These potato dumplings, traditionally served as a first course, are small bites of heaven. Although most people associate this dish with Italian cuisine, versions of this dish exist around the world; Croatia, France, and South America all have variations of the dish. The word “gnocchi” is derived from the Italian word “nocchio,” meaning a “knot … Read more
March 15th, The Ides of March For those of you who are not aware of the significance of the Ides of March, according to the Roman calendar, it is the date signifying the beginning of spring and there was a huge celebration in the city of Rome. The Soothsayers warned Julius Caesar to “beware of the … Read more
2011 will be 50 years that we have been in business. It is confusing with all the different Coppola’s in the area. We happen to be the original one. The success of the original restaurant allowed the family to expand. Originally we were located on 273 Main Street and then moved to the current location. It wasn’t by choice. The … Read more
Beginning as an Italian restaurant in an old abandoned theatre in 1961 not only brought Mediterranean cooking to the Hudson Valley, but Coppola’s Restaurant inadvertently inherited the theatre roots of the building. The theatre used to be called The Rialto Theatre which opened in 1920. It was owned by Bardavon Theaters Corporation (the same owners … Read more
These last few months I often think about my dad’s brother. He was one of the original 3 brother’s that opened up the first Coppola’s Restaurant. Zio Vincenzo just passed away in June joining my dad. I thought I would dedicate this blog entry to him. I close my eyes and try to envision my … Read more
The 1920 Rialto Theatre statues that have adorned the walls of the Original Coppola’s Restaurant for over 50 years have been donated back to the theatre from whence they started. My family’s journey started in 1961 when my father and his two brothers, along with my mother and her two sisters, having just arrived from … Read more
As we approach July 31st, the day that we close the doors to our restaurant, customers are having the need to not only come in and have one last meal but also share their stories. One customer, that I will refer to as Mr. Bill, gazed at our wall of paintings depicting different cities in … Read more
Synchronicity is an experience in your life when 2 or more events that have absolutely no relation to each other occur together in a “meaningful coincidence.” – Carl Jung I want to tell you about the oddest coincidence that happened in our restaurant a few years ago. While my oldest son was attending the Naval … Read more
Since this picture has been hanging on a wall in Coppola’s Restaurant men’s room it has stirred up so much commotion. This is a picture of General Patton on June 6, 1944, when the Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy and invaded Europe. The Rhine River was Germany’s ancient line of defense; when American … Read more
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post. So many things are happening in the restaurant. All good though! We have been busy dressing up the place. I will let you know when we are all done, complete with pictures. But first, let me tell you what happened this past Sunday. It was … Read more