Swaying above a vast dining room and bar, hundreds of hand-blown glass leaves glint in shades of lavender and pale blue. Chefs in tall white hats move in unison across an open kitchen. Glasses clink, voices rise. Outside, guests linger on a breezy patio.
At the center of it all is Mario Iaccarino. When he travels from the Sorrento Coast in southern Italy to St. Louis, the restaurateur tries to greet each visitor who comes to his family’s restaurant, Casa Don Alfonso, at The Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. The family’s flagship location, Don Alfonso 1890, opened in 1973 in Sant’Agata, Italy, and went on to earn two Michelin stars.
“My family has been in hospitality for generations,” Iaccarino says. “For me, it’s natural that if in the evening the restaurant is full, I will go to every single guest. It’s the best way to thank somebody who has taken [their] time and money to enjoy a moment in our place.” Known for its warm, professional staff and passed-down Mediterranean recipes, the restaurant has made its way into St. Louisans’ hearts as a space of joy and celebration.
Iaccarino came to town in April to celebrate Casa’s fifth anniversary, debut the restaurant’s new spring menu, and mark the success of his newest concept, Casa Boutique. On top of weekend breakfast buffets and a very popular brunch service, Casa Don Alfonso offers lunch and dinner, grab-and-go and takeaway items, and a pre-dinner aperitivo. But the boutique is something else: Near the bar, the pastry counter displays a scratch-made collection of fine Italian pastries, cakes, and desserts, gleaming jewel-like beneath glass. “We’re trying to [offer] a selection of things that you can find in Naples or in the Sorrentine Peninsula … when you’re walking the streets and [stop] by a small local pastry shop,” Iaccarino explains. “You can enjoy tea or a cappuccino by the bar in the morning or afternoon and order a beautiful single portion of cake [to go with it].”
In addition, the boutique stocks a variety of single-serve treats, from baci di dama (hazelnut chocolate cookies) and sfogliatella to cannoli. Customers can call or email at least 72 hours in advance to order whole cakes such as Pastiera Napoletana (a ricotta and wheat custard scented with orange blossom), Babà Napoletano (a light, yeasted cake soaked in citrus-scented rum syrup), Torta Caprese (the classic flourless chocolate-almond cake), tiramisù, and others. Breakfast, sandwiches, and call-ahead pizza also are available.
The creation of Casa Boutique might reflect Casa Don Alfonso’s evolution, but the restaurant’s foundation lies in honoring Italian culture across 21 regions. Perhaps St. Louis’ neighborhoods, seasonal farmers markets, and strong sense of place mirror this connection. “Inspiration comes in many forms. Inspiration can be a memory of a dish that I had as a child,” Iaccarino says. “It can come from having lunch in a small place on the streets of Naples or Roma. Italy is such a huge container for so many different traditions – from north to south.”
Iaccarino points out that Italian cuisine officially was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2025. “If you come to my region, every 50 kilometers, you’ll find different recipes,” he laughs. “If you’re having lunch on the Amalfi Coast and then drive 100 kilometers inland, you’ll have a totally different tradition, right? Somebody can travel in Italy for three months and have different food every single day. … This is the beauty of Italy.”…