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Del Pietro’s in Richmond Heights closing at end of year

Del Pietro’s (1059 S. Big Bend) is set to close its doors in late December. Owner Michael Del Pietro describes the situation as “equally happy and sad.” His mother, 81-year-old Mary Rose Del Pietro, who has been operating the restaurant, intends to retire on her own terms. “The restaurant is thriving. We’re profitable, and I’ve enjoyed a wonderful journey,” she shares. “It’s simply time to move on.” The final day of service is scheduled for New Year’s Eve, which the mother-son duo believes is a fitting occasion for a heartfelt farewell.


The Retirement

Reflecting on her extensive 70-plus years in the restaurant industry, Mary Rose admits, “This may sound selfish, but I don’t want anyone else taking my place there. For over 40 years, I’ve greeted guests at Del Pietro’s, both newcomers and longtime patrons, and I don’t want anyone else doing that.” This sentiment resonates with those who have felt her warm welcomes, comforting hugs, and nurturing presence.

Many see Mary Rose as the embodiment of hospitality. “She gives out more hugs in a day than a loving grandma at a family gathering,” remarks a long-time customer.

Mary Rose recognizes that the physical demands of the job take their toll. “My shoulders, my knees… I can no longer navigate steps or walk around like I used to,” she admits, even recalling how she worked the floor while donning a walking cast last year after an ankle injury.

Occasionally, she may still manage the floor while serving her homemade Italian cookies—an activity she might continue post-retirement. “I cherish cooking and baking at home,” she enthuses, “so I might surprise one of my kids at their restaurants with a plate of my cookies.” Michael adds, “Now she can drop in whenever she likes without any pressure. Mom can ease into ‘part part-time’ if she chooses.”

Looking ahead, Mary Rose is excited about enjoying the flexibility of retirement. “Should I feel the urge to get back into the restaurant world, I can always do that,” she notes. “I can pop in to stir things up with the boys at their restaurants.”


The Restaurant

In 1976, Michael Del Pietro Sr. and his wife, Mary Rose, founded Del Pietro’s House of Pasta in St. Louis Hills. Since then, the establishment has straddled the line between fine dining and casual eateries, offering high-quality Italian cuisine at accessible prices. This philosophy continued with the subsequent location in Richmond Heights, maintaining its reputation today.

Despite rising costs across the industry, Del Pietro’s salads remain at $7, a generous eggplant Parmesan meals is offered for $10, and the eggplant involtini and fritto misto, both priced at $12, continue to be popular choices. (“They taste like something from a New England seafood shack—they’re among the city’s finest,” notes SLM dining critic Dave Lowry.) An order of toasted ravioli at $10 is a remarkable deal, especially since they are made in-house and are the same ones served at Michael’s other four restaurants, requiring “four staff members working every Thursday for five hours” to produce.

After reimagining DelPietro’s, Michael chose to streamline the 50-item menu. “Initially, we had 20 pasta offerings, which looking back, was excessive,” he reflects. “Now we offer eight but still present four different noodle types.” The long-standing favorites, including Spaghetti alla Angela (spaghetti and meatballs with baked provolone), lasagna, linguine tutto mare, chicken spiedini, veal saltimbocca, and sautéed branzino, will remain until the end. Pasta prices range in the teens, while entrees sit in the $20 range—“a lid that is hard to keep on,” explains Michael.

As they prepare for a lively last couple of months, neither Michael nor Mary Rose has to worry too much about staffing shortages or managing inventory levels, a luxury not shared by many others in the industry facing their final stretch. “Staff can continue working at my other restaurants afterward, or I can even hire additional help if necessary,” Michael explains. “I can bring in products and handle any surplus, giving us the comfort of keeping Del Pietro’s operational through New Year’s Eve.”

Operating hours from Tuesday to Saturday evenings will remain unchanged leading up to the big day. Reservations are available via OpenTable.


The Backstory

Mary Rose began her restaurant career over 70 years ago at Rossino’s, once a beloved establishment in the Central West End co-owned by her parents, Roy and Nina Russo, alongside Frank Gianino, who bought an existing pizza place on Sarah Avenue. They combined their surnames to create Rossino’s.

“I started making salads there on weekends when I was just 11,” Mary reminisces. (“If you were family, salads were your first task,” adds Michael. “Non-family members? They handled dishwashing duties.”) While her mother worked in the kitchen, Mary Rose also picked up back-office accounting and payroll skills. Michael Del Pietro Sr. tended tables at that time.

The couple’s romance blossomed; they married and opened Del Pietro’s House of Pasta—an eight-table location in St. Louis Hills. Mary Rose started as a waitress (“we couldn’t afford to hire one,” she recalls), and eventually took on numerous roles, as many restaurant owners do. The restaurant saw considerable success, going through three expansions over its 35 years. After Michael Del Pietro Sr. passed away in 1988, Mary Rose carried on the business until it closed its doors in August 2011.

(Mary Rose’s other son, Marc, co-owns two local eateries, The Block and Cleaver & Cocktail, while her daughter Angela resides in Los Angeles, also working in the restaurant industry.)

“Mary Rose was always kind,” remembers Mike Emerson, a waiter at Del Pietro’s and co-founder of Pappy’s Smokehouse. “Even when we made terrible mistakes. I’ll never understand how she managed it. I love that woman…”

In 2017, seeking to revive the iconic restaurant his parents had founded, Michael Del Pietro secured a lease at 1059 S. Big Bend in Richmond Heights, sharing the space with the flagship Hank’s Cheesecakes, which was acquired by Anthony Favazza in late 2021. The building, notable for its arched green metal roof, previously housed Riverbend Restaurant & Bar, Harvest, and Cyrano’s, and was originally a Shakey’s Pizza parlor.

The current 100-seat establishment features a street-facing bar, a cozy dining area with a fireplace, and a private room for twelve. Once the restaurant closes, some signature dishes from Del Pietro’s may appear in Michael’s other establishments, he says, “to keep the nostalgia alive.”

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