Beloved Riverside Eatery To Close Its Doors

GREENWICH, CT — Ada's Kitchen + Coffee, the beloved Riverside eatery that offers scratch-made seasonal food and of course, candy, announced that it will close its doors early next year.

Owner Michael Pietrafeso announced the closing in an Instagram post.

"I am sad to share the upsetting news that we will be closing our doors in mid-February 2024. Unfortunately, our landlord proposed an extremely high increase in our annual rent, an increase that is well over market and would not allow me to sustain my business going forward," Pietrafeso said. "Through months of negotiation and my attempts to get to a reasonable place with them, we were unable to come to an agreement. So after nearly eight years of being a staple in Riverside, I have no choice but to close my doors and move on."

Ada's is located at 112 Riverside Ave., and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner to go. Customers can find a variety of scratch-made sandwiches, wraps, salads, bowls, pastries, locally roasted artisan coffee, tea and smoothies, and candy.

Peitrefeso uses ingredients from local farms and purveyors and changes the menu with the season.

The building has a rich history, as it was once the Riverside Post Office. Then for nearly 60 years, Ada Cantavero, for whom the current business is named after, operated Ada's Variety Shop, a penny candy store that became a staple in the community.

Cantavero died in 2008. Several years later, her nephew, Ron Romaniello, expressed a desire to offer food while keeping Ada's tradition of selling candy alive.

He met with Pietrafeso, and Ada's Kitchen + Coffee was born. The building underwent a big renovation and the new business opened in 2016. Pietrefeso is a graduate of Greenwich High School. He attended the French Culinary Institute in New York City and worked as a private chef and at several farm-to-table restaurants in the area over the years.

Pietrefeso has since branched out and opened Roost Kitchen + Coffee, a sister store of Ada's, first in the Noroton section of Darien in 2018, and then in Cos Cob in 2021 at 236 E. Putnam Ave. Roost features similar menu items.

In the Instagram post, many customers expressed sadness to learn of the news, and some said they'd start a petition to save the business.

"So upsetting," one customer commented. "Prepared to petition/fight for the place that always puts a smile on my face…having such a walkable and delicious option is so important for our community!"

Pietrefeso said in his message that the decision to close Ada's "has been a very difficult decision" for him. He said he hoped to see his longtime customers at Roost in the future.

"Thank you for your support through all of the highs and lows, we made it through because of you," Pietrefeso added. "And to my team and my family, my gratitude and love for you is immeasurable. We made something truly special together and I couldn't have done it without you."

Patch has reached out to Pietrafeso for more information