The Preserve’s tasty twosome
Positioned between the entrance to the hiking trails of Moss Rock Preserve and the quiet streets of The Preserve community is a restaurant duo that draws customers not only from its Hoover neighborhood, but also throughout Birmingham and beyond.
The two — Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato and Moss Rock Tacos & Tequila — are the creations of Benard and Brianna Tamburello, who take pride in their casual eateries and staunchly made-from-scratch menus.
Benard said the couple’s insistence on serving “the real deal” is because “people are often misled about food” and about restaurants.
“These two [restaurants] have truly homemade food with no salt, no MSG and even our basil is hydroponically [grown] and organic and grown in Shelby County,” Benard said. “We do things right with nothing in a bag or premade.”
The Tamburellos, both from the Birmingham area, found they also shared a bond when they met just over five years ago. Each had a background in food service — Brianna as a produce sales rep and restaurant training manager and Benard, as owner or co-founder of a number of area restaurants including Bernie’s Grill, La Dolce Vita and Bellini’s.
But despite his extensive food preparation experience, when plans were set for Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato to open in 2014, Benard enrolled in a Neapolitan cooking school in California “to learn all the techniques” and insure the restaurant’s authenticity.
“All our ingredients are from Italy and we make our meatballs, Italian sausage and cow’s milk mozzarella here,” he said. “Our tomatoes are San Marzano from Italy, and we don’t cook them but put them in a food mill, then on the pizzas, which go into a 900-degree brick oven using 100 percent red oak wood.”
According to Benard, the most popular of the 14 different pizzas available is the Capriccosa, made with San Marzano tomato sauce, pecorino Romano, mushrooms, artichokes, prosciutto cotto and bufala mozzarella.
“It’s the most classic Italian pizza there is,” he said.
Also on the Vecchia menu are a variety of homemade pasta dishes, paninis, calzones, salads and desserts. Specials are posted near the cash register and many dishes can be adapted to vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free dietary needs. The kitchen is open-air so food preparation can be observed. Seating options include family-style European tables and an outdoor patio. Numerous Italian food and drink items are also available in the restaurant’s mercato, or market.
Not in the mood for Italian? Then stroll next door to Moss Rock Tacos & Tequila, where a myriad of fresh Mexican appetizers, soups, salads, burritos and, of course, tacos await in a colorful setting.
Opened in 2016, Benard said “the taco shop” came about because of his Vecchia staff would talk about opening a taco shop.
“I told them if they got their grandparents’ recipes, I’d love to do it. So, we did and it’s gone off without a hitch,” he said.
And there’s the tequila and the many versions of homemade margaritas available.
“We offer so many different types of margaritas, from pineapple cilantro to grapefruit jalapeno to the classic on the rocks or frozen, and everything in between,” he said.
According to Benard, the Tamburellos share the day-to-day responsibilities at the two locations, with him handling “the people, process and procedures” — making sure the recipes and protocols are followed — while Brianna manages all catering and in-house parties.
“It stays very, very busy, but we’re so fortunate to be here in this gorgeous, growing area with such a wonderful clientele,” he said. “And if there’s problem, we can just walk next door.”
Both Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato and Moss Rock Tacos & Tequila are located on Preserve Parkway in Hoover and are open daily. For information, go to vecchiabirmingham.com or mossrocktacos.com, or call 637-3036 or 783-1130, respectively.