Summer Movie Nights At Le Virtu

New movie screen at Le Virtu

Le Virtu has always been a kind of physical love letter to Abruzzo. From the food (natch) to the overall aesthetic of the place, it’s always been about transporting diners from here to somewhere else in a way that few other restaurants can really pull off.

And now, they’re taking things a step further with the re-launch of summer movie nights in the garden.

The movies, for now, will all be soundless, interspersed with slideshows of Abruzzo and points south. The silent movies (or, rather, movies shown without sound, on the big screen in Le Virtu’s Il Campo outdoor seating space) currently scheduled are:

Fontamara, based on the book by Abruzzese writer Ignazio Silone, with dazzling panoramas of the region’s rich natural beauty

The American, starring George Clooney, set in Abruzzo

L’Oro di Napoli, one of Sophia Loren’s first films

And many others, both beloved and unexpected, according to Le Virtu.

But come August, things get even better. Why? Because they’re turning the sound up and offering a special “Movie Night” menu designed by chef Joe Cicala which will be served on Wednesday nights to accompany the films. This program will start in mid-August. Movies will begin at 7:30pm. Yes, there’ll be drink specials, too. And the movies they’re planning on are a varied lot–everything from Il Postino and Mamma Roma to La Dolce Vita, and Big Night–the only truly great restaurant movie ever made (with the possible exception of Ratatouille).

Cicala is going to tweak the menu each week to feature foods either featured in the movies or from the regions that the movies represent. And they’ll also be using the outdoor screen to show soccer matches and local sporting events, so there’s that, too.

Keep an eye on Le Virtu on social media for more up-to-date details.

Le Virtu [Facebook]