Sugo Italian Steakhouse

Elevated comfort food meets prime beef

By Judy Royal  »  Photos by G. Frank Hart

When the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Ace and Jamie Alfalla to transform their New York marketing business into a fully remote operation, they began looking to move south. The couple explored several East Coast cities but eventually picked Wilmington, relocating in 2021. Since then, they have launched several hospitality projects, the latest of which is Sugo Italian Steakhouse in downtown Wilmington. They say the restaurant allows them to bring a taste of home to the Port City.

“We wanted to find a growing coastal city that we could invest in and grow with, and Wilmington really just has been the perfect place for us the past three years,” Jamie says. “We became very passionate about hospitality, and that is what inspired us to open Sugo Italian Steakhouse. We’re proud of the space, we’re exceptionally proud of the menu, and I feel like Wilmington is very receptive to the concept and enjoying it.”

Sugo, which opened in September, does not strive to re-create the cuisine of any of the regions of Italy, says Dave Gerin, Chief Operating Officer of Alfalla Hospitality Group. It’s more about serving Italian-American food typically found in the Northeast United States, he says.

“Recipes passed down for generations, classic dishes that have over time grown as staples in American culture, that’s the style we mixed with being a prime steakhouse,” Gerin says. “We wanted to find a way to meld those concepts together and bring those flavors that we grew up with to Wilmington. It’s a highly elevated comfort-style Italian food.”

This includes pasta dishes topped with sauces such as sugo – their own version of classic tomato with garlic and a touch of sweetness – pink vodka, meaty Bolognese and creamy Alfredo. Cheesy lasagna is shaped into pinwheels, perfect for sharing, while Beef Wellington showcases the kitchen’s commitment to excellence.

“This is a very difficult and high-prep item that is not easy to implement,” Jamie says. “Being able to deliver a Beef Wellington that tastes amazing and is cooked perfectly is a huge accomplishment and something unique that we offer.”

Then there is the lineup of prime steaks. Sugo offers various beef cuts, including dry-aged Kansas City Strip, Tomahawk Ribeye and Porterhouse.

“Dry-aged is not something Wilmington has had a lot of experience with, and I think that certainly sets us apart,” Jamie says. 

This results in steaks with a different flavor profile than those that are wet-aged, Gerin says.

“We wanted to really bring that New York style, whether Peter Luger or Smith & Wollensky, that lines the Meatpacking District, and we felt nobody here was focusing on that,” he says. “Of course, there are also a lot of pasta options, so diners can try the best of both worlds. We see a lot of sharing and people coming together, and that’s really what Italian cuisine is meant to be.”

Expect a lively fine dining experience with spectacular views of the Cape Fear River, especially during sunset, Ace says.

“Being able to root ourselves in the past but bring a modern feel to it is something we really enjoy,” Jamie adds. “We also take a lot of pride in the amount of continuous training that our staff gets. We are putting the right people through training so we can give an elevated level of service.”

Although the restaurant has only been open a few months, Sugo is already seeing a following of regulars, Ace says.

“It’s been above and beyond our expectations,” he says. “We want people to come here and say it’s like home.”

While Sugo already has cocktails and desserts on its menu, the Alfallas are expanding on those offerings with a new concept coming soon. They are leveraging the pastry experience of Executive Chef Thomas Calhoun by creating The Drawing Room, a standalone space that will open downstairs from Sugo in late January.

“Guests can retire to The Drawing Room for a nightcap or dessert,” Jamie says. “There will be more experiential cocktails, more mixology and speakeasy-type vibes. Our chef will be making all the desserts, and while he will be using inspiration from Italian-American cuisine, they won’t be anything predictable.”

The Drawing Room will be unlike anything Wilmington has ever seen, Gerin adds.

“We are really going to focus on cocktails that will blow people away with presentation,” he says. “It’s not going to be your quick-slinging drink place. Cocktails will have thought and time put into them so you can sit and enjoy.”