Bonos Pizzeria Grille In SoPo Is Now Open

The former Ricetta's is now Bonos, a more-than-pizzeria with an ambitious menu that includes starters like sweet potato-butternut squash ravioli and Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, as well as steak, pasta and a dessert called "chocolate lasagna." It's owned by Godfrey Wood of Falmouth, the former head of the the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, and other local investors. The name means "with good" in Latin; "to us, it means 'with excellence, and totally unique,' according to the website, but there are a number of U2 references too. On the cocktail menu, the "Beautiful Day" is made with absolute citron, Chambord and pineapple juice.

The chef is Anthony Guerriero, who told the The Forecaster, "all the stuff I am bringing up here, people have never had before." Pizzas are cooked in a wood fired oven and included standards like margherita and out-there combos like the Rum Runner Hawaiian pie: rum-flavored grilled pineapple, pulled pork, applewood smoked bacon and pickled red onions. They are "hand-tossed by pie-ologists" and here's more U2 from the website: "We make our own sauces, and pizzas are cooked in our seasoned wood fired brick ovens, baked by Maine hardwoods, from where 'the streets have no name.' "

The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. -8 p.m.

· Bono's Fires Up Former Ricetta's Brick Ovens In South Portland [TF]
· Bonos Pizzeria South Portland Grand Opening April 15. [TMM]
· Bonos Pizzeria Grille [Official Site]

Top:one of Bonos' "pie-ologists; at right: "friends and family night last night [Photos: Rich Obrey/Facebook]