PricaFreshFarinaPasta Co.

STEPPING INTO PRICA FARINA,

located on the corner of Market and Main in downtown Warren, feels like walking into the home of co-owners Priscila Moritz and David Strenio. With over 40 years of combined experience in the food and beverage industry, the couple opened the charming shop after being inspired by all the gourmet food and pasta shops they encountered while living in Brazil. According to Moritz, they originally considered opening a specialty cheese shop, but decided they wanted to offer more, so why not pasta? Strenio, the former head cheesemaker at Great Hill Dairy in nearby Marion, MA, handles the production of most of their products, including all the pasta, working alongside a talented baker who is their only employee. With her friendly disposition, Moritz manages the customer service side of the business, greeting patrons, helping with any questions they may have, and ensuring that they have a positive experience during their visit.

As far as the pasta goes, it’s made fresh daily and greets you in a glass case upon entering the shop – in 10 or more varieties – such as linguini, bucatini, tagliatelle, gnocchi, tortelloni, and ravioli, to name a few. They use flour imported from Italy to make the dough and a classic Italian method of extruding long and short shaped pastas through traditional bronze dies (perforated metal plates). Strenio also uses a ravioli machine to assist with sealing and cutting the fresh filled pasta.

The freshness of everything at Prica Farina is the most noticeable thing. Not only do they make all the pasta, but they also create other delicious Italian specialties in house: pizza dough, focaccia, and assorted baked goods like pistachio maritozzi – a lightly sweetened pistachio creamfilled masterpiece. Once a week they hand-pack a variety of creative gelato flavors, such as Turkish coffee, stracciatella, Biscoff, and lemon sorbet, truly maximizing their production space. These pints are available for purchase daily, but they sell out quickly.

Wedge Is A Delightful Addition

to the town of Warren. With no formal food background, owners Sasha Goldman and Chelsea Morrissey decided to take a risk and open a shop that carried all the things they wanted to buy but had trouble finding. The shop’s location on Water Street proved to be the perfect spot, and they opened its doors in late December 2022. The decor is modern and inviting, featuring stunning black and white tiled flooring and a beautiful glass case that displays their selection of artisanal cheeses as a main focal point. Goldman describes the shop “as a fun and inviting place where you will want to spend time discovering new things,” and this sentiment is certainly reflected in the store’s atmosphere and selection.

While Wedge has some staple cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and clothbound cheddar, the owners also like to occasionally change up the variety they offer. Some special Italian-inspired domestic standouts they offer are Vivace, from Cato Corner Farm in Connecticut, which is a cross between Emmental and Italian Provolone; the Pesto Ricotta from Crooked Face Creamery in Maine is another notable option – a rich, creamy whole milk ricotta, layered with fresh pesto and pressed into a disk-like shape. Finally, the Marieke Truffle Gouda from Wisconsin is sweet and herbaceous, and speckled with black truffle flakes. In addition to cheeses, the shop carries New England charcuterie items, such as Vermont Salumi Bresaola and Capocollo, as well as North Scituate-based Martinelli Farm’s Wild Boar, Tartufo, and Porcini salami. The shop also stocks a beautifully curated selection of specialty food items such as chocolates, crackers, biscuits, olive oils, vinegars, preserves, and honey, many of which are locally made.

If DIY isn’t for you, Wedge also offers various custom charcuterie boards and their adorable Char-cuteerie Cups, making it the perfect spot to impress guests at your next event.

279 WATER STREET 401-252-4189

WEDGERI.COM