Italian food will be prepared from scratch in Lidia’s Pittsburgh kitchen once again.
The owners of DiAnoia’s Eatery are leasing the kitchen space that once belonged to renowned chef, author and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich of Lidia’s Pittsburgh, a former restaurant in the Strip District.
Bastianich, an Emmy-winning public television host, best-selling cookbook author, and restaurateur, closed her Pittsburgh location after 18 years in August 2019.
The building was vacant until Quatrini Law Group purchased the building on Smallman on 15th Street. The front of the building is being renovated to house the law firm.
“This place was really needed and came at the right time,” said Aimee DiAndrea, who owns DiAnoia with her husband and chef Dave Anoia. “We needed a place to run our growing catering business.”
The location is also prime, as it’s not far from the couple’s other Strip District businesses — DiAnoia’s, Pizzeria Davide, and Pane e Pronto, a bakery and takeout spot where catering is done.
The relationship with Bastianich began when she attended a cookbook signing attended by DiAndrea and Anoia in 2016.
“I remember before we opened our first restaurant, we went to a cookbook signing and we told her about our restaurant. She wished us ‘good luck’,” Anoia said. “That gave us more confidence. To walk into a place where Lidia works meant a lot to us. Lidia is a great chef.”
The couple heard about the availability of the kitchen space from the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, where DiAndrea is on the western branch board.
“The kitchen is huge,” Anoia said. “There’s plenty of room to accommodate and grow our catering business. It will also free up space in our other locations.”
The catering menu includes breakfast, lunch and dinner options ranging from egg sandwiches and Italian donuts and other fresh pastries to hoagies, several salad options, homemade pasta dishes, meatballs, sausage, peppers, eggplant, veal, chicken, roasted cauliflower, potatoes, fresh mozzarella and tiramisu. They also offer a complete family menu that is customized.
The couple recently prepared food for 575 people for the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh’s 50th anniversary gala in May.
“This will allow us to host more events like this,” DiAndrea said. “We are very excited about the kitchen.”
The space does not require major renovations as it already has a fully functional kitchen. It is planned to be operational within a month.
Details: dianoiaseatry.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter who covers the area’s culinary and unique homes. She writes about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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