Arthur Ave.’s Mario’s Restaurant celebrates 100 Years
BY JASON COHEN
As restaurants struggle to
stay open throughout the city
due to escalating minimum
wage, and increasing rent
and property taxes, one eatery
in the Bronx continues its
formula for success for a century.
Mario’s Pizza, located on
2342 Arthur Avenue, has been
making Neapolitan Italian
cuisine the same way for 100
years. Joe Migliucci and his
daughter Regina Migliucci-
Delfi no operate the fi ve-generation
landmark, but the story
began many years ago.
In 1915 Migliucci’s great
grandmother, Scolastica Migliucci
and her son Giuseppe
opened a small pizzeria in
Harlem.
One day while shopping
in ‘Little Italy’ in the Bronx,
they saw an empty storefront
and realized it was the perfect
place for a restaurant. So, they
closed their Harlem shop and
four years later launched G.
Migliucci Vera Pizzeria.
Giuseppe who had two kids
of his own, Mario and Clemente,
eventually changed the
name to Mario’s.
“We all have the same pas-
Mario’s Pizza on Arthur Ave. hosts media kick off for Little Italy Restaraunt Week.
Participants behind table: San Gennaro - Gennaro Martinelli, Gerbasi - George Befanis, Council Member Ritchie
Torres, Belmont BID - Frank Franz, Mario’s - Regina Delfi no, Ann & Tony’s - Ralph Napolitano, Michaelangelo’s - Dawn
Iturriaga and Bronx Tourism Council - Olga Tirado. Schneps Media Jason Cohen
sion,” Migliucci-Delfi no said.
“We care about each other.”
Migliucci-Delfi no recalled
that when she was a teenager,
Mario’s was her second home.
She would spend her weekends
there, admiring her dad
and grandpa.
Her grandparents Mario
and Rose were a huge part of
her life. They instilled in her
the passion for the business
and showed her how to treat
people.
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,22 FEBRUARY 7-13, 2020 BTR
“They were very well
known in the community,”
she said. “She was the matriarch
of Arthur Avenue”
According to Migliucci-
Delfi no, her friends thought it
was the coolest thing that her
family owned an iconic restaurant,
but to her it was normal.
She didn’t plan to work
there, but when the second
fl oor was added for catering in
the late 80s she left her job as
an offi ce manager and came
there fulltime.
The place that began as a
small pizzeria seated 15 people,
but today holds up to 400
guests and is jam-packed every
weekend. She noted there
were customers that had their
own table each week.
Migliucci-Delfi no explained
the business hasn’t
always been sunshine and
roses. Times were hard after
9/11 and the recession in 2008.
But their patience, dedication
to customers and the
fact that 90 percent of the recipes
are the same since they
opened, has always kept people
coming back.
“You never want to have
someone unhappy,” she said.
If something’s wrong I want
you to tell me. Not everybody
likes everything.”
The passion for the business
has continued with her
family. Her son, Damian, who
plans to attend college in the
fall, helps out at the restaurant
and her brother, Michael,
just retired.
She noted that some people
open restaurants hoping to
become millionaires, but it’s
really about providing good
food and service for the community.
“It’s the hardest business to
make that type of money,” she
explained. “You have to love
what you do. I took a lot from
my grandparents, who had the
passion for the business, the
people and the food.”
BOP 101 Lincoln Avenue LLC has submitted an application to the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for a State Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (SPDES) permit for the construction of new highrise
residential buildings in the Mott Haven section if the Bronx, NY. A Public Participation
Plan has been developed in accordance with NYSDEC Commissioner Policy
29, Environmental Justice and Permitting (CP-29). The purpose of this meeting
is to inform the public about the project and to involve the community during the
SPDES permit application review process.
Date: February 25, 2020
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Location: Bronx Community Board 1 located at 3024 Third Avenue in the Bronx,
NY 10455.
Agenda:
Project personnel will be available to answer any questions from the community.
For additional information on the proposed project:
Email : SouthBronx.Development@brookfield.com
140th St in the Bronx, NY 10454
BOP 101 Lincoln Avenida, LLC ha presentado una solicitud ante el Departamento
de Conservación Ambiental del Estado de Nueva York (NYSDEC) para un permiso
del Sistema de Eliminación de Descarga de Contaminación del Estado (SPDES)
para la construcción de nuevos edificios residenciales de gran altura en la sección
de Mott Haven si el Bronx, NY . Se ha desarrollado un Plan de Participación
Pública de acuerdo con la Política del Comisionado 29 del NYSDEC, Justicia y Permisos
Ambientales (CP-29). El propósito de esta reunión es informar al público
sobre el proyecto e involucrar a la comunidad durante el proceso de revisión de la
solicitud del permiso SPDES.
Fecha: February 25, 2020
Hora: 6 pm – 8 pm
Ubicación: Bronx 1 Community Board ubicada en 3024 tercera avenida en el
Bronx, NY 10455.
Agenda:
¡Su asistencia es importante!
El personal del proyecto estará disponible para responder cualquier pregunta de
la comunidad. Para información adicional sobre el proyecto propuesto:
Correo electrónico: SouthBronx.Development@brookfield.com
en el Bronx, NY 10454
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