New Piazza D’Angelo GM Indira Diaz, and some delicious beverages.
In 2017, Paolo Petrone and Domenico Petrone, the brothers who opened Piazza D’Angelo in 1981, drawing inspiration from their hometown of Decollatura in Calabria, the “toe” of the Italian peninsula, passed the proverbial batons to their respective children.
Luigi Petrone and Felicia Ferguson, who grew up inside the walls of Piazza D’Angelo – often quite literally – have operated the restaurant ever since, with Ferguson stepping away recently.
Luigi Petrone announced this week that he is thrilled to have launched a new specialty craft cocktail program. “The menu is an elevated celebration of all things Italian, with hints of the tropics, summer flavors, and local ingredients,” he says. A few highlights include a dirty martini, Italian style. Made with Gin Primo salted gin from the coastal Romagna region, and finished with a house made tomato brine, the Martini Italiano is Italy in a glass. Think boozy bruschetta, in the best way possible.
The new additions also include a refreshing tropical libation with Italian grappa. Made with Candolini grappa, lemon verbena syrup, lemon juice, passion fruit, and egg white, the Appassionato is Italy meets Hawaii.
Last is a whimsical summer cocktail (emphasis on SUMMER). The Campi di Lavanda consists of a house made lavender lemon popsicle, Hangar One Citron vodka, and a heavy pour of prosecco. It’s a drink that evolves as the popsicle melts, but at every stage is a refreshing ode to summers al’Italiano.
Available for lunch, brunch, and dinner, they’re the perfect accompaniment to any meal, or great for enjoying al fresco as an aperitivo.
“Piazza D’Angelo’s general manager Indira Diaz came to us from New York City, where she began working in restaurants and with Italian food at an early age,” Petrone says. “Starting at Del Posto in the Meatpacking District, she’s since worked next to countless great chefs and industry colleagues, running multiple extensive fine dining Italian wine and cocktail programs.”
“She traveled to Northern California in 2023 to work a wine harvest and decided to stay, and we’re so lucky to have her leading our wine and cocktail programs!” Petrone says.