Waltham Restaurant Owner Opening New Eatery in Belmont

The owner of a Waltham restaurant plans to open a 60-plus seat restaurant in Belmont.

Located in the space once occupied by a shoe repair shop at 436 Common St. in Belmont, La Maione Pizzeria Con Cucina will be an Italian eatery focusing on Neapolitan-style pizza and southern Italian "soul food" from chef John Maione who has owned La Campania in Waltham on Main Street for more than a decade.

In his proposal to the town, Maione said he was drawn by the proposed approval for a building permit to construct the three-building project. 

Maione – who put up $40,000 of his own money to start jump the venture – believes that once the development is built, he will see a 60 percent increase in customer volume in an "area ... in need of a warm and friendly place" that will present "authentic European flair" to its customers.

The 1,780 square foot space – already leased to March 31, 2019 – will have 60 seats indoors and up to 40 outdoors on its "lovely patio" (the sidewalk)" when the weather is nice.

It will have a bar, tables, a special private room with four more tables that can be closed to the rest of the customers in addition to a "Stanza del Cuocco" or chef's table where you can view the kitchen staff labor. 

The clientele? Maione said his target customer is between 30 to 70 which he describes as "[u]pscale townies and suburban yuppies" who have "good morals and are genuinely sincere and polite." 

The menu (photos of the menu are located on this web page) includes appetizers such as wood-grilled prawns with tomato confit and baby arugula and Buffalo mozzarella with fresh heirloom tomatoes and garden basil.

The "backbone" of the menu will be the 10-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas such as Pizza Margherita ($12-$15) baked in a wood-burning oven currently being shipped from Naples and handmade stuffed agnlotti pasta with a full plate costing $17, the half order at $10. 

The food will be served in copper pans and bowls straight from the kitchen. 

The restaurant will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesdays through Sunday. It will employ five to eight employees each night. He is aiming to open on Aug. 21.

Maione, the executive chef and owner, will be assisted by his wife, Michelle, who will run the front of the house while his four children will help. 

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Editor's Note: David Maione, the current owner of La Campania Restaurant in Waltham said it is his brother, John Maione, who is opening the new restaurant in Belmont, and it is entirely separate from David's eatery.