New Authentic Italian Restaurant on Anna Maria Island

Chef Luigi was born in Napoli, Italy, into a humble family.

Summertime was his favorite season because it meant spending time with his grandma. Luigi loved visiting the fresh seafood market at the port of Pozzuoli, where he watched fishermen unload their boats full of fresh fish. He also enjoyed shopping at the city's farmer’s market.

However, his favorite part of the day was helping his grandma in the kitchen. She would set a little stool beside the counter and ask for his assistance in making fresh pasta and baking bread. Every day, the house was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and cakes, a smell Luigi eagerly anticipated. He soon realized that cooking was not just a fun activity with his grandma but his true passion.

The summer after he turned twelve, Luigi applied for a kitchen position at a local restaurant in Napoli. The chef recognized Luigi’s enthusiasm and gave him a chance. Luigi began as a prep cook, silently observing and learning from the senior line cooks.

It didn't take long for the Head Chef to notice Luigi’s exceptional talent. Taking Luigi under his wing, he taught him everything he needed to know. By the age of eighteen, Luigi was offered a sous chef position, making him one of the youngest sous chefs in the region.

In the following years, Luigi worked alongside many great chefs. In 2012, he moved to the US in search of new opportunities, unaware that he would meet the love of his life and settle there permanently.

In 2013, while working as a chef in Sarasota, Luigi met Eleonora, who often visited her mother at the restaurant where Luigi worked. She was charmed by his eyes and smile and, taking the initiative, asked him out on a date. Despite giving her the wrong number in his excitement, they soon fell in love. In 2014, Luigi asked Eleonora’s mother for her hand in marriage.

The couple married in Sarasota in 2015, and their first daughter, Victoria, was born in 2017. Eleonora, also born and raised in Tuscany, Italy, shares Luigi’s passion for the restaurant business. She attended the Hospitality and Business Management Institute in Italy and manages the backend operations of their business. She is also the event and wedding planner and designer for their enterprises.

Together, they opened their first restaurant, “Breakfast at Victoria’s Ami,” on Anna Maria Island, Florida, named after their daughter Victoria. They are now embarking on their next venture, “Sophia’s Fine Italian Cuisine,” named after their second daughter, who was born in December 2020. This new restaurant shares space with Breakfast at Victoria’s Ami.

Sophia’s Fine Italian Cuisine, a new Italian restaurant on Anna Maria Island offers a unique dining experience with a laid-back atmosphere, coastal and modern ambiance, and a selection of unique Italian wines that have won important awards and recognitions. However, the real highlight is the food—an explosion of fine, delicate flavors meticulously combined to delight and surprise every palate.

Chef Luigi invites you to Sophia’s Fine Italian Cuisine. Take a seat at the table and let him guide you through the authentic flavors of Italy.