Angelo Di Piazza and his nephews Frank, Mike and Joe Castiglione, have always loved cooking. Two years ago, the family of chefs opened Vigneto, an Italian restaurant in Weston’s Indian Trace Shopping Center that has become a neighborhood favorite. Following that success, Di Piazza and Castiglione brothers have joined forces again to bring quality Italian dishes to Plantation. The new Vigneto, which means “vineyard” in Italian, opened this week. The restaurant has a warm and welcoming feel.

Di Piazza, 47, of Davie, left Sicily as a boy. He remembers his childhood home being like a restaurant. His mother was always cooking, and he learned how from her. “I never knew her without an apron,” he said. Many of the dishes on the menu are his mother’s recipes. But Di Piazza also enjoys trying new things. “My mind is always going … I wonder how this would taste,” he said about creating new dishes. The Castiglione brothers, of Weston were very young when their parents opened a restaurant. That hooked them. The first family-operated Di Piazza restaurant opened in Hialeah 27 years ago, and over the years the family has owned a number of eateries.

Vigneto’s menu offers a variety of dishes, from traditional to unique, as well as gourmet pizzas. Mussels are a signature item and can be had as an appetizer or entrée. As an appetizer, try zuppa di mussels, prepared in a marinara sauce for $8.95. As an entrée, have mussels marinara, a mound of mussels sautéed in a zesty sauce and served on a bed of linguine, for $14.95

Penne Sole Mio is made with sun-dried tomatoes, diced chicken and fresh spinach sautéed with onions and a hint of garlic for $13.95. Another entrée, Chicken Ciocio, is a recipe created by Frank Castiglione. Ciccio is his nickname. It features a chicken breast sautéed with artichokes, mushrooms and spinach and topped with mozzarella in a light red sauce for $15.95.

“It’s a challenging business,” Castiglione said, “But at the end of the day, when you know the kitchen ran well and customers left with a happy face, it doesn’t feel like work.” Our motto is....... Food, Family and Friends... thats Italian.