"All it took was two phone calls, and "everyone" knew that Pietro's, the 93-year-old Midtown East institution, was back in business. "You tell the right person ... the whole country club knows," says Bill Bruckman, the former busboy who took over the restaurant from the original owners, brothers Natale and Pietro Donini, in 1992. Bruckman spoke to a couple of the right people. "Next thing you know," his son and co-owner, David, adds, "the phone's ringing.""
"The regulars have already made their reservations at their newly relocated country club in the city, which returns at full capacity this week. Some have already stopped by for the soft open; they've had to wait 15 months for the Pietro's chicken Parm, shells à la Nat, Caesar salad, and steak to return. They didn't want to wait any longer."
"The beef is in capable hands: Luis Jara, the restaurant's chef of ten years, is back as well, and he's preparing the recipes the same way as always. "That has been my motto since we took over," Bill says. "No change - nothing changes." That ethos starts with his purveyors and ingredients: "There should be no change whatsoever." According to David, approximately 60 percent of the staff has also come back."
Pietro's, a 93-year-old Midtown East Northern Italian restaurant, reopened at a new Second Avenue location after a 15-month absence. Two phone calls reconnected regulars, and reservations poured in as loyal customers returned for signature dishes such as chicken Parm, shells à la Nat, Caesar salad, and steaks. Owner Bill Bruckman retained longtime chef Luis Jara and emphasized preserving original recipes, purveyors, and ingredients. Approximately 60 percent of the staff returned. The new space previously housed other Northern Italian restaurants, and the establishment aims to serve as a familiar neighborhood gathering spot while maintaining its traditional offerings.
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