The Rumpled Queen Blends Elegant Dining With Family History

When chef Annie Gano opened The Rumpled Queen in her hometown of Salem, her aim was to create a restaurant that was whimsical, elegant and timeless. So, she brought her sister, a trained interior designer, on board to craft that feel inside a building that had long held significance for their family: It was the site of their parents’ first date. 

After attending the Culinary Institute of America and working at and opening restaurants in Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and Paris, Gano was drawn home by the pull of family. When her first choice of location for The Rumpled Queen fell through, she learned the former home of DiRienzo’s Italian Foods, a family-style restaurant that served diners for 90 years before closing in February 2024, was available. 

“I grew up eating at DiRienzo’s. …” Gano says. “When I walked in, the former owner was like, ‘I remember you. You sat at that table.’”

The Rumpled Queen’s interior is upscale yet organic, with its beautifully curated, mismatched decor picked up at thrift shops and consignment stores. Conversely, the back bar was crafted new but feels like it’s been there for years. The result is a welcoming and unpretentious space that deftly balances both feminine and masculine elements. 

The deliberately small, seasonal menu ensures that Gano can execute the restaurant’s from-scratch approach. Entrees like the salmon (Gano’s favorite), seasonal gnocchi and the chicken pot pie are recognizable while featuring ingredients that spur conversation between server and diner. A house burger and bratwurst are also on the menu. 

“The food I went back and forth on a lot,” Gano says, adding that, early on, she felt compelled to expand the menu but stuck to her original approach. “I would rather have a smaller menu that we can execute consistently and well each time.” 387 S. Broadway Ave., Salem 44460, 234/320-4014, therumpledqueen.com

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