Between promotion and show, Langa wine and cuisine in the spotlight of Hollywood Studios
Promotion and communication of food and wine are important, and even more effective, when they get out from the not secondary context, but often self-referential, of experts and super enthusiasts. Maybe mixing with other “themes” or languages, such as, for example, that of entertainment, in its different forms, focusing more on fascination and emot...
Why Italian Grapes May Be The Future For California Vineyards
The difference between good wine and great wine? As anyone might guess, it all comes down to the variety of the grapes. Chardonnay, according to California Wines, is the most widely planted blends in California. Grower and vineyard owner Kevin Harvey, however, makes a point to plant carricante, nerello mascalese, and nebbiolo, Italian grapes that a...
Itria offers delish Italian in the Mission
I’d caught glimpses of Itria, hidden in plain sight on 24th Street, just up the street from BART, in the old Obispo site. With its plain white-tile exterior and the buses rumbling by, it was easy to miss. Inside, it’s as dark as a cool cave until you pass the bar, where the ceiling rises and the kitchen pass-through emits a golden light onto that p...
The Complete Guide to Italian Restaurants in All of San Diego County
Do the words pappardelle, fettuccine, ravioli or tortellini make you feel something? Does hand-rolled pasta dough melting in your mouth accompanied by a rich and savory sauce sound like your idea of a good time? Stick around to discover where the top chart Italian Restaurants in San Diego are. It would be impossible to tell you the best Italian re...
Bottega brings homey Italiano food to Valencia St.
Bottega opened in the old Crepevine space on Valencia Street during the pandemic and started serving take-out, yet I never noticed them even though they’re less than two blocks from us (bad neighborhood food reporter, bad!), but I did espy them just before they started serving indoors/outdoors, a few weeks ago. The scoop is, they’re all scrappy,...
Sicilian Lessons at Bedda Mia on State Street
Alberto Morello never shied from proclaiming that his lifelong goal was to open a Sicilian restaurant in honor of his upbringing on that Italian isle. But who knew this pensively jovial chef behind the Olio e Limone family of downtown Santa Barbara eateries wanted to be a professor of history, art, and culture as well? In just my first few minutes...
Epic Italian food hall Eataly is finally opening its Bay Area location soon
After years of anticipation, Eataly is finally bringing a 45,000-square-foot, three-story Italian food haven to the Bay Area. The massive Italian food hall is gearing up to open its first Northern California location at Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose in the next few months, Eataly confirmed. It’s the first concrete news on the project since it w...
Where homage to tradition is transcendent: Cotogna in San Francisco, one of my best meals this year.
Since the late 1980s, Italian cuisine in the U.S. has been shaped by a tension between traditional- and creative-leaning forces. Remember the wave of “northern Italian cuisine” that came around in the Reagan years? “Sunday gravy” was out and polenta was in. The problem was that culinary interpreters often didn’t see these dishes in historical or cu...
Domenico’s Italian Kitchen will fill you up pleasantly
Domenico’s has always been my go to place for pizza in the local area. Almost invariably, I will gravitate to their Calabrese style (as done in Calabria, Italy, with a base of olive oil, garlic and cheese without tomato sauce), light cheese and an array of toppings including meatballs, Italian sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers and artichoke hearts a...
Italian-American Family Traditions Baked Into Holiday Favorite Pane di Pasqua
Pane di Pasqua, it is beautiful and decadent. The love and respect that goes into the process of baking it, transpires in the traditions carried on today. San Francisco is the home to many Italian-Americans and Easter is a reminder of the value of family history and roots in Italy. “See that, that is the perfume of my youth,” explained Franc D’Ambr...
‘Heartbreaking’: Iconic Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant Alioto's to close after 97 years
At nearly 100 years old, the landmark Sicilian seafood establishment Alioto’s Restaurant will permanently close its doors, the San Francisco Business Times reported. The institution has a rich, storied history in the famous port of San Francisco — and its closure marks the end of a family legacy. Founded by Italian immigrant Nunzio Alioto in...
The 14 best Italian restaurants in the South Bay
While it may be trendy to avoid carbs, let's face it, the majority of us without gluten issues have a genuine affection for anything made with flour. Italians are undoubtedly the greatest at carbs. Pizza, spaghetti, garlic bread, and cannoli — it's the stuff foodie dreams are made of. Both New York and San Francisco have long been recognized for th...