On a busy stretch of Brookline Boulevard, Tambellini & Co. has quietly flipped the script on a storied local restaurant name, opening this week as an Italian sandwich counter from chef Mike Tambellini and his partner, Trista Fulton. The 30-seat, counter-service spot trades in the family's white-tablecloth legacy for panini, antipasto and house-made meatballs, served to go or at a handful of small tables. Neighbors lined up for the soft opening, and by midweek the kitchen had already run low on several menu items.
Tambellini developed the shop concept with Fulton as a deliberate break from fine dining, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. That outlet reports the couple converted the former Jolina’s Mediterranean Cuisine space into a deli-style operation and slated a grand opening for this week.
Brookline Boulevard Momentum
The debut adds to a run of fresh faces on Brookline Boulevard. Pittsburgh Magazine notes Tambellini & Co. joins recent arrivals like Asahi Ramen and Socotra Cafe & Grill. The magazine also reports the shop tested the waters with a trial service last week and promptly sold through many items, a sign that locals were ready for the new concept.
The opening comes on the heels of February's quiet shutdown of the longtime Joseph Tambellini Restaurant in Highland Park, a closure detailed in Joseph Tambellini Goes Dark.
Menu And Service
The menu keeps things classic. The shop's site lists stacked sandwiches like the Italian Stallion, Muffaletta, Meatball Grinder and Chicken Parm, alongside antipasti, focaccia and housemade biscotti. Tambellini & Co. offers takeout and catering, operates as a BYOB spot, and is open Tuesday–Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the restaurant's website.
The owners, who live in Brookline and are planning a June 21 wedding, say they want the shop to become a neighborhood hub and to collaborate with youth organizations and local suppliers, Pittsburgh Magazine reports. After years in local kitchens, including time at Rivers Casino and other neighborhood restaurants, Tambellini said the smaller format gives the couple room to focus on approachable, made-from-scratch sandwiches and catering for Brookline events.
