When you walk into Gaudino's, you will see right away that it is not like most restaurants. Yes, the chefs are serving up some amazing Italian food, but you can also buy some of the ingredients for that food in their mini market, an octagon-shaped counter in the middle of their restaurant. They have fresh Italian meats, cheeses, sides, and specialty items and a whole wall full of pastas, sauces, and various other items. It is actually very fitting they have a market since Gaudino's actually got its start as an Italian meat market.
The original Gaudino's was started in the 1940s in Detroit by Peter Gaudino.
"He made fresh Italian sausage. Little by little, the Italian sausage was known around the east side of Detroit," explained Peter Gaudino's granddaughter and the current Gaudino's owner, JoMarie Amato.
Amato's parents took over the business after her grandfather retired, and they moved Gaudino's to Saint Clair Shores.
"We operated here from 1971 until the late 80s," said Amato. "The little twist to the story is my husband and I met working here as teenagers."
So when the building went up for sale in 2015, Amato and her husband jumped to purchased it. They wanted to bring Gaudino's back, but they didn't want it to be another Italian meat market. Inspired by a trip to Chicago and visiting Eataly, they decided to make the new Gaudino's a market eatery.
Much of the family is still involved with the business and they still make their famous Italian sausage. Their menu features classic Italian dishes - from pastas to salads to pizza - and some meals even feature their famous Italian sausage. One such dish is their Pasta Porcellino, which you can buy all the ingredients for at their market. Here is the recipe:
Gaudino's Pasta Porcellino
Ingredients:
1 lb Rigatoni pasta
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
½ qt of Gaudino’s pomodoro sauce
½ lb Gaudino’s Italian sausage
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup white wine
1 bunch of baby arugula
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Boil pasta in salted water (according to package)
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add tomatoes and sausage (removed from casing) and begin to brown sausage together (gently breaking up the sausage) with the tomatoes.
Add white wine, allow to cook for 1 minute
Add pomodoro sauce and heavy cream, simmer for 3 minutes
Add cooked pasta to the skillet, fold in arugula, grated parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste
If you would like to try out Gaudino's they are located at 27919 Harper Ave, St Clair Shores, Michigan 48081.