Longtime customers of Inman Park mainstay Il Localino were shocked when the restaurant closed suddenly in April.
Now, the operators of the restaurant are back with a similar concept in the same space.
“Mama” Gale Parker and Professor Giovanni opened Amore e Amore May 22 at 467 N. Highland Ave., where Il Localino first opened its doors in 2000.
The restaurant’s Italian name, which translates to “love and more love,” in English, is a nod to the outpouring of support Parker said they received after announcing the closure.
“It’s our final chapter, and our new adventure,” said Parker. “We’ve taken everything we’ve learned about Atlanta and the wonderful, supportive people who have carried us through the past 21 years.”
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Opening Amore e Amore was made possible by longtime friend and Il Localino patron Patricia Portera, “who was an angel that stepped up and stepped in,” with financial assistance, Parker said.
The restaurant’s “classic Italian” menu includes several holdovers from the Il Localino menu, as well as some newer dishes and rotating specials, all “made with fresh ingredients delivered every day,” Parker said.
Look for appetizers, salads, vegetables and sides, desserts, pastas such as gnocchi vodka and Pappardelle Sinatra, and eggplant parmigiana and filet mignon among entrees.
The restaurant is waiting on its liquor license, at which point it will offer a full bar; until then, patrons can bring their own bottle.
The space was given a minor makeover after Il Localino closed, but will continue to feature Il Localino’s “whimsical” lanterns and lights, Parker said.
Seating for about 120 will include tables, booths and bar seating, as well as two small tables just outside the restaurant’s front door.
Parker said the response from former Il Localino customers to Amore e Amore’s opening has been “overwhelming.”
“It’s not just about the food here,” she said. “We’re still feeding the first family that ever walked into the restaurant. We’ve heard from hundreds of other families. Our model isn’t just to be a business, but to be an extension of people’s families.”
Amore e Amore’s opening hours are 5-9:15 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5-10:15 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Reservations are strongly recommended.
467 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-600-2176, amoreeamore.com.
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