Three summers ago...
"It's never been the same since, ya know?"
Carmine's in East Amherst, burned to the ground.
"You lost the whole building, you lost everything, you lost your roots," owner Kelly Jacobbi said. All because a pizza over caught fire.
"Ya know, it obviously was the day of the fire during the Taste of Buffalo," her son and general manager of Carmine's, Alex Jacobbi, said.
Kelly added, "And it took us a while to rebuild and comeback."
The second iteration of Carmine's, opened nine months ago.
"Slightly down the road a little bit. Not too far from where we used to be," Alex said. And this year's Taste of Buffalo, is its coming out party.
"Carmine's has been in the Taste of Buffalo for the last 25 years with a three year break."
Owner Kelly Jacobbi and her son, Alex, said while they're excited to make their return-- "It's been a little chaotic, a little hectic. It wouldn't be the Taste of Buffalo if it wasn't that extra hard work."
But all that hard work, has panned out for them before. Winning award...after award...after award... "We've won Taste of Buffalo seven times."
The goal this year for the Jacobbis, well win another one along with the hearts of foodies from Western New York, and beyond. They'll be right on Delaware Avenue.
If you want any tips for what to order, the Pesto Pistachio Pasta alongside the Taste of Buffalo award-winning Crabcake Stuffed Shrimp will both be on the menu for Carmine's during the event.
