BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Back by Popular Demand

The decades-long restaurant journey of Giancarlo and Nancy Balestra seemed over when they closed Gusto. Turns out, it was just beginning.

BY BARRY KAUFMAN • PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

We all remember where we were on April 7, 2020 when our phones suddenly blared with an emergency message from the state of South Carolina: “Go home. Stay Home. Travel only for work & essentials. Virus spreading in all SC Counties.”

Despite the fact that all “non-essential business” had been ordered closed earlier that week, for many of us that was when it all became real. For Giancarlo and Nancy Balestra, that message meant they had reached a crossroads with their restaurant, Gusto.

“Basically we went from being very busy the night before to being without a job,” said Giancarlo. “With the new rules from the governor, our seating had been limited to 15 people. You don’t pay a lot of bills with that. We had to reach a drastic decision… We had to decide to just let it go.”

With heavy hearts, they shuttered the restaurant they had just opened two years prior to tremendous accolades. The latest venture for a couple who had been running restaurants together for decades, Gusto had established a huge following in its relatively short lifespan, raking in awards for best new business and livening the island’s culinary scene with its deliciously authentic fare.

And with one executive decision, it was all over.

“After all this work we did, this was the end of it,” said Giancarlo. “This was our little jewel. We chose to retire to live on this island, make a business and everything was just gone.”

The couple retreated to Florida to figure out their next move, and it wasn’t long before that loyal crowd they had cultivated started getting hungry again.

“People were calling us, emailing us… ‘Why did you close? When are you going to reopen?’ We felt encouraged by our customers,” said Giancarlo. “There was some debate (between us) because we were on the beach at Siesta Key swimming and boating. We weren’t suffering. But we didn’t like leaving the job unfinished. We were cut out all our lives to be in this business.”

Working with a broker, the couple made their way back to Hilton Head Island with a mind to revive Gusto for their hungry fans. A few different locations presented themselves, but it wasn’t until they found the site where Another Broken Egg had recently vacated that they knew they had their spot.

“It seems like it was hand-made for us,” said Giancarlo. “It has a great kitchen, outdoor space and it’s in a great location.”

“Everything really feels very meant to be,” said Nancy.

Splitting painting duties (he goes high, she goes low), the couple spearheaded a near-gutting to the existing structure to create an ambience of authentic Italy. “We found the basic shell was very well done,” said Giancarlo. “We gave it a rustic feeling like something from my homeland. We put brick walls inside with metal accents, we put the full wood beam to create this old Roman trattoria style… and it’s all hand painted by me and Nancy to give it that Tuscan touch.”

This new Gusto essentially transplants the full experience that made the original restaurant such a hit, including key staff members like master chef Rosario Limonio and house manager Antonio Galati. “Rosario is from Napoli, so he adds some touch of Southern flavor in the kitchen,” said Giancarlo. “Antonio is from Sicily. He’s a good cook but he doesn’t want to cook. People love him.”

It’s worth noting that the word “Gusto” defines a sense of enthusiasm in Italian. If there’s one thing that can be said about Gusto, it’s that they definitely foster enthusiasm.

“There was this overwhelming support we really appreciated,” said Giancarlo. “It was not an easy step to let go of a good business. We are happy to be back in this community.”

GUSTO RISTORANTE Sea Turtle Marketplace (843) 802-2424 gustohiltonhead.com