Frank DePasquale and Attorney William Ferullo and were on hand at the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) monthly meeting on June 11, 2014 to present DePasquale’s plan to purchase Cafe Pompei, the restaurant located at 280 Hanover Street. With some adjustments to the building, layout and operation of the current 234-seat Pompei, they are hoping to gain approval primarily for four premises:
1) Transfer of Pompeii ownership from the current owner to Frank Depasquale.
2) Current Beer Wine & Cordial License at Pompeii to become an all-alcohol liquor license (transferred from a DePasquale Owned restaurant in the Leather District).
3) Newly transferred license would extend alcohol service to 2:00 a.m. from midnight.
4) No change to 4:00 a.m. food service license.
Cafe Pompeii has a beer, wine and cordial license allowing them to serve until midnight, but it is currently the only restaurant in the North End with a “late closing” food service license, allowing the restaurant to serve food until 4:00 a.m. DePasquale is planning to move a full liquor license from a location in the Leather district to Pompei, making it a full service bar or, “food counter.” In hopes of improving the restaurant experience, DePasquale is also planning to extend the liquor service until 2:00 a.m.
To help limit noise problems, the restauranteur intends to limit the nights where the restaurant is open until 4:00 a.m. He said that when the restaurant is open until 4:00 a.m., a police detail will be sought from 12am to 4am to maintain the interest of neighbors and residents.
The new restaurant will be a sit down dining establishment, with a 7:00 a.m. opening for breakfast service and brunch on the weekends. Single serve food items like pizza by the slice, or a quick “rice ball” will be avoided.
Meeting attendees expressed positive reviews for DePasquale’s proven track record of restaurant experience, management, design concepts, and award-winning food. Many praised DePasquale for the credibility he has built with his ventures in the neighborhood. Several locals said they “feel secure with Frank,” and were completely in support of him because he supports local organizations in the neighborhood.
Others in attendance expressed noise concerns, favoring the North End as a “residential neighborhood” rather than a “destination neighborhood.”
Using the group’s ballot membership procedure, NEWRA voted 14-11 to “not oppose” the proposal for the license transfers. The other neighborhood group, NEWNC, supported the application and the final decision will be made by the Boston Licensing Board.
