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Off the main drag and down a quiet Bay View side street lays a hidden gem of the Milwaukee dining scene. You will be charmed by the ambiance the moment you enter Santino’s Little Italy. From the welcoming hosts at the door, the simple elegance of the decor, the fantastic food, and the delightful Sofia Loren films playing, silently, on screens throu...

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Taking inspiration from the street festivals that once took place in the Italian Third Ward, Festa Italiana will host its 2022 festival on the grounds of the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago Ave. After canceling the festival on the Summerfest grounds in 2020, 2021 and 2022 fears were that Festa – the oldest of the lakefront ethnic festivals...

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Petra Orlowski’s passion for pasta led her to open Semolina MKE. This love for pasta started with her Italian grandmother's Sunday dinners, where the entire family gathered and made pasta. Petra says that “pasta is a way of life for us.” A picture of Petra’s grandmother hangs in the front of her Bay View store, and Petra feels as though she is watc...

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It’s been over four years since guests had their last taste of the Sicilian dishes from longtime Milwaukee restaurant, Giovanni’s. But all of that will change this fall when Safina, a new casual Italian concept comes to the historic building at 785 N. Jefferson St. Safina, which could open as soon as mid-October, will be operated by its namesake, t...

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A version of Giovanni's restaurant is coming back to Milwaukee in a more casual establishment that still is centered on family recipes by the Safina family. The restaurant, named Safina's, will be run by three brothers, Giuseppe (Joe), David and Sal Safina. Their father, Giovanni Safina, will also be a part of the venture, pounding and cutting veal...

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The Florentine Opera Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the 6th oldest grand opera company in the United States. Founded in 1933, the group was called the Italian Opera Chorus under the direction of John David Anello Sr. and later he explained that changing the name was to honor the birthplace of opera as we know it. Saying that the craft originate...

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I’m someone who loves to dine alone and have learned what kind of restaurants are best for that. Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant (at 2995 S. Clement Ave.) is one of them. I’ve been here many times now and every time I meet someone even friendlier than the last. This night I was not alone, but quickly made friends at the bar while I was waiting for my c...

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After closing last summer, Scardina Specialties, the family-owned deli which has been serving up Italian staples like spiedini, meatball sandwiches and housemade sausages since 2012, will be reopening in a new location at 715 E. Locust St. In fact, if all goes well, the Italian deli could reopen for business as soon as mid-summer. And owner Damien...

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The organizers of Festa Italiana have called off the lakefront festival for the third straight year. In a statement Friday afternoon, Rose Anne Fritchie, president of the Italian Community Center and Festa director, cited the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on the financial health of the organization.  "We have always been pro...

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After being paused for two years due to Covid, the Italian Community Center's A Taste of Italy fundraiser returns for 2022. This longstanding tradition at the ICC, 631 E. Chicago Ave., takes place Sunday, May 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A Taste of Italy is run entirely by ICC volunteers. As always there will be a 50/50 raffle and musical entert...

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