Skip to Content
Features

Behind the Scenes at Legendary Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Brooklyn

After a successful recipe collaboration with Chef Matthew Cutolo of Gargiulo's in Brooklyn, our EIC visited for a tour and some lunch.

The exterior signage at Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

The exterior signage at Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

We were thrilled to partner with Chef Matthew Cutolo of legendary Gargiulo's Restaurant in a multi-part series dedicated to Italian American classics. As a third-generation Italian American working in the kitchen of a restaurant owned and operated by his family in Brooklyn’s Coney Island since 1907, Chef Matthew knows the intricacies of old school Italian cooking. We wanted to share his dedication to tradition with our readers to inspire the preparation of these dishes at home. 

Here are the recipes, write-ups and reels shared by Matthew exclusively with Appetito: Family Lasagna RecipeChicken PiccataStuffed Shells, Fried Calamari, Penne alla Vodka.

To celebrate this successful collaboration, we sent our Editor-in-Chief, Andrew Cotto, out to Coney Island for a behind the scenes tour of Gargiulo’s hosted by Chef Matthew and his uncle, Mike Russo, the Executive Chef. Of course, lunch was involved. Take a look!

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Appetito

Festa Italiana Charlotte: An Italian Food and Wine Festival 

Each May, Festa Italiana Charlotte transforms the city into a lively Italian celebration, blending food, wine, culture, and community with a meaningful charitable purpose.

April 13, 2026

Essere una Buona Forchetta: Where Eating Becomes Appreciation

In Italy, eating is not just about how much or how “well,” but about how much pleasure, attention, and satisfaction one brings to it.

April 13, 2026

Casarecce with Pesto and Crispy Calamari from Lido

From Lido: Recipes and Stories from Italy’s Beach Clubs, this pesto pasta with crispy calamari captures the coastal flavors and simple cooking of Italy’s best beaches.

Rao’s Pop-Up Recreates Its Iconic Dining Room for One Night in NYC

Today is the last day to enter for a one-night Rao’s pop-up recreating its legendary Harlem dining room experience.

April 10, 2026

Inside Lido: Recipes and Stories from Italy’s Beach Clubs

What began as a way to share Italy with their daughter becomes a cookbook shaped by years of travel, capturing the food and culture of the country’s beach clubs.

Italian Salumi: How Agricola Farm Brings Tradition to Vermont

Italian curing traditions take hold in Vermont, where one farm produces salumi with patience and precision.

April 9, 2026
See all posts