When it comes to pasta, you’ve got your basic red sauce joints, and you’ll find plenty of those in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with indulging in a little Italian-American comfort food. But there are other places that take the entire pasta experience – red sauce included – and elevate it to a level of cuisine that...

A 2024 Oscar nominee, a virtuoso's masterpiece, an acclaimed female director's whimsical drama, a quirky comedy for Gen Zers and a gritty crime drama are all part of the 15th edition of the Italian Film Festival. Presented by the Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis/St. Paul and MSP Film Society, the four-day fest opens Thursday at the Main Cinem...

The return by the United States of the statue of the 'Doriphorus of Stabia' has become a court case. Smuggled clandestinely, the finest copy of the original by Polyclitus, it is on display at a Minneapolis museum. A lengthy court case ordered its international rogatory, but U.S. authorities to date have done nothing. The statue remains there and no...

Gia, a new Italian restaurant nestled into the former Cavé Vin space in Minneapolis’s Armatage neighborhood, opened this week on February 6. Chefs Jo Seddon and Lisa Wengler, both alums of Gavin Kaysen’s Wayzata restaurant Bellecour, have run Gia as a pop-up over the past three-and-a-half years — now they’ve found a permanent home for their fresh,...

The Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis / St. Paul, in partnership with MSP Film Society and The Main Cinema, is thrilled to bring the 15th Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis / St. Paul (IFF) with 10 of the best contemporary films never before seen in Minnesota and 2 all time classics. CLICK HERE for the full schedule. From February 29 through...

Each year, a festival in Bologna, Italy, called Il Cinema Ritrovato showcases hundreds of rare and restored films. This month, two friends, cinephiles and co-curators are bringing 13 of them to the Twin Cities. Maggie Hennefeld, a University of Minnesota professor, and Michelle Baroody, film programming curator for the Mizna arts organization, have...

The Elixir of Love will be enchanting audiences at the Ordway in downtown St Paul through this weekend. The latest in Minnesota Opera’s 2023-2024 season, this production effortlessly captures hearts with its romantic comedy storyline, charming cast, and delightful stage design. The Elixir of Love only runs through February 4th, so get the posse tog...

As evening falls outside Café Astoria in St. Paul, a dozen or so tables are set with linens and vintage Chinaware underneath dimmed lighting. Three nights a week, the locally-owned coffee shop and crêperie moonlights as an intimate, full-service Italian restaurant. For Chef John Occhiato, who owns Café Astoria alongside his life-and-business partne...

The Cathedral of St. Paul recently discovered some of the treasured history behind its artwork. It starts with a teenage sculptor from Italy who traveled to the capital city in the early 1900s. His grandsons are now sharing untold stories about an artist remembered as the cathedral's Michelangelo. The Capecchi cousins — Jerry and brothers Mark and...

Wednesday November 8 2023 7:30 PM, CST. Open Eye Theater 506 E 24th St #3732, Minneapolis, MN. Register here. In Italian with English captions projected above the stage. Prepare to be transported to a world of captivating storytelling and mesmerizing artistry as we proudly present an enchanting evening with Gaia Mencagli, a renowned Italian-Danish...