Scuola Vecchia’s Italian team from Coral Springs flies home for a summer of family gatherings and traditional southern cooking
Coral Springs, Florida – The ovens at Scuola Vecchia Pizza E Vino are cooling down this week, but the hearts of its Italian team members are full of warmth and excitement. The beloved Coral Springs eatery, known for its old-world Neapolitan pizza and authentic Southern Italian charm, is pressing pause for the summer as three of its longtime staff prepare to head back to their roots.
For servers Rita Picariello and Franco Taiano, and pizzaiolo Roberto Canonico, the next few weeks won’t be about serving others—they’ll be about soaking up home life in Italy, reconnecting with family, and finally sitting on the other side of the table.
“I can’t wait to eat great food,” said Picariello, whose eyes lit up just thinking about her hometown of Avellino. She’s not talking about restaurant food, either—she means the kind of slow-cooked, grandmother-approved dishes that defined her childhood.
Canonico, who also hails from Avellino, is equally ready for the trip. “There’s going to be a lot of family and friends get-togethers—and of course we’ll be eating really well,” he said with a grin. His hands, so often busy shaping and firing pizzas in Scuola Vecchia’s roaring Acunto oven, will soon be reaching for fresh pasta, garden tomatoes, and plates passed around the table.
Taiano, originally from the scenic seaside town of Sorrento, has just one thing on his mind: seafood. “I love the seafood from my home,” he said. There’s nothing like it, he added, recalling flavors of fresh-caught fish and simple coastal recipes that highlight the best of the Mediterranean.
All three of them are central to Scuola Vecchia’s identity. They don’t just work at the restaurant—they are the restaurant. Their Italian accents, their stories, their energy, and their passion for food infuse every corner of the place. For many Coral Springs locals, a visit to Scuola Vecchia feels like a short trip to Naples—and that’s no accident.
Founded by Shaun Aloisio and his mother Sharon, Scuola Vecchia is more than a pizza place. It’s a tribute to Italian craftsmanship. Shaun, the first pizzaiolo in the U.S. to earn certification from the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (APN), has made it his mission to honor tradition. The restaurant’s wood-burning Acunto oven, imported from Naples, reaches blistering temperatures over 1,000 degrees, baking each pizza in under 90 seconds. But as any loyal customer knows, it’s not just about the heat—it’s about heart.
The menu reflects the light, simple elegance of Southern Italian cuisine: bufala mozzarella flown in from Italy, fragrant extra virgin olive oil, cured meats, and bright cherry tomatoes. There’s handmade pasta, paninis, and an undeniable sense that everything has been crafted with care—and a little nostalgia.
That nostalgia, perhaps, is why this summer trip means so much. For the trio of staffers, going home isn’t just about vacation—it’s about recharging. After years of sharing their food culture with Florida diners, they now get to return to the source. As they laughed and chatted this week, it was clear: this break is long overdue.
Sharon Aloisio sees the trip not as a pause in business, but as a meaningful part of the restaurant’s story. “Their journey back to Italy will only add to the story behind every dish served when they return,” she said.
Scuola Vecchia will be closed beginning Monday and will reopen on Friday, July 18. During that time, the kitchen may be silent, but the soul of the restaurant will be very much alive—in the homes of Avellino and Sorrento, where three proud Italians will be enjoying life, family, and every delicious bite.
For Coral Springs diners, the wait will be worth it. When the doors open again in mid-July, the passion that makes Scuola Vecchia so special will come back stronger, seasoned with stories and flavors from the Italian summer. Until then, the staff—and the customers—will be dreaming of Italy.
Scuola Vecchia Pizza E Vino is located at 6240 Coral Ridge Drive in Coral Springs.
