Marcial Bereciartu, owner of the newly opened Strapoli Pizza in Chicago, grew up in Venezuela, where he was inspired by his parents’ belief that one can work, not just for money, but also to have fun with family, serve the community and make good pizza. That’s what Bereciartu intends to do with Strapoli Pizza, 545 W. Diversey Parkway, which serves Neapolitan-style pizzas based on his family’s recipes. The business’ name is a combination of strada (street) and Napoli. Bereciartu’s parents operated a pizzeria for a few decades in Merida, Venezuela, and their children pitched in by making dough, preparing pizza …

If you thought arancini only showcased the flavors of Italy, think again. Amici restaurant, which opened recently at 3933 N. Broadway in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, serves classic Italian arancini stuffed with meat sauce and prosciutto, plus a variety of other flavor profiles, including Mexican, African, Indian and Thai. The eatery’s tagline is “five different cuisines in the palm of your hand.” “A lot of people assume we’re an Italian place, but we’re not,” owner Alfio Sciacca told Block Club Chicago. “The idea came from Italy because the arancini are from Italy, but we stuff them with different cultures.” The menu …

Brittany and Tony Colatori, owners of Cucina Bella restaurant in Algonquin, have teamed up with Jose Moreno to open Bella’s Wood Fire Pizzeria, also in the northwest suburb. The Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new pizzeria at 123 S. Main St. in Algonquin. The menu draws inspiration from Tony Colatori’s family roots in Sannicandro, in Italy’s Puglia region. “You can expect nothing but the finest in Italian cuisine,” Brittany Colatori said in a chamber news release. Moreno and Tony Colatori worked together in the restaurant industry for 20 years. For more, click here.

Two legendary Chicago-area candymakers have joined forces. Ferrara Candy, a business unit of Ferrero SpA, agreed to acquire Jelly Belly Candy Co., Crain’s Chicago Business reported. The seed for Ferrara was planted at the Original Ferrara Bakery on Taylor Street, which blossomed into Ferrara Pan Candy in Forest Park. The business unit now employs 7,500 worldwide, including 2,200 in Illinois. Jelly Belly began as Goelitz Confectionery Company in suburban St. Louis and later moved to California. It has about 800 employees and operates a plant in North Chicago. Ferrero SpA is a multinational company headquartered in Luxembourg with roots in …

Carme Forte Jr. will ascend to the presidency of the Columbian Club of Chicago at a black-tie installation dinner on Jan. 27 at Medinah Country Club. For reservations, call Christopher Derks at 847-275-3130. Forte has been a member since 2015. “My father has been a member of the club for 20 years or more, and I always loved attending events with our family,” he explains. “I wanted to become more involved in a wonderful organization that furthers our Italian heritage and gives so much back to the community. “The CCC is a great group of men who are dedicated to …

While he was growing up in Chicago Heights during World War II, Dominic Candeloro wasn’t at all proud of his Italian ancestry. His father was a low-paid construction worker who only learned a few words of English. That and the fact that Italy was fighting against the Allies made him ashamed of his roots. The feeling persisted after the war, when the peninsula was in shambles and the country was frequently referred to as “war torn” in the press. It wasn’t until Candeloro saw Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita” while he was pursuing his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University that …

Chicago attorney Bruno Marasso has been named to the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s Forty Under 40 list for 2023. Marasso is a partner at Romanucci & Blandin. A member of the Justinian Society of Lawyers since law school, Massaro has volunteered his time on the executive board since 2017, most recently serving as president for the 2022-23 year. He is also an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, National Italian American Bar Association and American Association of Justice.  

A beloved Chicago pizzeria was recently ranked among the 100 best in the world by the Italian culinary website 50 Top Pizza. Spacca Napoli (1769 W. Sunnyside Ave., Chicago) came in at No. 93 on a list that included pizzerias from France, the Philippines, Spain, Japan, Denmark and more. Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria in Naples and I Masanielli in Caserta shared the top spot. “It’s always nice to be recognized,” Spacca Napoli owner Jonathan Goldsmith modestly responded. Goldsmith has won a slew of awards for his Neapolitan pizza over the years. He learned the trade from master Neapolitan pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia, …

  Eataly now has its own global line of artisan panettoni developed by its team of gastronomical experts. The line features four flavors — classico, pistachio cream, orange and chocolate, and pandoro — all based on a traditional recipe of lievito madre (mother yeast), free-range eggs and Madagascar vanilla. Located at 43 E. Ohio St. in Chicago, Eataly offers 50 panettoni and pandori from various brands, with flavors such as limoncello, chestnut, tiramisu, apricot, salted caramel, and more. Italians typically bring a dessert or sweet treat when they are invited to someone’s home, and during the winter holidays, that’s panettone …

Riccardo Michi, Massimo Di Vuolo and Carlo Maggi met about 30 years ago, when they worked at the now-closed Bice in Chicago. This year, they joined forces to open Il Milanese Ristorante, at 4356 N. Leavitt St. in Chicago, with a menu of dishes from the Piemonte, Lombardia and Veneto regions. The cuisine from these regions has been overlooked as chefs have gravitated toward fusion and updated traditional recipes, Maggi told Block Club Chicago. “Don’t get me wrong, I like experimenting,” Maggi said. “But I want to give new life [to classic] dishes.” For more, click here.