BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – A new restaurant is calling Bowling Green home.
Salento Italia, a cozy neighborhood restaurant rooted in approachable, comforting Italian cooking, will open its doors on Thursday, May 28 at The Hub at 495 Lovers Ln.
This is the restaurants second location, following a successful two years of its first iteration in Donelson, TN.
BACKGROUND
Founded by restaurateurs Bill Darsinos, Sam Darsinos, and Maryanna Agelinas Graves, the restaurant emphasizes high-quality ingredients and thoughtful preparations.
According to the release, the founders are childhood friends whose families emigrated to the United States together from Korinthia, Greece in the 1970s.
While the Darsinos family put roots down in Middle Tennessee and have sustained more than 40 years of owning and operating restaurants across the Southeast (including GReKo, Darfons, Southside Grill, and more), Maryanna grew up in Princeton, KY, where her father opened Majestic Steakhouse in 1976.
Salento Italia is a continuation of the Darsinos and Agelinas family legacies.
“Bowling Green has always felt like a natural fit for us,” said Bill Darsinos, who is also a founding partner of SweetMilk, which recently opened in The Hub. “It’s a growing community with a real appreciation for local restaurants and hospitality. We’re already inspired by the excitement and warm welcome from the community.”
For Sam Darsinos, the restaurant reflects the way he and his family grew up gathering around the table.
“There are a lot of subtle influences from our Mediterranean heritage woven throughout the ingredients, the style of dining, even the atmosphere,” he said, in a release. “We wanted it to feel relaxed and welcoming, somewhere people can just enjoy being together over a meal.”
“Coming back to Kentucky to open this restaurant means a lot to me personally,” Graves said, in a release. “I grew up in a family restaurant that became part of people’s lives and routines, and that sense of hospitality has stayed with me ever since. We really wanted Salento to have that same feeling: comfortable, familiar, and a gathering place guests want to return to again and again.”
ON THE MENU
Fresh pastas, artisan pizzas, and traditional Italian dishes take center stage at Salento Italia, alongside antipasti, fresh salads, and an ever-changing rotation of daily seasonal specials.
There will be multiple crowd favorites from its flagship restaurant, including the Pizza il Greko (a nod to the founders’ heritage with fresh Greek ingredients), Rigatoni Bolognese, and Gnocci Al Sugo (ricotta gnocci and braised chicken).
The restaurant’s beverage program offers local and Italian beers and a compelling, broadly appealing array of wines, with a robust by-the-glass selection designed to pair naturally with the menu.
A happy hour menu is offered all day Monday, and from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with rotating pizza, wine, cocktail, and beer specials.
After-dinner offerings center around classic Italian sweets including housemade Olive Oil Cake, Tiramisu, and Affogato, plus a well-rounded list of digestivos, amari, and cordials.
Salento Italia is open every day from 3 to 9 p.m. Reservations can be made via Resy, while space is always reserved for walk-in guests in both the dining room and bar.
The restaurant also offers takeout and third party delivery.
To learn more about the restaurant, click here.
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