Pietro’s to replace Jolly Fisherman

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Pietro’s, a third-generation, family-owned and operated Italian restaurant located in Manhattan’s Midtown East, is coming to Roslyn.

The Manhattan restaurant will be expanding to a second location, taking over the building of longtime Roslyn restaurant The Jolly Fisherman, which announced it will be closing its doors after 66 years in business.

Bill Bruckman is the third generation to run Pietro’s. He and his brother took over Pietro’s from their father, who had married into the family, and operated the restaurant since 1993.

The restaurant was started by a cousin of Bruckman’s grandfather in 1932, focusing on serving Northern Italian cuisine and steaks in the city.

Pietro’s was established on 45th Street and Third Avenue as a “small, little place,” Bruckman said, but relocated in 1984 to its current spot at 232 E 43rd St.

After being in the neighborhood for decades and serving three generations of customers, Bruckman said Pietro’s is typically feeding a dining room of 70%-80% regulars every night with many coming in multiple nights a week.

“They’ve been coming into our establishment for generations,” Bruckman said. “I’m speaking for the third generations like myself coming in, but their kids are starting to come in now. So we’re getting into the fourth generation now of customers.”

He said the secret to having a long-term, devoted customer base is first the food.

“Our food speaks for itself,” Bruckman said.

The second secret is their staff, with every customer greeted at the front door by a member of his family, if not him. He said the restaurant has very little staff turnover, enabling customers to foster bonds with the restaurant staff over