Award-winning restaurant featuring authentic, unique, Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
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You want Italian food that actually tastes like Italy. Not another chain serving reheated pasta with artificial flavors. You want the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re not sitting in a coastal trattoria overlooking the Mediterranean.
That’s exactly what you get here. Fresh homemade pasta made daily. Seafood flown in from trusted suppliers. Rare truffle ingredients from the Abruzzo region that most restaurants have never heard of, let alone used properly.
Your evening becomes about more than just eating. It’s about experiencing authentic Italian hospitality where our staff knows your preferences and the atmosphere lets you actually have a conversation.
Since 2004, we’ve been the Italian restaurant Wilmington families trust for authentic dining experiences. While other places come and go, we’ve stayed committed to one simple principle: serve the kind of Italian food that honors the traditions of the Abruzzo coast.
Our founder Anna Mountzuris built this restaurant around authentic recipes and techniques passed down through generations. We hire chefs directly from Italy who understand these traditions aren’t just recipes—they’re cultural heritage.
You’ll taste the difference in every dish. From our signature veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and fontina to our house-made lobster ravioli, each plate reflects decades of experience and genuine Italian craftsmanship.
Your experience starts the moment you walk through our doors. You’re greeted personally and seated in either our elegant upstairs dining room with chandeliers and golden drapes, or our newly renovated downstairs area with an expansive bar and modern Italian atmosphere.
You’ll receive warm, fresh bread while browsing our menu of authentic Abruzzese specialties. Our servers know the dishes inside and out—they can tell you exactly how our chef prepares the risotto ai frutti di mare or why our pappardelle al tartufo uses those rare Italian truffles.
Your meal arrives prepared to order using techniques and ingredients that honor Italian coastal traditions. Many evenings feature live saxophone jazz, creating the perfect backdrop for conversation and connection. You leave satisfied, not rushed, having experienced genuine Italian hospitality in Wilmington.
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You get authentic Italian dining without the Boston drive. Our menu features specialties from the Abruzzo region—coastal Italian cuisine known for exceptional seafood and rare truffle ingredients that set us apart from typical Italian-American restaurants.
We accommodate groups up to 45 people in our private upstairs dining room, perfect for celebrations, corporate events, or family gatherings. Our full-service catering brings the same authentic flavors to your special occasions, whether it’s a wedding, birthday, or business meeting.
Wilmington diners appreciate having access to this level of Italian authenticity locally. You’ll find ample parking, easy accessibility, and the kind of consistent quality that keeps families coming back for nearly two decades. Our wine selection features premium Italian varietals chosen specifically to complement our coastal cuisine.
We specialize in authentic Abruzzese cuisine from Italy’s coastal region, which features exceptional seafood and rare truffle ingredients most restaurants don’t offer. Since 2004, we’ve hired chefs directly from the Abruzzo region who bring genuine Italian techniques and traditions to every dish.
Our menu goes beyond typical Italian-American fare. You’ll find specialties like our signature veal chop stuffed with prosciutto and fontina, house-made lobster ravioli in vodka pink sauce, and pappardelle featuring authentic Italian truffles. We make our pasta fresh daily and source ingredients that honor traditional coastal Italian cooking.
The atmosphere combines elegant dining with live saxophone jazz music on select evenings, creating an experience that transports you to Italy without leaving Wilmington.
Yes, our upstairs dining room accommodates up to 45 people for seated dinners and up to 55 for cocktail receptions. We coordinate all aspects of your event planning to ensure a stress-free experience, whether you’re celebrating a wedding, birthday, corporate function, or memorial service.
We create custom menus tailored to your group’s preferences and dietary needs. Our full-service bar upstairs provides premium cocktails, wine, and spirits for your guests. The private dining space features elegant chandeliers and large windows with golden drapes, creating the perfect atmosphere for special occasions.
Our catering services also bring authentic Italian cuisine to your off-site events throughout the Wilmington area. We handle everything from intimate family gatherings to large corporate functions with the same attention to quality and service.
First-time guests often start with our grilled calamari appetizer, which showcases our expertise with fresh seafood. Our signature veal chop—double-cut, stuffed with prosciutto and fontina, topped with mushrooms and port wine reduction—is consistently our most acclaimed entrée.
For pasta lovers, the lobster ravioli in vodka pink sauce with crab meat and arugula represents our house-made pasta expertise. The pappardelle al tartufo features those rare Italian truffles we’re known for, creating a truly unique dining experience you won’t find elsewhere in Wilmington.
Our chicken parmigiana offers a perfectly executed version of this classic, featuring generous portions with rigatoni pasta and house-made tomato-basil sauce. The risotto ai frutti di mare combines arborio rice with fresh shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and calamari in a white wine sauce that highlights our coastal Italian specialties.
We strongly recommend making reservations ahead of time, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings when we’re typically at capacity. Weekend reservations should be made at least a week in advance to ensure your preferred dining time, particularly if you’re planning a special celebration.
Our upstairs dining room offers a more intimate, elegant atmosphere perfect for romantic dinners or special occasions. The downstairs area features our renovated bar and dining space with a more energetic atmosphere. Let us know your preference when booking.
For larger groups or private dining events, contact us at least two weeks ahead to ensure availability and allow time for menu customization. We can accommodate dietary restrictions and special requests with advance notice, ensuring everyone in your party has an exceptional dining experience.
Yes, we provide takeout service for guests who want to enjoy our authentic Italian cuisine at home. Our extensive menu travels well, from our house-made pasta dishes to our signature seafood specialties. We package everything carefully to maintain the quality and temperature you’d experience dining in our restaurant.
During the pandemic, we adapted our operations to serve the Wilmington community safely while maintaining our high standards. Many customers discovered our takeout service during this time and continue to order regularly for family dinners and special occasions at home.
While we focus primarily on the dine-in experience that showcases our atmosphere and hospitality, our takeout service ensures you can still enjoy authentic Abruzzese cuisine when dining at home is more convenient. Call ahead to place your order and avoid wait times during busy periods.
Our wine selection focuses on premium Italian varietals chosen specifically to complement our Abruzzese coastal cuisine. For seafood dishes like our risotto ai frutti di mare or lobster ravioli, we recommend crisp white wines such as Pinot Grigio from the Veneto region or Vermentino from coastal Italy.
Our signature veal chop pairs beautifully with full-bodied reds like Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which comes from the same region as our cuisine. For pasta dishes featuring our rare truffles, we suggest Barolo or Chianti Classico that won’t overpower the delicate truffle flavors.
Our knowledgeable staff can guide you through our wine list based on your meal selection and personal preferences. We also offer wine by the glass for those who want to experience different pairings throughout their meal, and our full-service bar features Italian aperitivos and digestivos to complete your authentic Italian dining experience.
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