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Laurie Vitale

Meet Your Culinary Guide

With Italian-Sicilian heritage going back three generations, Laurie Vitale has made it her mission to bring the tastes of Italy to the people of Kansas City without leaving their community. Because she is dedicated to using only the most authentic ingredients and flavors, Laurie has made several trips to Italy and Sicily every year since 2017, honing the food truck’s recipes to perfection. Her travels have made her an expert on Italian cuisine as she:

  • Learned the art of making crepes from a sweet Sicilian crepe master named Peppe,

  • Practiced family recipes in Sicily for a variety of Italian cookies and other sweets,

  • Shadowed the chocolate factory for Sfizi Golosi to learn their practices hands-on

  • Indulged in several local coffee roasters until finding the perfect blend,

  • And sampled countless cannoli to find the smoothest taste of Sicily’s most popular dessert.

 

The dishes & desserts you’ll find at Ragusa’s Italian Café are truly the best and most authentic Italian treats that KC has to offer.

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FAQ

  • What IS an Italian crepe?
    Our crepes are modeled after a creperie in Ragusa, Sicily, where we cook the batter slightly longer than our French counterparts, adding the ingredients on the griddle, folding into a triangle, and served slightly crispy for a perfect hand-held treat!
  • What makes your cannoli so good?
    After much debate on recipes and ingredients, we decided to import our cannoli directly from Sicily, bringing you the most authentic Sicilian flavors.
  • Can I eat at your truck if I’m gluten free/dairy free/vegetarian/vegan/nut allergy?
    Gluten Free: From day one, we chose to create our crepes gluten free. We use a combination of Bob’s Red Mill flours, making it safe for gluten-sensitive customers. We CAN accommodate Celiacs as well, but will need to know when ordering so that we can sanitize our front countertops, as our pastries and baked sweets are NOT gluten free (cannoli, tiramisu, etc…) Dairy free: We have a dairy free crepe option where the batter is made with eggs, oil and water. Using this base, and leaving off any cheese item can easily accommodate a dairy free request. Vegetarian: Yes! We have a veggie crepe option, or you can choose any of our savory crepes and ask to remove the meat. Vegan: Unfortunately, at this time all of our crepes use eggs in the batter. We are diligently working on a substitute that maintains taste and texture Nut allergy: Nuts are such a primary staple in Italian sweets, therefore, we carry peanuts, pistachios, and hazelnuts on the truck. We will tell anyone with a nut allergy to please STAY FAR AWAY from our truck, as cross-contamination from even the nut dust is too much of a risk on our truck.
  • Where can we find your truck?
    Please check our calendar for all events open to the public.
  • Does Ragusa’s support fundraisers?
    YES! In several ways…we can donate items for auctions, bring the truck for a % of sales donation, or even create a “sales campaign” for your team. Fill out our inquiry form and we will do our best to find the most ideal option for your group and your goals.
  • Is there a minimum to book the truck?
    Yes! Our minimum starts at $1000 for a 2-hour service time, and will vary based on type of event, time of year, date (weekday or weekend) and location. Please fill out our booking form to get the most accurate quote for your event.
  • I have a storefront and would love to have your Italian chocolates/almonds/coffee in our store. Do you have wholesale pricing available for us to buy in bulk and resell?
    Yes! Please see our wholesale page for more details on our bulk pricing structure.
  • Do you cater weddings?
    We LOVE to cater Weddings!! Our Italian Crepes & Sodas Food Truck Service, as well as catered Italian Desserts & Charcuterie tables can be booked for weddings of all sizes! However, our catered pasta dinners are currently limited to smaller parties (best for Engagement Parties and Rehearsal dinners!) with guest counts under 50 people. Please fill out our inquiry form for a more detailed quote and pricing options.
FAQ

Bring a taste of Italy to your next event.

Inquire today!

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