This week on The Sauce, Lauren sits down with Mario Iaccarino, partner at Casa Don Alfonso, the Italian restaurant inside The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, and an extension of his family’s legendary Don Alfonso 1890 in the Sorrento area of Italy.
Mario shares the history behind the Don Alfonso legacy (four generations in hospitality), and why Casa Don Alfonso exists to preserve a disappearing world of Southern Italian traditions, especially the recipes passed down by grandmothers over centuries.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The story of Don Alfonso 1890 and what it means to bring that legacy to St. Louis
- Why handmade pasta is a non-negotiable at Casa Don Alfonso
- The real reason their pizza dough stands out, including the three-day process and daily adjustments based on conditions
- How storytelling and culture shape every dish, from Campania to the broader Mediterranean
- The fan-favorite apple pizza, a Missouri-meets-Naples creation
- A new concept coming soon: Casa Pastry Boutique, featuring classic Neapolitan pastries and cakes
- Mario’s approach to seasonal cooking and what’s new on the fall menu (minestrone, gnocchi, truffle, seasonal pizza, and more)
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Presented by LHM, with holiday pop ups at 360 Downtown, 360 Westport, and festive experiences at Union Station including the Polar Express Train Ride and the Sleigh Shed inside Train Shed.
