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