Gabatoni's is reopening its dining room Jan. 22 after being closed for nearly five years. The business has changed hands and the inside of the building is updated, but the new owner said he has tried to keep most things the same.
Bill Pope purchased Gabatoni's Oct. 16 and filed a building permit with the city shortly afterwards to begin interior renovations. Gabatoni’s closed its dining room during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 and has only offered carryout service since then.
Pope, who also owns Charlie Parker's, told SBJ he tried to maintain the same interior décor. However, the bar had been damaged and he had a new one custom-made, which he said delayed his reopening date.
Loyal customers will be pleased to know he’s also sticking to tradition as far as the menu goes.
“We’ve already gone back to the original sauce and original crust – people were complaining about (the change). Everything stays the same as far as the menu,” Pope said. “The only thing we’ll be doing to the menu is bringing prices down a little bit and adding some new items later on, once everything calms down.”
Pope has expanded the operating hours, and the restaurant will be open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
