Restaurateur Mike Del Pietro, and his wife Melissa, recently closed on the building housing the former Jordan’s Auto Service (7489 Delmar), a three-bay auto-repair service station on the northeast corner of Hanley Road and Delmar that shuttered in December 2023. The plan is to transform the space to serve pastries and coffee, followed by lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Del Pietro says demo will commence next week and to expect a six-month buildout, which translates to “realistically next summer.” Here’s what we know so far.
The Concept and Decor
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Del Pietro, 57, is expanding his MDP Restaurant Group, which currently spans five local Italian restaurants: two Sugo’s, Babbo’s, Il Palato, and Del Pietro’s in Richmond Heights (slated to close by the end of the year). Although Del Pietro had been eager to open another restaurant, he was initially discouraged due to rising rental costs.
“Restaurant rents had gotten so out of control that I had to figure out a way to buy a building, and I did,” Del Pietro says of his recent property purchase. “Even with a 10- or 20-year lease, eventually, those leases come due, and you have to either ante up big time or relocate. In 20 years or sooner, this new property will be paid off. I’m just happy I could buy something.” Although he didn’t disclose the purchase price, Del Pietro did say that it was the largest deal he’s ever made.
His plans for the new, yet-to-be-named, Italian-inspired restaurant include operating continuously from 7 a.m.–9 p.m. “Since I own the building, it makes sense to maximize revenue opportunities,” he says.
The restaurant will feature a 2,500-square-foot interior space, accommodating about 50 guests and including a small bar. Additionally, a 1,700-square-foot, all-season patio, connected by three existing garage doors, will offer seating for another 50 guests. The corner lot is bigger than it appears and can accommodate 33 parking spaces.
While the interior design hasn’t been finalized, Del Pietro envisions “a blend of modern and old-world elements,” incorporating some of the building’s original service-station features without fully relying on them. The restaurant will operate with a fast-casual service model, allowing guests to order at the counter or via a QR code.
The Menu
The new restaurant’s menu will evolve throughout the day, starting at 7 a.m. with coffee and Italian pastries. The coffee will be sourced from Dubuque Coffee, while the pastries—both sweet and savory—will be made by Del Pietro’s mother, Mary Rose Del Pietro, who will be three months into her “retirement” from the restaurant business by the time the new location opens.
“She’s transitioning from long hours in the dining room to a shorter commute and spending a couple of hours doing something she truly enjoys,” Del Pietro says. The morning offerings will include a variety of biscotti, Italian cookies, and pastries. “I’ve always loved small, independently owned neighborhood coffee spots,” he adds, “and that concept fits well with everything else we’re planning.”
Lunch service will run from roughly 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and feature a selection of salads and Italian sandwiches. The menu will range from classic choices to more esoteric options, incorporating ingredients such as mortadella spreads, pistachio creams, and burrata.
The signature lunch item will likely be rectangular slices of Roman-style pizza, though Del Pietro describes it as more of a hybrid. “Think of a slightly thicker, well-done New York-style crust, cut into squares from a 30-by-8-inch Roman-style pie. It’s something I’ve pretty much created,” Del Pietro explains. The pizzas, along with hot sandwiches, will be cooked in a gas-fired, 900-degree Woodstone deck oven, which allows for the addition of natural wood for flavor.
Dinner will include a dozen smaller, shareable plates, such as grilled octopus over white bean purée with olives, capers, lemon, and parsley; cacio e pepe arancini; a special veal meatball; and marinated calamari salad. “You won’t see things like bruschetta or toasted ravioli,” Del Pietro notes. However, there will be a few entrée-size portions and some shareable homemade pastas, with the idea that a group of three might share five or six dishes.
Pizza will also be featured at dinner, though the style will differ from lunch. In the evening, guests can expect 10- to 11-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas, which Del Pietro calls “pizza classica.” While he loves the Neapolitan style, he prefers a crispier crust. “Neapolitan pizzas cook in 90 seconds, but I’ll adjust the dough recipe and temperature to give it a slightly longer bake for that crunchier texture,” he explains.
Guests can expect a full bar, with extensive by-the-glass offerings of predominantly Italian wines in 3-, 6-, and 9-ounce pours. “The plan is to serve different food and drinks throughout the day,” Del Pietro says. “There are no set dining hours anymore. You have to be flexible and meet customers where they are.”
