The menu features wood-fired pizza, an extensive wine list, and house-made pasta in a variety of shapes and sizes.
HAMPTON, Va. — Tidewater Restaurant Group, known for popular local spots like Fuller’s Raw Bar and The Deadrise, has opened a new restaurant in Hampton’s Phoebus neighborhood, serving up a creative take on Italian cuisine.
Culaccino, the group’s latest venture, offers what head chef Angelo Centis calls a fresh interpretation of traditional Italian food.
“I kind of broadened the horizon of what Italian food actually is and what it should and can be represented as,” Centis said.
Centis, who grew up in Georgia, says his inspiration for hearty, high-quality Italian dishes comes from his own family.
“My dad is Italian, so growing up, we had a good mix of food, and Italian food was always mixed into it,” he said. “Italian food has always spoken to me in general.”
Centis works alongside general manager Zachary Pool to develop a menu that blends familiar classics with more adventurous flavors.
“Ultimately, what we wanted to do was bring something to the Peninsula that has not changed in a long time,” Pool said. “Most places have been around forever. We kind of just wanted to reinvigorate it.”
The menu features wood-fired pizza, an extensive wine list, and house-made pasta in a variety of shapes and sizes. Guests can try dishes like ravioli and bolognese, both made with fresh pasta.
“I love fresh pasta in comparison to dry pasta,” Centis said. “The bite that you get from it is really nice.”
Pool said opening another Tidewater Restaurant Group location in Phoebus was a natural choice.
“Phoebus is flourishing so much these days that being here feels really special,” he said.
The name Culaccino refers to the Italian term for a mark left on a table by a wine or water glass.
Culaccino is open seven days a week for dinner and serves lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
This piece is part of 13News Now’s weekly Friday Flavor segment. If you have an idea of where Marta Berglund should visit next, send her an email at mberglund@13newsnow.com or message her on social media.
Dining and Cooking