Sometimes a great vacation will change your life.<\/p>\n
For longtime Hoover restaurateurs Benard \u201cBernie\u201d and Brianna Tamburello, a fall 2024 trip to Italy inspired a new cafe concept that took shape over the following year.<\/p>\n
Vecchia Gelato & Cafe opened Nov. 10, just a few doors down from their original Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato. The cafe replaces Moss Rock Tacos & Tequila, which they closed in late summer to make way for a new passion project \u2014 their \u201clove letter to their community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple wants to share a little more \u201cla dolce vita\u201d \u2014 Italian for \u201cthe sweet life\u201d \u2014 with Hoover, where an Italian-style escape is available any day. It\u2019s an idea rooted in culture, shaped by challenge and realized through resilience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to create a space where people take a breath, take a pause in the day to come in and have a cup of coffee or take a pause at the end of the day with family and connect,\u201d said Brianna, who joined her husband in launching Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato in 2014 at The Preserve.<\/p>\n
When Bernie was struck with cancer at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, as their restaurant livelihood was already strained, Brianna stepped in to lead \u2014 shocking both herself and her husband.<\/p>\n
\u201cFinding somebody who you trust as much as I trusted her was a lot,\u201d Bernie admitted, and she impressed him. The experience deepened their respect and reshaped their dynamic as a couple.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou recognize that you can be as rich as possible, but the only things you can\u2019t buy are time and family and health,\u201d Bernie said.<\/p>\n
That revelation drives their newest venture \u2014 a business that celebrates life\u2019s most meaningful moments.<\/p>\n
During last year\u2019s Italian road trip, the couple re-absorbed a way of living where patience is a virtue, family comes first and every meal, espresso and scoop of gelato is something to be savored.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe fell in love with each other all over again after Italy,\u201d Brianna said. \u201cWe had made it through COVID, we had made it through his cancer, and we were like, \u2018You know what? Life\u2019s too short.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
So they came home and fast-tracked the cafe.<\/p>\n
The Carrara marble countertop was sourced from Northern Italy, and the pastry case was custom-made in Milan. While their pizzeria reflects Bernie\u2019s rustic energy, the cafe expresses Brianna\u2019s sleek, modern style.<\/p>\n
Vecchia Gelato & Cafe\u2019s offerings include a full Italian espresso bar \u2014 one of the first in the Southeast serving Kimbo coffee from Naples \u2014 fresh Italian pastries and creamy gelato. Bernie recommends the espresso poured over gelato, called affogato. The savory Sicilian street food includes Bernie\u2019s street fries, Italian chicken dippers, fried risotto balls, flatbreads, salads and more.<\/p>\n
Together, the two Vecchias stand as a testament to surviving, thriving and finding beauty in both hardship and daily life. The Tamburellos\u2019 message is simple: Life is not about perfection, but about savoring each moment, each bite, each connection.<\/p>\n