Luigino’s Parmigiana opened its doors on April 5, in Montclair and the spot is quickly becoming the talk of the town.
The restaurant is located in the former home of Salute Brick Oven Bistro. Just a short walk from the Wellmont Theater, Luigino’s is a modern, clean space with rustic décor. Interior stylist Cindy Blanco designed the space.
The dining room includes some interactive elements. You’ll find a demo kitchen and cheese dispensary, where customers can watch as delicacies like fresh mozzarella, focaccia, and espresso are prepared.
“My ambition is to put fresh, simple Italian food like we eat in Italy on the table,” explained Chef Luigino “Luigi” Tripodi of his restaurant’s concept. “The menu features some of the best imported products from the Campania region in Italy which is where my family is from and sources local products when they readily available.”
About Chef Luigino
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Chef Tripodi has spent a lifetime in the hospitality industry. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, served as an apprentice on the French culinary circuit, and worked around the country at various restaurants. He served as a corporate chef at the Palm Steakhouse Restaurant Group in Manhattan and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Inspirational Travel
Right before the restaurant’s creation, Chef Tripodi and his son went on a month-long trip to Italy.
“I absorbed all the food ideas after a month with my son,” said Chef Tripodi. “He speaks fluent Italian and created a magnificent music playlist for the restaurant as we drove through the Amalfi Coast on our way down to our town, two hours south of Naples.”
“We’re paying homage to my Mom and Dad’s hometown in Italy, Castel Ruggero. In the restaurant we have old family photos from the garden in Italy. My wife, Kirsten—who is Dr. Tripodi, a professor of hospitality—has been helping our general manager Alex Cordova, get the restaurant ready for business.”
“I could never have pulled everything together so quickly and with such precision without the leadership that my GM, Alex, brings to the front of the house, and chefs Jose Yupa and Guillermo Tigre bring to the kitchen,” he said. “Both chefs are all about attention to detail and are hyper-focused on putting out perfectly executed food. The four of us just clicked when we all met.”
Luigino’s Menu
Chef Tripodi decided to bring his experience living, traveling, and dining in Italy, to New Jersey.
At Luigino’s, customers will enjoy many regional options like the pinsa—a Roman-style pizza, gaining popularity in Rome, but not yet here in the States. It’s made with roasted lamb, lemon zest, ricotta salata, red onions, olives, and Calabrian chiles.
Some highlights from the menu include mozzarella di bufala, la burrata, eggplant le Parmigiana, pasta carbonara, cacio e pepe, polenta, short ribs (with borlotti beans and red wine ragu), among many other mouth-watering menu choices.
“This is going to be fun,” Chef Tripodi smiled. “We are doing polenta tableside, rolled out on a guéridon and plated right in front of customers.”
“Our carbonara is made in the authentic way as you would eat it in Rome,” Chef Tripodi explained. “Everyone else makes it their way, but ours is just parmigiana cheese, Tonnarelli pasta, egg yolks, Mediterranean sea salt, and black pepper. There’s a hundred different ways to do it, but if you’re in Italy that’s what you’re eating.”
“We serve a cast-iron, fire-baked provolone,” Chef Tripodi teased. “Fried Roman artichokes, and fresh porchetta too. Also, something called lardo, which is a very fatty cold cut that melts in your mouth.”
The Dessert Experience
“Pasta Fritta is a dessert my Mom Josephine and my Aunt Giovannina “ZiZi” DeSantis—her son Benny and daughter Carmelina are on the big wall mural, my first cousins—made for years during the holidays,” recalled Chef Tripodi.
“It’s fresh pasta dough, rolled thin into various shapes, and deep fried, topped with honey and powdered sugar.” The family could not wait for the Christmas season to get these flavorful treats.”
Other items on the dessert menu, like the tiramisu, inspire daydreams as well. (And hunger pangs!)
“Luigino’s is a fun place to gather with family and friends,” said Chef Tripodi. “It’s the type of place to come enjoy great food, laughter, and love. Just like we do when I visit family in Italy.”
Luigino’s Parmigiana
173 Glenridge Ave.
Montclair, NJ 07042
973-352-1511
