joey O’s Pizzeria and Italian Grill on June 6
Joey O’s Pizzeria and Italian Grill will be opening on Thursday, June 6 at 1521 Hwy. 17 Little River. The grand opening will start with the Little River Chamber of Commerce leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The grand opening offers 10 percent discount on all pizzas and calzones from June 6 thru 9 and other specials. Guests can also enjoy live mu...
Taglio Cucina & Pizzeria Romana brings Roman street-food to Port Charlotte
It’s the last thing you’d expect to find tucked between two Peachland Promenade fast-food franchises. After taking her first-ever bite of authentic Roman pizza, Port Charlotte’s Alicia Wilson cried, “Oh my God! Fantastic!” Even before an official opening date, word was out that you could get pizza samples there like you’d never experienced before....
Restaurant review: Romeo’s Pizza and Pasta in Lakeland is a neighborhood treasure with an Italian accent
It’s not much to look at from the outside. But pull back the curtain on this unassuming storefront enterprise and you’ll find treasure, Italian style. Romeo’s Pizza and Pasta is a welcoming oasis of comfort food, much of which is bathed in bright, light marinara tasting slightly sweet and perfectly seasoned. A touch of cream only adds to the charm...
Veroni brings record-breaking mortadella to US
Veroni, the Italian salumi producer known for giant mortadellas, brought a record-breaking 600-pound version to the U.S. The Italian-made mortadella is 6.4 feet long and will be featured at IDDBA 19 in Orlando next week. Veroni, founded in Emilia-Romagna in 1925 and present in the USA since 2016, has specialized in the production of giant mortadell...
Reginella Italian Pizzeria opening soon in south Gastonia
Portofino Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria has become somewhat of a local institution since opening nearly 20 years ago in Gastonia. With its reputation firmly solidified within the Franklin Square shopping center, two chefs from the business are now ready to expand with a second venue in a pocket of the city that they believe desperately needs it....