Ciao Bella, Sorellas
You won’t recognize the inside as the old Pizza Co. There’s a bar! And seating for 20! It’s cozy, with warm mediterranean colors. An exterior pick-up window will keep the to-go orderers separate from the diners.
The day before their grand opening, Sorellas hosted an open house to introduce local friends to the new pastas, salads, desserts, and appetizers. Free food and wine! The place was packed with Ocracoke residents of all ages who came out to sample the delicacies/stuff their faces. Molto bene!
Sorellas means “sisters” in Italian. With a brief shout-out to the guys (Scott and Tyler) who make the pizzas, Dani explained that first OPC, and now Sorellas, has a “lot of good women working well together – we’re a sisterhood.” And Sorellas is a sister restaurant to ‘SmacNally’s, which Dani also manages.
“Scott and I thought this space had a lot of undeveloped potential,” Dani said. “Debbie immediately saw the concept – and we agreed on everything. I told her the color palette I wanted and she said ‘That’s how I would’ve done it myself!’ I couldn’t thank her enough for her help.”
Debbie is the former chef at Back Porch Restaurant, and she “loves all kinds of different foods” including, of course, Italian.
“Scott and Dani approached me in the early part of the winter to help with the changes,” Debbie told me. “Dani and I worked out layout and interior choices, and we’ve been working on menu all winter, trying recipes, tasting together….”
Clearly, their efforts paid off. Manicotti, pasta primavera, antipasto, stuffed portabellos, Parmesan polenta, and pizza with bleu cheese and grapes (my new favorite) and more were all part of the open house spread. They brought out tiramisu and cannoli for dessert. Dani says their goal is to offer affordable dining options, while using the freshest ingredients, and sauces and dough made from scratch.
One thing that set OPC apart from other Ocracoke restaurants and carry-outs was the free delivery, and Sorellas will continue that service and expand it to offer free delivery for ALL their menu items. In the summer, they’ll have two drivers on duty to get your pasta and pizza to you as fast as possible. Just stop by or call 252-928-7777. Sorellas is open every day, 5–9pm.
Judging by the popularity of the open house (and all the peeps with their mouths too full of deliciousness to give me quotes), Sorellas is going to be a welcome addition to the food landscape of Ocracoke.
Island resident Gary Davis speaks for us all when he said, "I’m looking forward to eating here."
I brought home a menu so I could plan ahead for my next date night with Rob. My first order at Sorellas will be a starter of warm marinated chevre ($8), Scorcese salad – roasted vegetables dressed in olive oil with feta and olives ($10), and gnocchi cabonara – potato dumpling with sweet peas, prosciutto bacon, shallots, and parmesan cream sauce ($15).
