Nothing says Italy like Abbiocco, an Italian restaurant at 639 Northern Blvd, S. Abington Twp. where, over the last three years, a reputation for excellent homemade Italian dishes has developed in a space that offers a quaint dine-in atmosphere and a lovely outdoor seating area.
The business was voted Best Place for a First Date in this year’s Best of the Abingtons Readers’ Contest sponsored by the Abington Journal, a publication of the Times Leader Media Group.
Abbiocco is Italian for “The drowsiness that follows eating a big meal.” And that is just how co-owners Rose Brutico Fazio and Chef Ethan Synder like it — having customers leave Abbiocco full and satisfied, just like they would after eating at their mother’s table.
The restaurant features homemade meatballs, risotto, eggplant parmigiana and specializes in Chicken Scarparíello, Chicken Francese, finishing off meals with homemade cannoli or the crepe of the day.
Brutico Fazio is no stranger to fine Italian cooking as her grandparents started in Old Forge with her aunt and uncle eventually taking over the family business.
“The sauces and the meatballs (recipes) come from my mom or my Uncle Anthony, who’s a Brutico, that taught me all the sauce recipes,” Brutico Fazio said. “The soup is something I made for my kids a million times. Everything else is Ethan.”
Chef Ethan, a resident of Scranton, attended culinary school and had a few cooking jobs after graduation before he stumbled upon Abbiocco.
“I was looking for a job, just stopped by and Rose was looking for somebody and it just went from there,” Snyder said. “I gradually got more involved until Rose offered a partnership.”
What Snyder believes he brings to the table are his daily specials.
“My daily specials bring unique stuff, different things that you don’t see in all of the others in the area,” Snyder said.
Specials run every Wednesdays through Saturdays, changing weekly, and Tuesday is homemade gnocchi night.
“It’s not always Italian food; with our specials it could be anything. It’s what Ethan’s good at,” Brutico Fazio said.
Along with a full compliment of Italian food, Abbiocco serves grilled and blackened salmon which, according to Brutico Fazio, is a customer favorite.
With the warmer weather coming, the pet-friendly deck will be open for dining al fresco.
“We have a menu just for dogs and it’s all food that people can eat,” Brutico Fazio said.
“I come here maybe once every two weeks,” Heather Percival said. “All of the food is homemade; it’s a small, comfortable atmosphere and it’s BYOB, which is great and the meatballs are amazing.”
Percival also noted the Zuppa Abbiocco (homemade soup) is her favorite, stating, “I may take that back about the meatballs because I buy the soup as a take-out once a week; it’s to die for.”
Outside the pleasant dining atmosphere, Percival believes the wait staff is kind and friendly.
Woods & Company is located next door where co-owner Val Langan is more than happy to have Abbiocco as a neighbor. “The convenience of it is wonderful but they have such a really good following at this point,” Langan said. “When they first opened, we (Langan and her partner and sister Nettie Goldstein) really wanted a restaurant in here and it’s BYOB which is great.”
Langan enjoys Abbiocco’s pastas and daily specials, but what she really likes is the fact that Brutico Fazio and Snyder care about the community.
“They give a lot back to the community and they have great customer service and you can eat off the floor,” Langan boasted. “You have to try the meatballs.”
“What I really love is the consistence in their food and we have customers come in to our store and tell us how much they like it there,” Langan added.
Abbiocco is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday.
Reservations for dining are encouraged by calling 570-319-9633. For daily specials, log onto www.abbiocco.net/menu.html.
