Annabella’s real name is Angela
by Cate Murway
Make a quick left past the front door; step up into the beautiful 45 seat capacity dining room in Annabella’s restaurant located at 119 Radcliffe Street. The deep eggplant colored walls, warm hardwood floors and meticulous white trim background a relaxing dining experience. Indulge in Italian cuisine created by Bob Angelaccio.
Bob was born and raised here in Bristol where his father owned Angelo Brothers, a dry-cleaning and tailoring business on Pond Street. As a college grad, Bob was a substitute teacher and taught adult evening classes in Business, Distributive Education at the tech school, as well as “subbing” at Bristol High. He was an adamant skier in the 1970’s and moved to a skier's paradise Steamboat, Colorado, nowhere near the glitz and the crowds of Aspen and Vail. He and his friend and partner opened Cuginos (an Italian word meaning cousins, they were not cousins), a small pizza and sandwich shop. Later he opened a second larger restaurant with dining and bar, featuring live jazz. He shared that although his cooking education came from his mother and “just doing it”, this second location gave him the opportunity to learn more about the art of sautéing.
In 2000 he sold everything in Colorado and came back to Bristol to be with his family. Bob’s Mom Angelia celebrated her 89th birthday. “Sometimes I think I’m living my mothers dream…”.
Mom would have been a great restaurateur! “After being back for 3 years, I found that what I was best at was the restaurant business. So I open Annabella’s and it’s been successful. I picked Bristol because I like Bristol. I looked in Yardley, I looked in Newtown, and I looked in Langhorne but my sister, Rosemary Wolff, who is responsible for the warm décor in the dining room, and I share caring for my mom and I needed to be close to home.” The location that is now Annabella’s is about four blocks from his mom’s house.
The next step was to come up with a name for his new venture. ” We were sitting around the table on a holiday and we couldn’t come up with a name for the restaurant. We were going to use a picture of my mom on the menus. Bristol is unique in some ways with nicknames. Everybody has a nickname in Bristol. You know the old Italians, they all had nicknames. Mine was Angie. An aunt or somebody didn’t like my mom’s name Angela. “Angela Anch”….come on! So years ago she started calling herself Annabel. Now she’s known more as Annabel than Angela. So what I did was, I just added the “A” to it and made it Annabella.”
Everything’s homemade and fresh at Annabella’s! “I use fresh herbs and spices. I’m considering adding organic and whole foods dishes. On my new menu there is organic whole-wheat pasta. It has great flavor and of course a lot of your pastas or any sauté that you do, a lot depends on your sauces. I’m like a mad scientist with sauces. I love plying with sauces and I have a venue to experiment with sauces and I like to combine different things. We make fresh organic tomatoes sauce here and I come up some unique dishes. I try to do more on the risotto end sometimes. My plates are flavorful and decorative.”
“I continue to educate myself in the restaurant industry as much as I can”. Bob is currently looking into a culinary school in NY for whole foods and organic cooking. “ I wanted to be different and I keep striving to be different every day that I’m open.”
Annabella’s provides private dinners and rehearsal parties, for up to 45 people.
“One of the things I love doing is quaint in-home dinner parties. For instance, Father Dennis M. Mooney hosted Cardinal Ragelli and several other priests. Myself and one of my staff Michelle Panzano served them a 6 course meal.”
“We provide trays from our catering menu or customize Italian dishes for trays. We also do Mexican. I have a very creative Chef here from Acapulco (Enrique Nada) so we can offer fusion Italian/Mexican dishes.
Annabella’s hours are:
Mon-Thurs 11am-9am
Fri-Sat 11am 10pm
Sun 2pm-9pm
215.788.2929
Reservations are not required and all major Credit cards are accepted.
Bob said, “When you dine at Annabella’s it’s like going to somebody’s house and having dinner…it’s small and quaint and you’ll be taken care of like you’re in somebody’s home. A very relaxing experience, casual dress and BYOB, which assures customers can drink exactly what they want and not be limited to what’s in stock.”
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Angela Angelaccio
Bucks County Courier Times
October 4, 2009 4:23 AM
Angela "Annabell" (Manze)
Angelaccio of Bristol Borough
passed away peacefully at home
surrounded by her devoted family. She was 92.
Born and raised in Bristol,
she was an employee of the former Medi Center
in Bristol Township, until she retired 22 years ago.
She was former member and past president of St. Ann Athletic Association Ladies Auxiliary and the Golden Mark's, both in Bristol Borough. She was an active member and volunteer of St. Ann Church and was a member of the former Miraculous Medal Sodality.
Annabell was an outgoing and social woman who will be remembered by all who meet her.
She loved playing bingo and traveling; especially to Atlantic City.
Annabell was a typical loving Italian wife, mother, and grandmother, who loved to cook and bake for her family and friends; and was the inspiration for the family decision to name their restaurant after her.
She was the devoted widow of Anthony Angelaccio Sr. She will be greatly missed by her children, Anthony "Googie" Angelaccio and his wife, Joann, of Bristol, Rosemary Wolff and her husband, Jack, of Lakewood, N.J., and Robert Angelaccio of Bristol Borough; her adoring grandchildren, Lisa Diegel, Lynn Indelicato, Beth Angelaccio, and Stephen and Jonathan Wolff; and great-grandchildren, Mark, Dylan, Ryan, Carter, and Mason. She also is survived by her sister, Carmella Cuthineal; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and good friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to call from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Galzerano Funeral Home, 430 Radcliffe Street in Bristol Borough. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Ann Church in Bristol Borough. Interment will follow in St. Mark Cemetery.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to Odyssey, 512 Township Line Road, Valley Square Bldg. 2, Suite 305, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Galzerano Funeral Home,
Bristol
