On a walk in my city's Brookside neighborhood today, I went by an Italian restaurant called "Plate". Meanwhile, a few years ago, I ate at one named "North" in the suburb of Leawood; also, in 2015, we ate at an Italian restaurant in Minneapolis called "Broder's".
The common thread between those Italian restaurants is the style of their names - if you didn't already know that they were Italian restaurants, you wouldn't really be able to guess based on the name.
Anyway, throughout the country, have you ever eaten at - or at least heard of or seen - Italian restaurants with names that don't suggest those places are Italian? Are there any such restaurants in your city? (Well, aside from the obvious example of Olive Garden, that is.)
The Chateau. Two locations, one in Andover MA, the other in Woburn MA.
Sammy's in suburban Green Bay.
The Boot in Huntsville, Alabama
Also, the best pizza and Italian food in Huntsville. Terranova's is pretty good, but I like The Boot better.
Millie's Italian Restaurant in Celina. It was OK the one time I went there.
Johnny's in Schenectady. Jim of this forum recommended it to me in 2019 when Ms1995hoo and I were stopping in Schenectady for the night on a trip to Cooperstown, Kingston, and Toronto. It was excellent and it was a bargain, probably a good $100 less expensive than I'd have expected for a comparable meal around here.
Quote from: formulanone on March 15, 2024, 09:02:43 PM
The Boot in Huntsville, Alabama
Also, the best pizza and Italian food in Huntsville. Terranova's is pretty good, but I like The Boot better.
TBF, it seems that one takes its name from the fact that Italy is vaguely shaped like a boot, as shown on their sign.
It's been a hot minute since I've been there, TBH.
The now-defunct Anthony's in Richmond, VA. Not Antonio's. Anthony's.
Quote from: 1 on March 15, 2024, 07:58:08 PM
The Chateau. Two locations, one in Andover MA, the other in Woburn MA.
Yeah, that's a weird name. I'd expect French cuisine.
Maybe the lack of an accent circonflexe on the â is intended as a giveaway. :spin:
Quote from: Takumi on March 16, 2024, 01:49:17 PM
The now-defunct Anthony's in Richmond, VA. Not Antonio's. Anthony's.
Interestingly, there is an Anthony's over near Falls Church that I believe focuses on pizza but also has other Italian and Greek items. I've never been there.
I think that they are both out of business, but there was an Italian restaurant in St. Albans, West Virginia called "Mountain Pie Company on the River". The original one in Teays Valley was simply called "Mountain Pie Company" and it was more of an artisan pizza place. Not much mountainous about where I grew up. In comparison, there's a famous bakery with the same name in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
Minnesota:
Sammy's (various) - the Twin Cities locations were known for a time as Sammy Perrella's when they opened, but the Perrella was dropped.
The now-defunct Grandma's Sports Garden (Duluth)
Quote from: freebrickproductions on March 16, 2024, 01:15:35 AM
Quote from: formulanone on March 15, 2024, 09:02:43 PM
The Boot in Huntsville, Alabama
Also, the best pizza and Italian food in Huntsville. Terranova's is pretty good, but I like The Boot better.
TBF, it seems that one takes its name from the fact that Italy is vaguely shaped like a boot, as shown on their sign.
It's been a hot minute since I've been there, TBH.
Oh, certainly; I was told "Italy looks like a boot" back when I was six and you can never un-see that. Even my fourth grade teacher with Italian roots was proud of saying she was from The Boot Country.
Problem is that The Boot is over 30 minutes from home so I have to want to be in South Huntsville for a reason or just really want their pizza.
The local Italian restaurant in my town is like the opposite of the thread theme. It's simply named "Italian House".
Could've called it "Casa Italiana" instead, but that might give the place more gravitas than warranted. It's not exactly haute cuisine.
Quote from: 1995hoo on March 16, 2024, 05:03:43 PM
Quote from: Takumi on March 16, 2024, 01:49:17 PM
The now-defunct Anthony's in Richmond, VA. Not Antonio's. Anthony's.
Interestingly, there is an Anthony's over near Falls Church that I believe focuses on pizza but also has other Italian and Greek items. I've never been there.
Just as interestingly, there is an Anthony's in Bowie (MD) which has the same type of cuisine. Although I suppose if the name were to be pronounced "Ant'nys" it might sound a bit more Italian.
We also have a local chain around here called "Three Brothers", also featuring Italian and pizza cuisine.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped. I must stop them.
I guess
"Olive Garden" would itself qualify for this thread - much to
Rothman's chagrin.
Only because Olive Garden is crud wrapped in the Italian flag.
Quote from: formulanone on March 16, 2024, 09:03:38 PM
Quote from: freebrickproductions on March 16, 2024, 01:15:35 AM
Quote from: formulanone on March 15, 2024, 09:02:43 PM
The Boot in Huntsville, Alabama
Also, the best pizza and Italian food in Huntsville. Terranova's is pretty good, but I like The Boot better.
TBF, it seems that one takes its name from the fact that Italy is vaguely shaped like a boot, as shown on their sign.
It's been a hot minute since I've been there, TBH.
Oh, certainly; I was told "Italy looks like a boot" back when I was six and you can never un-see that. Even my fourth grade teacher with Italian roots was proud of saying she was from The Boot Country.
Problem is that The Boot is over 30 minutes from home so I have to want to be in South Huntsville for a reason or just really want their pizza.
If you ever want an excuse to go, feel free to send me a PM, I'd be glad to meet-up with ya there for a meal. ;-)
My car's gonna be in and out of a few shops for the near future though, so I ain't gonna be super available just yet.
(As a side note, how many people does it have to be at minimum to count as a roadmeet? :hmmm:)
What about Olive Garden? Defo not an Italian name.
In Canada there's an Olive Garden competitor called East Side Mario's - Mario is an Italian name but the rest of it isn't.
Quote from: KCRoadFan on March 15, 2024, 07:32:29 PM
also, in 2015, we ate at an Italian restaurant in Minneapolis called "Broder's".
It should be notef though that the full name of the restaurant on the north side of 50th St across from the pasta bar is "Broders' Cucina Italiana".
Sam and Joe's Restaurant in Danvers, MA
Quote from: andrepoiy on March 17, 2024, 11:16:30 AM
What about Olive Garden? Defo not an Italian name.
In Canada there's an Olive Garden competitor called East Side Mario's - Mario is an Italian name but the rest of it isn't.
It was just mentioned two posts before yours... :D
Here in downtown Appleton, WI is an Italian place called 'Victoria's', owned and operated by first-generation Mexican immigrants who were legalized back in the 1980s during the Reagan amnesty. They are pretty good and locally renowned for have wackoly large portion sizes.
Mike
Quote from: KCRoadFan on March 15, 2024, 07:32:29 PM
have you ever eaten at - or at least heard of or seen - Italian restaurants with names that don't suggest those places are Italian?
Quote from: Road Hog on March 15, 2024, 09:11:05 PM
Millie's Italian Restaurant
It takes a special kind of person to not realize that a place named Millie's Italian Restaurant is an Italian restaurant.
Quote from: kphoger on March 18, 2024, 02:27:53 PM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on March 15, 2024, 07:32:29 PM
have you ever eaten at - or at least heard of or seen - Italian restaurants with names that don't suggest those places are Italian?
Quote from: Road Hog on March 15, 2024, 09:11:05 PM
Millie's Italian Restaurant
It takes a special kind of person to not realize that a place named Millie's Italian Restaurant is an Italian restaurant.
I think that user meant to say just "Millie's".
There was the long defunct "Yan-Yans" in Haverstraw NY. Put out a solid pizza and delivered to the marina.
Quote from: KCRoadFan on March 18, 2024, 03:53:29 PM
Quote from: kphoger on March 18, 2024, 02:27:53 PM
Quote from: KCRoadFan on March 15, 2024, 07:32:29 PM
have you ever eaten at - or at least heard of or seen - Italian restaurants with names that don't suggest those places are Italian?
Quote from: Road Hog on March 15, 2024, 09:11:05 PM
Millie's Italian Restaurant
It takes a special kind of person to not realize that a place named Millie's Italian Restaurant is an Italian restaurant.
I think that user meant to say just "Millie's".
nope (https://maps.app.goo.gl/FJ8aJLmK7qJLxV589)
This sign is up in the window of the former sandwich shop in the neighborhood strip mall. I'm curious as to the concept. The initial thought is "a calzone except in a tortilla rather than pizza dough" but I'm not sure the tortilla stands up to pizza sauce without making a sloppy mess after two bites.
(https://i.imgur.com/WyG1DEW.jpg)
Hillsborough, North Carolina has one that is brand new: Willie's. This is an updated version of an old pizzeria location, and it seems to be operated by the same folks. Some 25 years ago, it was named "Pizza Transit Authority"; later became "Pop's Pizzeria" and more recently "Anna Maria's". Needless to say, the original name was intriguing to the railroader/rail transit guy.
As of June 2023, the GSV still shows "Anna Maria's".