Cafe Tuscany Brings Italian Cuisine and Ambiance to Main Street

Between Paradiso Restaurant, Giulianova Groceria, and Cafe Tuscany, Westminster has its very own Little Italy on Main Street. A Little Bit of Tuscany will be celebrating its grand re-opening as Cafe Tuscany tonight with complementary food and free jazz music from 4 to 7 p.m. 

Perhaps most excited about the restaurant's new interior and updated menu is Executive Chef Tara Trawinski.

Trawinski, a Carroll County native, says her greatest triumph in the kitchen is taking on the responsibilities of her current position as executive chef at Cafe Tuscany.

"I am so proud to be able to step into this position," Trawinski said in an interview just days before the grand opening of Cafe Tuscany. "The executive chef role is so much more than just cooking and running a kitchen. You have to be able to juggle so many different responsibilities -- things such as ordering all the food, being concerned with your budget, and keeping up with all the Health Department regulations. I still have lots to learn."

Trawinski's learning about food, cooking and baking began early, in her grandmother's kitchen at the family farm between Taneytown and Gettysburg. It was at her grandmother's farm where she spent her summers learning to cook with the bounty from the farm.

"They had a garden and animals, and there were always good things to eat that were so fresh," Trawinski said. "And in addition to cooking, we watched all the cooking shows on MPT (Maryland Public Television). I learned it was fun to make fresh ingredients into something good."

Trawinski also attributes her education at Baltimore International College -- Baltimore's top culinary school where she earned her certification and won a bronze medal in a competition -- with confirming her interest in cooking and providing her with unique opportunities.

"I interned with Carlo Vignotto of La Tavola restaurant in Little Italy," Trawinski said. "Most of what I have learned about Italian cooking, I credit to him."

The marriage of honoring fresh ingredients and learning Italian cooking from a master was important when Trawinski was hired as a sous chef by A Little Bit of Tuscany. And it really paid off a year-and-a-half ago when she was offered the job of the restaurant's executive chef.

"My approach is to introduce more fresh and organic ingredients and lighter sauces. I believe that the fresher and simpler a dish, the better it is. I also try to do lots of 'small plates'," Trawinski said.

"Food is a passion for the owners and for myself,"  Trawinski added. "We have revised the menu to make the restaurant a place where people come on a regular basis -- not just for a very special night out. We just like having people around. We want this to be a very social place."

In order to make for a more social, laid back atmosphere, the new Cafe Tuscany has a bar with an expanded seating area. They will also feature live music on occasion in the bar. According to a news release, the bar boasts the area’s largest assortment of Italian wine, beer and champagne, but will also offer imported and domestic beer and liquor. It will also offer hot beverages including espresso, lattes and cappuccinos.

The menu created by Trawinski will leave one wondering where to begin. Signature Italian dishes including gourmet pizzas, a variety of Italian breads, hot panini sandwiches and six house specialty pasta dishes are just some of the features she's dreamed up.

In addition, Chef Trawinski has created new menu items to include European Burgers, Asian-style wings and Italian nachos. Customers will also have the option to “build your own” burger and pasta dish, where they can choose from a variety of imported cheeses, signature sauces and toppings to create an Italian fusion of flavors.

Café Tuscany is owned and operated by Rose & Kirk Seaman. Rose is an entrepreneur with over 20 years experience in banking and finance. Kirk is a local attorney practicing for over 20 years.

Rose Seaman said, “I am so excited about our new name and new look. After three years of success in Westminster we have carefully listened to our customers and they have expressed a desire to enjoy a wider variety of foods and drinks but still with an Italian flair.” 

The restaurant, located at 84 E Main St., will be open Tuesday through Saturday offering a full lunch and dinner menu.

Drop in this evening between 4 to 7 p.m. to break in the new bar seats, try a new menu item, take in some live jazz music-- and if you're lucky-- feel like you're sitting in a little cafe off a cobblestone street in old Tuscany.