Who doesn’t love some good Italian food?
The Twin Ports area just got a brand new place to grab some delicious Italian cuisine that has developed a loyal cult following, and now I totally understand why!
A place called Little Italy just opened up in Superior, specifically inside Average Joe’s Pub right at the foot of the Blatnik Bridge. No, Average Joe’s isn’t closing up shop. It’s a new partnership that grew out of some hard work and a chance meeting.
The foundations of Little Italy
Little Italy Italian Food Trailer on Facebook
Little Italy Italian Food Trailer on Facebook
Little Italy got its start four years ago as a food stand at the Carlton County Fair. Two couples – Kristen and Brigham Fanning, and Tim and Wanda Mike teamed up to create the business from scratch, serving up some phenomenal food for the crowds at the annual fair in Barnum.
Brigham, one of the owners, had previous experience working with a popular Italian restaurant in the Twin Cities, which is where some of the inspiration came from for the fair food stand that grew in popularity to the point where the ownership team expanded to add a food truck that hit the road earlier this year.
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In their travels this year, they landed their Little Italy food truck at Average Joe’s one night, and the bar’s owner loved the food. This sparked up a conversation between the two businesses on a collaboration that would see Little Italy open a kitchen at the bar.
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
That dream became a reality last weekend (August 22-24) as they hosted a grand opening event. That’s where I got to try their food. All I can say is wow!
How’s the food at Little Italy?
The Little Italy menu spans a number of Italian-inspired dishes from made-to-order hoagie sandwiches to cheesy bread and pizza bread, and authentic pasta dishes.
I just love Italian food, and didn’t know what to get. I asked the owners, and they recommended the “Big Boy Italiano” sandwich. They said it is by far their biggest seller at the fair and with their food truck. After having it, I know why!
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
First off, this thing is going to satisfy even the biggest hunger. The delicious, soft, freshly-toasted hoagie bun is topped with pepperoni, salami, ham, provolone, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini, grated parmesan, and a special lettuce salad blend on top.
The combination of flavors really comes together into a mouthwatering sandwich where you can really taste the attention to detail. The bread is top-notch, and each ingredient tastes intentionally selected to really make for a masterpiece creation.
And did I mention this thing will fill you up?
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
The owners say they source as many of their ingredients as they can locally. They mentioned local places like B&B Market among their sources from which they get what it takes to make what’s on their menu.
Talking with other people at the bar, they had similar feelings about the other foods, with people raving about the cheese bread and the handmade meatball sandwiches, among other things.
In short, while they are tucked away in the back corner of Average Joe’s, the food is very much a reason to visit an already fun place to go for a drink.
The kitchen is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, serving up lunch and dinner (as well as later-night food).
What’s next for Little Italy?
In just a couple of years, this brand has gone from a stand that’s open during a fair to a busy food truck to now having a permanent location in Superior. What’s next?
The owners told me they have plans to continue to grow. They have been making improvements to their “home location” at the Barnum fairgrounds and have been expanding the footprint of their food truck, with events on their calendar like Howie’s Mud Bog event at the end of August and Bayfield Apple Fest in Bayfield in October.
As for their new brick-and-mortar location in Superior, they plan to grow their menu beyond their current offerings of Italian food, looking to also offer traditional American pub fare soon to give even more options for people at Average Joe’s.
The ownership has its eyes on continuing to grow the brand and share some phenomenal food with the Northland and beyond.
Their philosophy of making high-quality casual Italian food that is budget-friendly and has ample portions is definitely a winning combination that has propelled them this far in just a few short years and will likely see them continue to grow! I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.
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Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth
Dining and Cooking