D’Avanzo’s opens second location

THE DALLES — D’Avanzo’s, an Italian restaurant from Goldendale, opened its second location this month in The Dalles. Recognized as Best Restaurant by the annual community choice awards Best of the Gorge awards the last three years, D’Avanzo’s decided to bring its expertise to the Oregon side of the Columbia River.

The menu includes dishes like lasagna, bolognese and baguettes with housemade herb butter. They also serve fruit-based specialty drinks, and sandwiches are available on their lunch menu.

Husband and wife Phil and Shannon D’Avanzo are the restaurant’s owners. They opened the first D’Avanzo’s location in an effort to bring comforting and quality Italian food to the area. Now, they’ve taken the leap to expand.

Phil D’Avanzo’s dad moved to the United States from Naples in the 1950s, and the restaurant combines the history behind his family’s surname with Shannon D’Avanzo’s passion for cooking.

“She’s a chef. Her dream was always to cook for people,” Phil D’Avanzo said about his wife. “It took us a lot of years, but we finally found a building in Goldendale [and said,] ‘Let’s give this a shot.’ So, it’s kind of a mixture of my family’s last name and her recipes, and this is what you get,” he said.

There weren’t any Italian restaurants in the area, so residents of Goldendale were “ecstatic” when the first location opened in 2022. Then, customers who traveled from The Dalles suggested they explore expanding into Oregon to further their reach.

The new location has hosted several soft openings throughout August with a limited menu to train staff and better evaluate the new location’s specific needs. They have also introduced an Oregon Lottery video poker machine for customers.

“So far, the feedback’s been great. But, like I said, a lot of folks have already made the trip across the river, so they already know what they’re getting when they come. But there’s a lot that don’t,” Phil D’Avanzo said.

The opening has come with its share of challenges, but Shannon D’Avanzo said that those were anticipated. “There’s nothing really anything unexpected, because there are always a lot of road bumps in restaurant life,” she said.

Still, the transition has been relatively smooth, thanks in part to the staff the couple has worked alongside over the years.

“We have a great staff. We have great people that we’ve worked with to open the first one. So, it just kind of brings me back four years, just on a larger scale. It’s been a really smooth transition,” Phil D’Avanzo said.

The D’Avanzo family is especially excited to create a space where people can come together to enjoy each other’s company over Italian cuisine.

“My favorite part of owning restaurants are the busy nights, the chaotic nights. The energy, the vibe when it’s slammed, and everyone’s drinking wine and talking, and families are having a great time, and making memories through our food and our building. That’s my favorite part of it all,” Phil D’Avanzo said.

While they may consider opening more locations in the future, for now, their focus lies in The Dalles.

D’Avanzo’s hosted its grand opening on Sept. 1 at its location in The Dalles, at 209 E Second St. D’Avanzo’s is closed on Sundays and Mondays, and reservations can be made by calling 541-769-0025.