A Dream That has

Been Cooking for Years

This is Amalia Fumelli, who is the inspiration behind Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant. She was born in Italy in 1932, and was raised on a farm. As she grew up, she took an interest in cooking and learned everything about the Italian kitchen from her mother and grandmother. For countless hours each day, Amalia would practice making hand-made pasta with her rolling pin on an old, wooden table. After many years, she had mastered her pasta creations through her skilled handiwork, precise cutting skills, and the amount of love she put into her work. Even today, after 81 years, Amalia is still using the same rolling pin and wooden table to craft her pasta to perfection.

Over time, Amalia has passed all of her secrets and knowledge about food along to her children and grandchildren. One grandchild in particular, Filippo Fanfani, gained a passion for the art of cooking through her guidance. As a child, he spent all his days at his grandmother’s house preparing meals for his family. The two have a strong bond, that began with their conjoining love of creating meals that are enjoyable for everyone. Today, Filippo is in the process of opening Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant, in honor of the woman who sparked his fascination and devotion in classic Italian cuisine.

The Tradition Continues in Wake Forest

The next chapter of Amalia's began in 2018, when Executive Chef and owner, Filippo Fanfani, fell in love with the renovated 1800s house on South Main Street in Wake Forest. The house had character, class, and history and when you walk through its doors, you feel like you are at home.

Filippo grew up in Sansepolcro, Italy, with the dream of becoming a chef and opening up his own restaurant. He attended ALMA, which is one of the best culinary schools in the world for Italian cuisine, and graduated top of his class. Since then, he has worked all around the world in high-level Michelin starred restaurants including Paolo Teverini, El Molin, and KOKS.

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Filippo’s dream of owning his own restaurant came true in January 2019, when the house officially fell into his hands. He named it ‘Amalia’s Authentic Italian Restaurant’, after his grandmother, Amalia Fumelli, who ignited his passion for food and cooking. Today, Amalia’s prides itself in serving classic Italian dishes that have been passed down through the generations, and are always cooked to order. All of our ingredients are imported straight from Italy, or sourced from local farms. Our cocktails are also created using house-made juices and mixers, and locally made bitters. Overall, our goal is that every guest has an exceptional experience through our authentic food, homely atmosphere, and attentive service. All of us at Amalia’s hope that you come join us soon! Benvenuti a casa.

Contact Us

1248 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC 27587

​Sun - Mon: CLOSED

Tues - Thurs: 5:00pm - 9:30pm​

Fri - Sat: 5:00pm - 10:30pm

984.237.0002