Primo's second South Lake Tahoe location to focus on modern Italian flavors

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The closing of The Lake House restaurant in South Lake Tahoe has created a new opportunity for long-time restauranteur Jim Primo.

Jim will continue to build on what the public already knows him for - excellent customer service, great food, and an excellent dining experience - in his new restaurant which will simply be known as "Primo's." His family started Primo's in Boston in 1962, and while it is still in existence, the family no longer runs it. When Jim moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1996 he was ready to continue creating a dining experience and opened Orchid's in 2003.

Primo's Italian Bistro opened nearby in 2012.

The new Primo's will be featuring a new, creative menu and different dining experience, tapping into a theme of "modern Italian" with modern techniques, and meticulously sourced food. There will be several dishes of traditional Italian "from the homeland" like Piccata, Marsala, and lasagne, as well as fish and chips, several cuts of steak including a Porterhouse and Rib Eye, lamb, shrimp, tuna, and even gourmet burgers and patty melt. Imported specialty potatoes will be offered as a chip unlike any other. While bread will be baked daily and on the menu, table service is taking on a new twist with the serving of specialty seasoned popcorn.

Chef Danny Salgado who hails from Chicago, said he'll be using ingredients from all over Italy along with herbs he'll be growing at the restaurant. He said they'll be creating an innovative menu like an artist paints on a blank canvas, and using what nature and farmers have provided.

Primo's will be opening on May 14 with dinner hours from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday, a daily bar menu offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. As summer gets closer, the weekend will be for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new outside patio has a fireplace and overhead lighting, with a firepit outside the front door.

With Danny from Chicago and Jim from Boston, their pizzas will be a source of regional pride at the original location at 2180 Lake Tahoe Blvd. There will also be a daily mouthwatering calzone featured on the new menu. It will be renamed Primo's Pizza & Subs and the hours will be Thurs-Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Primo's is located at 1181 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, and before a major remodel, once housed another Italian favorite, Passaretti's.

Congratulazioni!