A recently opened Italian restaurant in Port Chester with a two-century-long legacy is giving hungry diners a new reason to say “that’s amore.”
Brandi Trattoria & Pizzeria opened the doors of its 4,500-square foot restaurant in May and offers an array of Italian favorites, from penne alla vodka to pasta cartoccio. The sleek 200-seat eatery at 108 Abendroth Ave. features an outdoor seating area and a full-service bar that spans the length of the restaurant. Brandi also houses an 80-seat private dining space complete with a trio of large-screen televisions. While the Port Chester location may be new, Brandi has a long history of serving hungry restaurant-goers. The company traces its roots to a small storefront and pizzeria opened in Naples, Italy in 1760 that, though it has changed hands over the ensuing centuries, is still in operation today.
That menu includes a dozen types of pizza, all baked in a blue-and-white tiled stone oven identical to the one that sits in the corner of the Naples eatery today. The restaurant’s pizza offerings cover everything from the classic napoletana to decadent pizza bianca, which features fresh mozzarella, candied pistachios and a truly delectable light truffle honey drizzle.
But if there’s one item that distinguishes Brandi from the dozens of other pizza joints in the area, it’s the Margherita. Brandi’s signature dish, the Margherita is served with a sweet red sauce, dollops of mozzarella and a smattering of basil leaves.
There’s a good reason why Brandi’s Margherita stands out among the crowd. The Naples restaurant credits itself as the original creator of the now-famous pizza style, claiming the dish was whipped up more than 100 years ago for Italian monarch Queen Margherita of Savoy.
Other standout offerings include house-made meatballs, which sit atop a bed of polenta and mix perfectly with ricotta, roasted lamb with goat cheese and a blueberry marmalade and a creamy tiramisu topped with fresh strawberries.
For more, visitbrandi1760.com.
–Aleesia Forni
