Giordano's to open at Navy Pier
Navy Pier is adding a household Chicago pizza name to its growing list of new restaurants designed to boost traffic at the lakeside tourist hotspot. Giordano's Pizza is slated to move in to the 3,200-square-foot dining space on the north side of the pier's main entrance, the restaurant chain will announce today. The highly visible spa...
Roma Ristorante: Cozy, friendly Italian
by Jolene Ketzenberger A maître d'? In a little strip mall Italian restaurant? I was surprised too, but happy to see that Ristorante Roma, which opened in December in Carmel's Monon Square plaza, has someone in charge of the dining room. And not just a person who leads you to a table and hands you a menu. I'm talking about someone who's a...
2 Chicago Italian Restaurants Named Among Best in Nation
Two Chicago eateries landed on TimeOut magazine's list of best Italian restaurants in America. Osteria Langhe in Logan Square was listed at number 15, with the publication describing the restaurant as "warm and cozy, and you'll want to order a bottle of well-chosen wine for the table before diving into the food." "The plin, mini...
Zeppe's Italian Market fills niche that appeals to loyal customers, owner says
By Daina Saleh Business name: Zeppe's Italian Market Address: 529 W. 87th St., Naperville Phone/website: 630-753-0955, www.zeppesitalianmarket.com Owner's name: Giuseppe "Joe" GambinoNumber of years in business: 14th year in Naperville, previously in Oswego for 9 years What does this business sell? "We found our niche, and our niche is our foo...
Piada grand opening to benefit Florence police
by Sarah Brookbank The new Piada Italian Street Food restaurant coming to Florence has partnered with the Florence Fraternal Order of Police #33 for its grand opening. On Wednesday, Aug. 17, from 4 to 10 p.m., all sales will go toward benefiting the Florence Police Department and its community initiatives. Florence Police are...
Taste history-rich neighborhood with Little Italy Food Tour
By Janet Podolak Barbara Snow, longtime foodie and three-decades-long Mentor resident, discovered many close-to-home connections when putting together her Little Italy Food Tour. Examples include the Anthonys, operators of Anthony's Ristorante and Wine Bar, who live in Mentor, and Mayfield Village Councilman Bill Buckholtz, operator of Murray...
Alfano’s serves up philanthropy, too
Alberto and Grace Alfano, owners of Alfano's Pizzeria, 206 S. Main St., recently received the Small Business of the Year Award at the Chamber of Commerce's annual awards dinner. The couple has used the business as a means to branch out into more philanthropic efforts. "We have put a lot back into this community," Alberto said. "We initially h...
Villa Mari continues construction
by Carol Thompson Sometimes it takes an unconventional idea to make classic styles of wine. That is the philosophy behind Villa Mari Vineyards, where father and son team Marty and Alex Lagina blend their Italian heritage with their northern Michigan home. It started with hoop houses, built 10 years ago to shelter the delicate Europea...
Ex-Detroit News Reporter's Italian Cookbook Gets A Big Shoutout
by Allan Lengel Domenica Marchetti, a former Detroit News reporter, has made a name for herself with her food writing. Now comes this: Serious Eats -- a highly regarded website that Time magazine once ranked #17 of the 50 Best Websites-- has named Marchetti's book, "The Glorious Vegetables of Italy," one of five essential Italian cook...
Fresh Italian flavors make this neighborhood gem sparkle
By Cathy Phillips Any neighborhood is just that much better when it has a great little Italian place in it. That is most assuredly the case now for Avon Lake, where chef Joe Truscello recently opened Sapori Italian Grille with partner Kelly Marquis. With classic yet fresh Italian flavors, Sapori is just the kind of gem that any neighborhood is luc...
Brick's Neapolitan Pizza creates masterpieces of old-world flavor
Naples, Italy is 5,000 miles away, but its heart, soul -- and above all, its 100-percent-natural, traditional old-world flavors -- are right here for lucky diners in downtown Hudson. After all, Brick's Neapolitan Pizza is one of only a handful of US restaurants to be certified authentic by Naples' True Neapolitan Pizza Association -- or "A...
Italian restaurant to open
Chicago chef Matthias Merges' new restaurant, A10, located on the 1400 block of 53rd Street, is slated to open in mid-October, according to Calmetta Coleman, director of communications for Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago. The latest project by Merges — once the Chef de Cuisine at the now-closed upscale restaurant Charlie Trotter — is...