STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—Da Damaso, the tiny family-run Italian restaurant at 3981 Amboy Road, is adding something new to its repertoire: Italian language classes. Beginning March 31, the Great Kills eatery will host Tuesday sessions from 5 to 7 p.m., with one hour of instruction followed by a two‑course meal. The $80 fee covers the lesson, dinner, coffee and soda—a two‑hour immersion in both language and hospitality.
For owners Amirani “Ami” Jgamadze and his brother Gigi (short for Luigi), both from Salerno, Italy, the new offering feels like a natural extension of what they already do every day.
“Anybody that comes through this door becomes a part of family,” Ami said.
The restaurant opened last summer in the former Pierogi Island space, a one‑room dining room so compact you can see the entire operation from any seat. From the tables to the service counter to the open kitchen where espressos steam and plates are passed out, the whole place is in view. Thousands of cars pass the storefront daily, but inside, the pace slows to something closer to a family kitchen…