A Massive Suburban Italian Restaurant Is Reborn

"How does a suburban mainstay keep things fresh after over a decade? Rebrand, renovate, and double down on private events. Burlington's Tuscan Kitchen reopens on February 20 as Sorella, "the cool younger sister" of the previous restaurant, says owner Joe Faro. With a lighter, modernized design, bigger bar, and more space for parties, it's "an energized, contemporary look" at what Faro's growing Italian-food empire, Tuscan Brands, is today."

"Think: Eataly, with a New England accent. Tuscan Brands' roots date back 16 years with the opening of Tuscan Kitchen in Salem, New Hampshire; since then, Faro has opened a number of Italian food-related businesses (moderately upscale restaurants, markets, and more) around New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The Burlington Tuscan Kitchen opened in 2014, "one of the original yellow-stucco-and-stone locations," says Faro (compared to the decidedly more glitzy version in Boston's Seaport). So, not a bad time for a refresh."

""Over the course of our history, we've had some success reinventing ourselves from time to time," says Faro, pointing, for instance, to the evolution of the original Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market in Salem, New Hampshire. Now, they're part of Faro's giant mixed-use development, Tuscan Village, which includes a cooking school, hotel, dining, and retail from Tuscan Brands and other companies. Tuscan Brands businesses in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, have changed as well, including the rebranding of a Tuscan Market into a Neapolitan-inspired pizzeria."

Sorella replaces the Burlington Tuscan Kitchen with a lighter, modernized design, a bigger bar, and more space for private events. Joe Faro positions the new concept as a fresher, younger sibling within the Tuscan Brands portfolio. Tuscan Brands began 16 years ago with Tuscan Kitchen in Salem and now includes restaurants, markets, a cooking school, and a mixed-use Tuscan Village development. The company routinely reinvents and rebrands locations while emphasizing artisanal Italian techniques and products such as fresh pasta, gelato, and focaccia. The renovation aims to attract contemporary diners and larger parties while preserving Italian craft traditions.

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