Mungo’s Uptown adds to excitement about new restaurants in downtown Collinsville
Tony Mazzola was ready to call it quits after nearly four decades of owning Italian restaurants. The lease was expiring on the O’Fallon building that housed his latest version of Mungo’s, and he was thinking about heading to The Hill in St. Louis to find a job working for someone else. Then Mazzola, 67, of Fairview Heights, got an offer he couldn’t...
Annual Festa Buon Appetito with Vince and Joe's
Vince & Joe's Chef Angelo Loria came in on The Nine to make fresh ricotta cheese to fill cannoli shells along with Pasta alla Norma to preview their upcoming annual festival "Festa Buon Appetito." Watch in the video player above. The gourmet market is celebrating their 6th annual Festa Buon Appetito on Sunday, July 7th, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The...
Wisconsin Classics: Filippo's Italian Restaurant in West Allis has solid, traditional Italian food
In the rush to write about what’s new and what’s next in the world of restaurants, what’s been around awhile often gets neglected — places like Filippo’s Italian Restaurant in West Allis, a kind of time capsule where classics rule. Somehow, I’d never been to Filippo’s until a few months ago, even though the restaurant has been around since 1972 (as...
Region rich in Italian culture launches local food trail
A region of Ohio steeped in Italian culture is showing off its local cuisine with a new culinary passport. The Italian Food Trail is designed to draw tourists and residents to 15 participating restaurants, markets, pizza shops and wineries throughout Trumbull County, to appreciate the Italian food offerings. Some of the county’s most memorable dish...
Cheese Lovers, A Mozzarella Store Where You Can Watch A Chef Make Cheese Is About To Open In The Gold Coast
There’s mozzareally good news for cheese lovers: A specialty mozzarella store and restaurant is opening in the Gold Coast. The Mozzarella Store will open July 5 at 822 N. Michigan Ave. with fresh and aged Italian cheeses created in the traditional Italian way, according to a news release. Besides cheese, it’ll serve up pizza, coffee, snacks and oth...
Bonci brings roman-style pizza to the U.S., with some americanized twists
The fast-casual pizza concept opened its first location in Rome in 2003 and now has three units in Italy and two in Chicago, with stores opening soon in New Orleans and Miami. It serves pizza al taglio—priced by weight, extravagantly topped and cut with shears. The crust is focaccia-like, made from a high-moisture dough that’s airy yet chewy. The c...
A BIG touch of Italy amidst Ohio cornfields
For those of you, like me, who have wondered why the local restaurant is named “Viva Maria”? Here’s why. Viva, in Italian, means: “Hurrah!” Maria is an Italian name. Put them together and what you’ve got is an endearing salutation to restaurant owners Susan and Dominic Fricano’s daughter Maria. Maria, by the way, is a relatively well-known jazz sin...
The Sip: Spiaggia’s award-winning wine collection a master class in vintages
When I first meet Rachael Lowe, she isn’t the “picture” of a fine-dining sommelier I had in my mind. Down-to-earth and gregarious, she doesn’t speak in esoteric or rarefied tones, even though she is brilliant in her descriptions of the style, producer and terroir of the 800 labels on Spiaggia’s wine list. For over five years, Lowe has been the beve...
This new Italian restaurant in Indianapolis rises above spaghetti and meatballs
For years, the Indianapolis restaurant at 1351 W. 86th St. has served Italian food, first at Amalfi and then Matteo’s, but the latest tenant’s Italian restaurant is different.Qualita doesn’t serve the typical a la carte list of individual appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. Instead, chef/owner Charles Mereday, who recently revamped Downtown I...
New River North Italian spot Torchio Pasta Bar opens its doors
Hungry? A new neighborhood Italian spot has you covered. Located at 738 N. Wells St. in River North, the fresh arrival is called Torchio Pasta Bar. This new business specializes in fresh pasta that's made in-house. From spaghetti to rigatoni to orecchiette, this spot hopes to satisfy your pasta and Italian food cravings. In addition to pasta, the m...
The Authentic Italian Table in Chicago
Last week was the first of the three main events that I will help plan throughout my internship, The Authentic Italian Table! The three-day food expo features a total of 15 renowned Italian restaurants in the Chicago area as well as various food and wine sponsors. The event aligns with the True Italian Taste Project to showcase authentic Italian...
Italian eatery Tannin reopens on the East Side
Tannin has a new home. Chris Roelofs opened the Italian eatery in Okemos in 2013. He closed the Okemos location in October and reopened the restaurant on Michigan Avenue in Lansing last week. He said the East Side location offers a more central locale for his customers. “We were kind of far outside the main population area," he said. "We wanted t...