-Italian proverb
Italians have always known how to make a festa of an ordinary Tuesday. June hands us the reasons: Republic Day, Father's Day, the World Cup, the solstice. But the point is never the occasion. It is always the gathering.
We have been thinking about this a lot lately. About what it means to celebrate not because the calendar says so, but because the evening is long and the table is outside and someone opened a bottle before anyone asked. That is the Italian way. That is, we think, the only way worth doing it.
This month at Bella Cucina is built around that idea. The objects we chose, the aperitivo table, the pasta made by hand on June 27. All of it is an extension of the same thought: that life itself is the occasion. That every ordinary evening is worth making a feast of.
Come find us at 288 Buckhead Avenue. The store is open. The table is set.
A S U M M E R F E S T A
June Objects of Affection
For the gathering. For the grill. For the glass poured
before anyone sits down.
_________
FOR THE GRILL
The oldest way to cook, and still the best.
The Original Tuscan Italian Grill: Built for hardwood and open flame, this is the grill that changes the way you cook outdoors. Iron-forged, Italian in spirit, and made to last. The kind of thing you bring out every June and wonder how you ever did without it.
Master Shin Hand-Made Knives: Carbon steel blades, wood handles, made one at a time by a master. These are not ordinary knives. They are the kind of tool that makes you want to cook something worthy of them.
Bella Cucina Aromatic Savory Salt Sampler: The full collection. A finishing salt for whatever comes off the grill, for the moment the meat leaves the coals. Keep the whole set by the fire and let the evening decide.
Vintage Bread Boards: Worn smooth by other kitchens, which is exactly the point. A proper board for the flatbread, the cheese, the things that come out while the grill is still heating.
A Man & His Kitchen by Matt Hranek: A limited edition, signed. For the father who cooks. For the man who takes the long way through a recipe because that is the whole point.
FOR THE APERITIVO HOUR
The Italian hour before dinner. A glass poured without occasion.
Vintage Art Deco Silver Coupe Glasses with Red Stem: The glasses worth bringing out. A coupe that has seen other parties. Reason enough to gather before anyone sits down.
Match Italian Pewter Cocktail Shaker: Hand-crafted in Italy, cast in pewter, built to last several generations of aperitivo hours. The kind of object that makes the ritual feel complete.
Etched European Aperitivo Glassware, Set of 4: For the table that has more guests than expected. Which is always how a festa works.
Lapos Aperitivo: Something bitter, something bright, the spirit left out and nothing missing. The aperitivo hour, without the alcohol.
The Negroni by Matt Hranek: Because every proper aperitivo hour deserves a proper education.
FOR THE TABLE
Set it well. Leave it that way all evening.
The Original Tuscan Italian Grill: Already outside. Already lit.
Pane Rustico Italian Flatbread 1kg: The first thing everyone reaches for. Serve it warm, with pesto, with oil, with whatever is already on the table. It disappears before dinner starts.
Chef's Selection Pesto Trio: Three pestos, all made the Bella Cucina way. For the flatbread, for the pasta, for the spoon that finds its way back to the jar more than once.
Sicilian Lemon Aromatic Oil: Poured over everything after. The finishing touch that makes whatever you made taste intentional.
Vintage Italian Espresso Cups: For the end of the meal that no one is ready to end. A small bitter coffee and absolutely no reason to leave.
FOR THE COLLECTOR
The father who has everything. The one who notices beautiful objects.
Ascari Collection Vintage Ray Ban Sunglasses: One-of-a-kind. The kind of thing you find once and never see again.
Ascari Collection Vintage Lighter: A considered object for the man who appreciates one. Carry it. Use it. Pass it down.
Ascari Collection Iconic Bronze Vessel: Sculptural, singular, already a heirloom. For the collector. For the table that holds beautiful things.
This Month In The Studio
Pasta Making Class | Saturday, June 27th, 2026
12 - 2pm 288 Buckhead Avenue, Buckhead Village
A hands-on evening learning to make pasta from scratch. The dough, the pull, the patience. Bella Cucina sauces, good company, and a table set at the end of it. The pizza class in June filled before we finished announcing it. A few seats remain for June 27.
Can't make it to the class? The pantry is always open. Shop pasta and sauces here.
Buon appetito!
Stay a while.....
→ Explore this month's Objects of Affection Collection