For Nick Kamberi, opening Gusto Italian isn’t just about serving pasta. The Sicilian-born restaurateur hopes the new Frederica Street restaurant becomes a place where guests feel at home while enjoying authentic Italian dishes based on recipes passed down through his family.
“We wanted to do something like a second home for the customers,” Kamberi said. “To come here, to eat like home, to be in a warm atmosphere with fresh food.”
Gusto Italian is now open at 5257 Frederica Street in the former Tumbleweed Southwest Grill building, introducing a menu of traditional Italian favorites made fresh daily. Kamberi said many of the recipes come directly from his family’s decades of experience in the restaurant business, including dishes inspired by his mother’s cooking.
“This is authentic Italian food with home recipes,” he said.
Born in Sicily, Kamberi moved with his family to Croatia as a young child and spent most of his life there. His family operated restaurants and ice cream shops, and after his parents passed away, he continued running the businesses before deciding to explore opportunities in the United States.
Kamberi first spent time in New York learning the American restaurant industry before discovering Owensboro. A visit to the city a few months ago convinced him he had found the right place.
“We met a lot of people here,” Kamberi said. “We saw that people are very warm, very friendly, and we decided to open here.”
Kamberi said Gusto’s menu was intentionally kept focused for its opening, with plans to gradually add more offerings over time. Current selections include Italian staples such as chicken parmesan, chicken alfredo, lasagna, cheese ravioli, manicotti, cannelloni, tortellini, spaghetti, and veal parmigiana.
Seafood options include shrimp alfredo, shrimp pesto, lobster ravioli, and grilled salmon, while appetizers feature calamari, meatball parmesan, fried cheese ravioli, and cheese sticks.
Lunch specials are available Tuesday through Friday and include a choice of minestrone soup or side salad with entrees such as lasagna, penne with chicken, grilled chicken, cheese ravioli, and spaghetti.
Every meal is served with complimentary fresh-baked bread, which is prepared throughout the day and offered with unlimited refills.
He said the restaurant eventually plans to rotate weekly specials and potentially add dishes such as chicken piccata, chicken marsala, eggplant specialties, and other traditional Italian entrees.
“We just want to go slow,” Kamberi said. “The first thing is for people to like our food.”
In addition to dine-in service, Gusto offers catering trays for groups of five or 10 featuring items such as spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, chicken alfredo, grilled chicken, and tortellini.
For now, Gusto serves beer and wine, with the possibility of expanding to liquor service in the future.
The restaurant can seat roughly 150 guests between its main dining room and outdoor seating area. A section of the property can be used for private parties, family gatherings, and business meetings.
Ultimately, Kamberi said, Gusto’s success will depend on the community’s response.
“We are ready to serve our customers,” he said. “We are waiting for them. Just come try our food.”
Gusto Italian is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.
