NEWS FROM : Food & Wine  

Cedar Rapids Italian restaurant, Via Sofia's, announced Wednesday that it will be hosting a food drive this holiday season. The community can drop off non-perishable food items like canned goods, pasta, rice, and cereal to one of Via Sofia's two locations at 1125 1st Ave SE or 5411 Center Point Road NE.  All donations received from December 6 to De...

Sarpino’s USA (Sarpino’s), a fast-growing pizza and Italian food delivery franchise, announced today its official expansion into Colorado with the opening of its newest location in Westminster. Marking the brand’s first location in the state, the Denver-area restaurant kicks off a string of expansion led by franchisees Samar Sawaged and Sid Demirov...

All eyes are on Madrina, set to open in the coming weeks inside the former home of CJ Mugg's in Webster Groves (MO). But the details of how the restaurant came together are harder to discern – what’s unfolding at the corner of W. Lockwood and N. Gore Avenues has been built from relationships, trust and respect formed over time. The process created...

"The biggest change is leaving fine dining — which was a little bit of a shock at first, but it's become the best part of the whole project," says chef Jeff Schwing, who was born and raised in the metro area and has spent much of his culinary career working in high-end French restaurants, including Brasserie Brixton and, most recently, celebrity ch...

An authentic Italian grocer right here at Lake of the Ozarks? Che buono! The family-owned Vernetti’s Italian Grocer is now open in Camdenton and offers a variety of staples to fill the pantry, fridge, or a hungry belly. Located in downtown Camdenton, the unique deli and grocery store brings St. Louis Hill flavor to the Lake. Owners Jeff and Kelly V...

Synergy—the idea that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts—was pondered by Aristotle, but for some ambitious restaurateurs, the method has been forged as hospitality. More specifically, wait staff, called “hospitalians” by Bobby Stuckey of Frasca Food and Wine, act as vital, interventionists conveying more than Italian food and wine. As th...

Having launched four fine-dining Café Napoli restaurants (Café Napoli/Bar Napoli, Napoli 2, Napoli III, and Napoli Sea), the Pietoso family has shifted to a more casual format with its latest offering. Napoli Bros. Pizza and Pasta (17084 N. Outer Road, Suite 205) will be located in a prominent 4,800-square-foot space at The Hub at The District of...

Consistency is the “secret sauce” behind the longtime success of A & A Pagliai’s Pizza, according to its founder, who is still involved in the family business after more than six decades. Armond Pagliai, who turned 90 this year, opened the doors to what was then the Pizza Palace in downtown Iowa City in 1962. At its current location at 302 E. Bloom...

If someone is looking for great Italian food in Iowa, it’s not hard to find a candidate! The land of pasta, tiramisu, and parmigiana has definitely exported many of its classics over to the U.S., and we’ve embraced it! But with so many options, it can be hard to find the right one – but going to a long-time family-owned joint rarely steers us wrong...

Dig into Brooklyn-style pizza when Grimaldi’s Pizzeria comes to West Des Moines. The pizzeria chain that originated in New York announced in a news release that it will open in West Glen Town Center in the former Club Envy and dueling pianos bar Blue Moon space at 5485 Mills Civic Pkwy. in West Des Moines. Grimaldi’s announced its expansion to Iowa...

Marco’s Pizza, the fastest-growing authentic Italian pizza brand, was busy this weekend readying its newest location in La Vista, which opened Monday, Oct. 2. Located at 8124 S. 84th St., the community can expect to indulge in authentically prepared Italian pizza at an affordable price. Marco’s Pizza promises a delightful and convenient location. O...

“We were very intentional in designing this space,” says Austin Carson, co-owner of Olivia, at 290 South Downing Street, Denver (CO). The Michelin-recommended restaurant in Washington Park plans to reveal its expanded dining room next week, which will allow for wine education and pasta-making classes as well as larger private events and additional...