Tuesday, February 5, 2013
As he hangs up his dining utensils, Dave Valiante offers his parting thoughts on the restaurant scene in Collingswood and the surrounding area.
Last week, I said goodbye to one of my favorite TV shows, 30 Rock, as they themselves bid farewell to the audience that supported them through seven slapstick and hilarious seasons. By the nature of show business, television shows rarely get a chance to say a proper goodbye. If its ratings are good enough, the network will typically renew a show until it inevitably becomes a parody of itself, viewers abandon ship, and the show goes out with a whimper. 30 Rock was afforded the unique opportunity to go out on its own merit, to close Tina Fey’s vision the way she intended. I bring this up because I, too, am saying farewell. Please, hold your gasps. It’s true. Your beloved food columnist is packing up his keyboard and hitting the road, onto …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Philadelphia Magazine named the Sicilian kitchen No. 18 in its 50 Best Restaurants of 2013.
In February 2012, Zeppoli was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation awards for Best New Restaurant. In September, Bon Appetit followed suit, naming Zeppoli one of its 50 Best New Restaurants of 2012. Then last week, Philadelphia magazine checked in with more kudos for the Collings Ave. kitchen and its chef, Joey Baldino, ranking it 18th among the top 50 restaurants in Philadlphia for 2013: This Collingswood BYO describes itself as “very intimate.” What they mean is “extremely small”—only 35 seats, so getting in at prime time isn’t always easy, even on a weeknight. And once you do get in, you’ll spend a fair amount of time jockeying for floor space with the person at the table behind you. But if you can endure all that, you’ll be …
Monday, September 17, 2012
The award-winning Philadelphia chef tweeted his lease agreement this weekend—right on the heels of the property receiving four liquor licenses.
Heads up, foodies: Marc Vetri is taking his talents to South Jersey. Nearly a year after entering into talks with Moorestown Mall owners PREIT, the world-renowned Philadelphia chef finalized a lease agreement with the company only a few days after PREIT was formally awarded four liquor licenses. PREIT spokesperson Judy Trias said the restaurant will be a version of Vetri's Osteria, located on Broad Street in Philadelphia. Since 2007, Osteria has been consistently recognized as one of the best restaurants in the city. Vetri himself leaked the news Friday, tweeting, "Let's see if you can figure out what this means!!!! BOOM!!!," with a picture of the lease agreement attached. "You can see Marc Vetri was excited," Trias said, adding that …
Thursday, August 9, 2012
It's another accolade for Collingswood chef Joey Baldino, whose 35-seater was a James Beard semifinalist this year.
The hits keep on coming for Collingswood chef Joey Baldino, whose rustic Sicilian kitchen, Zeppoli, has more good press than room to take reservations. In February, Zeppoli was announced as a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation awards for Best New Restaurant—the only such selection from New Jersey. Now the Vetri disciple has another feather in his cap, this one from Bon Appetit magazine, which just named Zeppoli one of its 50 Best New Restaurants of 2012. (Marc Vetri's latest establishment, Alla Spina, also made the list; the only other restaurant in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area so honored.) "Homespun, hearty Sicilian food made by Joseph Baldino, a former chef de cuisine at Philadelphia's Vetri just across the river," reads …
39.911067
-75.084165
Zeppoli
618 Collings Ave, Collingswood, NJ
/articles/zeppoli-makes-bon-appetit-s-top-50-best-new-restaurants-of-2012
2018271
/locations/7590037
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
A pair of Collingswood Italian restaurants celebrate one of the most popular Sicilian holidays with menus that have religious and cultural significance.
In the Middle Ages, a great drought had overtaken Sicily. WIth the countryside on the brink of famine, prayers went up to Joseph of Nazareth, the patron saint of the land, that he might bless their crops and grant them enough food to survive. In answer, so the legend goes, the heavens opened up and enough rain fell to help cultivate a life-saving harvest. In the Catholic Church, that miracle marks the feast of San Giuseppe, or St. Joseph's Day, which is celebrated March 19. To celebrate these traditions, a pair of Collingswood's finest Italian restaurants rolled out special menus Monday evening. At Nunzio’s, Chef Nunzio Petruno served up his take on the traditional St. Joseph's Day zeppoli. Among other things, St. Joseph is the patron …
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Zeppoli, Chef Joey Baldino's Sicilian kitchen, has become a dining destination in just six short months. Its star continues to rise with a national nomination from the James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant.
Since bringing his talents to South Jersey, Philadelphia chef Joey Baldino has been quietly turning heads with his new restaurant, Zeppoli. Now Baldino has a chance to make a lot more noise. This week, Zeppoli was named a James A. Beard national semifinalist for Best New Restaurant—the only New Jersey restaurant to receive such consideration. Baldino describes his menu as “Sicilian soul food,” fusing the flavors of North Africa, Greece, Spain, and France. To date, the 35-seat Collings Avenue BYOB has drawn praise from Yelpers and restaurant critics, but the Beard nomination represents a third category of fans: restaurant professionals. “It’s amazing,” said Baldino, who heard the news from a friend who saw the online announcement. “I’m …
39.911067
-75.084165
Zeppoli
618 Collings Ave, Collingswood, NJ
/articles/is-america-s-best-new-restaurant-here-in-collingswood
2018271
/locations/6441212
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Our food columnist rounded up dining deals around Collingswood and Haddonfield for Valentine's Day.
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Flowers, hearts, candies, all that gushy romantic stuff that ladies love, fellas have to endure and single people detest. I’m going to make at least one part of your evening on Tuesday, Feb. 14 easy: dinner. I called restaurants in Collingswood and Haddonfield and got the scoop on what specials they’re offering to celebrate everybody’s favorite Hallmark holiday. (Some people I spoke to seemed unsure of certain details regarding their specials. Call and make sure they’re offering what you’re looking for before making reservations.) Haddonfield The British Chip Shop: Regular menu, plus Valentine’s Day specials, including bacon wrapped shrimp, butternut squash risotto and flourless chocolate cake. The Bistro: Menu will be…
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Our food columnist has a memorable meal at one of Collingswood's newest Italian restaurants.
Since opening in mid-August, Zeppoli has made headlines, including a recent two-bell review from acclaimed Philadelphia Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan. LaBan, it’s worth noting, wrote that the restaurant was a noise-problem away from earning a third bell. Impressive. Zeppoli is chef Joey Baldino’s new Italian restaurant occupying chef/owner Rakesh Ramola’s old IndeBlue spot on Collings Avenue. Writing Zeppoli off as yet another Italian restaurant in the already pasta-heavy Collingswood dining scene, I hadn’t made eating there a priority, assuming I’d make it there sooner or later. That was mostly ignorance on my part. Had I seen Baldino's eye-popping resume sooner—it includes tours with acclaimed Philadelphia chefs Jose Garces, Michael …
39.911067
-75.084165
Zeppoli
618 Collings Ave, Collingswood, NJ
/articles/attention-to-detail-makes-zeppoli-stand-out
2018271
/locations/5829244
Lauren Burgoon
9:55 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
I'm not sure of the rules for accepting Collingswood Cash, but the theater district is part of the business improvement districts. There are three in town: theater district, Route 130 and Haddon Ave. more ›