Oakland Park’s growing population has a growing foodie scene. One of the newest additions is Camille’s Pizzeria & Ristorante on Dixie Hwy.
Maya and John Kreidich have deep ties to the restaurant industry and a love affair with good food. The restaurant is named after John’s mother, who was a big influence on his kitchen skills.
“She was a great inspiration,” he said. John’s mom and grandma were his culinary mentors. Indeed, when you walk in it conjures up the smells from grandma's kitchen, with the odors of sauces and spices wafting through the air.
After a career as a chef, John and Maya decided to take a leap and open their own place. But that required them to learn an entirely new skill set.
“As I developed not only the culinary aspect of being a chef, I also, in the last couple of years, was dedicated to the business side of things,” John said.
One part of the business was finding the right location. Despite the city’s population stagnating since 2018, leaders have encouraged a building boom that is seeing hundreds of new units go up all around, especially on Dixie Hwy. north of Oakland Park Blvd.
Several new buildings within walking distance of Camille’s are open, or soon will be. “This location I felt was perfect,” John said.
Maya says they want the space to be welcoming to families and neighbors who just want to stop by. “We want to be the neighborhood spot. A place you want to go once a week to grab a bite or just say ‘hi’ to the staff.”
Of course, Oakland Park already has several well-established Italian restaurants. The Kreidichs say there’s plenty of hungry people to go around.
“I don’t see them as competition. I see them as restaurants that have served the community and will be there for a long time,” John said.
The median household income of Oakland Park is about $70,000. With a solid middle-to-upper income base, people are hungry for curated food that stands out. Camille’s makes its own pasta fresh and focus on all the little things, from making sure the noodle is perfectly tender to giving a personal greeting to as many customers as possible.
They are also bringing in a sommelier to up their wine game. Their goal is to produce upscale cuisine in an atmosphere that welcomes people with kids. As parents to two children under five, they say they’ve felt like many restaurants aren’t very “inviting” for families.
“We realized what was missing from this neighborhood was a young, vibrant Italian restaurant making fresh pasta and real New York-style pizza,” John said.
For now, they’re focused on building their business and ingratiating themselves into the community. Maya says all the hard work is paying off. “It’s very rewarding to do it for yourselves and family, and curate the restaurant you want.”
