Opening Aug. 2019; Piccone’s Corner Butchery, Restaurant and Bar

An interesting press release today about Piccone’s Corner Butcher Shop, Restaurant and Bar to open in NE Portland. Reminds me of the original press for Laurelhurst Market. Here it is in its entirety –

Owner Austin Piccone brings farming experience from Wallow & Root Pasture Farm and Italian-American roots to new butchery; Chef Nic Maraziti a veteran of Bar Casa Vale, Tusk, Ava Gene’s

PORTLAND, Ore. – April 9, 2019 – Butcher and heritage hog farmer Austin Piccone has announced plans to open Piccone’s Corner, his new butchery, restaurant and bar, late Summer 2019 at 3434 NE Sandy Blvd. in the same building as Petite Provence Bakery. The 2,400-square-foot space will house a full-service butcher shop with whole-animal butchery and locally sourced meat; cured Italian salumi, including culatello, fiochetto, nduja, guanciale, pancetta and coppa; and a full-service bar and restaurant with 42 seats open for lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night snacking.

Opening team with roots at Bar Casa Vale, Old Salt Marketplace, Tusk and Ava Gene’s

Although new to Portland’s restaurant scene, Piccone has been part of the local, agricultural food movement as a local farmer, raising hogs and rabbits on his farm, Wallow & Root in Sandy, Oregon. Joining Piccone on the opening team are:

Nic Maraziti – head chef; formerly at Tournant, Bar Casa Vale, Tusk and Ava Gene’s
Will Stenberg – front of house and bar manager; formerly at Fino
Noah Grobart – head butcher; formerly head meat cutter at Old Salt Marketplace and Pastaworks

Butcher Shop features local hog program

The whole-animal butchery operation on-site at Piccone’s Corner will feature pasture-raised hogs from Wallow & Root. Piccone currently raises 200 hogs on pasture and will increase the number to 300 to supply his new butchery and restaurant. The retail meat counter will also include Wallow & Root rabbits and locally sourced meat from local farmers. House-made deli meats will be available for lunch, along with daily sandwich specials, and the cured case will feature salumi, house-made bacon, American ham, salami and hand-stuffed Italian sausages.

Meat-centric Italian-American Menu

The food program will lean heavily on Piccone and Chef Maraziti’s Italian-American roots, with the food menu paying homage to their grandmothers’ recipe playbooks. Chef Maraziti will offer a changing menu centered around fresh cuts and charcuterie boards from the butcher shop, local produce, house made pastas and seasonal vegetable dishes. He is also excited to offer a variety of happy hour and late night snacks inspired by Italian street foods.

“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,” says Piccone. “My family’s southern Italian roots definitely infuse this project with its spirit. At its heart, Italian food is about a love of fresh ingredients prepared at their peak with an emphasis on how an animal is raised, where ingredients come from, and how everything is utilized to produce the final product.”

Bar Program Inspired by Italy’s Amaro Liqueur

Piccone’s Corner will feature a distinctive cocktail program, with spirits like whiskey, vodka, gin and tequila combining with a wide variety of Italian Amari to create a unique hybrid of original Italian-American cocktails. Bar manager Will Stenberg will also make his own Italian-inspired liqueurs and Amari. Additionally, there will be a rotating cast of local draft beers and an innovative wine menu highlighting some underexposed Italian varietals, some perennial favorites, and local wines, including some from micro-boutique wineries not available elsewhere.

Former auto showroom turned butcher shop

Designed by Portland-based Hovercraft Studio, Piccone’s Corner will occupy the former Wallace Buick auto showroom built in 1951. The design team will retain the original glass encased corner showroom windows and high ceilings. “We are creating a welcoming and casual space with a nod to the classic Italian osteria and the family’s Italian-American heritage, while leveraging the building’s history and mid-century modern lines,” says Natalie Bobier, Hovercraft’s project manager.

More details on the concept, menu and opening date will be announced in the upcoming months.  Piccone’s Corner is online at www.picconescorner.com, on Instagram @picconescorner, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/picconescorner/