New Italian Restaurant Josephine’s Set to Delight Baton Rouge Diners

Restaurateurs Sally and Russell Davis are launching a new Italian restaurant, Josephine’s, in Baton Rouge. This venture will celebrate the culinary legacy of Russell’s grandmother, Josephine, and is set to open before the end of December 2023. The restaurant will occupy the former site of Roman’s Greek and Lebanese Café on Government Street.

Incorporating family recipes, the menu will feature traditional Italian dishes such as meatballs, pomodoro, risotto, polenta, lasagna, osso buco, pizza, and seafood. Russell Davis, whose great-grandparents emigrated from Sicily to Massachusetts, fondly recalls his grandmother’s Sunday dinners, where the aroma of simmering sauce filled the air. “She was pretty much the reason why I fell in love with cooking, and she’s 100% Sicilian,” he stated.

The Davises aim to recreate the intimate family dining experience that defined Russell’s childhood. They want guests at Josephine’s to enjoy great conversations over delicious food, reflecting the Italian classics his grandmother prepared. With a commitment to sourcing local ingredients, Russell plans to collaborate with farmers from the Red Stick Farmers Market to create a unique blend of Italian and Louisiana flavors.

“We’re going to use as much local produce to try to create a marriage between Italy and Louisiana,” he explained. The dessert menu will feature crowd favorites like panna cotta and tiramisu, along with daily specials. Sundays will be dedicated to brunch, making it a perfect weekend destination.

The opening of Josephine’s comes as Mid City Baton Rouge continues to grow, and Russell sees it as an opportunity to build on the success of their other establishment, Jed’s Local. “It gives us a lot of satisfaction to hear the positive things people say, and to walk into the dining room and see a bunch of smiling faces, people hanging out on dates or families together; it’s really rewarding,” he noted.

With Josephine’s, the Davis couple hopes to create a warm and welcoming environment that pays homage to family traditions while embracing the best of local produce. The Baton Rouge culinary scene can look forward to a new dining experience that combines nostalgia with innovation.