Anthony Nunziata gets some of his best ideas on the pickleball court.
It’s an unexpected place for inspiration, maybe, but that’s where the Brooklyn-born tenor finds himself between recording sessions, tour stops, and standing ovations—paddle in hand, lyrics forming in his head. “People think I’m joking,” he laughs, “but some of my favorite lines have come to me mid-game.”
This December, those lyrics take center stage as Nunziata brings his debut holiday album, Christmas & You, to South Florida—along with a one-night-only performance that promises to turn Café Centro into something between a concert hall and your favorite Italian grandmother’s dining room.
The show happens December 2, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Nunziata singing live—classic Italian arias, beloved Christmas songs, tracks from the new album—while guests work their way through a gourmet three-course Italian dinner. Intimate. Elegant. The kind of night where the music and the meal are equally unforgettable.
“I wanted to create something that felt like home,” Nunziata says. “Good food, great music, and people you want to be around. That’s what the holidays are supposed to be.”
He would know. Now based in Nashville but forever a New Yorker at heart, Nunziata has spent years chasing that feeling—whether he’s performing at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, serenading jazz clubs across Europe, or collaborating with hitmakers who’ve worked with everyone from Beyoncé to Placido Domingo.
Christmas & You is his love letter to the season. Thirteen original tracks recorded at Nashville’s legendary Sound Emporium Studios and produced by Ryan Prewett (who’s worked with Billy Ray Cyrus), the album refuses to stick to one lane. There’s Motown groove on “My Every Wish.” Country-camp charm on “Fill My Stocking Up with Coal.” A Spanish-language anthem, “El Regalo Eres Tú,” co-written with Rudy Pérez and Nunziata’s brother, Will. And “The Miracle,” a spiritual ballad that feels like it was written for a candlelit church on Christmas Eve.
The Wall Street Journal once called Nunziata “a world-class pop singer,” and the album proves it. But what really comes through isn’t just the technical skill—it’s the heart. These aren’t songs about snow and sleigh bells (though there’s some of that too). They’re about love, family, faith, and fun. The messy, beautiful stuff that makes the holidays matter.
The West Palm Beach stop is part of a 17-city U.S. tour that includes New York, Las Vegas, and Nashville. Fresh off concerts in Tuscany, Nunziata is packing his bags again—this time for South Florida, where he’s hoping to connect with audiences in the most personal way possible: over a great meal.
“There’s something about breaking bread together,” he says. “It slows things down. You’re not just watching a show—you’re part of something.”
When he’s not touring, Nunziata stays busy. He’s an actor (you might’ve caught him in The Last Laugh on Netflix with Chevy Chase). He runs an arts education outreach program called ARTS MATTER! And yes, there’s the pickleball. Always the pickleball.
But right now, it’s all about the music. Christmas & You is available on vinyl, CD, and all the streaming platforms. And if you want to experience it live—with pasta, wine, and Nunziata’s voice filling the room—you’ll want to call Café Centro soon. Seating is limited, and this kind of night doesn’t come around often.
Sometimes the best holiday traditions are the ones you didn’t see coming.
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Christmas & Italy with Anthony Nunziata is happening on December 2 at Café Centro in West Palm Beach. For reservations, call 561-514-4070 or find more information at www.AnthonyNunziata.com.
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