Metsi's Wood-Fired Italian Marks First Year With Free Cannoli Giveaway

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 11, 2026 — Metsi's Wood-Fired Italian, the Columbus restaurant that opened its doors one year ago, marked its first anniversary on Wednesday by handing out 365 free birthday cake cannolis to guests one for each day of its debut year. The giveaway drew customers to the restaurant window in a format the team described as inspired by the nostalgia of a childhood lemonade stand, with each cannoli passed directly through the window to waiting guests.

For those who missed the one-day celebration, the birthday cake cannoli remains available throughout the week. Anyone dining at Metsi's Wood-Fired Italian now through June 14 will receive one complimentary cannoli with their meal, extending the anniversary gesture into a full week of appreciation for the restaurant's regulars and new visitors alike.

A Birthday Giveaway Rooted in Neighbourhood Nostalgia

The concept behind Wednesday's giveaway was deliberately simple and community-facing. Rather than hosting a ticketed event or limiting the offer to reservations, Metsi's opened its window to the street an approach that echoed the spontaneous generosity of a neighbourhood lemonade stand and invited passersby to join the celebration without barriers.

The birthday cake cannoli at the centre of the promotion brings a playful twist to the traditional Italian pastry. Where a classic cannoli fills its crisp shell with sweetened ricotta, the birthday cake variation incorporates the flavours of celebration typically vanilla cream, festive sprinkles and a sweeter, dessert-forward filling giving the dish a personality that suits a first-year milestone.

For those unfamiliar with the Italian tradition of the cannoli and the Sicilian pastry culture it comes from, HCP Good Food's Italian recipes collection offers useful context on the desserts and techniques that form the backbone of the cuisine Metsi's celebrates.

One Year in Columbus and Still Firing on All Cylinders

Metsi's Wood-Fired Italian opened in Columbus in June 2025, building its identity around the flavour and character that comes from cooking over an open flame. The wood-fired format gives the kitchen a point of distinction in Columbus's Italian dining landscape meats, pizzas and other dishes carry the depth of flavour that only direct heat and smoke can produce, and the approach has earned the restaurant a following over its first twelve months of service.

The anniversary promotion reflects a deliberate choice to give back to the community that has supported the restaurant since its opening, treating the milestone as a moment for guests rather than a purely internal celebration. Handing 365 cannolis through a window one per day of the year is a gesture with both symbolic weight and practical warmth.

Metsi's Wood-Fired Italian is located in Columbus, Ohio. The complimentary birthday cake cannoli offer runs through June 14 for all dining guests. Further details are available via the restaurant's official social media channels.

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