#italian-american-cuisine

#italian-american-cuisine

Most evenings at SE Ankeny's Normandie, diners pack into the wooden tables and line the marble bar for plates of gochujang-glazed ahi and Parisienne gnocchi with Dungeness crab, finishing with calvados and madeleine cookies. But on a Sunday evening in December 2024, things were a little different. Rather than the familiar coastal French cuisine supported by a globe-trotting pantry, heaping plates of meatballs, eggplant parmesan, and "disco fries" filled the tables.

Once a sprawling industrial area, Northwest Portland's Slabtown has transformed over the last decade. Glitzy high-rise apartments tower over vestiges of the previous neighborhood, as well as newer retail boutiques and bottle shops. Restaurants like G-Love and Afuri thrum with evening activity, while coffee shops like Case Study and Good Coffee caffeinate the morning crowds. And for the last year, chef Gabriel Pascuzzi's Bistecca has been wooing diners to its fire-lit dining room for ribeyes, grilled foie gras, and caviar bumps.

Among the Italian enclaves that were established across the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th century, Manhattan's Little Italy on Mulberry Street is arguably the most well-known. Yet it's far from the only neighborhood where Italian immigrants defined the commerce, culture, and spirit of the area. The Italian immigrants who poured into the U.S. from Sicily, Naples, Calabria, and beyond profoundly shaped America's food history and cuisine,

San Jose's food landscape is taking a hit with the sad closure of Rollati Ristorante after its final service today. Located at 181 East Santa Clara St. in Downtown San Jose, this modern Italian-American spot has served as a gathering place for memorable meals since opening in 2023. The team at Vine Hospitality expresses deep gratitude for the community's support and now shifts focus to their established venues in the city.

Kurt Annweiler and his wife, Betty Burri, traveled to the new Original Joe's in Walnut Creek to experience its grand opening, eager to enjoy their beloved Italian-American cuisine.

Into the calculation comes Monty's Red Sauce in Sellwood, the third venture from the owners of Montelupo and The Focacceria.