Where Our Food Critic Goes for the Best Italian Food in Greater Phoenix
One of the open secrets about eating in Italy is this: The food in the touristed cities often isn’t great. If you’re walking Centro Storico in Rome and pick a dinner spot at random, chances are it’s going to be underwhelming, even if you have a hard time admitting it to yourself. Or underwhelming relative to the top-end places to eat in the city an...
S&V Urban Italian will open 2nd location this fall
Located at 16580 N 92nd Street in Scottsdale, the new location will feature a large main dining area, an outdoor patio with views of McDowell Mountains and an inviting bar that flows from the inside to outside with adjustable garage doors. The restaurant will be open for lunch, happy hour and dinner seven days a week, serving the same delicious Ita...
Mercato della Pescheria brings Italy to Vegas
For a taste of classic Italy, Mercato della Pescheria has you covered. The restaurant, inspired by Italy’s coastal fishing villages, features glass and marble-topped shop counters surrounding prep areas, a long, marble-topped bar, and a wall of wine, creating a charming dining area. Start with a Negroni Sbagliato, a take on the classic Negroni, wit...
Make Mine a Muffuletta
That weekend bucket-list flight to New Orleans for a muffuletta fix at the famed Central Grocery is on hold indefinitely. An alternative: Sebastiano’s, a self-described Sicilian-inspired deli “through a Pacific Northwest lens,” which opened in the Montavilla neighborhood on June 2, serving muffulettas with hand-stretched mozzarella on house-made fe...
Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar Headed to Toscana in Summer Regional Series
This summer, Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar offers a way to travel the flavors of Italy without leaving Las Vegas with its Summer Regional Menu Series. The next stop on virtual culinary tour spotlights Toscana—known as Tuscany in English. A region in central Italy, Tuscany’s world-renowned cuisine offers delicious and unique dishes that ar...
Taste This, Tucson: Oh so delizioso!
The Casino Del Sol recently debuted their newest restaurant — Bellissimo, featuring a unique take on Italian cuisine here in the Old Pueblo. What sets Italian ristorante apart from others is the use of locally sourced ingredients to create made from scratch dishes. We sat down with Casino Del Sol’s Executive Chef, Ryan Clark, who guided our taste b...
This new Sicilian pizza truck is roaming around Kakaako
The way new eateries are sprouting up in Kakaako these days, you never know what'll roll up next. So this one was typically and totally unexpected. When it comes to pizza, I’m typically a fan of the less-is-more approach. I’m a stickler for solid ingredients that can speak for themselves. When it comes to food trucks, I want more, and I always want...
Remembering Daniel M. DeSantis, 1945-2020
Family and friends are remembering Dan DeSantis, and sharing this with the community: Daniel Michael DeSantis passed away unexpectedly on July 14, 2020 at his favorite place, Hood Canal. Dan was born on 1/23/45 in Seattle and kept his home here until recently; he currently resided in Palm Desert, California. He is survived by his wife of 19 years J...
Amalfi’s Has a New, Riveting Mascot
“I’ve got my game face on trying to run this restaurant,” says Kiauna Floyd, owner of Amalfi’s Italian Restaurant on NE Fremont. A business-threatening pandemic coupled with mass protests has Floyd, a Black business owner, mentally and physically exhausted. But for the former collegiate athlete, wife, and mother of two, defeat is not an option. Flo...
From Italy To Hawaiʻi: Mad Bene Chef Feeds Community After Coronavirus Tragedy
Bao Tran, executive chef of Mad Bene on Oʻahu, spent 10 years honing his craft in New York City. One of his most treasured memories is when his chef sent him to Viareggio, Italy, to stage at Ristorante La Dogana – a family-run, hilltop restaurant overlooking the ocean and a small town. For four months, Tran worked beside its chef, rolling pasta an...
Marc Vetri Is Taking Fiorella to Vegas
After making some controversial comments calling for Philadelphia to allow indoor dining, Marc Vetri announced today that he’s taking the Fiorella name to Las Vegas for a long-term pop-up with the potential to turn into a permanent project. Starting July 10th, Osteria Fiorella will open inside the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa, serving a much larg...
Grab a Pie To Go From Agostino’s Pizza Food Truck in Kaka‘ako and Kailua
When it comes to pizza, I’m typically a fan of the less-is-more approach. I’m a stickler for solid ingredients that can speak for themselves. When it comes to food trucks, I want more, and I always want them within walking distance. The last food truck boom happened when people lost their jobs and rents for brick and mortar locations became unfeasi...