Downtown Delafield will have a new option for affordable Italian fare starting tomorrow.
The husband-and-wife team of Randy Piering and Camille DiNicola are ready to open their new restaurant, Tony and Mia's, with a grand opening at 4:30 p.m. In addition to co-owning, Piering will manage the restaurant and DiNicola will work as its chef.
The duo is already well-versed in both Italian dining and restaurant management from their time running Camille's in Eagle, Wis. back in the '90s.
So if Piering and DiNicola are in charge, who are Tony and Mia?
"Tony and Mia are our two pet cats," said Piering.
The feline namesakes will make regular appearances -- in portrait form -- at the new restaurant, located at 515 Wells St. This personal touch is just one of many unique accents Piering and DiNicola have added to the space.
"The downstairs is a lot like an Italian living room," said Piering. "It has somewhat of a Tuscan feel, with mismatched dishes and a lot of wood tables and chairs."
The restauranteurs have also brought in authentic Capodimonte lamps and Murano glasswork to enhance the atmosphere.
While the cozy downstairs area seats 28, the upstairs is more open with room for 44. It will also offer a different, but still very Italian, ambiance.
"The upstairs has all white settings and tablecloths, and matching dishes," said Piering.
Guests hoping for an even more spacious experience will be able to dine al fresco in the coming months on the wrap-around patio, complete with Italian music courtesy of outdoor speakers. Plans for bocce ball are also in the works.
Piering noted that while their prices aren't upscale, the service at Tony and Mia's definitely will be.
"We focus on having high attention to detail," he said.
Tony and Mia's will be open for dinner Monday-Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations are not required, but diners are welcome to call ahead to reserve a table.
Contrary to her natural state of being, Renee Lorenz is a total optimist when it comes to Milwaukee. Since beginning her career with OnMilwaukee.com, her occasional forays into the awesomeness that is the Brew City have turned into an overwhelming desire to discover anything and everything that's new, fun or just ... "different."
Expect her random musings to cover both the new and "new-to-her" aspects of Miltown goings-on, in addition to periodically straying completely off-topic, which usually manifests itself in the form of an obscure movie reference.
