Faiyaz Kara of the Orlando Weekly reports that Stefano LaCommare is coming out of retirement to open Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano in Altamonte Springs.
LaCommare and his wife, Marie, have owned and operated several popular restaurants in the area, most recently Stefano’s Trattoria in Winter Springs. They sold that restaurant in 2015 and announced they were retired. (Stefano’s Trattoria continues to operate under a new owner.)
Their children, son, Leonardo, and daughter, Antonella, with her husband, Frank Paradiso, who had worked with the LaCommare’s at the family restaurant, opened Antonella’s Pizzeria in Winter Park, which I reviewed earlier this year.
From the new restaurant’s website, it appears that Leonardo, who also goes by Lenny, will be the offical chef at Nonno’s. But the name — it means grandfather — clearly indicates that the elder LaCommare will have a presence. Stefano grew up in Sicily and his menu will feature his native cuisine. According to Kara, however, Nonno’s will not try to compete with Antonella’s Pizzeria with its own pies.
Opening date is not yet firm — later this month or sometime after the first of the year.
It will be located in the GFS Plaza at 1140 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, where Athena Cafe used to be.