Member of longtime local restaurant family opening new Italian joint in downtown Ashland

Wife-and-husband duo Nadja and Giuseppe Giambanco with their kids at Il Forno. (Mike Platania photo)

Downtown Ashland is set to get a new eatery from a member of a longtime local restaurant family.

Il Forno Bar & Grill is preparing to open at 435 England St.

Meaning “The Oven” in Italian, Il Forno marks a reentry into the restaurant business for Giuseppe Giambanco, whose family previously owned Roma Ristorante Italiano in Henrico County before selling in recent years. Giambanco’s brother Filippo owns Giambanco’s Italian Grill in Mechanicsville. 

Giuseppe has worked as a real estate broker in recent years but said he pursued Il Forno because he missed being around food. 

“We grew up in restaurants. It taught us a good work ethic,” Giambanco said. “I’ve missed talking and networking with people, just all the customer service. I missed it a lot.”

Giambanco said Il Forno is Italian-based, but also a bar and grill with non-Italian options such as surf and turf burgers and short rib tacos. 

“We’re not your traditional Italian restaurant where you get spaghetti with tomato sauce and an Italian sub. It’s a modified menu, more modern,” he said. “There’s nothing like it around here. It’s not high-end but you can sit at the bar, have a drink and a couple nice appetizers.”

Il Forno does offer Italian staples such as pizza, risotto and pasta dishes, many of which have a seafood component. It also has a full bar and cocktail menu. 

Located in downtown Ashland, just a few blocks from Randolph-Macon College, Il Forno’s space came available earlier this year after Top’s China restaurant closed. Giambanco leased the space and got to work. 

“We did a total gut of the inside with all new equipment,” he said. “It’s basically a brand new place.”

Il Forno’s grand opening is planned for July 16. It’ll be open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. 

The Giambanco family had previously been looking to develop a retail and office center in Montpelier in western Hanover, but Giuseppe said they’re no longer pursuing the project after selling the land at 16644 Mountain Road last year. 

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