North Alabama's Favorite Hole in the Wall: Ricatoni Valentino's Italian Restaurant in Florence, Alabama

Ask anybody in Northern Alabama if they have heard of Ricatoni's and you will no doubt recieve a very enthusiastic yes. A cultural landmark and defining characteristic of the historic downtown Florence, Ricatoni's resturaunt is considered by many to be THE place to eat. Whether it is a quick lunch in paint covered jeans and a tee shirt with the guys or a fancy prom dinner, Ricatoni's seems to cover all of the bases flawlessly. The dimmed lighting, brick walls and wood burning stoves give an aura of relaxed fun. Every worker seems to be having a wonderful time. The kitchen is open and full of smiling cooks and preparing their food with casual mastery and precision that can only come from the years of practice they have all had. The wait is never takes too horribly long and neither does the food. From walking in the front door to leaving, it feels like home.

The menu at RIcatoni's is mostly common italian foods. It makes sense, a huge majority of the orders are for fettucine alfredo and ravioli. Simple and basic Italian foods is what Ricatoni's specializes in. lasagna, chicken, spagetti, pizzas, it's all there and cooked when it's ordered to perfection. Of course, there is also the Something Burger, or the Tempura Chicken Tenders, kids pizzas, and a variety of other not quite so italian foods to satisy just about everybody that walks in the door. The key though is it's simplicity. One simply looks at the menu and instantly knows what each is.

The quality of the resturaunt is high, but the prices are just about right. I have often eaten with another person for less than thirty dollars, tip and all. Lunch is even better. The lunch portions don't seem like that much of a smaller portion, in fact I have argued that they use the same amount just on a smaller plate at a cheaper price. Most of my friends have learned that the lunch portion is quite enough and get it every time. The bread and spices are delicious, and complimentary. It was my first encounter with such a thing, and I have fallen in love. I can't remember how many times I have come just for the bread and spices, for free! It's like going to outback just for a Bloomin' Onion, but getting it for free.

This resturaunt has the most personality I have ever seen in an eatery before. Rick Valentino, the owner, has made himself a legend in the community with his line of homemade commercials that used to run on tv. His marketing technique is simple: All publicity is good publicity. Most everybody in town either loves him or hates him for his silly commercials where he dresses up as a ganster or just talks about how you should definitely come give his resturaunt a try. He is one of the most recognizable men in the area. I had a friend who worked there and was pretty good friends with Rick, and saw him driving down the street with a couple surfboards on top of his car (A bright blue Toyota FJ cruiser) . She asked him what he was doing and he said, "Oh just out trying to get some publicity." His personality pours over to his employees, who all love him, which in turn gets passed along to the customers.

Next time you plan on coming anywhere near Florence, Alabama, Ricatoni's bar and grill is a must stop. After the meal, take some time to explore the beautiful downtown area, which is being renovated now for more buisnesses, or wander around the Univerity of North Alabama's beautiful campus, right up the road no more than two minutes. Ricatoni's Bar and Grill is number 107 on Court Street, the main street of Downtown, pretty much right in the middle of town. It would be a terrible idea to pass it up.