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Buon Amici Italian Restaurant Williamsburg

Buon amici means “good friends” in Italian. That’s certainly the feeling Denise Berardi hopes to convey when folks come to eat at Buon Amici Pizzeria & Ristorante in New Town.

“We treat everybody like they’re part of the family,” said Berardi, who is general manager and co-owner. “I tell my staff to treat people like you’re going to see them again and again. Whether it’s their first time in or their 50th time in, make them feel like the Buon Amici family.”

It’s that kind of treatment that led Gazette readers to recognize Buon Amici for the best customer service in 2008.

The Whaling Co was voted second and Absolute Tan placed third.

Buon Amici opened in May 2007. The restaurant is unique in that it offers patrons a choice between a casual pizzeria and a formal dining room side-by-side. “It’s children-friendly, it’s family-friendly” Berardi said. “There’s a children’s menu in the dining room. There’s something for everybody.”

Buon Amici offers the Italian classics like chicken or eggplant parmiggiana while also serving regional Italian cuisine.

“We do a lot with seafood,” Berardi said. “Italy is a peninsula surrounded by water. They eat a lot of seafood.

“We are also dipping into urban Italian dishes, which is very flavorful and hearty,” she said. “It uses produce and proteins of the season.”

Buon Amici offers live music every Saturday night in a heated outdoor patio. Berardi said next year the restaurant is starting a Singles Night with live jazz.

“Our customers 35 and over are looking for a little night life, but they don’t want to necessarily do the bar scene,” she said. “A lot of people come just for [the music] now.” Berardi hopes Buon Amici will become more than just a place to eat dinner. “We want to become part of the canvas that is the lifestyle in Williamsburg.”

Find out more about Buon Amici here: http://www.buonamiciwilliamsburg.com/

REVIEWS

There are only a few restaurants in Williamsburg that are worth a review. Blue Talon, Nawab Indian and Buon Amici.

I have gone to Buon Amici several times and it is the best Italian food you will find in Williamsburg. Stay away from the tourist traps on Rt. 60!
The service is always good. Denise and Anthony the owners are paisanos from Long Island and they know Italian!  I am always greeted warmly and everything on the menu is delicious. I won’t go anywhere else in Williamsburg for Italian food.
The tables however are a little crowded as the restaurant dining area has limited space. However, with the new patio and possible plans of expanding, there should be more room in the future.

Philip C CA.  5/2008

Amber H.

Williamsburg, VA

I’ve only been to the pizzeria side of Buon Amici, but I have never been disappointed by the food or the service. The NY style pizza and the Grandma’s pizza are great, as are the garlic knots. And it’s cheap!

Now here’s a refreshing concept — a good Italian restaurant that doesn’t cater to tourists.  And my gosh — the waiter had an Italian accent.  Where am I again?  Oh yeah it is Williamsburg.  We’ve only eaten there once but it was such a surprise.  This place is split in half with one side being the “restaurant” and the other side the “cafe”.  I’ll add more about the cafe later when I try it out but the pizzas looked great.  The restaurant was very good.  We all picked several dishes from simple to complex.  I gave  them four stars because their food is very good but they can make some of the tastes a little bit more complex.  For example, the salmon was cooked a perfect medium, though and I didn’t even have to ask.  But, it didn’t have any flavor to it.  Their cheesecakes are awesome, but the cannoli didn’t live up to their claims.

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