There’s one thing referred to as serendipity that’s nearly poetic in its rationalization of the sudden coincidences that appear to be fated, little situations when happenstance appears to convey us to an actual place we are supposed to be or an actual particular person we’re meant to satisfy. And for Riccardo’s, serendipity appears part of its story from nearly the very starting.
Initially opened in 1994, Riccardo’s was resold in 1999 to Tina Lipford, a lady who, regardless of having no restaurant expertise other than ready tables at a truck cease when she was a young person, felt she may do one thing magical with the restaurant. And as a Lucille Ball fan—and a former native of Jamestown, NY, the place Lucy additionally hailed from—she noticed the title of the restaurant as an indication. Serendipity.
Seven years later, in 2006, Tina’s daughter Alicea Acevedo and her husband John got here to assist out briefly, they usually’ve been on the restaurant ever since. Over the previous 22 years since Tina purchased it, Riccardo’s has turn out to be a Tallahassee gem, a favourite place to go for Italian meals that has all of the hallmarks of a family-run restaurant: the environment, the acquainted faces, the standard of meals.
It’s, undoubtedly, the rationale individuals come again—and the rationale that individuals keep. “Our chef, Randy Stinnett, has been working at Riccardo’s since earlier than my mother purchased the restaurant,” says Alicea, a former occasion coordinator who now does the restaurant’s payroll, accounting, and menus. “He began when he was 14, and his dad labored right here, too. We even have a entrance of the home worker, Lance, that has been right here since earlier than my mother purchased the restaurant. Which, in an business with such a excessive turn-over, is superb.”
As standard as they’re, the latest transfer to Midtown may have affected their enterprise in any variety of methods, however probably the most noticeable has been a rise in wine and beer gross sales. To maintain up, they’ve expanded their drinks menu. “My husband has accomplished a terrific job with that, and he loves craft beer, so we now have a rotating listing of over 30 sorts of craft beer, over 35 wine selections, and 6 meads,” Alicea says.
Like different eating places, Riccardo’s needed to pivot to outlive the pandemic. One of many methods they did so was arising with a take-and-bake possibility. “We have been so lucky to have our loyal prospects assist us by means of the pandemic, and we have been busy sufficient to hold on to all of our workers—we really feel so fortunate for that,” says Alicea. “We’re very restricted in our oven house, and we have been promoting extra pizzas than ever earlier than, so we had to determine a means round that—therefore the take-and-bake pizzas. They really turned out to be considered one of our top-selling gadgets final yr, and this yr we now have begun doing fundraising packages with the take-and-bakes for faculties and organizations.”
With signature gadgets like pizza, calzones, lasagna, and spaghetti and meatballs—to not point out do-it-yourself bread that, FYI, is made every day in-house, requiring them to make two or three 85-pound a great deal of dough per day—Riccardo’s is every part you can hope for in an Italian joint.
“At any time when I’ve household come go to, Riccardo’s is the one place that makes everybody completely satisfied,” says Tallahasee Foodies Group member Luke Flynt. “My father-in-law will cheat on his very strict weight loss program for considered one of their calzones and actually nothing else. My brother and nieces and nephews all the time request their pizza. I’m keen on the lasagna and my spouse craves their manicotti. And their drinks? Wonderful!”
Provides fellow Tallahassee Foodies Group member Amber Brown-Johnson, “My mother and I made a decision to cease in at Riccardo’s yesterday after an appointment for a pizza, and we actually loved it! They use their secret bread recipe for the crust, which is tremendous yummy when you like thick crust. It had a ton of cheese, completely cooked pepperoni, and the sauce was not overdone. It positively hit the spot for good pizza!”
Like the very best Italian eating places, Riccardo’s can be massive on custom—which implies that, like its unique homeowners, they proceed the customized of German evening on Thursdays. “With our household being German, it was a no brainer!” says Alicea. “We beloved with the ability to increase on the earlier proprietor’s specials and put a few of my grandparents’ dishes on the menu.
My oma and opa came visiting to america from Germany in 1955, and they’re 89 and 93 now, dwelling in New York. They have been each superb cooks.” German evening dishes embrace wiener schnitzel, whereas the primary Thursday of the month options pork with sauerkraut, and the third Thursday options rouladens.
Discover Riccardo’s at:
Socials – Web site, Instagram, Fb
Tackle – 1950 Thomasville Street # G, Tallahassee, FL 32303
Cellphone (850) 386-3988
