About

Two cooks, one oven, nine years on Atwells.

Embers Hospitality Group opened BRACE in June 2017. It's a small, manager-managed operation, run by the people whose names are on the door.

Marco Faella

Co-Founder · Executive Chef / Head Pizzaiolo

Grew up in his family's bakery in Providence; trained on Neapolitan method at a Naples pizzeria and completed AVPN pizzaiolo coursework. Fourteen years in kitchens, line cook to pizzaiolo to owner. Built BRACE's house levain and the 24-48 hour cold-ferment program. ServSafe Manager certified.

"The oven is honest. It shows everyone exactly how good your dough actually is."

Dana Whitcomb

Co-Founder · Beverage Director

Sixteen years in restaurant beverage; built an Italy-forward, natural-leaning list with serious by-the-glass depth. Court of Master Sommeliers, Certified Sommelier (Level 2). Runs the BRACE Tuesday Pour wine club.

"A great pizza wine costs $14 a glass and disappears before the pie's gone."

Luis Tavares

Chef de Cuisine

Runs the line, antipasti, and the Wickenden kitchen. 11 years; oversees prep, ordering, and cross-contact controls.

Sofia Moretti

Lead Pizzaiola, Federal Hill

Second on the oven; specializes in the natural-leaven pies and the seasonal specials.

Renata Cole

General Manager

Runs both floors, reservations, private events, and staff training. 9 years in RI hospitality.

Devon Pace

Bar Manager / Assistant Beverage

Cocktails, amaro program, draft list, NA program.

Bri Salazar

Events Coordinator

Quotes, holds, plans every private event and off-site catering.

The team

~34 across both locations

6 ServSafe-certified managers · average BOH tenure 3.8 years · scratch dough made by 3 trained dough leads.

The philosophy, in five lines

The dough is the product. Naturally leavened, slow-fermented, made in-house daily. If the dough isn't right, we don't open the section.
Source like it matters, cook like you mean it. DOP where it counts; local where it's better.
No dogma. Trained on AVPN, then we make the pizza we actually want to eat, including the ones Naples would frown at.
A real wine program, not an afterthought. The beverage director has the same standing as the chef.
Honest hospitality. Fair prices for the sourcing, no manufactured scarcity, no upsell theater.

The room, the facts

· Founded June 2017 · Embers Hospitality Group, LLC
· 2,600 sq ft flagship in a converted 1910 storefront on Atwells
· 64 seats inside + 18-seat seasonal patio + 8-seat chef's counter
· Stefano Ferrara wood-fired dome (Naples-built, Vesuvius biscotto floor)
· Burns kiln-dried oak/maple from a Rhode Island supplier
· Moretti Forni electric deck for pan/Detroit-style pies
· Wickenden opened 2023, counter-forward, shared central levain

Press & awards

Nine years on Atwells, and the room people keep voting for.

4.7 on Google
4.5 on Yelp
Michelin Guide, 1 star
Travelers' Choice 2025
Diners' Choice 2025
Best of Rhode Island, 2024
James Beard, Semifinalist
Eater, Essential 2024

Founded June 2017 · Embers Hospitality Group