Food, Family & Friends
By Lisa Cordiano | Photography by Casey Martin
When diners step through the doors of La Cucina, they often say the same thing: It feels welcoming. Restaurant owner Armando Malvone smiles at that word. Although he has operated restaurants in the Hanover area for decades, this newest version of La Cucina—what he calls “La Cucina 5.0”—is the first time in years he can personally greet so many familiar faces. For him, that warm welcome is the reason he’s in this business.
Armando’s parents came to the United States from Naples, Italy. They moved their family to Hanover in 1973 to join the team at Scotto’s Pizza—renamed Jerry & Sal’s in 1986, after Armando’s dad and uncle. Armando and his sister Filomena Malvone still own Jerry & Sal’s, which recently relocated to 918 Carlisle St. from its previous location at the North Hanover Mall. Spending most of his life in Hanover, Armando attended Delone Catholic High School, earned a finance degree from York College of Pennsylvania and built a life in the local food scene, ultimately opening the most recent iteration of La Cucina at the old McCallister Hotel.
In May 2024, when the former McCallister’s on York Street closed, Armando received a call from landlord Jordan Ilyes to inquire whether he had any interest in the restaurant space. When he walked inside the 1929 building—with its original tile floors still intact—Armando knew he wanted to bring La Cucina back.
“I fell in love immediately,” he says. After painting, updating the lighting and reimagining the décor, including distinctive custom door handles and engraved metal signage, La Cucina reopened in July 2025.
La Cucina has lived many lives. Its first home on Eisenhower Drive—where the Hibachi Buffet now sits—opened with great success. Over the years, as locations shifted and catering services grew, the restaurant’s physical presence came and went. When Armando’s father passed away in 2017, Armando focused on Jerry & Sal’s full time, and La Cucina operated through an off-site catering model, run out of the back of Jerry & Sal’s with the help of events manager Samantha Mejia. “Catering flourished,” he says.
“We had no brick-and-mortar, but we had a following that has stuck with us.”
“It’s been wonderful,” Armando continues. “From the bottom of my heart, the best thing has been seeing people I haven’t seen in years come through the door. Their support has been incredible.”
A Restaurant Built on Relationships
What sets La Cucina apart is not only the food—though the dishes offer a generous tour of Italian coastal tradition—but the sense of connection Armando cultivates. “The value of an independent restaurant is the connection to the owner,” he says. “I like talking to my customers. I enjoy their stories, their comments, their compliments.”
Reviews echo the same theme: diners feel welcomed immediately. Armando insists the credit belongs to his staff. Between Jerry & Sal’s and La Cucina, he has built a team rooted in loyalty and genuine rapport. Mejia has worked with him as catering manager for five years and now oversees events in the restaurant. “I don’t like to call him my boss,” she says. “He is my mentor.”
La Cucina employs more than 30 people, including a crew trained personally by Armando. In this new location, the addition of a full bar has introduced him to a new community of regulars—people who stop in simply to have a drink and talk. “I didn’t know those people before,” he says. “Now some of them have become great friends.”
Italian Roots, Hanover Flavor
Armando’s cooking style is grounded in the flavors of Italy, particularly the Naples region, where seafood and fresh vegetables anchor the cuisine. “Everyone in Naples has a garden,” he says. “Fresh food makes you feel good. What people call ‘peasant food’—like pasta fagioli—is what everyone is looking for now.” When he died, Armando’s father left him and his sister a family home in Monte di Procida, and Armando tries to visit when he can.
La Cucina’s menu ranges from salads and pasta to chicken and seafood dishes. Fish features are a hallmark: salmon is a staple, while cod, grouper, halibut and others rotate. “Fresh fish all the time,” he says. Specials are a point of pride, and longtime followers know to ask for beloved off-menu dishes. Year two will bring expanded offerings, including favorites like eggplant parmigiana and sausage and peppers.
The restaurant is closed Mondays, but you will still find Armando at the restaurant, meeting suppliers and working “in the office”—a corner of the bar where he parks his laptop. Dinner service begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with all-day hours on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.
The York Street location also includes an event room that seats about 35, an airy space lined with windows that can be opened when the weather is right. It’s already becoming popular for wedding and baby showers, birthday celebrations and private gatherings.
A Family Legacy Continues
Food is woven deeply into Armando’s family identity. His sons, Angelo and Marcello, continue their heritage in the culinary world of Charleston, South Carolina—Angelo as a chef at Henrietta’s inside the The Dewberry, and Marcello at the Emeline. “Food brings people together,” Armando says. “When someone cooks for you, they’re telling you something about themselves.”
That philosophy pulses through La Cucina. It’s why guests feel so at ease here and reviews mention kindness, warmth and a sense of belonging. Armando doesn’t just serve food; he serves connection.
As the restaurant approaches its first anniversary on York Street, he’s reflective but energized. “I thought maybe I should be slowing down,” he says with a grin. “But I love what I do. Seeing the same faces and new faces come through the door … it’s rewarding. It keeps me going.”
For Hanover, La Cucina isn’t just another restaurant reopening. It’s a return to the kind of dining experience that feels like home.
La Cucina
11 York St., Hanover
Phone: 717-797-5918
