Restaurants helping Italian earthquake victims
They have ties to Abruzzo.
The earthquake that devasted parts of Italy has prompted restaurateurs to open their hearts.
At Le Virtù and Brigantessa, owners Francis Cratil Cretarola and Cathy Lee and chef Joe Cicala have added bucatini all'amatriciana (from Amatrice) and/or spaghetti alla Gricia (from Grisciano, also badly damaged) will be offered as menu additions at Le Virtù nightly, with $3 from every sale going to earthquake relief. Marcelli Formaggi has donated artisanal bucatini for the dish, and locally cured guanciale for the dish was donated by Salumificio Cicala and 1732 Meats. Pizza all'Amatriciana (from Amatrice) will be offered as a menu addition at Brigantessa nightly, with $3 from every sale going to earthquake relief. The donation echoes one being collected across Italy, "Amatriciana solidale," or "Amatriciana united," with 2 Euros from each plate of Amatriciana served in restaurants across the nation being donated to the relief effort.
In addition, on Sept. 22, Le Virtù will host a fundraiser, featuring products from Marcelli Formaggi, 1732 Meats, Salumificio Cicala, and others. The restaurant will serve a four-course dinner ($125/person, plus tax and gratuity) featuring dishes from Amatrice, Norcia, and Castelluccio, as well as southwestern Marche, all towns and regions that were badly affected by the earthquake. Cookbook author Domenica Marchetti will donate books for sale, and all profits from the evening will be donated to earthquake relief.
Penne, the Italian restaurant on the Walnut Street side of the Hilton Inn at Penn, will donate $3 from every serving of bucatini alla'amatriciana to Italy's earthquake relief efforts. It's $16 at lunch, $22 at dinner.
Amis and Osteria - both Vetri Family restaurants - are in on the benefit, too. Amis will feature rigatoni all'amatriciana, while Osteria will serve spaghetti alla gricia. The restaurants will donate half of the $20.16 price of the dish.
Tap Room on 19th is raising money, too:
At the Inn at St. Peter's Village in Chester County, chef Jay Chadwick is cooking bucatini al'Amatriciana for the next two weeks. Three dollars of each $17 dish will go toward the relief.
Know of other fundraisers? Email us.