Tambellini family opens new restaurant in Brookline: "I got marinara and meatballs in my veins"
The Tambellini family's meatball recipe is a secret spanning three generations. The family has become known for their fine dining restaurants, but the last one closed earlier this year. However, a new generation of Tambellinis say this is not the end of their family's story.
The Tambellinis started in 1935 on East Carson Street. Cousins, brothers and uncles opened up their own restaurants. At one point, Pittsburgh had seven different Tambellini restaurants.
On May 8, a new era began. With all the fine dining restaurants closed throughout the years, Tambellini & Co. is now open on Brookline Boulevard in Pittsburgh's Brookline neighborhood. It's an artisan Italian sandwich shop.
"I make the joke, I got marinara and meatballs in my veins," says Michael Tambellini, one of the owners. "My grandfather came over from Italy. Italians like to have big families. So he came over with about eight other siblings and cousins. When we came over from Italy, they knew how to do two things really well. They knew how to farm, and they knew how to cook. There's not a lot of farm land in Pittsburgh, so everyone opened their own restaurants."
Tambellini continues the restaurant heritage by opening this shop with his fiancée Tista Fulton.
"While I bring the legacy, Trista brings the fire," their website reads. "An accomplished Chef with 12 years of experience opening and running restaurants across the Tri-state area, Trista infuses our traditional Italian core with a modern flavor of inclusion and global flair. Beyond the pasta, Trista excels in everything from Latin American to Asian cuisines. She's even brewed her own custom beer while traveling as a chef for Brewdog."
"The thing that is going to be different is that we're not doing fine dining," says Fulton. "So, we're starting a new generation of Tambellini's, and I hope that we're going to be just as good."
Their menu features paninis, antipasto, sides and housemade desserts. Paninis range from $12 to $16, not including tax. The Tambellini Meatball costs $7 before tax, finished with their hot-honey ricotta and parmesan.
"At Tambellini & Co., we are rooted in tradition but not stuck in it," says their website. "We are building a space in Brookline that honors the Italian Sunday dinners of the past while embracing the diverse, vibrant flavors of today."
