The new DiGusto Italian Deli & Tasting in Naples encourages its guests to eat like an Italian while providing them an opportunity to do just that.  

Although it’s difficult to easily translate into English, di gusto celebrates the personal love of something by getting straight to the heart of the matter. “When a person mangi di gusto, it means he’s eating with pleasure, with heart. Mmmm, good,” said Chef Monica Valtolina, who co-owns and operates DiGusto with her husband, Roberto Di Gennaro, and their two sons, Alessandro and Davide Di Gennaro.  

DiGusto, which provides a small Italian deli, wine shop, wine bar and dining room, opened April 12 near Skillets in the Heron Place retail center that wraps around the Wendy’s drive-thru on the northeast corner of U.S. 41 and Shady Rest Lane in Naples. The new venue across from Park Shore Plaza completely transformed the space of the former Preppy Pet boarding and day care business at 4180 Tamiami Trail N. Preppy Pet relocated four years ago a few units down in that same retail strip.The Di Gennaro family recently relocated to Naples from Milan, a city in northern Italy famous for its art, culture and culinary scene. While involved with Milano restaurants, the family set its sights on Naples – Florida, that is.  

“This is our dream. We had this dream for a long time,” Valtolina said. “And then we decided to come here and realize our dream.”  

The family first visited the United States on vacation in 2015. “We stopped in Naples because someone told us that Naples has one of the most beautiful beaches,” Valtolina said. “And it was love at first sight.”  

The next year, they visited Naples again while on a two-week vacation in Miami, but they returned in 2017 to take a closer look to see if Naples would be the right place for their dream venture. They think it’s perfect.  

“Naples is paradise. It’s a dreamy place,” Valtolina said. “But we needed to know that something like this, like our idea, will be good for this area.”  

They had planned to debut DiGusto in 2020 but had to wait because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They eventually relocated here in August 2021 and started the business process. “Our dream was and is to let the American people – Naples people – know the real Italian cuisine, the real recipes, the real products, cheeses and charcuterie,” Valtolina said. DiGusto’s menu includes some original Italian recipes, such as the authentic recipe for Ragù Bolognese.  

A graduate of the Italian Chef Academy in Rome, Valtolina specializes in Italian pasta and first courses and is certified by L’Accademia della Farina as a pastry chef specializing in panettone and other Italian breads. She will regularly offer cooking classes at DiGusto to share her passion for the Italian cuisine.  

DiGusto’s inaugural menu features appetizers such as tuna tartare and bruschetta. Pasta entrees include dishes with lasagna, spaghetti, cannelloni and gnocchi. A variety of taglieri, or charcuterie boards, are offered as well as a trio of pinsa, an alternative to traditional pizza. “Pinsa is like pizza, made better with rice flour, so it’s lighter,” Valtolina said. Desserts include tiramisu, panna cotta, chocolate mousse and Dolce Bosco, which consists of pastry cream, berries and a waffle cone.  

The chef said she is keeping the menu small because she plans to change it every two weeks or so to offer different kinds of pasta and dishes to provide guests with variety and pique their curiosity. “Maybe I can change lasagna with orecchiette, and maybe I can change tuna tartare with bresaola carpaccio,” she said.  

DiGusto, open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., basically functions as three mom-and-pop businesses under one roof. It has a wine shop and deli case with sliced-to-order cheeses and meat selections such as capocollo, salame Milano, hot soppressata and prosciutto. The dining room, or saletta, provides a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy Valtolina’s culinary creations. Tables can even be reserved for private events.  

Once its state alcohol license is granted, DiGusto’s cantina will provide a relaxing niche for savoring charcuterie and wines expertly selected by Roberto Di Gennaro from all the Italian regions. Davide Di Gennaro, the youngest son and the family’s best English speaker, is the restaurant manager and host who assists guests in making the most of their DiGusto experience.