Angelena's Ristorante Italiano

Authentic Italian cuisine meets its Gulf Coast roots in Executive Chef James Briscione’s inventive menu steeped in rustic culinary traditions. A wood-burning oven—turning out pizza, baked pasta, whole-roasted Gulf fish and more—will be the heart of the restaurant. All pastas will be made in-house by Chef Briscione and his team.

Angelena’s is part of Pensacola's Great Southern Restaurants, joining sister businesses of The Fish House, Atlas Oyster House, The Deck Bar, Jackson’s Steakhouse, Five Sisters Blue’s Café, Great Southern Catering and Events and The Palafox House.

James Briscione, a Pensacola native, is the first two-time champion of Food Network’s ‘Chopped,’ a host and judge on Food Network and one of People Magazine’s ‘Sexiest Chefs Alive.’ He began his culinary career right here, at Jubilee, on Pensacola Beach. While in college, he connected with his Italian heritage by cooking at Chef Frank Stitt’s Italian restaurant, Bottega. James went on to serve as chef de cuisine of Stitt’s award-winning Highlands Bar and Grill. From there, Briscione moved to New York City to become the sous chef for Daniel Boulud’s private fine-dining room at Restaurant Daniel. For the past several years, he has served as the Director of Culinary Research at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. In addition to all of this, he is the author of four books: Just Married & Cooking, Cognitive Cooking with Chef Watson, The Great Cook, and his newest cookbook, The Flavor Matrix due this spring. In addition to Food Network, James regularly appears on The Dr. Oz Show, TODAY Show and Fox & Friends.