The Washington D.C. upscale osteria Via Sophia will expand into Maine this May when it opens Italian seafood restaurant Via Sophia by the Sea in Kennebunk. The Via Sophia spinoff will be open year-round at 27 Western Ave., a space formerly occupied by Grissini Italian Bistro. The building has been vacant since last fall. The restaurant is part of t...

It's a Maine Foodie Miracle! Incredible baked delights from World Famous Modern Pastry are now available in Portland! Micucci's Italian Grocery on India Street in Portland gave us the good news on Facebook: "Are you all ready for this?! For 40 of our 73 years in business, we have brought you the delicious Modern Pastry of Boston every Christmas….We...

It was 9 years ago that DiPietro’s Italian Sandwiches on Cumberland Street closed after being a Portland landmark for 69 years. Now, the beloved DiPierto's italians will return for one day only to help raise money to pay for a heart and double lung transplant. DiPietro’s opened in 1944 at the bottom of Munjoy Hill in Portland as a family business t...

The pandemic forced the cancellation of the St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar in 2020, but the 2021 version is set for later this week and volunteers are needed to bake, decorate and package thousands of cookies for the annual fundraiser. The cookie bake is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 10-11, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parish hall at 72 Federal S...

Louis J. Grimaldi Jr., 89, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. The wonderful life of Louie started on June 11, 1931, in Portland when he was born to the late Louis and Marianna “Maria” (Santora) Grimaldi. Louie grew up in Portland’s Little Italy and attended Portland High School. A few days bef...

Taking a trip isn't in the cards right now, but our taste buds can make us feel like we've traveled thousands of miles. A slice of pizza from Pizzarino may, for a moment, make you feel like you're in Italy. If you ask the owner, there's no reason to stop with pizza when "he knows a guy" who can serve you some good sauce, too. Authentic Italian cuis...

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland says that the St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar, scheduled for August, has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bazaar is scheduled to return in 2021.

Be afraid, Otto. Be very afraid. All the best pizza joints in Portland have some new, very stiff competition, and it’s on the corner of Washington and Ocean avenues. Monte’s Fine Foods has been open for about a month now, and it’s putting out some of the best pizza in the city. I hesitate to say the best because I haven’t tried the other new kid in...

The 94th annual St. Peter’s Italian Bazaar will be held 5-9 p.m. Aug. 9-10 and 4-8 p.m. Aug. 11, on Federal Street. Thousands of local residents will join many returning individuals and families to enjoy one of Maine’s warmest and beloved neighborhood street festivals, a gathering of generations proudly celebrating the heritage, family and faith of...

Ninety years ago, Amelia and Mary Pizzo spent their 10th birthday aboard a ship bound for Ellis Island. On Wednesday, the identical twins spent the afternoon with close family members, celebrating their 100th birthday together. They shared pizza and cake, and reminisced over photo albums and obituaries clipped from newspapers through the years. Tho...