ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Westgate flyover may have closed, but new things are opening at the Westgate Shopping Center: Ritrovo, a new pizzeria, has moved into the former Gemelli restaurant. The restaurant will celebrate its grand opening later this month.
Introducing Ritrovo
The new pizza place is another restaurant concept from the owner of Gemelli, restaurateur Anthony Cerrato. The name means “gathering place” in Italian.
The casual Italian spot marked its soft opening on July 24, and despite its quiet launch, the pizzeria has already seen substantial foot traffic, said chef de cuisine E.J. Mochrie.
“This past weekend was very busy. It was like as soon as we put the word out, people were flooding,” said Mochrie. “Especially with it being beside Earth Fare. We’ve got a lot of people who will place a takeout order and then go shop, and then come and pick it up on their way out.”
Mochrie explained that Cerrato wanted the pizzeria to be an affordable dining option, from pizza to pasta…