New Owners to Revamp, Reopen Nonantum Italian Restaurant

If you've been down Watertown Street recently, you may have noticed things have gone dark at #344, Ristorante Maria di Napoli.

But local fans need not worry -- the space shouldn't be quiet for long. 

After more than a decade in Newton, the restaurant's owners have decided to pass the torch on to someone new, according to a letter posted on the restaurant's door.

New owner Arthur Andronic plans to "develop the restaurant into something bigger and better, while keeping the same family atmosphere and name," according to the letter from the new management team. A photo of the letter is posted in the .pdf section to the right.

Alongside the information on the "new" restaurant, the former owners posted a letter thanking their loyal customers:

Thank you!

It has been an absolute joy and privilege in serving this wonderful community for the past ten years, but most importantly, getting to know all the wonderful people that have supported us! We will never forget your smiling faces, watching your kids grow, sharing laughs and sometimes tears. We've decided to start another chapter in our lives; therefore we inform you that Ristorante Maria di Napoli will be reopening under new management in the beginning of 2013.

Luckily, this isn't the end of "Maria's," but a new beginning! Please show your support as "Maria's" will continue to go forward in 2013 with many more years to come.

Many thanks for an unforgettable run!

Sincerely,

Maria, Roger and Maria's crew.

An agenda from a Newton Board of License Commissioners meeting indicates the restaurant's new owner (listed as Vamcomplex USA, LLC, Arthur Andronic) applied for the license transfer on Dec. 18, 2012. 

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As noted on Hidden Boston and the Slice Pizza Blog, the Nonantum eatery was known for its pizza, which was brought to the neighborhood by (now former) owner Maria Cerqua and her family.

Although the new owners say they intend to keep "the same style of kitchen" and the pizza, there are plans for interior renovations, the letter says. A post on the restaurant's Facebook page includes a rendering of the planned renovations.

The restaurant's website indicates the owners were planning a grand reopening in February, however, as of early March the restaurant remains closed. Another post on the Maria di Napoli Facebook page states the owners are now aiming for reopening in April. 

The restaurant is also looking to hire a new staff of cooks, according to its website.

Stay tuned to Newton Patch for more details and updates.