Matt and Alice Gambardella Are originally from New Haven, CT. Matt's parent's and Alice's father were born in Italy and came to America at the turn of the century. Alice's mother was from an Italian section of Venezuela. In the 1940s, Matt, his father Poalo and partner Joe Calabro owned the Gambardella Calabro Cheese Company.
In the 1950s, Matt and Alice were married and began working with Matt's parents in their restaurant on the beach in Connecticut. The San Remo was a large facility with banquets and a small hotel on top.
In 1972, Matt and Alice moved with their eight children to Alaska. In 1974 they opened Gambardella's on South Cushman St. From 1976-1986 Matt was an executive chef on the pipeline in Alaska and Saudi Arabia.
Finally, with the pleadings of their friends, Alice and Matt opened Gambardella's Pasta Bella in 1987. It was conceived as gourmet take-out and began with only 10 small tables. They added a new dining room every couple of years to keep up with customer demand and the long lines for tables. The Fairbanks store is owned and operated by their daughter Lisa (and Alicia too!).
Great Italian food is a family tradition for the Gambardellas.