Café Richiesto provides comfort and a smile

restaurant
(Photo contributed) - George Keyer, a retired firefighter, runs Café Richiesto with his wife, Robyn.

The Cornwall Local and The News of the Highlands continues its monthly series on food and beverage establishments in the area. 

Name of establishment:
Café Richiesto & Pizzeria

Date opened:
June 2014

Owner:
George and Robyn Keyer

Why did you get into the restaurant business:

My husband wanted to get into the restaurant business. He’s now a retired firefighter. He bought this property and he does construction, so he built this building and wanted to have a family restaurant. My daughter also works here. 

How did you get your start: 

We built it. He wanted something to keep in the family. We have two younger kids. 

How did the restaurant get its name:

We came up with the name out of comfort. It’s supposed to mean “a place to be.” We wanted customers to return. 

What type of food do you serve:

Mainly Italian. We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We do a weekly specialty dinner that’s not always on the menu. We also do a dinner for four every week and it changes.

What are popular items on your menu:

The salads are very popular. We buy ingredients from local farms. Everything is fresh. The meatballs. The pizza. A lot of people hang out with us and they eat the same thing every day. If a regular customer is absent one day, we’re like, “What  happened? Where were you?” We had a customer who had a stroke and was placed in a rehabilitation center. He called every week, so we wouldn’t get concerned. 

 What is your signature:  

Engine 42. It’s a pasta dish in honor of the owner. It’s a penne pasta in a cream sauce with peppers and grilled chicken It has a little bit of spice to it. 

Why should visitors to the Hudson Valley stop at your restaurant:

We’re friendly and we only hire people who smile. We’re a small business with great food. There are people who drive by here all the time and they finally come in and say I’ve driven by a million times and I never came in here. Then they come in and didn’t realize all the menu options. 

Location:
1795 Route 32, Mountainville

Hours:
10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday)

Phone number:
845-458-5513