Diners familiar with the Italian dishes at Luce in Norfolk or Luce Secondo in Chesapeake already know chef and owner Antonio Caruana’s reputation for high-quality ingredients and traditional preparation.
Now, Caruana is bringing those same standards to a new concept with a different atmosphere.
Mercato di Grazia, a market on Granby Street in downtown Norfolk next door to Luce, offers imported Italian ingredients, house-made products and a menu of sandwiches and flatbread-style pizza. The shop opened in November.
“[The food] gets done from a European standard, so all of my pastas are done in-house. All of our ingredients on the shelf are imported from Italy; they’re all imported to the highest standard,” Caruana told 13News Now.
While Mercato di Grazia has a market-style setting, Caruana said the mission is similar to that of his fine dining restaurants.
“The vibe is a lot like Luce Norfolk downtown. They kind of mirror each other,” he explained. “It’s just a different perspective on Italian food. I’m just trying to be a purveyor of great taste for people to come into this place and get what they need to get.”
Shelves at the market are stocked with imported oils, olives and cooking supplies, along with Caruana’s own wine, sauce and oil creations.
He said, “They’re all hand-selected, so everything I sell here, I’d put my name on 100%.”
Customers can also order prepared food, including pinsa (flatbread-style pizza), grinders (hot sandwiches) and the menu’s centerpiece: sandwiches.
“You can get a sandwich anywhere, but with mine, I’m trying to pull heartstrings.”
The sandwich Caruana prepared for us included salami, capicola, provolone, fontina and a blend of olive oil, each ingredient selected carefully.
Caruana explained, “I want to bring people back to where they’re from, whether up north or from Philly, that type of experience. It’s not just eating a sandwich, it’s part of our culture.”
Mercato di Grazia is open Monday through Saturday on Granby Street in Norfolk.
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