About Us

About Mangia e Bevi

One step inside Mangia e Bevi immediately transports you to a warm, welcoming Italian “masseria” or farmhouse. Lush golden and terracotta colored walls, local artisan wood tables, medieval iron chandeliers, and a friendly staff all await to welcome guests. The country-style food that is simple yet bursting with flavor and the regional Italian wines are served with large portions of genuine Italian hospitality.

Like most Italian restaurateurs, we love where we live and live to celebrate both our location and our culinary culture. Mangia e Bevi is our interpretation of the best we have come to know of the most celebrated Italian culture of food, friends and family. It is at the dinner table where, not only do you mangia e bevi (eat and drink), but also enjoy leisurely, long and relaxed conversation.

We opened Mangia e Bevi in February 2007 in an effort to emulate the best of the great Italian tradition of hospitality and quality at the table. The philosophy is easy as it is straightforward – use the best ingredients as simply as possible and serve them with gusto and joy.

We are an independently owned and managed restaurant, driven by a desire to offer something unique and exciting both to our local patrons and to the guests who visit.

Chef Vito

Gianvito (Vito) Cinquepalmi, the celebrated Chef and owner of Mangia e Bevi, is no stranger to the kitchen or to Italian cuisine.

Born in Mola di Bari, (more commonly referred to simply as Mola) a small coastal town in the Southern Italian region of Apulia (Puglia), Vito was raised in a family of skilled artisans who taught him the importance of pride in one’s work. It was during his early apprenticeship in his grandmother’s pasticceria (pastry shop) that Vito acquired his family’s traditional sense of fine craftsmanship and attention to minute detail. True to his native Italian roots, however, the kitchen was the center of daily life in Vito’s home and it was there that he found the inspiration to feed a lifelong passion for the culinary arts.

Typical of a Mediterranean diet, fresh locally grown ingredients formed the basis of his family diet. Those indispensable food staples were primarily the extra virgin olive oils made with olives grown and hand picked by his father in his own olive groves and produced by his father in the local olive oil mills; hand made pastas, particularly orecchiette (little ears pasta) frequently made by his mother; and wines produced from the grapes locally grown in Puglia, Europe’s most prolific vineyard zone.

Fueled by his desire to pursue a culinary career, Vito completed his culinary training at the Scuola Alberghiera culinary school in Castellana, Bari (Italy). This launched the start of a career that took Vito to the fine resorts of San Marino on the Adriatic Riviera, one of the most famous seaside resorts among Italians. After immigrating to the United States in 1995 and fueled by his passion for authentic regional Italian cuisine, Vito established his distinction as a chef of simple yet sophisticated cuisine from his native Italy at several stylish Italian restaurants in New York City. Later opened his own fine Italian restaurant in the exclusive Westchester County area of New York, where he was also Executive Chef. Vito brings with him a track record of success in the Italian restaurant business. In 2004, Vito and his family moved to Urbana, Maryland to open Mangia e Bevi in February 2007.  It was the second food establishment to open up in Urbana, a newly developed community at the time.

Our Value Proposition

We at Mangia e Bevi are proud of our authentic Italian cuisine and atmosphere. Our value proposition is straight forward. Beyond the great food, we offer you more attentive and personalized service because we are independently owned and managed.

We offer:

  • Authentic, homemade freshly prepared food made with premium and imported ingredients
  • Beautiful rustic southern Italian ambiance
  • Al fresco dining away from traffic and noise
  • A beautiful view overlooking Sugarloaf Mountain
  • Friendly, attentive service
  • Easy highway access
  • Free Parking
  • Convenience of take-out and party trays

Al Fresco Dining

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the developing town, Mangia e Bevi’s outdoor dining patio is truly a piece of old-country Italy. Surrounded by lush greenery, beautiful plants and open space, you can easily begin to feel as if you are in the southern countryside of Italy. An authentic Italian home cooked meal paired with exquisite wine completes the ultimate dining experience.

© 2024 Mangia E Bevi. All Rights Reserved. Web Design Company - DreamCo Design