Wine is "a hobby and a passion" for Mike DelPietro. Now it'll soon be his business as well. In late July, two doors down from his lights-out blockbuster, Sugo's Spaghetteria, he'll debut Via Vino, a 75 seat wine- and small plates-focused wine bar that's "complimentary to, but completely different from Sugo's." DelPietro says the arrangement will be efficient and "the proximity will allow me to run both places simultaneously."
DelPietro reports that the Italian, French, and American wine list will feature everything from bottles and half-bottles to glass pours, 3 oz. tastes and flights. The cuisine will mirror the cultural origins of the wine list.
The vibe will be more upscale than neighboring Sugo's, but it doesn't sound like a change of dress will be required. If nothing else, the new digs will give Sugos' diners a handy place to wait for a table. (Note to Mike: You might as well go ahead and invest in some of those of those buzzing, vibrating, light-up table pagers right now. I reckon you'll need 'em.)
But before all those gears engage, in about 3 weeks time, DelPietro will open the doors at Babbo's Spaghetteria (a concept similar to Sugo's) at 10427 Chesterfield Airport Rd. Hey, Mike! Got roller skates? -- George Mahe
