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Italian restaurants with “non-Italian” names

Started by KCRoadFan, March 15, 2024, 07:32:29 PM

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KCRoadFan

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.)


hotdogPi

The Chateau. Two locations, one in Andover MA, the other in Woburn MA.
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formulanone

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.

Road Hog

Millie's Italian Restaurant in Celina. It was OK the one time I went there.

1995hoo

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.
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freebrickproductions

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.
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Takumi

The now-defunct Anthony's in Richmond, VA. Not Antonio's. Anthony's.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

CtrlAltDel

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:
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1995hoo

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.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Dirt Roads

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.

TheHighwayMan3561

#11
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)
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formulanone

#12
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.

JREwing78

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.

dlsterner

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.

Rothman

Only because Olive Garden is crud wrapped in the Italian flag.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

freebrickproductions

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:)
It's all fun & games until someone summons Cthulhu and brings about the end of the world.

I also collect traffic lights, road signs, fans, and railroad crossing equipment.

(They/Them)

andrepoiy

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.

TheHighwayMan3561

#18
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".
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Rothman

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
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

mgk920

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

kphoger

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.
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KCRoadFan

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".

NJRoadfan

There was the long defunct "Yan-Yans" in Haverstraw NY. Put out a solid pizza and delivered to the marina.



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