Beginning Today, Roberto’s Serves Only Dinner

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Beginning today, Roberto’s Italian Ristorante, 103 W. Federal St., won’t open until 4 p.m., owner Roberto Faraglia said Friday.

Since it opened in February 2012, Roberto’s served lunch, opening its doors at 11 a.m.

May 22 was the last day Roberto’s offered lunch.

“We’re not pulling enough people [at lunchtime],” Faraglia said. In sharp contrast to the his evening business, only a small number of people who work downtown — and an even smaller number who work in the suburbs – patronized Roberto’s for lunch, the owner said.

Reservations for dinner at Roberto’s are advised and it’s not uncommon for customers to need two weeks’ notice, the owner says.

Parking was another issue in ending lunch hours. “We hear it every single day,” Faraglia said, but more from his nighttime patrons than the lunch crowd. “There’s more freed-up parking at night,” Faraglia related as he pointed to the spaces he said are reserved for city of Youngstown vehicles and the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp.

Roberto’s new hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The restaurant is closed Sunday but the owner is giving thought to opening Sunday afternoons, he said.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.