A new restaurant opened up on Ribaut Road earlier this month and it brought a big taste of Italy to town along with it. Briciole Bistro and Bakery, located at 1281 Ribaut Road opened in June in the spot that formerly housed Bella Napoli after the business was purchased by new owners John and Stacey Ragsdale.
Though the atmosphere inside the restaurant hasn’t changed too much as of yet, the menu surely has. And after all, when you’re considering Italian for dinner, it’s all about the food. (and, maybe the hand-picked wine list)
Dinner offerings include homemade eggplant parmigiana, sous vide pork, lobster ravioli, fettuccine alfredo, lasagna, and shrimp arrabbiata…just to name a few.
Lunch steps up with a variety of specialty pizzas, a build-your-own-pizza option, subs and caloznes; and the appetizers include crostini, calamari fritti, eggplant rollatini, meatballs, mussels and more.
Being a family restaurant, the entire menu is kid friendly too. Any menu item will also be made into a children’s meal by the kitchen at Briciole.
In the restaurant business since 1998, John, also an Army veteran, has been the owner of a few successful businesses including a pizza and sub shop when he lived in Iowa. Stacey has been baking since she was a young child and has received a Baking and Pastry degree from the Culinary Institute of Charleston.
The decadent desserts at Briciole are all made by Stacey and include a homemade tiramisu, bread pudding, triple chocolate cake and more.
Born and raised in Beaufort, Briciole’s chef, Allen Mathers, personally visits the tables in the restaurant to introduce himself to patrons and to talk about the food. Mathers has a culinary degree from Culinary Institute of America and a master’s in culinary cuisine from the University of Cincinnati.
“We decided to buy the restaurant for a couple of reasons,” Ragsdale said. “The opportunity was almost too good to pass up, and my wife Stacey always wanted to own a bakery. If things go well, we may end up opening a second location offering only baked goods.”
Visit Briciole Bistro & Bakery for lunch and dinner. You’ll be glad you did!
Hours are Monday 11am – 9pm, Tuesday is lunch only from 11am – 3pm, Wednesday is dinner only from 4pm – 9pm, Thursday 11am – 9pm and on Friday and Saturday they’re open from 11am – 10pm. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
