Anthony Pepe, Mike and Genine Baldassarra and Mike Wible recognized the potential of Greenville’s West End.
The area known for its boutique shops, restaurants and art galleries, not to mention the city’s minor league ballpark, was a perfect fit for DeMarco’s Italian Restaurant, which recently opened at 366 Jackson St.
“We anchor the beginning of the West End and feel like we are a part of the area’s continuous growth,” said Mike Wible, operating partner.
The 5,500-foot restaurant, located next to Fluor Field, home to the Greenville Drive, serves up old-world charm with a modern Southern twist.
“Anthony and Genine traveled extensively and concluded that the area could use a contemporary Italian restaurant. We enjoyed bringing a big city vibe to downtown Greenville,” said Wible.
A visit to their website reveals a décor that is sleek, bright and airy, with 22-foot-high ceilings, globe lighting, orange banquettes and a quartzite bar illuminated with 600 LED lights.
The team is no stranger to the restaurant business. The Baldassarras own Slice, with eateries in Simpsonville and Fountain Inn, with a Greer location slated for opening this summer. Pepe, who grew up in Long Island enjoying traditional Sunday meals with his family, specializes in Italian-American food. Wible, meanwhile, has overseen operations for steak and seafood restaurants nationwide. Today, the restaurant currently employs roughly 68 staff members.
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“We offer both traditional Italian dishes and Italian-American favorites,” Wible said. A standout is their wood-fired pizza crafted by Pepe with recipes you won’t find in any ordinary pizza joint. “We hired Anthony Falco, a world-famous pizza consultant who will be with us for a year as we continue to grow.”
At this point, diners can choose from among a half dozen signature pies like the Soppressata and Honey, the Pistachio Mortadella and the Vodka Supreme made with DeMarco’s popular vodka sauce, house made mozzarella, sausage and Parmigiano Reggiano.
The house made pasta is also popular, according to Wible. “People love our spicy vodka sauce,” Wible noted. For meat lovers, the menu also features hanger steak, pork chops, short ribs, sausage-stuffed long hots and Wagyu meatballs from Durham Creek ranch. And where else can one get wood-fired oysters straight from the Gulf?
The cocktail program includes traditional Italian libations with a twist. Their signature cocktail, the Tiramisu Martini, is especially popular.
“It’s basically a dessert in a glass,” Wible said. The team has also leaned into the mocktail movement. “We have something called the ‘phony negroni,’ for a non-alcoholic option that people are also enjoying,” said Wible.
An outdoor patio is currently in the works, according to Wible. “It will be an all-weather seating area,” said Wible, adding that they are pleased to be part of West End’s growth.
“We were extremely prepared for this and opened it in small stages to give our guests a great experience on day one. We didn’t want people to give us a few weeks to work things out; we hit the ground running.”
Dining and Cooking