Picture this: a beautiful seaside village in Italy, where pastel-colored buildings overlook fishing boats and sailboats lining the canal. Monte di Procida, a small town in Campania, is known as “The Terrace of the Phlegraean Fields” for its high cliffs that offer panoramic views of the Gulf of Naples.
The Italian home of the Illiano family sets the scene for Illiano Cucina Mediterranea, a restaurant they opened in Medford more than 35 years ago.
Owned by Antonio Illiano, his daughter Lucia Illiano, Lucia’s husband, Michael Savarese, and Lucia’s brothers, Gennaro and Claudio Illiano, the restaurant opened in 1989 with modern rustic Italian inspiration and an extremely personal touch, showcasing pictures and hand-painted ceramics from their hometown.
The patriarch Tony, as he’s called, came to the U.S. while working on cargo ships, and in 1970, decided to stay. He lived in Brooklyn, New York, with his brothers, eventually moving to South Jersey to open pizzerias in Trenton and Hammonton. His friends from New York had taught him about the pizza business, according to Lucia.
Now retired, Tony spends 6 months in Berlin, NJ and six months back home in Italy — but when he’s in the States, he visits Illiano Cucina Mediterranea on the daily.
“We take a lot of pride in our business. We thought it was the right choice for us to continue on,” Lucia said.
Lucia, her husband, and her brothers help carry on the Illiano name.
The Italian home of the Illiano family sets the scene for Illiano Cucina Mediterranea, a restaurant they opened in Medford more than 35 years ago. “We use fresh ingredients for our dishes, but the key is to be consistent, whether that be with taste or the quality of our service,” Lucia Illiano said of their restaurant’s longevity.
Undoubtedly, fresh seafood is a highlight of the menu. Capellini positano has jumbo lump crab meat in a fresh tomato sauce. Zuppe de pesce is a combination of jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, and scallops in a zesty marinara or garlic white wine sauce.
Illiano Cucina specializes in old-world specialties like sausage & peppers, stuffed shells, and eggplant parmigiana. There are hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches, lunchtime paninis, calzones, and rolls. The meatballs are a family recipe, and the family’s sauces have been customized for their patrons.
The ingredients — like the pastas, olive oil, and San Marzano tomatoes — are imported from Italy.
“We try to be pretty authentic,” Lucia said, “but people here want to eat traditional Italian-American foods.”
The full-service restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and dessert in the dining room for up to 150, in addition to takeout and catering. There is a heated, enclosed patio that is open year-round. Guests can also rent a private room for up to 50 people on any afternoon.
With a focus on family, several takeout specials are available. Tuesdays and Wednesdays offer a large cheese pizza for $13, as well as family meals that feed six — available as chicken parmigiana, piccata, or marsala for $50. Pasta family specials that can serve a family of four for $40 include a choice of pasta, meatballs, sausage or both, baked ziti, or penne vodka. All family specials include salad and dinner rolls.
Lucia said the restaurant stands out for its in-house preparation and commitment to service, noting that the staff prioritizes both quality and accommodating customer requests.
Italian parties also center around music, and Tuesday nights include live music in the dining room beginning at 6 p.m.
“The way we keep our customers coming back is the same way we have stayed a staple of the local culinary scene for 36 years,” Lucia said. “We use fresh ingredients for our dishes, but the key is to be consistent, whether that be with taste or the quality of our service.”
