New North Fort Myers eatery offering authentic Italian food
The owners have only been in America for a short time, but they brought with them from Italy some of the most authentic classic Italian dishes you can get without traveling to that country shaped like a boot.
Trattoria Alvito is North Fort Myers’ newest Italian restaurant at 4353 Hancock Bridge Parkway, and it promises to bring the heart of Italy to the area by preparing the best dishes with the freshest ingredients.
Co-owners Alain Cotza and Vittorio Bruni were managers of restaurants in Italy for years and vacationed in Cape Coral when the site for their new place became available last October.
“We came here to visit because my twin brother lives in Naples and has been here for 15 years,” Bruni said. “Me and Alain have known each other since we were 15 years old.”
“We found this deal before Christmas and the landlord seemed like a good person and made a good impression,” Cotza said. “We decided to try something different.”
Trattoria Alvito opened in February and gained a loyal following through word-of-mouth. They have gotten through the hot summer months well, further gaining a following, and are ready to take on their first full winter season.
“We’re training some guys in the kitchen and the girls in the front to be ready to serve more customers,” Bruni said.
Trattoria Alvito has daily specials throughout the week. On Monday, all pizzas are $15 each. Wednesday is a special on Chicken Parmigiana, Tagliata and Grilled Salmon for $19.90 each as well as first responders and military appreciation day, with 20 percent off all day.
Homemade pasta dishes on Thursday are $15.
On Tuesday, there is a Cars and Cannolis Cruise In, when someone who drives up gets a free cannoli. There are also weekend specials featuring pasta, gnocchi and veal, as well as French cooking lessons coming very soon.
They have a full-service bar and all their entrees can be served with wine to add something extra to their specials. You can also get cappuccino and espresso.
Bruni said if there’s anything on the menu customers seem to like the most, it’s the pizza. The pasta and the veal are also best sellers.
“We leave the dough to ferment for two days in the cooler. We use the freshest cheese, not the dry,” Bruni said. “People love that and the pasta, which is all homemade and made from scratch. We introduced the veal two months ago and people like that.”
Trattoria Alvito is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. for dine-in, take-out and delivery, which is free for orders over $50.
For more information go to TrattoriaAlvito.com or call (239) 257-1993. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com