A familiar Naples name in imported Italian specialties is settling into a new home, and with it comes a fresh stop for wine tasting, pantry shopping and gift-giving on Vanderbilt Beach Road. Ambrosi & Sons has moved into the former Naples Wine Collection space at Shoppes at Vanderbilt, bringing its selection of Italian foods, specialty wines and sample-friendly wine bar to the neighborhood.
The shop is rooted in family tradition. Founded by Rudy, Michael and Alex Ambrosi, the business draws on the family’s Italian heritage and years spent around the tables of relatives in Carisolo in Trentino and Calasetta in Sardinia, where food and wine were part of everyday life. That background shows up in the store’s tightly curated mix of olive oils, balsamic vinegars, pasta, sauces, sweets, cured meats and gift baskets designed for everything from birthdays to real estate closings.
For shoppers, the appeal is as much about discovery as convenience. Ambrosi & Sons sources many of its products from small, family-owned producers in Italy, and the store encourages customers to taste before they buy, especially with its rotating wine selections. One highlight is a limited-production Sardinian wine, Pumèlu Carignano del Sulcis, offered as an example of the kind of small-batch, boutique bottles the shop wants guests to explore.
They’ve also taken over the space formerly known as The Cave. According to The Naples Press, it will now be called The Grotto, and plans to be used for wine tastings and private events without becoming a full restaurant (at least, not yet). Right now, the setup is a tasting room and speciality market rather than a dining destination. They’ve kept the wine bar dispensing system though, so you can move at your own pace tasting multiple regions, varieties and producers.
Stop in for an elevated Italian dinner without much effort: grab semolina pasta, crushed tomatoes or pesto for a weeknight meal, take a package of ravioli, tortellini, or even escargot into the freezer for another night, or choose a bottle of wine you can sample first before bringing it home for a hostess gift or dinner party.
Ambrosi & Sons knows Naples has a deep love for Italian food, and the area has no shortage of places to prove it. What sets this shop apart is its carefully selected ingredients and wines, chosen through personal relationships and a refined eye for quality.
Now open at 2343 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Suite 602–604 | ambrosiandsons.com | Mon–Fri: 9am–4:30pm | Sat: 10am–2pm | 239-304-9782
Originally published in
The Naples Florida Review.
Read the full edition here.