Christine and Steve Anderson tell the kind of story Taylor Swift might write a #1 song about. All the elements are here: romance, passion, drama. It’s a song about risking it all to meet your destiny – fingers crossed for the happy ending.
“We put our livelihoods on the line to be here,” says 42-year-old Christine, owner with her husband Steve, of Cassarino’s Restaurant. A graduate of the sports entertainment and event management program at Johnson & Wales University (JWU), she recalls their decision to buy. “We sold our house and cashed in our 401(k)s,” she says. “At one point, we had $400 to our names.” But they met here for a first date in September 2001, and they married six years later. Cassarino’s seemed worth the risk.
When the Andersons considered ownership of the Atwells Avenue mainstay, they knew it wouldn’t be easy running a classic Italian restaurant – one of some five dozen establishments on Federal Hill. There was plenty of competition from places like Andino’s, Camille’s, Angelo’s, and Costantino’s, as the neighborhood was primarily settled by Italian immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. When their purchase and sales agreement was signed in 2022, the Andersons reacted swiftly by keeping true to their vision. “We didn’t change anything on the menu,” Christine says,” but we did remodel all three floors.” It was original owner Rich Cassarino’s menu, executed over the years by head chefs Nate Forrant and Melvin Vargas. “They are the heartbeat of the kitchen,” Christine says.
“We signed the papers,” says Steve, 46, also a JWU grad, with a degree in hospitality management. “We just kind of looked at each other and said, “here we go!” Christine adds, “These employees own this restaurant as much as we do,” speaking about their team of chefs, cooks, bartenders, and servers. To that end, the Andersons pay a fair hourly wage, provide health insurance, and paid time off, benefits that are unusual in the restaurant industry.
When it comes to the extensive menu, you’ll find big-as-your-head portions at great prices. It’s easy to see why the restaurant can serve upwards of 500 diners on a Saturday night. Apps include golf-ball-sized arancini that are creamy and crispy all at once, and some of the best fried calamari you’ll find in New England – piping hot, crispy and tender – never chewy. For entrees, there’s all the faves: a picture-perfect chicken parm, fettuccine alfredo, chicken marsala, pasta carbonara, pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe, and rigatoni Bolognese, among other classics, most in the $20 range.
Cassarino’s signature dish – named the Cassarino on the menu – is chicken or veal breaded and lightly fried, layered with roasted peppers, mushrooms, imported ham, fried eggplant, melted mozzarella, and pasta with marinara sauce. The frutti de mare is a gorgeous, perfectly cooked combination of sautéed shrimp, scallops, whole and chopped clams, and fresh fish, alongside tomato sauce and linguine. You can order the gorgonzola-crusted sirloin in three sizes: 16-, 32-, or a whopping 48-ounce, and it’s as good as any you’ll find in an upscale steakhouse.
The star of the night, though, was the bracciola: rolled veal stuffed with prosciutto, ground pork sausage, provolone, and mozzarella cheese. Braised and simmered in a marinara sauce and served with linguine, it’s fork-tender because the cooking process is so lengthy, and it’s only available in limited quantities.
There are specials on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesdays, plus Monday through Friday “Appy Hour” deals. Remarkably, there’s also a vegan menu, featuring classic Italian dishes made with Beyond Meat plant-based meat substitutes.
Customers awash in the hospitality. “My daughter Lauren made a reservation there for my birthday last June but didn’t ask for special treatment,” says Erin Kaufman, from Warwick. “When we arrived, Steve and Christine had a bottle of Champagne and balloons. They are just the most remarkable couple.”
Leah Schroeder, also from Warwick, met Steve and Christine in 2002 at JWU. “When you are working in restaurants, creating a family environment and opening your doors to so many people, you can get tired at the end of the day. What do Steve and Christine do on their day off? Invite everyone over to their house for a family dinner and to watch football!”
Federal Hill Commerce Association President Rick Simone concurs that it’s that balance of hospitality and quality that makes the Andersons shine. “Steve and Christine have always stood for what makes Federal Hill special. Cassarino’s is more than a restaurant because of them. It’s an experience built on heart,” he says.
Sounds like a happy ending to us.
177 Atwells Avenue
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