New Italian restaurant on White Bridge Road promises dishes that are 'not Americanized'

A new Italian restaurant — DeLuca — opens Tuesday, April 30 in the former Porta Via restaurant space off White Bridge Road, the latest of several Italian fine-dining spots to open in Nashville in the past five years.

Managers at DeLuca — so named for its Italian chef, Rosario DeLuca — said their restaurant will stand out for authenticity because it's the city's only spot where native Italians serve as chef and general manager. The GM is Angelo Ferrante, who ran highly-regarded Yolan in the downtown Joseph hotel and opened Kayne Prime steakhouse.

"What we’re going to cook over here is literally what we grew up eating," Ferrante said Monday in a telephone interview. "It’s full blown Italian that's not Americanized. No chicken parm here."

DeLuca is entering what's becoming an increasingly crowded Italian food scene in Nashville. In addition to Yolan, Frankie's in East Nashville, Pelato's in Germantown, Luogo and Carne Mare in The Gulch, Iggy's in Wedgewood Houston, North Italia in Green Hills, Salento Italia in Donelson and Ella's, Mimo (in the Four Seasons Hotel) and Sinatra's downtown all have opened in the last five years.

In addition to authentic Italian dishes, DeLuca offers intimacy: Like its predecessor, the new restaurant sits in a strip mall in a small space that only holds 98 diners.

Traditional dishes like carbonara, amatriciana and cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper pasta) will be featured as well as spigola fish, to be flown in twice a week from Italy and salt-baked and served tableside, often by Ferrante himself.

"We're going to take care of our guests with white glove service," Ferrante said.

Restaurant operators are calling the days from April 30 to May 22 the "soft opening" with its grand opening on May 24.

Reach Brad Schmitt with restaurant news at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384.

DeLuca at a glance

Address: 21 White Bridge Road

Prices: $40 to $70 for entrees

Parking: Self parking is free

Reservations: OpenTable.com or 615-352-0555

Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. daily

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: DeLuca: New Italian restaurant on White Bridge Road in Nashville opens