In this column we give an account of the month's new restaurant and wine bar openings up and down the peninsula. These are, it should be pointed out, reports and not reviews, as none of us have yet had the opportunity to eat at that particular upcoming establishment. Here are the new openings for May.
Despite the undeniable crisis in the restaurant industry regarding wait staff and kitchen staff, there remains a great ferment evident in the number of new restaurant openings. Various types are embraced, from gourmet restaurant to trattoria, from pizzeria to ethnic restaurant.
Wide is the price range related to new restaurants, ranging from the cheaper ones, set on traditional cuisine and pizza, to the decidedly higher-end ones, perhaps inside luxury hotels.
Often the guarantee of the quality of the restaurant is the experience of the owner, often the reliability of the chef, often the skills of the manager. But many other factors come into play in determining the success of a restaurant, from location to decor, from parking facilities to the wine list (something we value).
Here’s a chance for you to try new experiences.
The article is updated regularly with reports of new openings that we learn about.
Column edited by Iolanda Maggio
CARDINALE opens in Milan
the Massari brothers’ new restaurant
In Via Freguglia an innovative format that combines high gastronomic quality with efficient service. CARDINALE was born from the evolution of the concept of democratic and extremely well-curated Italian catering. Accompanying Debora and Nicola Massari in the new venture are friends Lorenzo Benussi, an aerospace engineer and entrepreneur, who heads S.A.R.A. Ing. Sandro Benussi srl, a company specializing in automotive plastic items; Roberta Cioffi, an environmental engineer with experience in sustainability strategies; and Paolo Coglio, an entrepreneur at the helm of Forelli Pietro Srl, a leading company in nonferrous metal refining.
CARDINALE’s menu is a journey into the tradition of Italian cuisine with a contemporary twist, with a focus on seasonality and the needs of the urban context.
CARDINALE
Via Freguglia 2, Milan
M1 / M5 San Babila
Open Monday through Thursday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to midnight.00
Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight
Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tel. and Whatsapp 02-91557935
Web: cardinalefratellimassari.it
Mail: reservations@
IG: @cardinale_fratellimassari
Uovodiseppia opens in Palermo
In the heart of Palermo’s historic center, on Via Candelai at number 68, comes Uovodiseppia, the new restaurant signed by chef Pino Cuttaia, in collaboration with Borgia Group of brothers Vittorio and Saverio Borgia. The project is housed inside the newly established boutique hotel Locanda Santamarina of the Gargiulo brothers, who after careful restoration, have restored life and splendor to the old Hotel Firenze, among the city’s most historic hotels.
Uovadiseppia
via Candelai, 68
Inside the boutique hotel Locanda Santamarina
https://www.palazzosantamarina.com/
Al Ruotino lands in Rome
Al Ruotino, from the family tradition of pizza in the ruoto to building a contemporary brand: Luigi Seccia’s project grows and is structured as a scalable model. After opening in Naples, the second location has already been operational in Rome since April 2025.
The distinctive element of the format is precisely the pizza in the 30-cm wheel, baked in two stages (300° and 360°), with high-hydration dough (80 percent) and a multi-stage process with a leavening time of more than 28 hours. A contemporary and unmistakable menu that includes classic pizzas, such as the Marinara, and signature ones, such as the “Al Ruotino” with tomato, spicy salami, spicy honey and buffalo stracciata and the ever-present fried pizzas. Plus, traditional appetizers such as crocchè, classic montanare and frittatine di pasta; and house desserts such as baba with cream.
The architectural and operational design of the format is signed, as for the Naples location, by Costa Group, a leader in food retail format design. Every element-from the furnishings to the operational layout-is designed to best express the brand identity: not only attention to the furnishings and aesthetics of the 1950s-60s but special care in the functional organization of the work spaces within the business.
Al Ruotino
Via del Plebiscito, 104 – Plebiscito Market – Rome
www.alruotino.it
Futura opened the in Rome’s Monti district
Rione Monti welcomes chef Anastasia Paris’ first restaurant: chef’s table and contemporary Italian cuisine The talented Abruzzese with an international spirit has made Rome her home. After many experiences, she opens her first restaurant, about 20 seats with an open kitchen and marble counter, to always have contact with the customer.
Futura accommodates just 20 covers, half of which revolve around the chef’s table and the fully open kitchen, the cornerstones of this young and exciting project. Anastasia wanted two friends and now partners at her side: Flavia Ercoli, with her at the stove, and Luigi Carofilis, at the wines.
Futura
Via Panisperna, 222a – Rome
Tel. +39 06 01903498
Open for lunch and dinner. Sunday lunch only, closed Tuesday
House Bohème opens its doors in May 2025.
Casa Bohème, the new bistro signed by Luca Guelfi, a restaurant entrepreneur since 1993 with more than 30 establishments open in Italy and around the world, opens its doors in May 2025. Nestled in the enchanted atmosphere of the village of San Pantaleo, among the rolling hills of Gallura and just a stone’s throw from the Costa Smeralda, Casa Bohème represents the pinnacle of Guelfi’s creative vision: a fascinating synthesis of 30 years of culinary, artistic and cultural experiences.
Casa Bohème is not just a restaurant: it is a place of the soul. Every detail-from the dishes to the interior décor, from the music to the welcome-is designed to tell a story of passion, research and creative freedom. It is a refuge from time, where emotion and beauty come together in a sensory symphony. It is an invitation to slow down, to savor, to be surprised by beauty without filters. It is a place where hospitality becomes art and conviviality becomes a universal language. Here, every object tells a story, every corner holds an emotion, every dish speaks of journeys, people, inspirations.
Casa Bohème
Church Square, 3, 07026 San Pantaleo (SS)
Hours: Daily, 12:00 to 02:00
Phone: +39 344 054 2355
casabohemebistro.com
