Boston restaurateurs Frank DePasquale and Nick Varano are teaming up to operate an Italian restaurant in the new Encore Boston Harbor casino being built in Everett. The 135-seat, 5,200-square-foot Italian restaurant, to be called "Fratelli," which means "brothers" in Italian, is expected to bring the nearby North End into the $2.5 billion, 3 million-square-foot resort casino.

DePasquale and Varano are both well-known Boston-area restaurateurs. DePasquale Ventures also owns or operates Ristorante Bricco, Mare Oyster Bar, AquaPazza, Quattro, Assaggio, Trattoria Il Panino, Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop and Bricco Panetteria. DePasquale also owns Bricco Suites and SCENE Magazine. The Varano Group owns or operates Strega North End, Strega Waterfront, Strega Prime, STRIP by Strega, NICO as well as three Caffé Strega locations throughout the metro Boston area.