What to Order: Cocozza’s pork Milanese is the star of the show
Pork Milanese served at Cocozza American Italian. (Submitted)
Joshua Carlucci
Joshua Carlucci is a writer and food journalist from Los Banos, California. He holds a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley, a culinary diploma from the Institute of Culinary Education, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Memphis, where he was managing editor of Pinch. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Brussels Review, Redivider, Gravy, EatingWell, Southern Living, and elsewhere. He is a staff writer at Brooklyn-based food and beverage industry magazine, StarChefs.Find more of his work on his website, joshuacarlucci.com.
The thing about Cocozza American Italian is it feels like someone took your idea of a cozy Italian-American diner — the red-and-white checkered floors, herbs in the window, meat cutlets the size of your face — and gave it a soft orange glow and a rye-forward cocktail.
The location in Harbor Town is one of the prettiest restaurants in Memphis, but not in a way that tries too hard. Minimalist wood paneling, tables just far enough apart, sexy lighting, a hint of basil in the air, it’s nice without being gaudy or pretentious.
(A new location is expected to open in East Memphis at 919 S. Yates Road next month.)
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