Downtown Daytona Beach welcomes new ‘Italian fusion’ restaurant

A familiar New Smyrna Beach name recently found a second home at 240 S. Beach St., where Via Canaletto has started another chapter with a new location and personality all its own.

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Owner and local developer Leon Geller recently expanded the brand to downtown Daytona Beach, bringing its Italian foundation into a space shaped by the neighborhood’s laid-back energy and historic character.

Inside, soft pools of light fall across exposed brick walls, swirling epoxied floors and dark tabletops, while coastal artwork and a full bar loosen the edges of the intimate, “industrial-chic” dining room – a cohesive, more lounge-forward vibe that keeps the space approachable, Geller said.

Outside, a handful of tables stretch beneath the palms, extending the restaurant’s easygoing atmosphere onto the sidewalk, where passersby spent months peering through the windows in anticipation of the restaurant’s opening – a curiosity finally rewarded in the final weeks of August.

Via Canaletto opens new Beach Street restaurant

The brand’s New Smyrna Beach location, temporarily closed for renovations and tucked slightly off the beaten path in a two-story Orange Street home, has earned a steady 4.5-star rating online among customers in the know, yet still, there’s always been room for growth, Geller said.

“We’ve had John Travolta, Brooke Hogan and her husband there, and other people, but people that have lived there for 15-20 years still don’t know we’re there,” he continued.

“… And with the ‘fine dining’ in New Smyrna, there’s people that are intimidated to come in,” he said, describing the location’s atmosphere as “beach fine dining” – simply a more polished, coastal setting.

On Beach Street, Geller has traded tablecloths and crystal chandeliers for a more relaxed aesthetic, pairing the brand’s signature “dark-on-dark” color palette with a menu suited for all-day dining, whether it’s a personal pizza for lunch or a tomahawk steak dinner.

“It’s just kind of a different feel. We wanted more of a lounge-y hangout because we want to do more late-night stuff. Like Fridays and Saturdays, we’re going to start late-night music, late-night jazz – just different things,” he said. “So, it’s just kind of evolved.”

What’s on the menu at Via Canaletto Bistro & Lounge?

Neighboring downtown’s Starry Night Gallery, the bistro remains rooted in familiar favorites from Chef Antonio Mazzella, with plans to introduce a fusion flair to its menu through a lineup of rotating specials that pull inspiration from around the globe.

Alongside house burrata and chef’s signature scratch-made ricotta gnocchi, guests can enjoy several seafood staples – like Via Canaletto’s lobster ravioli or baked salmon – as well as hand-pounded veal dishes and steak dinners.

“You don’t change anything if it’s not broken,” Geller said. “… The consistency is the biggest thing, and I think that’s where people will, like, try to reinvent the wheel, you know? But our dinner menu, all we did was add pizza and calzone, because we didn’t have that (at the New Smyrna Beach location), and everyone wanted it.”

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Alongside its all-day dinner menu, the restaurant’s lunch lineup – available from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. – ranges from hand-tossed, 12-inch pizzas prepared with customers’ choice of toppings ($1.50 each) to chef’s six-layer lasagna with homemade béchamel sauce, thinly sliced eggplant Parmesan, crisp-edged calzones and ravioli marinara.

Gluten-free cauliflower crust pizza is also available by request.

Unlike its dinner dishes, accompanied by soup, salad and bread, Via Canaletto’s lunch menu is served à la carte, though guests can add a soup, salad or other small plate – like french fries, chicken tenders or mozzarella sticks – to their meal.

“We wanted to come in and make it approachable so that the price is right, and the place looks right,” Geller said, noting he’s already seen several regulars at the new location while hardly spotting an empty bar seat in the evenings since opening.

Via Canaletto looks to expand further

With his Daytona Beach restaurant racking up five-star reviews and his upcoming South Daytona location currently under renovation, Geller said he has no plans of slowing down when it comes to Via Canaletto’s growth.

A recent rendering posted to social media gave locals a look into what’s next for the bistro and lounge, which includes an expanded outdoor dining-and-bar area, as well as an ADA-compliant entry ramp.

“I love this model, and I want to do another in New Smyrna on Flagler Avenue,” Geller said. “… But Daytona is great; it’s fun. I grew up in New Smyrna, but we spent most of our time in Daytona, you know? So, I think Daytona has come a long way.”

Via Canaletto Bistro & Lounge is located at the former location of Little Italy’s Ristorante at 240 S. Beach St. in Daytona Beach and is open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday. For information, call 386-236-8233 or visit facebook.com.

– Helena Perray is the food and dining reporter for The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Follow her on Instagram and support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Downtown Daytona Beach welcomes new ‘Italian fusion’ restaurant

Reporting by Helena Perray, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal

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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 5:04 AM.