Eat It, Virginia!

Angela Petruzzelli is about to open her dream Italian restaurant Sprezza in downtown Richmond.  When she moved to Richmond with her boyfriend in 2020, she recognized restaurants that served Italian food, but the style of Italian food they served was not the kind she preferred. "[Italian] food is not only something I relate so strongly to, but it's something that I felt was missing here. And so the minute I moved to Richmond, I knew immediately that I could bring what I grew up eating here," Petruzzelli said. "Obviously I say this with so much respect for the Italian food that already exists here, but I think that Richmond was missing authentic Italian food, Italian food that you would find in Italy, Italian food that I grew up eating that my Nonna used to make." Petruzzelli's family is from Southern coastal Italy where seafood rules. "We love linguine alle vongole (linguine with clams). We do a lot of cozze which are muscles. A lot of octopus, a lot of sea urchin," she said. 'It's an acquired taste, but when