About Us
Anthony Braica established La Cipollina three decades ago. The central goal was to create a team of exceptional characters with unmatched work ethic, refinement, and ability to provide customers with an experience of unparalleled quality and service, focusing on authentic Italian cuisine with a fresh, flavorful, artistic approach. We have evolved from a restaurant into a unique family with the ambition and aptitude to realize that goal.
Over the years, the La Cipollina family has had the honor of catering to a diverse clientele. This includes world leaders like President Clinton, celebrities such as Martin Scorcese, Joe Pesci, and Robert De Niro, and legends like Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio; however, we realize that our most important guests are those loyal customers that have truly become extended family.
Our motto is "We Cook It, We Live It, We Love It," and it is a justified description of how we function. La Cipollina operates its own seasonal organic garden that is a stone's throw from its kitchen. Executive chef Matt Higgins incorporates diverse ingredients like Thai basil, pea shoots, chanterelles, varieties of peppers and tomatoes layering locally produced flavor into every bite of our meticulously-developed, distinctive menus.
Anthony Braica
anthonybraica@lacipollina.com
Anthony Braica, born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has worked in every facet of the restaurant industry. Starting as a dishwasher at the age of 13, Anthony developed a passion for the business at a young age, and he became what the industry refers to as a "lifer." Anthony became a self-taught chef with a focus on, and aptitude for, authentic Italian cuisine with French influences through a fresh, flavorful, artistic approach. In his varied career he has had the fortune of catering to myriad customers including celebrities, politicians, and other renowned restaurateurs. Anthony's meticulous and organized nature has been instrumental in his ability to seamlessly systematize and handle the countless details characteristic of running of successful restaurant. Anthony currently lives in Freehold, NJ with his wife Heather, their identical twin daughters Phoebe and Aubrey, and their three small dogs Chips, Salsa, and Carlos. October of 2017 marks the thirtieth year since La Cipollina's establishment, and in that span, Anthony has created a healthy family with unrivaled skill in providing quality service. Anthony developed a vision 30 years ago of providing an unequaled culinary experience, and continues to be dedicated to his motto: We Cook It, We Live It, We Love It.
Matthew Higgins
matthiggins@lacipollina.com
Matt Higgins, born and raised in New Jersey, developed a love for the restaurant industry at a young age, thanks to his close relationship with family friend Anthony Braica. Matt first met Anthony when he was seven and was immediately drawn to the bustling energy of La Cipollina, where Anthony was a charismatic presence. Spending much of his adolescence in the kitchen and dining rooms, Matt shadowed Anthony, eager to learn everything he could about the restaurant world. Anthony, recognizing Matt's enthusiasm, mentored him with the same hands-on approach he had experienced himself, starting Matt as a dishwasher and guiding him through every position in the restaurant. This thorough training helped Matt become a highly skilled chef, and he and Anthony formed a strong father-son bond. Despite Anthony's advice to focus on academics, which led Matt to graduate summa cum laude from Stevens Institute of Technology, Matt couldn't resist the pull of the restaurant industry. He turned down opportunities in the financial sector to follow his passion and eventually became the executive chef at La Cipollina. Since taking on this role, Matt has been a driving force behind the restaurant's innovations, earning accolades like being named one of the Top 25 Chefs Under The Age Of 25 by Best Chefs America. According to Anthony, Matt is the best chef La Cipollina has had in its three decades of operation.
We thank you for your patronage, and we promise you that we will continue to grow and raise the bar in serving you.
