Before cutting out carbs – or even your beloved Italian food – for those New Year’s resolutions revolving around losing weight and eating healthy, we wanted to share how certain elements of the Italian culture can actually help make some of the most common resolutions of 2016 a reality.

At Carmine’s on Penn, we believe in knowing where our ingredients come from – and it’s not from a can. We stay away from processed food and prepare our meals fresh every day. When available, we do our best to source local and regional ingredients based on the season.

“First and foremost, we cook! We bake bread, we start with whole vegetables, we roast our own turkey for sandwiches. We discuss what we are looking for with our vendors and ask them to search out what we desire,” explains owner, Brad Ritter.

In addition to cooking with the freshest ingredients and avoiding processed food, Carmine’s on Penn offers a variety of substitutions for those with dietary restrictions. With over half of our menu ‘gluten-intolerant friendly’, our knowledgeable wait staff is trained to help guide restaurant patrons through the menu to find the perfect meal that fits with their dietary restrictions.

And it’s not just the type of food, but also how we encourage you to eat it, that can help you keep up with your New Year’s resolutions.

Our chefs spend all day cooking and preparing your dinner, so it would be a shame if you only spent 12 minutes eating it! To dine at Carmine’s means you must first take the time to talk with your dining companions and your service staff to decide your meal. Because our food is served ‘family style’ with portions made to share, the dining experience is more communal and intentional than at other restaurants. We encourage you to sit back, chat and share your time, food and wine together.

Whatever you’ve determined to be your New Year’s resolution, we hope to see you and your family at Carmine’s on Penn in 2016.