Go to McMinnville, Oregon, for Your Next Girls’ Weekend
Opened by Nick Peirano in 1977, the James Beard Award winning Nick's Italian Cafe is now run by his daughter Carmen and acts as the town’s unofficial clubhouse for local winemakers.
Vogue Magazine
2014 America's Classics: Nick's Italian Cafe
“When Nick Peirano, a third-generation Italian-American, opened a serious Italian restaurant in the farming town of McMinnville in 1977, he had no previous restaurant experience. No matter. His restaurant soon became the place Oregon winemakers hung when there were just a dozen or so. Now there are hundreds, and Nick’s is still their clubhouse.”
james beard foundation
Carmen Peirano shares her favorites at Nick's and around Oregon.
“My father’s recipes were based on beloved family dishes. Some were straight from Italy, some morphed as generations of Italians settled in America, and others were influenced by the changing culinary scene.”
VIA MAGAZINE
Travel Oregon Magazine: Nick's Italian Cafe
“Since opening in 1977, Nick's has been a McMinnville stalwart for hungry winemakers and wine drinkers alike. Founder Nick Peirano recently handed over the reins to his daughter Carmen...”
TRAVEL OREGON
Nick Peirano Feeds the Oregon Wine Country
"The second amazing thing is that he didn't even know they were there. The first amazing thing is that, in 1977, Nick Peirano, a kid from the Oakland side of San Francisco Bay with a degree in political science and no professional kitchen experience..."
SAVEUR
Nick's Minestrone
“This soup, a longtime fixture on the prix fixe menu at Nick's Italian Cafe in McMinnville, Oregon, is served tableside from a tureen and topped with a generous spoonful of fragrant, freshly made pesto.”