The historic Olney House will reopen May 26 — after three years of renovations — as formal Italian restaurant Salt & Vine Trattoria and Wine Bar, with a chef-owner whose background includes the highly-acclaimed French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Olney House, built in 1800, was purchased in 2019 by Thomas Zippelli, who had initially hoped to open his new restaurant in 2020. COVID delays, larger-than-anticipated renovation needs and historic property requirements delayed the project.
Zippelli worked closely with the historical society and the county on the renovation to retain the building’s original design. After determining the building was not structurally sound, it was gutted and rebuilt with a new porch, matching the original look of the building.
Zippelli brought on CYG Construction and Penza Bailey Architects for the project.
Zippelli’s other Maryland restaurants include Turn House in Columbia and Maggie’s in Westminster. Zippelli’s resume also includes Eleven Madison Park, a three-starred Michelin restaurant in New York.
Olney House was previously home to Ricciuti’s Italian Restaurant, which closed when Zippelli purchased the property.
“The Olney House is an important part of Olney’s history, and we’re honored to have had the opportunity to restore it,” said co-owner Michael Zippelli. “We’re excited to see the community embrace the new Olney House and look forward to serving our guests.
The menu includes handmade pastas, fresh seafood and steaks that are butchered in-house. The menu will change frequently and emphasizes ingredients sourced from nearby farms.
The menu also includes antipasti, carpaccio and, importantly, pizza. The former Ricciuti’s was famous for its wood-fired pizza. The family recipe was passed down to Zippelli. The pizza oven was also passed down.
Olney, Maryland, actually owes its name to the house. It was purchased in 1837 and renamed Olney House, after poet William Cowper’s village in England. The house gave its name to the local post office and, ultimately, to the village itself.