A typical morning in the south of Italy may involve walking out the door, turning the corner and drinking an espresso at the counter of the local café. If you’re in Sarasota, however, there’s a new counter to lean on—Mangia Che è Buono–a family-owned Italian restaurant conveniently located on Bee Ridge, opened its doors on Valentine’s Day of this year. Run by husband-wife duo Massimo and Lanny Temperino, recent transplants from New York City, the café has brought a new style of Italian to town.  When Massimo and Lanny arrived in Florida, they first settled in Lakewood Ranch, and quickly decided that their family and the traditions they were hoping to foster needed a home broad enough to accommodate them. “Sarasota is more open to other cultures and foods and we wanted to bring a little bit of Sicily to Sarasota,” says Lanny—proud to have made a home here. Centered around family and cultivating a sense of it, even among strangers, Mangia Che è Buono’s floor to ceiling windows let in the light, illuminating the space ever so effortlessly, and welcoming all to witness and partake in the connectedness that Massimo and Lanny nurture. The Italian diaspora of Sarasota takes itself seriously, but the refined dining experience to be had does not always embrace the warmth of the culture. Mangia Che è Buono, with its Rosticceria Siciliana inspired grab-and-go concept, is committed to reminding its audience that good food simply needs to be good, but great food is quantified by more than just taste. In traditional Italian families, a phrase echoes this idea. Little kids always say, Mangia! Mangia che è buono. In English, it roughly translates to: You should eat, because it’s good!

As Lanny puts it, “We wanted a name that says—everything that we have here is good for you to eat.” The name of the restaurant is a testament to the amalgamation of values which the owners hold dear. As a pseudo-axiom, it speaks to the familiarity of the ambiance, encouraging the customers to eat, just as their nonna would. As a culinary formula, Mangia Che è Buono anticipates the quality of the food and the experience. Behind the front counter sit the traditional Italian pastries one hopes to find at a Pasticceria, a true Italian pastry shop. The Cannolis, true to their Sicilian origins, are filled with a lusciously creamy ricotta cheese and topped off with candied fruits—cherries and apricots among them. Profiterole, a custard cream puff with a chocolate garnish, and the Cornetto, an Italian croissant, with seven flavor options to choose from, including a savory one, complete the length of the glass counter. 

In addition to sweet treats, they’re also dishing out some savory goodies. Pizza al taglio originated in Rome around 1950. Unlike the typical Italian pizza, this style is baked in a rectangular pan and sold al taglio—literally meaning, per piece. Often cut with scissors, it is a most laid-back way to enjoy the Italian classic. Don’t be shy when using your hands! But pizza is not the star of the dough-show at Mangia Che è Buono. 

The schiacciatta, a flatbread, is similar in texture to pizza but thinner than focaccia, and it is a perfect lunchtime order. The bread is made in-house each day using a combination of recipes from the Temperino family. Among the sandwich options made with this flatbread, La Schiacciatta di Guglia integrates most vibrantly the southern Italian taste palate, featuring mortadella, stracciatella cheese and Sicilian must-have: pistachio cream. If the selection of cured meats does not tickle your fancy, order a vegetarian handheld, like Pane e Panelle—bread and chickpea fritters. The Temperino’s describe it as a traditional Sicilian sandwich people buy before a day at the beach. It’s almost as simple as its name—bread, chickpea fritters, potato croquettes and a squeeze of lemon.

At Mangia Che è Buono, the Italian experience translates well. Bello far niente, meaning, the beauty of doing nothing, is an old Italian proverb. It does not encourage idleness, but leisure. Bello far niente means do the things that feel like nothing, the things that don’t take much effort at all to do. At Mangia Che è Buono, you can do nothing on any of the four accent chairs available at the left flank. You can do nothing there with your friends, fighting over a brown leather or bright yellow armchair, or that last bite of a homemade Cannoli. Or you can do nothing at the counter, where Lanny and Massimo are sure to ask where you’ve been. You can do nothing from the tables facing the screen at the back of the shop while you watch the Eurocup or Copa America, which the Temperino’s hope to show every year.  As Lanny says, “Mangia Che è Buono isn’t just grab and go. It’s, grab an espresso. Eat something. But also, have a seat. Chat a little bit.”