Some Italian restaurant chains may capture the ambiance of Italy through the decorations and the food names on their menus, but Tuscaloosa now has a family-owned restaurant that serves authentic Italian food without all the frills.
Two weeks ago, Little Italy Pizzeria opened on the Strip where Five Guys Burgers & Fries used to be located. Joe and Frank Cortese, along with their managing partner Brian Black, own the pizzeria.
The Corteses opened their first pizzeria in St. Petersburg, Fla. They now own five pizzerias in Georgia and one in Auburn, as well as the newest restaurant in Tuscaloosa.
They are originally from Italy and have been in the pizza business for 35 years.
“It’s authentic Italian,” said Jared Gathings, an employee and junior majoring in nutrition. “We make the dough here, and we make the sauce here.”
Joe Cortese said the dough is made fresh every day and that they have the best cheese around. He encourages everyone to at least come and try the restaurant.
“You’ve got to try Little Italy,” he said. “It melts in your mouth.”
Business has been nonstop every day since the pizzeria opened, likely because it’s conveniently close to campus, Gathings said.
“Business is booming,” Black said. “We’re still trying to train the staff to keep up with the pace.”
He has been working every day since the pizzeria opened, making sure it runs smoothly.
He said a lot of customers at their Auburn store, which has been open for two years, suggested they open a store in Tuscaloosa, which he says he loves so far because of its great atmosphere and friendly people.
“The town has welcomed us with open arms,” Black said.
Bob Baker, a senior majoring in telecommunications and film, said he heard about the pizzeria from friends and had to come try it out for himself.
“[The pizzeria] is a little messy, but seems fine,” Baker said. “The price wasn’t bad.”
The pizzeria currently does not have a sign hanging out front because they are waiting for a neon sign to be completed.
They do not currently accept Dining Dollars, but it’s possible in the future, Black said.
Still, the prices seem to be the biggest perks for UA students.
“I like [Little Italy Pizzeria] a lot,” said Ansley Daws, a sophomore majoring in fashion retail. “It’s really good and really cheap, too.”
Sunday was her second time visiting that week, she said.
“I think it’s really good for the prices,” said Michael Leone, a sophomore majoring in accounting. “It reminds me of some Italian places back home. It’s not real fancy, but what do you expect on a college campus?”
Little Italy is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
“We’re here to take care of the college kids and their families,” Black said. “We’ve been doing really well, giving out great food in a timely manner.”
