For those who have been going through a local culinary withdrawal since the iconic Santaserios closed last summer, take heart.
Santaserios' new owners - Jennifer Hurley, attorney Mark Longo and developer Dave Capretto - hope to have the Niagara Street dining destination re-opened by mid-May and a full menu of the restaurant's beloved, homemade dishes like Pasta Fagioli, peas-and-greens, spaghetti and ravioli - among others.
All will be served with the same Brand family recipes that have been Santaserios culinary drawing card since 1921.
"This, to us, is a passion project," Hurley said.
One of the final, pre-opening steps will be approval from the Buffalo Planning Board - and then the Buffalo Common Council - that will allow Santaserios to operate a season, five-table outdoor patio. The planning board will review the request on April 6 and pending its recommendation, the council will consider the request later this month.
Hurley said a temporary liquor license has already been approved.
"If everything lines up, we should be open by mid-May," Hurley said.
Right now, Hurley said crews are giving the restaurant "a deep clean."
Santaserios closed in August following the death of fourth generation owner Johnny Brands Jr.
The Longo, Capretto, Hurley team bought the restaurant in March, in a deal that included all of Santaserio's recipes.
Brands' sister, Patricia Brydalski has been hired as general manager and is overseeing all of the cooking.
"Food wise, It will taste exactly like the Santaserios everyone grew up with,." Hurley said.
Inside the restaurant, much of the down home ambiance will remain, Hurley said.
"The inside bones are amazing," Hurley said.
Plans call for Santaserios to be open for lunch and dinner six days a week, although may change depending on customer patterns, Hurley said.
"We'd like to be open as much as we can," Hurley said.
Santaserios re-opening is the latest in a series of developments to take place along a busy stretch of Niagara Street between Lafayette Avenue and heading south towards Busti Avenue.
Beloved Buffalo restaurant looking to reopen in May
