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Acquolina Weston - Exceptional Italian-American Dining in Florida

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Acquolina Weston - Exceptional Italian-American Dining in Florida

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An established Florida eatery, Acquolina Weston gets its name from the Italian word acquolina, meaning “mouth-watering." The elegant yet casual dining destination spans a bar, main dining room, and waterfront patio. Opened in 2008, Acquolina Weston is known for its authentic Italian-American fare. Dishes feature the freshest possible ingredients, from catch of the day to CAB prime steaks, cooked to perfection by a highly trained chef and kitchen crew.

Guests who arrive at a table or a preferred seat at the bar, are presented with an extensive selection of wines, spirits, and cocktails. With more than 200 bottles of premium vintages on hand, Acquolina's wines range from Chateau Cheval Blanc (Saint Emilion) to Harlan Estate (Napa). There are also more than 40 bourbon and rye whiskeys on offer, 30 single malt or blended scotches, and 40 tequilas. Signature drinks include the hazelnut espresso martini, which combines vodka, Kahlua, fresh espresso, and Frangelico, and the agave-infused passion fruit margarita.

Acquolina Weston’s expansive footprint includes a newly built conference area and lounge ideal for parties and large family gatherings as well as corporate luncheons that involve business presentations. Community-involved, the restaurant supports a number of local charities, including the childhood cancer-focused SIDES.

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​The United States supported nearly 750,000 restaurants in 2023, nine out of 10 small businesses. According to Restaurant Dive, approximately 18,000 restaurants with Yelp profiles list outdoor dining as a feature. Yelp searches for outdoor dining options increased by nearly 300 percent during the same period.

The desire for outdoor seating has continued, with the National Restaurant Association 2022 State of Industry report stating that 75 percent of adults feel safer eating outdoors. Meanwhile, OpenTable reports that 82 percent of diners hope restaurants continue to invest in outdoor seating options.

Open-air dining was a requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic, but an estimated 84 percent of adult diners expressed hope that expanded outdoor dining options would remain popular post-pandemic. Diners enjoy several benefits from eating outdoors.

Eating outdoors can reduce stress. Stress negatively impacts both the body and mind and prolonged stress has many consequences, including elevated blood pressure levels, which can cause heart disease. Many studies show that time spent around trees and green spaces reduces stress levels in the body.

Dining outdoors helps individuals maintain focus and positive moods. Reports show that attention span, memory, and concentration all benefit from time spent in natural, outdoor environments. Diners can compound these benefits by choosing meals with foods that improve cognitive function. A few options include salmon, tomatoes, avocados, and lean red meats.

Eating outdoors also helps lower the chances of developing chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Even short periods spent outdoors can lower dangerous cortisol levels in the body while increasing the production of white blood cells and vitamin D.

Alfresco dining has been linked to improved sleep quality. The more time a person spends outside, the more regulated their sleep cycle. Avoiding screens and spending time outdoors around dinner when individuals begin their sleep routines is beneficial.

Beyond health benefits, outdoor dining options allow restaurants to expand and provide patrons with a more flexible and varied dining experience. Customers are especially fond of patios. Restaurant owners may be wary of investing in dining space that can only be used in fair weather. Still, an Ohio State University report found that diners are less interested in dining out during poor weather regardless. The same report determined that restaurants are more likely to enjoy their dining experience if the temperature is good, especially when dining on a patio.

Other studies show definitive proof of the influence outdoor dining can have on profits. Restaurant industry periodical FSR Magazine reported that 43 percent of millennials spend more on drinks when dining outdoors and that traveling diners prefer outdoor seating. Outdoor seating can also draw more foot traffic to a restaurant, mainly when patios are in front of the restaurant or along busy thoroughfares.

Finally, depending on a restaurant's location, developing a patio space can be a cost-effective strategy for expansion, as opposed to constructing a new dining room or bar. Outdoor seating arrangements are more malleable than indoor dining areas and can be redesigned or temporarily taken down, such as closing a patio during the colder winter months.

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Benefits of Alfresco Dining for Patrons and Restaurateurs

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​The United States supported nearly 750,000 restaurants in 2023, nine out of 10 small businesses. According to Restaurant Dive, approximately 18,000 restaurants with Yelp profiles list outdoor...

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An Overview of Popular Italian Foods in America

Americans consume various ethnic foods on a regular basis. The Chicago-based research firm Technomic found that nearly four out of five Americans go to restaurants that serve ethnic food at least once per month, and close to 40 percent of Americans dine out on ethnic foods weekly, to say nothing of how often Americans order or prepare ethnic foods at home. Many kinds of ethnic foods are popular throughout the United States, with different regions supporting specific trends.

Certain cuisines are popular all over, including Italian food. National Geographic once went so far as to state that Italian food was "as American as apple pie." The history of Italian food's prevalence in the United States can be traced back to 1876, when the first Italian immigrants arrived. For many years, it was viewed as a food favored by lower economic classes, but throughout the 1940s, numerous popular Italian dining restaurants popped up in New York. By the 1970s and 1980s, Italian dining and fine dining were synonymous throughout the country.

Italian is the most popular ethnic food option in two states (New York and New Jersey), with Yonkers and New York City leading the nation's cities in Italian dining interest, according to a Chef's Pencil study. Italian food is also highly popular in Boston and Tampa.

Pizza was one of the earliest foods brought to America by Italian immigrants. It is the most popular Italian food item in the United States, as well as one of the most frequently ordered foods in America overall. The typical American eats roughly 156 slices of pizza every year, or nearly 20 pizzas. One out of three diners eats pizza at least once per week, eating an average of three slices per sitting.

As a nation, America consumes 3 billion pizzas annually, equating to $38 billion in sales. This national interest in pizza supports more than 80,000 pizza restaurants.

Pizza may be the most popular Italian food in America, but when most people think of Italian fine dining, they think of various pasta dishes. Pasta is a versatile meal option that can function as a cost-effective, last-minute option or an elaborate, world-class dining experience. More than 4 billion pounds of pasta are produced in the United States every year, and American diners consume upward of 6 billion pounds. Americans eat, on average, 20 pounds of pasta each year, compared to 60 pounds annually for Italians. The pasta market hit $8.86 billion in 2023 and has an expected compound annual growth rate of 7.95 percent through 2028.

Some of the most popular pasta dishes include fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs, and spaghetti Bolognese. Fettuccine Alfredo is an example of how customizable Italian dishes can be. It can serve as a vegetarian meal or feature chicken or shrimp for added protein, and can be served as a light side dish or rich main course. It should be noted that spaghetti and meatballs is not actually a traditional Italian dish. Meatballs were a budget meat option for Italian immigrants, who developed the dish between 1880 and 1920. As such, not all traditional Italian restaurants offer the dish, especially outside of America.

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An Overview of Popular Italian Foods in America Americans consume various ethnic foods on a regular basis. The Chicago-based research firm Technomic found that nearly four out of five Americans go to...