Casa Don Alfonso

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

From Sorrento to St. Louis

Casa Don Alfonso carries the food traditions of Southern Italy into the heart of Clayton, Missouri, drawing on recipes passed down through generations in the family homes of the Sorrento Coast. The restaurant is inspired by the Iaccarino family's legacy of hospitality — a lineage deeply rooted in that sun-drenched stretch of the Italian south — and translates it into what the team describes as a casual yet considered approach to Mediterranean and Italian cuisine.

The People Behind the Kitchen

A new leadership team has sharpened the restaurant's direction. Chef de Cuisine Ferdinando "Nino" Annio Ricupero was born and raised in Sicily, where he trained at the Federico Il di Svevia Culinary School before building his career in the craft. His Sicilian roots bring an authentic regional perspective to the Italian cooking on offer. General Manager Ryan Nickelson, a recognized figure in St. Louis hospitality, leads the floor, while sommelier Chris Hoskins — with decades spanning wholesale wine and fine dining — oversees a cellar that earned Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence in 2023, a distinction that reflects genuine depth and curation.

Casa Boutique

Within the restaurant's lounge, Casa Boutique offers a daily selection of handcrafted Italian pastries, savory sandwiches, seasonal specialties, and espresso drinks. It's designed to evoke the warmth of Sorrento in a more relaxed format, and operates with the same attention to detail as the main dining room. A whole cake collection is also available to order.

A Sense of Place

Situated at 100 Carondelet Plaza inside The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, Casa Don Alfonso offers a setting that matches its ambitions — refined without being stiff, and grounded in the kind of Italian hospitality that feels personal rather than performative.