John Travolta just popped into this homey Italian eatery in Florida: ‘Such a nice guy’
A homey Italian restaurant in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, hosted Hollywood royalty over the weekend.
John Travolta, 70, popped in to red-sauce fave Via Canaletto Saturday night, fresh off a trip to Paris for the Olympics.
The “Pulp Fiction” icon has become a regular since the eatery, located inside a two story 1923 home, opened last year, owner Leon Geller told the Daytona Beach Journal.
The two men have actually known each other for more than a decade, having met through mutual friends in Ocala, about 90 miles west, where Travolta has a home.
So inquiring minds need to know: Does a celebrity of Travolta’s caliber need a reservation?
“He gave us a heads up,” reported Geller, who calls the star “JT” for short. “We hadn’t met up in a while so he was like, ‘Hey, do you want to go have dinner?’ Just like normal.”
As for his meal, Travolta, seated at a corner table, indulged in a medley of chef Antonio Mazzella’s signature dishes, including swordfish puttanesca; lasagna; and bucatini, a thick, spaghetti-like pasta, with meat sauce.
A pic of the New Jersey native sandwiched between the chef and owner appears on the quaint restaurant’s Instagram page, with commenters stanning over the actor.
“Love him to the moon and back.”
“Awesome!”
“What a nice surprise and such a nice guy.”
Travolta was in a great mood and was very personable, like always, Geller said.
“JT is just one of the best people I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I’ve been all over the world,” Geller said. “It’s good to have him here, and we hope to have him more in the future.”
