New York native Anthony Giordano and his fiancé came to Providence in 2020 to wait out the pandemic. Not only did they decide to stay, but Giordano’s sister Amelia pulled up roots and also relocated to the Creative Capital. Together, the two NYC restaurant veterans (Anthony, a chef; Amelia in operations) are opening Anna’s Vesuviano, a wood-fired pizza trailer, rolling out in early summer. Towed by a “Scooby Doo-style” van, the 22-foot trailer sports 12 feet of covered kitchen with the final 10 open air.
The mobile pizzeria is named for their great grandmother, who was something of a renegade during Prohibition, making moonshine, running alcohol, and helping Italian immigrants get their bearings in Brooklyn. “Deep down, we want to create pizzas representing the multicultural community here in Providence,” says Anthony. “We’re ready to break the rules and open our minds to what is possible with pizza.” AnnasVesuviano.com
The Sandwich Hut’s spin-off sandwich shop The Hut is set to open in late spring on Federal Hill. “A second location is something I wanted to do for a while,” says third-generation owner Peter Kammerer, who returned to the family business in 2008, after testing out a few different careers (including interning at Providence Monthly). “Over the years there were lots of opportunities, but nothing felt quite right,” until a tiny dilapidated structure at Luongo Square became available.
Kammerer calls the 500-square-foot restaurant “the biggest little project in the biggest little state.” With the pandemic top of mind, he designed it to be takeout-friendly, and it includes a big patio with plenty of outdoor seating. To match the smaller footprint, The Hut will have a pared down menu, but favorites remain like the Italian grinder and the meatball sandwich. TheSandwichHut.com
“It was time,” says Rosalina’s chef and owner Lauren Lynch with a laugh. “We did a lot with the space when we took it over from Cuban Revolution,” she continues, but the one thing they couldn’t revamp was the kitchen floor. “No contractor would touch it,” she says, because the kitchen was already installed. With a builder finally up for the challenge, Lynch closed down for six weeks and got her new floor, as well as new chandeliers in the restaurant and a new beer cooler.
To go with the refreshed look, Lynch made slight updates to some menu items, including the chicken parm, which is now made with a Calabrian chili pink vodka sauce and burrata served over fresh pasta. This summer, as part of InDowncity’s Open Air Saturdays, she’s installing a bocce court and serving sausage and pepper sandwiches from a cart along with ice cold Peronis. EatAtRosalina.com
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