Luca Di Pietro is the founder of Tarallucci e Vino, a business that has been bringing Italian authenticity to the heart of New York City since 2001. Originally from Nereto, Abruzzo, he moved to the Big Apple in 1994. After an experience in a well-known coffee company, he chose the entrepreneurial path and opened the first restaurant, which soon became a landmark for the community. Today Tarallucci e Vino has four locations, with a fifth on the way, and continues to be founded on three key values: quality, authenticity and community. We interviewed him for the NewYorker.
“Opening in New York was a personal challenge: I wanted to create a place where Italy felt close, even thousands of miles away.”
What convinced you to launch a project like Tarallucci e Vino in New York?
There was no real market research, I mostly leveraged my personal experience. Like many Italians abroad, I missed some things I had grown up with, products and moments that are natural to us but did not exist here. I frequented many restaurants, and slowly I identified a gap in the market, whether it was in quality, craftsmanship or simply in the offer of little-known Italian products. My market research was actually a reflection on myself and my experience: like many other Italians abroad, I was missing those elements of our culture that we consider natural. I thought that by offering a high-quality product, it would surely do well. Of course, entrepreneurship requires a bit of recklessness, but it’s good to put yourself to the test. There was no formal market research, other than the fact that I knew many restaurants and coffee shops that offered lower quality products than I could offer.
The name “Tarallucci e Vino” evokes just that sense of familiarity…
Yes. In Italy to say “finire a tarallucci e vino” means to end a day or even a discussion around a table, with a glass and something good to eat. It is a way of getting together and lowering one’s defenses. In New York, I wanted to create just that: a place that was not just a venue, but also a landmark, almost like the bar under your house where you know you will find someone to say hello to. Even the name evokes simplicity, conviviality and a sense of community: a place where Italians abroad can meet, get together and share moments. Food and drink make us stop, reflect and enjoy each other’s company.
The first venue opened just before a historic event that marked the city, what were the challenges?
July 2001, six weeks before 9/11. Since then, we have seen all the phases and crises in New York, and slowly the project has turned into a full-fledged entrepreneurial journey. Today Tarallucci e Vino has four locations and we are opening a fifth on 42nd Street. The main challenge has been to grow without losing authenticity and quality. My personal standard has always been high: in my venues I want to eat like in Italy, and if the quality drops, I intervene immediately. Consistency and honesty are key: the customer immediately perceives what is authentic and what is not.
What is the secret to making an Italian concept work abroad today?
Staying authentic. We collaborate with artisans, some in Abruzzo, to produce handmade, unique, high-quality dishes. Honesty and care in the product keep customers coming back: the food speaks for itself, and even if the marketing changes, what matters is offering a true experience.
The risk is always to become a mere business project, losing the soul. Instead, I want to continue to enter my premises and eat well. They are my most demanding customer: if it does not convince me, it cannot convince anyone. Tarallucci e Vino is the place where Italians abroad can feel at home: as in Italy, you meet, chat and enjoy a moment of conviviality. Personal experience, care for the product and authenticity remain at the center of everything: our Italian-ness is a value to be preserved and shared, even outside Italy.
During the pandemic, you were among the initiators of the “Feed the Frontlines NYC” project. How did it come about?
In mid-March 2020, when the governor imposed the closure of indoor service in restaurants, a friend of mine from Toronto asked me to prepare meals to distribute to frontline health workers. So on March 19, we delivered the first 40 meals: nurses and doctors looked terrified, and that experience made me realize how dramatic the situation was. From there we set up a website, collected donations, and in a few days $25,000 arrived. With the help of my family and friends, we created an initiative that involved about 50 restaurants, distributing over 250,000 meals and helping both those who worked with us and the community. It was a powerful experience that kept me sane during a difficult time and created a real network of solidarity.
You recently opened a pizzeria inspired by the Roman style…
Yes, it is a new project but related to my history. In Abruzzo, near Lazio, I was used to pizza by the slice, crispy, which they call “Sicilian” here even though it is not. With Alessandro, our Roman chef who was already doing bread and pastries, we opened “La Pizza by Tarallucci e Vino” on 18th Street, next to Union Square. It was born out of a desire to offer a piece of Italy that was missing in our offerings: crisp, authentic Roman pizza by the slice. The response from customers has been very positive.
Looking to the future, what is the direction?
Continue to be authentic. The farther I get from Italy, the more I feel the need to stay true to my roots. Our strength lies in being welcoming and making people feel good. It is something that not everyone has, but for us Italians it is natural. I hope to always continue to convey that, both for the customers of Tarallucci e Vino and in the people who work there.
The article Luca Di Pietro: building Italian authenticity in New York comes from TheNewyorker.
