LA’s favourite Italian spot, Jon & Vinny’s, is opening in Riyadh very soon
It’ll be a buzzing new Italian joint…
Known for making good food, fast – as it should be – LA’s favourite casual Italian spot, Jon & Vinny’s, is headed to Riyadh. And we can’t wait to pay a visit when it opens its doors on Thursday April 18 at The Elite complex in As Sulimaniyah district.
The first location out of the United States, Jon & Vinny’s debut in Saudi Arabia – in partnership with one of Saudi Arabia’s F&B heavyweights, MJS Holding – will bring a heavy dose of Italian American charm and comfort food.
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Jon & Vinny’s first popped up in the capital during the Riyadh Season 2021 at the Al Murabba zone. It’s no surprise then that it’s decided to have a permanent location right here in Riyadh.
The story behind Jon & Vinny’s
Those namesake chefs, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, want to introduce diners to California-Italian cuisine. The duo serves pizzas, pastas, and meats like the ones they’ve been eating and cooking all their lives, but never served at restaurants. Their goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel or to make authentic, regional Italian cuisine. They just want to make red sauce and Bolognese just how Nonna used to make it – nothing fancy or fussy.
So, here’s what you’ll find at Jon & Vinny’s: Italian-American comfort food. Think homemade red sauce and Bolognese, razor-thin pizzas with the perfect charred crust, and American-inspired classics like hearty chicken parmigiana.
What to expect at Jon & Vinny’s Riyadh
The new restaurant will emulate the look-and-feel of its trendy California outposts. Expect a cosy and minimalist aesthetic, with pops of green and their branded display of pizza boxes to grace the new Riyadh establishment.
Getting rid of Italian clichés, the stylish space swaps out chequered tablecloths for high ceilings, sleek blonde wood seating, neon signage and a distinct family-centric neighbourhood feel.
Diners at Jon & Vinny’s Riyadh can expect the same quality of cuisine the brand is famous for. Forgoing fancy or fiddly Italian dishes, you can look forward to their famous wood-fired pizzas made with 48-hour fermented dough, fully loaded anti-pasta board and salads, alongside meats straight from the grill and a dedicated children’s menu.
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Pasta is all made fresh in-house, and the menu features dishes from across Italy, such as cacio e pepe, spaghetti limone, ricotta ravioli, and their famous slow-cooked six-hour beef bolognese.
What’s even more exciting is that breakfast will also be available at Jon & Vinny’s Riyadh, recreating the laid-back, breezy vibe of its California outposts in the Saudi capital. Besides great coffee and the signature Breakfast Pizza 2.0 with potato, egg and red onion, other commendable items include hazelnut café bombolone, pecan cinnamon rolls, and stacks of fluffy American pancakes – perfect for those with sweet tooth.
See you there.
Opens Apr 18. Jon & Vinny’s Riyadh, The Elite, Al Dabbab Street, As Sulimaniyah, Riyadh 12234. Tel: 9200 18212. @jonandvinnydelivery
Images: Instagram