The average lifespan of a restaurant is 8 to 10 years, but some restaurants close after a few months, and others stay in business for generations. A 2016 food service expert report concluded that most restaurants fail within their first year, and 70% of those that survive fail within 3 to 5 years.
So then, how is it that Caruso’s on 4th has stayed open over seventy-five years?
In the 1930s, Nicasio (Caruso) Zagona established Caruso’s, and it has been a family-operated establishment ever since. The restaurant’s distinctive interior design, charming patio, and traditional food preparation techniques were the brainchild of the Zagona patriarch. While some updates certainly were made over the years, the core methods for crafting pasta dishes (like ravioli, lasagna, manicotti, and cannelloni) and homemade sauces have remained unchanged. At the heart of the kitchen is the “big copper pot,” a focal point in the dining area, which has prepared Caruso’s sauce since the restaurant’s inception.
As a kid in the 1970s, I remember this was my family’s ‘big night out’ location. I’m pretty sure I learned the definition of veal while sitting under one of the famous interior murals.
At least 40 years have passed, so it was time to go back, so I took my mom for our Mother’s Day dinner.
Apparently, we never ate out on the patio because I certainly would have remembered that! It’s so pretty, peaceful, and surprisingly big.
I had the Lasagne al Forno with Chicken Parmigiana, and Mom had the Caruso Special, a combination of spaghetti, meatballs, and ravioli served with a choice of sauces. Both dishes were terrific.
It was a perfect Mother’s Day evening. We reminisced, filled our bellies with pasta, and filled our hearts with gratitude.
A staff member told me they recently touched up the interior murals, but they look just like I remembered them.
Guarantee I’ll be back before another 40 years.