Opened in late December 2024 and officially launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month, Savia seats just 38 inside and has room for another six on its small patio. Its mission is simple: deliver an authentic taste of Sicily to South Florida. But Quaderno's story stretches far beyond Boca. Raised in a family entrenched in Sicily's food and beverage world for more than 130 years, he grew up shadowing the chefs at his family's businesses — all sparked by his mother's questionable cooking, according to a recent Sun Sentinel feature article on the chef.
His career since has been anything but typical: After logging thousands of miles as a pilot, he transitioned into hospitality, even taking on roles with Italian embassies abroad. Along the way, he told the outlet that helped Uberto Gucci launch a luxury cognac brand and, perhaps most memorably, prepared a Sicilian brunch for the late Pope Francis during a visit to Armenia."The moment when [the Pope] — looking in my eyes — he said something like, 'It was very light, very simple, but it was also nice having the taste of something I never [had before],'" Quarderno told the Sun Sentinel. "It was like the best compliment I ever heard. It was a good validation, the best validation of my life."
A Menu Rooted in Sicilian Tradition
According to Sun Sentinel, Quaderno draws heavily on his roots and his family's old-world supply connections to source ingredients straight from Sicily. The oregano hails from the Nebrodi Mountains. The capers are plucked from the island of Pantelleria. The anchovies? Straight from the fishing town of Sciacca. Even the pistachios, famed for their intensity, come from Bronte.On the menu, starters include fritto misto, a crisp medley of calamari, shrimp, scallops, and vegetables; and eggplant involtini, delicate rolls of eggplant stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella.
Pastas take center stage in the "Primi Piatti" section, with dishes like lasagna neve dell'etna, a vegetable-studded béchamel lasagna; spaghetti allo spada, tossed with swordfish, tomatoes, olives, and capers; and rigatoni alla nonna grazielle, with diced fried eggplant, micro meatballs, tomato, basil, and salted ricotta. For mains, the ossobuco di salemi (a veal shank slow-braised with Sicilian herbs) shares the spotlight with comforting classics like pollo alla parmigiana (fried chicken breast, tomato sauce, parmigiano reggiano, mozzarella). Desserts lean traditional as well, offering sweet endings like cannolis, tiramisu, and Sicilian ricotta cheesecake.
Savia plans to host regular culinary masterclasses, special tasting events, and themed Sicilian evenings. The restaurant's Facebook and Instagram pages share updates on upcoming events.
Savia. 130 NE 2nd St., Boca Raton; 561-617-5424; savia.us.
