The wait is almost over as the highly anticipated Salt & Vine has let us know that the restaurant will officially be open for reservations starting Friday, May 26th. Salt & Vine has taken over the Olney House, which was previously the home of Ricciuti’s at 3308 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. Initially, things didn’t move as quickly as anticipated due to Covid delays. Then the permitting process moved at a slower pace due to the historical significance of the building, but the restaurant is now ready to open.
Owner and head chef Thomas Zippelli is a Howard County native, having grown up in the county during his childhood and attending River Hill High School. He is passionately sharing his message “EAT LOCAL!” Since his return to the area, Thomas has worked on building his relationships with the local farmers and farmer markets. His morning wouldn’t be complete without taking his truck around to pick up some local produce to add to the menu each night. Zippelli has worked at some of the most notable restaurants in the country, including Michelin three-star restaurants Eleven Madison Park in New York and The French Laundry in California.
Per Salt & Vine: The historic Olney House was purchased by Thomas Zippelli in 2019 with a planned renovation and expansion scheduled to start in the spring of 2020. The partial demolition revealed a building that was in very rough shape and not structurally sound and needed to be gutted and rebuilt. The decision was made to undertake an expansion of the existing building and to bring back the original porch pictured below and add several new patios as well as adding dining space, new bar, new kitchen, basically new everything. All this coincided with the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic that slowed down the project.
“Salt & Vine Trattoria and Wine Bar is built from the historic Olney house at Olney Maryland. Executive Chef and Owner, Thomas Zippelli has focused on creating local, fresh, and seasonally inspired Italian dishes. As well as building a dining experience that fits everyone . We have outdoor seating, two bars, private dining, and a dining room. Anyone searching for an elevated and authentic dining experience will enjoy Salt and Vine. Search no further.”
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