Downtown Dining Weeks newcomer a mano showcases handmade pastas, wood-fired pizza
a mano debuts at Downtown Dining Weeks
Inspired by Italian roots, a father and son duo — Anthony and Alex Fiacchi respectively — became co-owners of a new Syracuse restaurant. Its name, “a mano,” means “by hand” in Italian. That phrase serves as the Fiacchis’ motto and the motivation for their creative menu.
a mano Kitchen & Bar, which opened in September, is among many participating in Downtown Dining Weeks for the first time this year. The restaurant will feature its specialty homemade pasta and wood-fired pizzas on both its lunch menu and dinner menu.
“We are unique in our approach to our food. Everything we can make in house, we do,” Alex said. “We do our absolute best to source local products with every meal. At a mano, we try developing new dishes frequently with each season, and offer a lighter version of Italian fare.”
Before the venture, Anthony spent over 15 years managing Avicolli’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria in Liverpool. Alex and his girlfriend, Lauren Markowitz, spent the last seven years working in restaurants and farms across Philadelphia. To top that off, they spent half of 2016 doing the same across Italy, learning everything and anything they could.
“In Syracuse, everyone has their go-to favorite Italian restaurant, so our goal is to become that for some people that visit us during dining week,” Alex added.
Downtown Dining Weeks runs from Monday, Feb. 18 to Sunday, March 3. Twenty-eight restaurants will offer a three-course lunch for $10 or less. Thirty-seven restaurants will offer a three-course dinner for $30 or less.
is a staff producer for The NewsHouse and aspiring beauty and fashion journalist.
