Norwood Small Business Q&A: Olivadi

We spoke with Olivadi General Manager Peter McDonough recently about what the must-have dishes are at the restaurant.

Olivadi on Guild Street in Norwood is open for lunch and dinner and features a separate bar menu.

They recently changed their drink menu and will be putting out a spring menu at the beginning of June. Their patio is opening this week as well.

How long has the restaurant been in business and what makes Olivadi successful?

“It will be five years this October so we opened in October 2008,” McDonough said. “Word of mouth, you know, people who tell their friends, family members and so forth come back and we’re always having people who are bringing new people in and that’s what works for us.”

What is something that people may not know about the restaurant?

“Two things, we offer lunch Tuesday through Friday which a lot of people don’t know about, and two, we have two function rooms. One seats up to 50 people, one seats up to 16 people. Both are available for all occasions,” McDonough said.

What do you like about being in Norwood?

“I think the sense of community that comes with being a business in Norwood is always a positive where we can be an everyday place for some people and a special occasion place for some people and everything else in between,” he said.

What is your most popular menu item?

“Two of our signature dishes are the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese and our Pistachio and Horseradish Crusted Salmon,” McDonough said. “The Bolognese is a traditional favorite and it’s done really well and it’s authentic. The salmon is done a little bit different and a little unusual and that’s one of the things people like about it. That’s why people come here, for the contemporary-style Italian cuisine.”