Expresso returns!
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Check out the Pinto! For years, Expresso International Restaurant on West Main served up Italian food and late night breakfasts.file photo by Duncan Brown
In the 1970s Margarita and Nick Vlavianos opened the iconic Expresso International Restaurant on West Main, which would later be the home of Zippers, Northern Exposure, Spry's BBQ, and most recently the 12th Street Taphouse. The Vlavianos eventually opened the Expresso Italian Villa on Emmet Street, serving up classic Italian food and its famous breakfast until 2am to countless students and townfolk.
Then they sold the Villa, thought to retire, but couldn't stay away and opened up the Cavalier Dinner in the old Sam's Kitchen space further up the road. Well, now they've come full circle. Margarita tells Dish that they've handed the Cavalier Dinner over to their daughter, taken over the former Aunt Sarah's Pancake House space on Pantops Mountain, and are going to turn back the clock and open the Expresso Italian Restaurant & Pancake House.
"Same menu as the old Expresso," says Margarita, "but no pizza this time."
Yes, we're talking the same classic Italian food and breakfast all day. Look for them to open in the first or second week of May.
6 comments
This is FANTASTIC news.
What are Italian pancakes?
They are pancakes that are deep fried in grease.
What? No pizza?!? It was so delicious!
Why has the Food Finder section in your paper said "full listings" for the past 3 weeks / month and the "full listings" they are not. Real sloppy work on whom ever is laying out & proof reading, but what else should we really expect, huh?
My parents won't have the pizza at the Expresso on Pantops, but you can come and get it at the Cavalier Diner in town, on Emmet St., I have Papa's old recipes!