Christiano's Won't Close...Yet

You can still get a bottle of red and a bottle of white at Christiano's for the time being. 

New owners recently announced they are postponing plans to close the iconic Italian joint made famous in Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." 

"As of now it's staying as Christiano's," said Manager Amy Sierra. "It's not going to close, not this year anyway; it may even stay open next year."

Sierra said the decision was delayed because Singh Hospitality Group, which bought the Christiano's early this year, is preoccupied with other projects. 

Harendra Singh, CEO of Singh Hospitality Group, announced plans to close the popular Syosset landmark in February and reopen it under a new concept. Chef Tom Schaudel, of CoolFish, had reportedly signed on to the project at the time.

“It's not going to be an Italian restaurant, but I’m not exactly sure what it’s going to be,” he told Newsday, saying he has already scheduled meetings with designers.

When residents first heard the news that Christiano's was closing, many said they'd lament the loss of a legend. With its curved wooden bar, red-and-white tablecloths, and throwback decor, Christiano's has been home to memorable good times. 

Sara Puccio summed it up well with her comment:

"Dollar bills on the ceiling, Rosie's big smile when she brought your food. Great pizza...I was here 1x per week as a child and teenager. It's so much a part of Syosset and our history. It's where friends met, families gathered and memories were made."