The impending closure of The Jolly Fisherman restaurant creates a vacuum in the vital business section that is downtown Roslyn.

The food and service was great. So too was the incomparable view from the restaurant to the Roslyn Duck Pond. There was never the possibility that the building would become vacant.

The Jolly Fisherman is soon to be no more. However, fine dining, service and the view will remain with the establishment of a Pietro’s restaurant on the exact spot at 25 Main St.
Pietro’s, an Italian restaurant, located at 232 E. 43rd St., will be the new proprietors. There are similarities between the two establishments. The Jolly Fisherman is closing after an amazing 66-year run.

Pietro’s also has a long history. At the height of the Depression, it first opened
in 1932 by three brothers: Luigi, Natale, and Pietro.

The current owner is Bill Bruckman, Jr. who purchased the restaurant. Bruckman said that up to 50 percent of his current customers are from Long Island. During the pandemic, Bruckman said that the Long Island clientele wasn’t coming into the city as much, plus many city dwellers were moving from Manhattan to the suburbs. It was time for the franchise to locate where they live.

Bruckman told the media that he was excited over the move. The Roslyn location is twice as spacious as the Manhattan restaurant. The Jolly Fisherman was legendary for seafood. Such delicacies wilk remain on the menu. The Roslyn Pietro’s will keep an emphasis on Italian food. The blue décor, Bruckman also told the media, would be changed. He added that the targeted Sept. 1 opening remains a likelihood.

Pietro’s comes to Roslyn with a high reputation. Ruth Reichl,, a food critic at The New York Times, hailed it for having “the best steak I have ever had.”

Another Timesman, Pete Wells, added in a recent review: “For my favorite veal parma in midtown Manhattan I go to Pietro’s, where tomatoes, cheese, breadcrumbs, and a thin cutlet – pounded until it covers the oval serving platter like a quilt on a feather-bed -fuses into one sublime entity that could be eaten with a spoon, like pudding. Pietro’s has been on E. 43rd Street since 1984, and in the neighborhood since 1932. So many New York children have had their heights marked off on the wall by Pietro’s front door that it looks as if it belongs in the house of the world’s most fertile grandmother. New generations are always being inducted into the cult of Shells a la Nat, a gratinéed pasta in bone marrow sauce that is unique to Pietro’s.”

On its Facebook page, Pietro customers weighed in on their own dining experience.
“Excellent food, brilliant service, and a lovely atmosphere,” wrote Matthew Cooper. “I was staying on the opposite side of town but took the trip over here specifically to try this restaurant and I am very glad I did. The famous chopped salad was great. It has a good mix of veggies in with the greens and the dressing is a good complement. My main course was the chicken parmesan with a half order of fettuccini alfredo. The chicken parmesan’s pictures on Google Maps were why I came and it exceeded my expectations. The fettuccini alfredo was likewise delicious. I would be remiss if I did not also comment on the service – top notch. David, the manager, and Damian, my waiter, were both great and I got everything I wanted. I will definitely visit again.”

“The service was fantastic,” added Emily Robison. “I felt like our waiter was always checking on us and my water glass was never more than half empty. Fettuccine alfredo was perfect, creamy, and not too much garlic. The Caesar salad was great too.”

The Jolly Fisherman was a Roslyn institution. It will be missed. However, Pietro’s looks to be more than capable of filling the void and contributing greatly to the life of downtown Roslyn.

Article by: Joe Scotchie

https://roslyn-news.com/roslyn...

Joe Scotchie is the editor of both The Roslyn News and New Hyde Park Illustrated News. In 2009, he won a New York State Press Association award for a sports feature. Joseph Scotchie’s past publications include biographies of Thomas Wolfe and Richard Weaver and a comprehensive history of the city of Asheville, North Carolina.