Toscano Brings Tuscan Cuisine To Harvard Square

A recent addition to local dining options brings a taste of Tuscany to Harvard Square.

After last February’s announcement of its arrival, the Italian restaurant Toscano is now open at 52 Brattle Street—the former home of Café of India.

According to managing partner Richard J. Cacciagrani, the restaurant held a “soft opening” March 21 for patrons to enjoy the restaurant without the crowds typically drawn by a traditional grand opening.

“We like to open and let things happen naturally, as opposed to a lot of advertising and marketing,” added fellow managing partner Andrew D’Alessandro. “Ideally, word of

mouth is the best form of advertising for our business.”

Harvard Square is the second location for Toscano, which was originally founded at Beacon Hill in 1984.

Cacciagrani said Harvard Square was a natural choice since the neighborhood and local business base are both similar to the environment of Beacon Hill.

“It seemed like the culture and the people of the neighborhoods were very similar and our food and service would fit well with the clientele of Harvard Square,” he said.

D’Alessandro added that Toscano’s unique combination of casual bar service and high-end Italian dining fills a void in Harvard Square.

Serving lunch and dinner daily, the restaurant offers traditional Tuscan cuisine, which is known for its simplicity. The menu features pizza, pasta, and meats cooked on an all-natural wood grill.

According to Cacciagrani, the menu features a range of options for business luncheons, casual dinners, special events, or “people just looking for a little cheese and wine.”

“We feel our brand is very diverse...and has a little bit of what everybody is looking for,” he said.

While the current dishes are identical to the offerings at Beacon Hill, Cacciagrani and D’Alessandro expect to see the menu evolve based on local demand.

Denise A. Jillson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association, praised the addition of Toscano to Harvard Square as an excellent fine dining option within a reasonable price bracket.

The Harvard Square location, which seats 120 people, has an indoor café and bar area and also offers outside dining during the warmer months.

After a slight delay in opening—the restaurant was tentatively slated to open last November—D’Alessandro said the staff at Toscano is excited to be part of Harvard Square.

“We’re a neighborhood restaurant,” he said. “We cater to the locals in Beacon Hill, and we want to do the same here.”

—Staff writer Nikki D. Erlick can be reached at nikkierlick@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @nikkierlick.