My grandparents came to New York City from Sicily at a time when Fiorello La Guardia held mayoral office, Lucky Luciano was beginning a prison term, and the world was just starting to hear the music of Frank Sinatra.

While many Italians were reaching great heights, the average Southern Italian immigrants lived modestly, kept to their own neighborhoods, and raised families built upon whichever traditions from the old country could be maintained in the US.

Most family settings revolved around food...and while not all of the same ingredients were available to them, my family and so many others proudly built a new culture:

The Italian-American culture.

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Somewhere in-between European and American personalities, we found this new definition of who we are...a charm that erupts in every Dean Martin song and on every makeshift bocce ball court on the East Coast; our identity is one that is at times as quaint as sharing a pizza around a  kitchen table and, other times, as grandiose as "Connie's Wedding." But now, almost three generations later, we still cling to what makes us Italian-American.

My hope is that I’ve created a menu, a setting, and a mood that allows you to experience this culture, even if just for one night. If you want to savor a plate of freshly-made pasta, a glass of fine wine, and a few moments of “The Sweet Life,” then we have a place at the table for you.

First dates, Sunday dinners, holiday parties...our best memories seem to be surrounded by food. At Michael's, our menu is the foundation for your experience. We specialize in rustic, yet elegant, cuisine. That means handmade pasta, traditional comfort dishes, and a meal you will remember for a long time.