These Days I’m Having Italian!

We are what we eat and these days, I’m having Italian. With three new Italian restaurant openings in the second half of 2024, I’d say we hit the jackpot this time. Each of these restaurants has the winning combination: they’re family owned, offer magnificent food and hospitality and have a highly experienced chef at the helm who has cooked Italian food for well over a decade. If you’re planning to go to Italy like I am, these three restaurants are a good place to start to master your Italian flavors. They’re the closest thing to the real deal without having to pack your bags. Happy Eating! Ziracco Ziracco, a high end, Italian restaurant in Plaza Cibela on Hernandez Macias 98, has been open for a month and had an incredible, soft opening last Friday. Located in a beautiful, converted old house owned by our favorite brothers from Atrio, Chef Edgar Manuel Patena Hernandez is the star of the show, dishing out Italian specialties like he’s done it all of his life. At 31, he has over 13 years of experience cooking mainly Italian food in San Luis Potosi as well as Veracruz and Lima, Peru. After spending a month in Lima a few years back, I now understand why any chef who’s been “Lima trained” is considered golden. Ziracco is not just a special occasion restaurant; all the dishes are priced well for the quality. The terrace shows off a spectacular view of Centro and will launch this coming November. Brother-in-laws, Ricardo Ziracco and Eduardo Bonilla, are the partners behind this project and have the art of hospitality down after opening their first restaurant in Querétaro three years ago. Ziracco showcases Italy’s most interesting, regional cuisines. From the Artichoke with cheese fondue to the colorful Ziracco salad and the Classic Carbonara with guanciale and Pecorino Romano, we’re going back to catch another round this week. Their Afogado has taken center stage; it’s the best drink in SMA this year. Fari Trattoria Fari Trattoria, a casual new favorite at Salida a Celaya 5, is the passion of brothers Toño Aranda Lavalle and Andres Aranda Lavalle, who own some of the best restaurants in the city: Tostévere, Bocaciega, Bocalab and La Choperia, who recently celebrated a 10 year anniversary. They also own Mister Emilio, helping small food producers gain access to better markets. Chef Davide Giribaldi of Cien Fuegos is the head chef behind the project and worked for well over a year to get the Italian flavors just right. The new chef at Fari,Yesica Rivas, comes from Bocaciega and heads up the team with support from Bocaciega’s head chef, Jose Bazan. We love the pizza - in particular the fried pizza with two variations to savor. Pizza Fritta is a popular street food in Italy that enjoys a cult-like following among locals. One of the most popular restaurants in the city, Fari has a small but very authentic menu created by some of the best chefs in SMA; a really great team that's hard to beat. Sikelía by La Cucina di Afrodita Sikelía by La Cucina di Afrodita is opening on the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) starting October 19th. After Chef Laura Buccheri closed her popular restaurant in the countryside outside of SMA during Covid, she traveled Europe; expanding her skills as a chef - first in Spain and Menorca and then back to Italy and the enchanted island of Sicily. She also ran a restaurant on the very VIP island of Panarea; the oldest of the Aeolian Islands and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. For an Italian, cooking is love and Chef Laura Buccheri delivers it in every dish she creates. We can attest to the fact that she does Italian desserts and pasta better than anyone in San Miguel; I’ve eaten my fair share of every one she’s made. Truly a La Dolce Vita experience, welcome home chef - we're happy to have you back.