New Restaurant for 76 Salem St. Presented to NEWRA’s ZLC Committee

Nick Cerundolo and his wife, Lisa, plan to open a new restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Paesan’s at 76 Salem Street. As presented at the May 25th NEWRA Zoning, Licensing & Construction committee meeting, they have applied to the Licensing Board for a new beer and wine license with closing hours of 11:00pm on Sunday-Thursday and midnight on Fridays/Saturdays. With a family style setting, the new operators plan to remove the installed counter. There will be no bar.

The application is for a new license, not a transfer. The previous 2:00 am license held by Paesan’s (and earlier by Ristorante D’Amore), was transferred out of the neighborhood by Upper Crust. The new owners said they tried to purchase Eclano’s license which was delayed by the Department of Revenue and eventually the price became too high.

According to NEWRA’s ZLC co-chair, David Kubiak, a new license will increase the number of pouring licenses to 91 in the North End/Waterfront area. This number includes three that are not currently in use by Eclano, Hot Tomatoes and Grezzo which have closed. NEWRA has its own advisory policy limit of 91 pouring licenses. This is not necessarily the number used by the Boston Licensing Board.

The Cerundolos have not decided on a name, but plan a pasta and fish menu with 76 seats (same as Paesan’s), open windows and a new sign out front. Beer and wine will only be served with food. The couple expect the restaurant to be family-oriented. Since about 1995, Lisa has worked with her parents, Lina and Rocco Di Pietrantonio, at their family restaurant in L’Osteria Restaurant, located at 104 Salem Street.  Since about 2006, she has also worked with her sister, Rita Moran, in their family restaurant, La Galleria, 33, at 123-125 Salem Street.