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Niche To Open New Restaurant In Canal District

Niche Hospitality Group's newest restaurant, Nonna's Kitchen, will open in 2017 at the Ice Rink in the Canal District

Niche Hospitality Group’s newest brand, Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta, is set to open in the Canal District later this year.

Nearly a year ago, when Craig Blais of the WBDC introduced Cliff Rucker to Michael Covino, it was to first to help advise on how to grow the Worcester community through Cliff’s hockey vision, the Worcester Railers. Today, the relationship has evolved into a passion for local community and has created a new Niche Hospitality Group brand to live in the heart of the Canal District. While the Ice Center will be kicking off the hockey season in October 2017, Niche Hospitality Group is putting all efforts into a new restaurant concept opening in the late summer. The concept echos the relationship between Rucker and Covino, as well as the ever-growing movement in Worcester: Community.

Niche Hospitality Group—the parent company behind Bocado, The Citizen, Mezcal, The Fix, and Rye & Thyme American Tavern—prides itself on creating unique dining experiences and the latest venture will be nothing short of what we have come to expect. Opening late summer 2017, Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta will be located inside the Ice Center and embrace the Italian family-style dining concept with a menu focusing on pizza and pasta. While pizza and pasta may not be new to the local culinary scene, it will certainly add variety when it comes to family dining. “The goal of the restaurant is to be family-focused and offer a pizza style that the city has yet to see,” says Covino. Worcester’s pizza offerings have expanded recently, with the introduction of Dacosta’s Pizza Bakery and Volturno, but with Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta, Niche Hospitality Group is on the mission to take pizza in a different direction with an emphasis on Long Island style pizza – a pizza that isn’t thin like Neapolitan, but not as thick as a Chicago deep dish or a Brooklyn Sicilian.

The inspiration for this new restaurant is personal, with a tip of the hat to Rucker’s mother-in-law, Erasmina Piccirilli. Piccirilli immigrated from Italy when she was eight months pregnant with Cliff’s now wife, Susan. Her family set roots in Somerville, MA where home cooking took center stage. Although she never mastered the English language, or registered for a driver’s license, her cooking remains—to this day—an indescribable experience. Rucker and Susan have been married for 30 years, but that doesn’t stop his face from lighting up when thinking about Sunday dinner at Piccirilli’s home. “Every one of her dishes are infused with an indescribable level of unparalleled expertise and they fill your belly and warm your soul,” Rucker continued, “Nonna’s will pay homage to my mother-in-law and all other ‘Nonnas’ who have nourished the spirits of their families with a home-cooked Italian feast.”

With 120 seats, Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta will also redefine how we look at Italian cuisine, with two-floors, a full liquor license, including beer and wine on tap and whole lot of growing room. While eating at Nonna’s will be like Sunday dinner at grandma’s house, it will also cater to the fast-casual aspect of Italian cuisine with an “order-at-the-counter and go” feature. Offering pizza by the slice, half tray and full tray, deciding whether to eat-in or dine-out will be the only tough choice.

While the Nonna’s brand hasn’t launched yet, it is already growing… STEAM, also located in the Ice Center will serve coffee, Gelato (now you won’t have to travel to Eataly in Boston) and desserts. STEAM will be a quick pick-me-up for hockey fans while watching the game.

Keeping their focus on building community, Rucker and Covino are expanding their relationship in other ways also. Niche Hospitality Group was recently hired to create the Railer’s Sports Tavern on 90 Commercial Street, helping to provide a place for hockey fans to pregame and watch away games while enjoying a beer and pub style food.

Covino and Rucker are on a mission, whether it is building Nonna’s Pizza & Pasta, STEAM, or the Railer’s Sports Tavern they are strengthening Worcester’s community with food and adding to the dynamic fabric of the culinary capital of New England.

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Tomasso: Italian Dining To Bank On

Tomasso in Southborough, MA (Photography by Mary Prince Photography for Tomasso)

Italian food is a favorite among many, myself included. Whether you are headed to the North End of Boston, or Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, there seems to be endless possibilities for all palettes. As much as I enjoy a plate of my great-aunt’s al dente rigatoni and gravy, true Italian food is so much more. Yet, I continue to ask myself “What makes Italian food Italian?” True Italian food requires using the freshest ingredients combined with a unique simplicity all while considering regional traditions. Tomasso on Route 9 in Southborough creatively combines the freshest seasonal ingredients in a manner that stays true to regional Italian traditions, but the chef leaves room for creatively modern enhancements.

Tomasso features hand made ingredients, including their pastas.
Tomasso features hand made ingredients, including their pastas.(Photography by Mary Prince Photography for Tomasso)

Tomasso provides its customers with an experience that is unique to the area, in that their focus is to use suppliers that treat the food sources with care and responsibility. Additionally, the bar and dining room are designed to allow diners to be side by side, creating an atmosphere that has a more comfortable family feel. This seating design also allows for the staff to educated, both formally and informally, about the food as well as the extensive wine selection available. Tomasso offers a 100% Italian wine selection, and is considered an important element of the dining experience. Since the staff believe that wine is an important element in the Italian dining experience, the wine selection allows for many price points and flavor profiles that will pair with any menu selection.

The menu at Tomasso is designed in a way that differs from other local Italian eateries. First, the menu is seasonal, allowing the chef to introduce new flavors on a regular basis. The dinner menu is designed in the traditional Italian style by offering multiple courses, including a antipasti e insalate, pasta, secondi, pasta, and finally pizza. The chef also offers a three course lunch menu, which allows for a salad option, pasta, and dessert. This lunch selection allows guests to get an idea of the offerings on the dinner menu, but at a fraction the cost.

Tomasso's Executive Chef Daniele Baliani
Tomasso’s Executive Chef Daniele Baliani (Photography by Mary Prince Photography for Tomasso)

The food at Tomasso is truly exceptional, and there are few restaurants in the area that compare to the quality and style of food. Having been to Italy several time, I can vouch for the authenticity of the food at Tomasso. Once seated, we were offered a basket of house made breads, and a description of the specials for the evening. The wine list was explained, and suggestions were made. We started with the anitpasti course which included fresh mozzarella with grilled focaccia bread, and a arancini dish. We decided to share both a pasta dish and main course (secondi), which included “Orecchiette alla Barese” made with “little ear” pasta, broccoli rabe, house made crumbled sausage, ricotta, and chile flake. The main course was “Pollo alla Parmigiana” with crispy chicken cutlets, pomodoro, fresh local mozzarella, panzanella salad, and Grana Padano (cheese). Tomasso provides its guests with a culinary experience that is authentically Italian.

Located at 149 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772, Tomasso affords its Metrowest customers dining experience that stands up to the more well known Italian eateries in the North End in Boston and Shrewsbury Street in Worcester.