East Syracuse, N.Y. — The Grimaldi name, which has been associated with Italian restaurants in Syracuse, Utica, and Albany since 1943, will soon disappear from the Central New York culinary landscape.
The family is selling Grimaldi’s Ristorante near Carrier Circle, the last remaining location for the business founded by Fred and Rita Grimaldi on Bleecker Street in Utica in the midst of World War II.
Their grandchildren, also named Rita and Freddie, will continue to operate the restaurant at 6430 Yorktown Circle through the end of June. Then the new owners take over, Rita Grimaldi said today.
The new owners, who she would not identify, will give it a new name and add a new focus of seafood and steaks to the Italian cuisine Grimaldi’s has always been known for. But she expects the new operators, who have restaurant experience in the Syracuse area, to keep some legacy menu items on as an “homage” to the Grimaldi’s name and history.
They will also keep some of the Grimaldi’s staff.
“They (the new owners) didn’t buy the name, because they want to do their own thing,” Rita Grimaldi said. “But I think the intent is to pay respects and keep a bit of Grimaldi’s in the place.“
Rita, who is 62 and her brother, who is 63 and runs the kitchen, will spend much of June saying goodbye to their long-time customers.
“I’m going to have to pull myself together to gear up for that,” Rita Grimaldi said. “It’s going to be tough.”
Read more: Grimaldi’s restaurants: A 75-year tradition of Italian dining in Upstate NY (photo essay)
Rita Grimaldi and her brother opened the restaurant on Yorktown Circle in 2005, becoming the third generation in the family business. It was initially known as Grimaldi’s Luna Park, with traditional and modern Italian influences, then changed to Grimaldi’s Ristorante with a more nostalgic turn.
In 2018, syracuse.com reporter Teri Weaver posted a story and photo essay about the Grimaldi family and its legacy.
“Fred and Rita Grimaldi opened a small restaurant on Bleecker Street in Utica in 1943,” the story began. “They were young newlyweds, married with one child. They lived over the restaurant, which served lunches and dinner, and gave away pieces of garlic pizza.
“During the next seven decades, three generations of Grimaldis opened and ran restaurants across Upstate New York. The scallopini, linguini with clams and house-cut chops became a part of family celebrations and wedding receptions for loyal customers from Syracuse to Albany. Stars like Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra stopped by. In Syracuse, the Grimaldi kitchen trained future restaurateurs who went on to open Rico’s Ristorante, Casa di Copani and Joey’s Classic Italian Dining.”
Among the family’s restaurants was a Grimaldi’s on Erie Boulevard East in Syracuse, run by another Fred (Rita’s father,) and a Grimaldi’s Chop House on Carrier Circle.
Rita’s brother Freddie “still has a lot of the recipes in his head,” Rita said. “So he’s been doing a lot of training of people in the kitchen to make sure they never get lost.”
Rita Grimaldi posted this message on Facebook today:
“To all our loved loyal customers and friends, Grimaldi’s Luna Park and Grimaldi’s Restaurant will be saying arrivederci. This will be our 78th year in business. I was given the opportunity to continue with the Grimaldi legacy in 2005 and have had a wonderful career and experience in running the restaurant. Our customers and friends and family have been our focus and in turn have shown us how much they love us at Grimaldi’s. We take pride in knowing that all of our dedication and hard work has been noticed and appreciated. My Grandparents started out with Grimaldi’s Restaurant in 1943 and have created excellence in food and service. I take with me such great memories of them. My Father who grew the business and it’s great name to many establishments and accomplishments has guided me through out my time here at Grimaldi’s.
“With that said we will be open through the month of June. We have sold the restaurant ( building) to a local restaurateur who has been very successful in the area with all of their endeavors. They are very excited to take on a new location and create their own version of a unique restaurant that you will surely love. The owners will be transitioning slowly while keeping many of the same menu items you have come to love at Grimaldi’s. The new owners have also retained all of our staff. Please join me in welcoming the new owners and wishing them every success.
“We will be bringing back many of the old menu items and a few surprises in the month of June. Please come in and use your gift certificates. The new owners will also be honoring the full value of each gift certificate sold thus far.”
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Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.