Anthony’s Italian Eats opened quietly in Clayton earlier this week.
The eatery, a new venture from the Gianino family of restaurants, currently offers only a limited walk-in and carry-out menu during dinner hours (4–9 p.m.). But the restaurant, located at 7641 Wydown, plans to move into lunch service during the next week or so and into delivery by April 1, co-owner Joey Barczewski says.
“We flipped over the 'open' sign. We didn’t advertise. Usually it’s a big marketing blitz," says Barczewski, the Joey behind the three Joey B's restaurants. "This is different, because we wanted to plant the seed and watch it grow.”
For now, the menu focuses on pizza, sandwiches, and salads. The restaurant offers meat-heavy and vegetarian pizza with traditional Italian crusts and St. Louis-style crusts. The Butcher pizza has fresh mozzarella, salsiccia, pepperoni, Prosciutto Di Parma, and Parma Cotta ham with San Marzano tomato red sauce.
Sandwiches include the Muffuletta Round with Sicilian round sesame bread, pistachio mortadella, and Volpi salami. Diners looking for healthier fare will appreciate the Fresca salad with baby arugula, strawberries, red onion, Parmigiano Reggiano, and balsamic, Barczewski says.
Barczewski and co-owner Anthony Gianino worked with chef Jamie Brust to develop the menu. Brust, the head chef at Bill Gianino's, has worked in Gianino family restaurants for a while and brings an extensive resumé in Italian cooking to the table. “We had the ideas, he had the skills,” Barczewski says.
The restaurant wants to bring an old-world Italian feel to diners. The 800-square-foot space, designed by Lori O. Interiors, is filled with Barczewski and Gianino’s family photos, including grandmothers in wedding dresses and family members gathered around the table for big Italian dinners.
“The space is very small but the inside is appealing," Barczewski says. "It gives you that old school feel. Everyone who has walked in so far says they love what we’ve done with the place."
Barczewski and Gianino are taking the old-world Italian concept to the next level with a small market inside the store. The pair is working with a local importer to get Italian specialty items like the ones they’ve eaten at Gianino’s grandparents’ house. The market also offers local Italian products from The Hill such as Volpi artisan cured meats.
The restaurant’s central location positions it for success, Barczewski says. Anthony’s Italian Eats is between Starbucks and Zoë Robinson’s Bar Les Freres.
“I’m excited about the buzz up and down the street," Barczewski says. "We couldn’t be next to a better neighbor. Zoë has been extremely kind and helpful to us thus far."
