Photography by Shawn LaChapelle
It’s a delicate balancing act, what Panza’s does. One of Saratoga’s most iconic Italian restaurants, Panza’s has been owned and operated by the Panza family for 88 years. The restaurant has weathered wars and financial crises, technological revolutions and a pandemic—all the while serving authentic Italian fare with a side of top-quality entertainment. And through it all, current owners/brothers Tony and Michael Panza have continued to get new customers in the door without sacrificing the classic dishes and romantic atmosphere that their longtime clients have raved about for decades.
But this spring, when 2026 Bestie finalist Chef Dan Wiginton announced he’d be leaving Panza’s for a post at Albany Country Club, Tony and Michael were faced with a decision: Who best to usher in a fresh, new era of a restaurant that has meant so much to so many people for so many years?
The answer: Elliott Vogel.
Vogel’s is a name many Capital Region foodies will recognize. The Albany native got his start working for restaurants owned by Mazzone Hospitality before heading off to the Culinary Institute of America on a scholarship. After graduation, he found his way to Daley Hospitality Group where he worked at Old Daley on Crooked Lake, Daley’s on Yates, and eventually The Delaware before stints at 518 favorites including Jack’s Oyster House, Savoy Taproom, and Siro’s.
“The dishes that have been constants for 80-plus years fly out the door,” Vogel says of the Panza’s menu. “People love them. Tony’s sauce is pretty spot-on. I eat it every day with stale bread. We’re just looking to put a contemporary spin on the other items that aren’t family recipes. It leaves a lot of the menu in a safe spot, and then there’s more of the menu that we can explore. But it’s a gift to come into a restaurant and have eight or nine dishes that never have a complaint.”
Those favorites? They’re dishes like Aunt Celia’s Eggplant Parmigiana, Andrew’s Italian Sausage & Peppers Parmigiana, and Ma Panza’s Pork Chop. Vogel’s touch will be tasted in entrées including LaBella’s Quarter Duck, a 14-ounce leg and thigh served with porky beans and escarole, hazelnut dukkah, and an orange limoncello glaze, and Milk Fed Veal Scaloppine, which comes with pancetta, baby artichoke, mushroom, heirloom tomato, and lemon parmesan butter.
“We grew up with family power,” Michael says. “The whole restaurant was made up of my father, my grandmother, my aunts—it was a combination of family in the kitchen and family in the front of house. Now it’s different, and we want to bring in some younger people to make this place different from the next five Italian restaurants down the street. That’s what Chef’s going to be doing for us.”
