With recipes based on his Italian grandmother’s cooking and experience in the restaurant business given to him by his parents, Gabe Marabella is bringing his style of Italian cooking to Dover.

    The restaurant that opened Oct. 10 in The Colonnade of the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino is based on the original Marabella’s, which debuted in the 1970s and is still operating in Stone Harbor, N.J.

    “We’re bringing back the original concept,” Marabella said.

    His grandmother came from southern Italy near Naples and brought many red gravy dishes typical of the region with her when she came to America, he said.

    Specialties include chicken parmesan, chicken marsala and Neopolitano pizza baked in a brick oven.

    An oven temperature that reaches 800 degrees is key in making the 12-inch personal pizza, he said.

    The 6,500-square-foot facility has seating that includes café area tables, a common table seating 18, bar seating for a dozen, and areas available for private and semi-private dining or parties. The private room provides computer hook-up for PowerPoint presentations and can hold approximately 50 people, he said.

    A cruvinet allows a selection of 10 Italian and California wines to be sold by the glass for those who don’t want a whole bottle. Then there is the bottled beer that includes Italian favorites such as Peroni and Moretti.

    The restaurant is open for dinner from 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to midnight Sunday.

    “It’s an Italian tradition to serve dinner early on Sundays,” Marabella said. “That’s why we’re opening at 1 p.m.”

Email Melissa K. Steele at melissa.steele@doverpost.com.