From the ICU to Now Growing His Federal Hill Restaurant — An Inspirational Story of Recovery
GoLocalProv News Editor Kate Nagle
From the ICU to Now Growing His Federal Hill Restaurant — An Inspirational Story of Recovery
Bisceglia, who opened Bacco Vino & Contorni in 2020, will nearly double the size of his business when he expands next month into the prime location at the corner location of Atwells Avenue and DePasquale Avenue.
For Bisceglia, however, the growth marks the latest in an incredible two-year journey -- one in which he nearly died.
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Realizing a Dream — And Hitting a Rocky Road
In February 2020, Bisceglia, an industry veteran from the age of 12 when we worked in the coatroom at a New Jersey restaurant, was finally seeing his goal of opening his own place on Federal Hill come to fruition.
Two weeks later, the pandemic officially hit, devastating his business and thousands across the state.
And then, Bisceglia contracted COVID-19 — and wound up in the hospital fighting for his life.
He was in intensive care for weeks.
The Federal Hill community rallied around Bisceglia, helping raise nearly $40,000 as he battled COVID -- before the long journey back.
“This time last year, I was walking into rehab,” said Bisceglia, who said he still suffers from some lingering joint issues from the virus. “I kept asking myself, why am I still here? Whether or not I believe in fate…my family’s growing and now I’m expanding.”
Bisceglia spoke with GoLocal about what customers can expect to see when the doors open on his new space next month.
“Pre-COVID, we had 25 seats indoors, and then with our outdoor patio, that gave us another 20,” said Bisceglia. “More than anything, this new addition is really an expansion of movability. Now, I get the bar space back in my original location, and the patio becomes a room for private events or bigger parties.”
In the new space, a focal point will be two new chef tables that Bisceglia commissioned from local business Air & Anchor.
“At the restaurant, I do the ‘Armando’ experience, which is a five-course blind tasting — you get four or five of my family’s best dishes and it changes all the time,” said Bisceglia, who noted his signature offering is $75 for five courses — and $150 with wine pairings that he says is from “all the interesting stuff” he brings in from Italy and all over the world.
The addition of the two tables will enable Bisceglia to accommodate parties from six all the way up to 14 now.
And for Bisceglia, partnering with Air & Anchor — who had started off by providing the “misto” charcuterie boards for Bacco, ultimately building up to six-foot version — and getting back to business as usual are two of the cornerstones of his latest move.
“I’ve always loved the idea of communal tables,” said Bisceglia. “And we have to find a way to get back to normal.”