What's New

Eugene can look forward to new restaurant and bar opening in spring of 2010, when Sfizio: Italian Food and Drink opens its doors in the Oakway Center. Sfizio (the Italian word for a whim, or a craving) will offer classic, authentic Italian food, served in an urban, casual environment. Guests can look forward to a menu full of pastas made fresh daily, hand-cured meats and a wealth of local produce, prepared with attention to the traditions of Italy. “The Willamette Valley is a perfect place to cook with an Italian sensibility” says chef-owner Rocky Maselli, “especially with the abundance of local ingredients and producers we have.”  The chefs at Sfizio will turn to local producers for almost everything; meats, fish, cheese, mushrooms, wine--whatever the season has to offer. The dining room will be fun, functional and comfortable--a modern Italian tavern with outstanding food.  A full bar will feature Eugene’s favorite cocktails alongside a huge selection of micro-distillery spirits and a painstakingly researched selection of bourbons. The wine list will continue the patterns of the menu, focusing on Italy and the Northwest. Six beers on tap, a carefully chosen wine by the glass selection and Wondering Goat espresso will round out the experience.

This 96-seat Italian eatery will be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. In warmer weather, seating will spill out onto the courtyard of the Oakway Center and expand to serve more than 130 guests.  But food and drink will be the central focus. The interior is designed around the open kitchen and bar, where patrons can be in the middle of the action at the 18-seat kitchen-bar counter. Private booths and a long family table will offer a range of experiences, from a family night out to a convivial business dinner or lunch with friends. 

Maselli and Dan Hill, of Eugene's Arbor South Architecture, have worked together to create a space that combines the sleek feel of modern Italian design with the warmth and green sensibility of the Pacific Northwest. A palette of sustainable materials--finished concrete, locally sourced wood, (reclaimed anything?)--define this decidedly urban space under soaring 22-foot ceilings. A rolling window-wall will open the dining room up to the patio in warm months, bringing the together bustle of the courtyard and the festive atmosphere of the raised private booths.

The restaurant is a joint project between Maselli and a group of silent investors, who are excited to bring Maselli’s experience and talent in the restaurant business to a new endeavor. Maselli, who was trained in restaurant and hotel management in San Francisco, has spent his life working in restaurants—from his family’s British Columbia marina restaurant to hotel and restaurant kitchens from San Francisco to Portland. He has been at the helm at Marche since it opened in 1998, first as chef de cuisine and taking over as executive chef in 2004 and general manager in 2006. He has been recognized in the national press (Bon Appetit, W Magazine, Cigar Aficionado, the Discovery Channel) by the James Beard Foundation and Slow Food for his work with seasonal Northwest ingredients.

Maselli will stay involved at Marche in his role as co-owner. "I'm looking forward to a strong future for restaurants in Eugene," Maselli says. "We have a great community of colleagues and customers that's growing all the time. Sfizio will be a fantastic addition."