Westport's Finalmente Trattoria, closed after 19 years, to reopen under new owner
After closing last year, one restaurant is set to reemerge in Westport's dining scene this month. Finalmente Trattoria, a family-owned Italian dining spot that closed in May of 2024, is set to reopen under a new owner: Connecticut restaurateur and Italy native Giuseppe Cinque. Cinque, a Milford resident, told CT Insider that he hasn't established a...
New Haven, Connecticut—100 years of America’s pizza capital
With three billion pizzas being sold each year, it is no secret that Americans have an affinity for pizza. Across the country, many often attribute the best pizza to New York’s thin crust, Detroit’s rectangular pan or Chicago’s deep dish. However, when friends debate which state has the best pizza, I am often met with bewilderment as I defend my ho...
Olivetti and the Cultural History of Italian Business
Thursday March 6, 2025. 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Collins Cinema; Collins Cafe Dining - 106 Central Street - Wellesley, MA. This talk explores the contribution of the Olivetti typewriter and calculator company to the construction of a national business culture in Italy between the 1930s and the 1960s. Olivetti employed painters, filmmakers, architects, cu...
St. Mary’s celebrates 100 years of embracing faith, family, traditions
Their fathers and grandfathers would have been proud. Antonio. Cosmo. Vincenzo. And so many more hard-working Italians who tirelessly petitioned the Diocese of Providence to grant them permission to build a church where they could celebrate their faith in their language and with their customs – and also create a monument to their devotion to their...
New Sicilian restaurant opens in Mansfield
A new Sicilian restaurant, Krispy Sicilian Foods, has officially opened in Mansfield, Connecticut, bringing authentic Italian flavors to the local community. The establishment is located at 650 Middle Turnpike, just a mile from the University of Connecticut campus and had a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 15. The owner, Kristin Pinkston,...
Why wait for St. Joseph's Day? Where to start looking for your zeppole in RI now
After a heavy, comforting meal of corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, maybe a lighter sweet treat that isn't green is in order. Imagine instead, a fluffy pastry filled with cream with more cream on top and a cherry to add that extra pop. Thankfully, St. Joseph's Day and traditional zeppola are ready to fill those cravings. But why wait? B...
Mancini’s Italian microdeli opens Wednesday in Lewiston (ME)
A one-of-a-kind eatery is opening Wednesday at 5 Park St., just yards from the intersection with Main Street around the corner from Blue Jay Coffee. Entrepreneur and chef Evan Mancini is opening what he calls an Italian microdeli, a strictly carryout and delivery operation featuring about two dozen sandwiches and pasta dishes, and a line of dessert...
The Vermont Italian Cultural Association to host Carnevale 2025 in Essex Junction
The Vermont Italian Cultural Association (VICA) announced today that it will host Carnevale on March 8, a fundraiser to benefit its Scholarships and Grants Program. VICA’s Carnevale, the first since 2005 will be held at the Essex Resort and Spa in Essex Junction from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will include a silent auction, music, dancing, food, wine,...
The Boston Food & Wine Festival Brings a Taste of Italy to New England
If you know only one thing about Italian culture, it’s probably that food is woven into every aspect of daily life. If you know two things, it might be the fact that food and wine go hand-in-hand. An Italian meal isn’t complete without wine, whether it’s a simple table wine or a nuanced Barolo. In my family, even young children enjoy a taste with t...
Trends eroding Federal Hill's culinary legacy, heritage
In the mid-1980s, as I prepared to open my first restaurant in East Greenwich, a seasoned Jewish rabbi shared advice that has guided me ever since: "People should know in less than 15 seconds what the nature and objective of your business is." This wisdom transcends industries, encapsulating the importance of clarity and purpose. This principle res...
Connecticut city's oldest restaurant plans 100th birthday event
It all began with a brief notice headlined “Venetian Restaurant” on Page 5 of The Torrington Register on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1925. “The Venetian restaurant, Italian-American cuisine, was opened today at 52 East Main Street by Charles Giampaolo. The most delicious of Italian foods will be served. Regular meals are announced for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and...
Italian American Podcast Ep. 356 All Rise for the People’s Judge Frank Caprio!
It was our Honor for Judge Frank Caprio to join us for an extraordinary conversation on his Italian American heritage and illustrious career. We start our journey on Mulberry Street, delving into the heartfelt tales of his family’s immigration from Italy to the U.S. Judge Caprio offers poignant memories of growing up in Providence’s Federal Hill ne...