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Cucina Biagio keeps family flavor
Cucina Biagio, 7309 W. Lawrence Ave. in Harwood Heights, was started by Biagio and Josephine Cirrincione in 1976.
Updated: November 26, 2012 6:20AM
HARWOOD HEIGHTS — Restaurant Cucina Biagio strives to offer a taste of Italy to its guests, offering pastas, meats and pizza from genuine family recipes.
Cucina Biagio, 7309 W. Lawrence Ave. in Harwood Heights, was started by Biagio and Josephine Cirrincione in 1976. Their children Rose, Sam, Tom Cirrincione and Carmella Ricchio now run the operation.
“My parents were born in Alta Villa, Sicily,” owner Rose Cirrincione said. “They wanted to have a family business where the kids could work, too. That’s why they started a restaurant.”
Cirrincione’s father named the restaurant himself, Cucina Biagio. A direct translation is Biagio’s Kitchen. Both Cirrincione and her parents reside in Norridge, where they’ve lived for more than 30 years.
All of Cucina Biagio’s dishes come from family recipes. The restaurant serves pastas, different types of chickens, fish, steak and other meats. Cirrincione said the restaurant’s most popular dish is lasagna.
Other customers prefer the pizza, which has won numerous awards.
“We sell a lot of pizzas daily,” Cirrincione said. “Our customers love it.”
Cirrincione believes customers love the food and restaurant because of the clean atmosphere and good service.
“It has a modern, Mediterranean look,” she said. “When you’re here, you feel like you’re at a restaurant downtown.”
Customer Fran Cosgrove comes back for the food and atmosphere.
“We eat at Cucina Biagio every Friday night,” Cosgrove said. “It is a warm atmosphere with excellent service and food. They have delicious pizza, steak, chicken and calamari. If I had a restaurant, it would be like Cucina Biagio.”
Cirrincione said customers keep returning to the restaurant even if they’ve moved out of the area. And Cucina Biagio has found ways to give back to the community that has supported it.
“We recently donated a painting to St. Monica’s Church,” Cirrincione said. “We always donate to churches, fundraisers and to the Boy and Girl Scouts.”
Cirrincione said running a business can be long hours, but she wouldn’t change it for anything.
“This is a beautiful business,” she said.
