A New Italian Butchery and Restaurant From Alumni of Tusk and Old Salt Is Coming to Northeast Portland

Piccone's Corner will feature hogs and rabbits from the namesake owner's farm.

Courtesy of Lisa Hill PR.
By Andi Prewitt

A butcher shop and restaurant opening in Northeast Portland later this year may fill the hole left in the city's dining scene when Old Salt Marketplace closed in 2018.

Austin Piccone, who raises hogs at Wallow & Root Farm in Sandy, is launching Piccone's Corner in the same building as Petite Provence Bakery on Northeast Sandy Boulevard. He expects to be up and running by late summer.

The 2,400-square-foot former auto showroom will feature a full-service bar and restaurant run by a team of industry elites, including head chef Nic Maraziti, who graced the kitchens of Tusk and Ava Gene's, and head butcher Noah Grobart, formerly of Old Salt. Expect authentic Italian food that would make any nonna proud—Maraziti and Piccone's Italian-American roots will influence the menu, and they'll even be dipping into their grandmother's recipe books for inspiration. Dishes will change based on fresh cuts and charcuterie supplied by the butchery along with seasonal vegetable dishes.

"I want to celebrate and bring back some of the Italian traditions I saw disappearing while growing up in our small, but strong Italian community in Denver," Piccone said in a press release. "My family's southern Italian roots definitely infuse this project with its spirit."

Piccone will supply the butcher shop with hogs and rabbits while other local farms are planned sources for additional types of meat. Customers can plan on a variety of cuts available to purchase from a retail counter, along with a cured case of  Italian salumi, such as culatello, fiochetto, nduja, guanciale, pancetta and coppa.

Additional details about the menu and an opening date will be announced in the next few months.

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