Delicio’s Pizza & Pasta now open
Charles Matsos can’t pronounce Peter Papaspiros’ name, but he knows what he needs to about the chef — he can cook Italian food.
“His lasagna and pizza are some of the best I have ever put in my mouth,” Matsos said.
A restaurateur by genetics and by trade, Matsos immediately thought “new restaurant” when Papaspiros cooked up a spread of pizza, pasta and more for him one day at Michael’s, Matsos’ Homewood restaurant where Papaspiros worked as a chef for two years.
A year later, the former Steel Drum Grill space on Overton Road across from Publix opened up, and Matsos jumped at the opportunity to bring Italian food to the area. Delicio’s, which means “delicious” in Italian, opened in December.
Papaspiros, who was born and raised in northern Italy, features his pizza and pasta recipes on the new menu. Specialty pizza varieties include a Grilled Chicken Pesto with basil, garlic, herbs, chicken, mozzarella, white cheddar and Parmesan. His lasagna layers beef with herbs, ricotta, vegetables and a four-cheese blend. Plus, there’s a Seven Vegetable Penne and a Grilled Chicken Pesto Linguine.
One of the menu’s sandwiches draws its name from Papaspiros’ former restaurant and is Italian to boot. The Paesano’s Italian Stallion stacks mortadella, capicolla, prosciutto and salami with Romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, pickle, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinaigrette and freshly sliced provolone. All sandwiches are available in a small or large size.
Delicio’s spaghetti sauce is a marinara with pesto, basil, garlic and herbs that Matsos brings from Rossi’s, an Italian restaurant in downtown Birmingham his parents owned in the 1970s and ’80s.
To start and end the meal, you’ll find three varieties of homemade bread, with garlic, cheese or pesto, five selections of salads along with desserts such as Crème Brulee Cheesecake and Tiramisu.
Specials throughout the week will vary by season, and the menu will change every few months.
Whatever the menu item, it is all made from scratch in house, right down to the sausage, croutons and bread dough.
“We don’t have a freezer in the whole restaurant,” Matsos said.
A kids’ menu and paper tablecloths ripe for coloring make it family friendly, but you can also come on a date night and enjoy beer or wine by the bottle or glass.
Matsos hopes the new Italian concept will be one his company can grow like his Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, which was started by his father and now boasts 10 locations with three more coming soon.
Fortunately for Matsos, the original Delicio’s will be close to home. A lifelong Mountain Brook resident, he lives in the area with his wife, Suzi, and their two children, Elli and Michael. His Office Park-headquarted CM Food Services also owns La Paz, Ezell’s Fish Camp and G-Dogs.