SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP —
Every time patrons walk in to Alessandro’s Ristorante, they can find Owner Alessandro Pilumeli in the same place, in the kitchen.
For nearly 14 years, Pilumeli has been preparing fine Italian cuisine for his patrons, five nights a week in the winter and six nights a week in the summer.
“I do all the cooking myself,” he said. “The only day of work I missed was the day my son was born in 2001. My brother came in for four hours and cooked for me.”
Alessandro’s, located at 6540 Lake Road West, will celebrate its 14th anniversary in August. Pilumeli, who moved to the United States from Italy in 1994, found the empty ice cream shop and opened the doors to his restaurant in 1999.
Pilumeli was raised in Sicily, where he worked in a restaurant and learned to cook. Upon receiving a degree in agriculture in 1988, he moved to Florence until moving to the U.S., he said.
Pilumeli met his wife, originally of Geneva, in Cleveland, where he was living at the time, and eventually found himself in Ashtabula County.
One of the biggest challenges of the restaurant’s location was its size; however, that is not the case anymore. Pilumeli is excited to announce a new addition to the restaurant. The 20x20 room features a fireplace and indoor restrooms.
Pilumeli said the addition will not serve as a way to accommodate more patrons, but as a way to serve the same number of patrons in a more spacious manor.
“We will still accommodate the same number of people, we just won’t be as cramped,” he said.
Pilumeli said the restaurant will now have about six tables in the original room and five or six tables in the new room. If patrons have to wait for a table, they can choose to wait in either room.
Besides the Italian cuisine featured on the menu, Alessandro’s features an impressive selection if fish, he said.
Pilumeli said he only serves wild fish from the ocean.
“Our fish is never from the lake,” he said. “We believe fish from the ocean is tastier. Our fish is always sautéed or grilled, it’s never breaded or fried. We don’t even have a fryer in the kitchen.”
Pilumeli said one of the best things about being in business this long is his customers trust him.
“People will walk in the door and see me in the kitchen and know I’m going to take care of things,” he said.
Pilumeli said he believes in having a menu as a base with a variety of specials. He said he tries to change the menu once a year, but will continue to make what his customers ask for if it gets removed from the menu.
Pilumeli said the restaurant’s selection of meat is also a priority. The menu features a variety of exotic meats including pheasant, rabbit, wild boar, lamb chops and duck. He said he is also working on adding elk to the menu as well. Pilumeli also makes his own bread and salad dressings.
The secret to the success of Pilumeli’s restaurant is his staff, he said.
“I have loyal hard-working people,” he said. “I very rarely hire people. When you’re small, it’s easier to do that.”
Pilumeli said during the summer months, he is fully staffed with eight employees, all of which are part-time.
“In the summer when we are busy, I work hard, but my people work just as hard,” he said. “I have several servers who have been here almost from day one.”
Alessandro’s closes for six weeks during the winter to give Pilumeli and his staff a chance for a vacation. Alessandro’s will close on Feb. 16 and re-open the beginning of April, he said.
Alessandro’s is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9:30 p.m. During the summer months, typically from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the restaurant is open Monday through Saturday. Alessandro’s is always closed on Sundays, he said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Photo by STACY MILLBERG ALESSANDRO PILUMELI is the owner and chef at Alessandro’s Ristorante, 6540 Lake Road West in Saybrook Township.
Discussion
New addition allows for more spacious dining at Alessandro’s Ristorante in Saybrook Township
- Local News
-
-
KSUA professor wins prestigious national award
Irene Edge has kept students on the cutting edge of information technology for decades.
-
Boaters gather in Ashtabula Harbor to pray for safe season
Safety on the water was the over arching theme of the 64th Annual Blessing of the Fleet Saturday evening in Ashtabula Harbor.
-
The earth will occasionally move under Ashtabula County
When the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 leveled Missouri, the shock waves were strong enough to ring church bells in New York and break windows in Washington D.C. People in southern Ohio fled from their cabins. Closer to the quake’s epicenter, earth liquefied, sand volcanoes popped up and rivers appeared to run backwards. It was the first recorded magnitude 8.0 earthquake in North America, and to this day the strongest. Seismologists agree it could happen again. Some believe it could happen any time within the next 50 years.
-
Fishing derby draws hundreds to Conneaut
Two-year-old Mark Miller, of Wooster, wasn’t quite sure what to make of his success Saturday during the fishing derby at the Conneaut Fish and Game Club.
-
Monthly cruise-ins are an outlet for car enthusiasts in Andover
It all began 15 years ago when four young families got together and decided to form a group to share their love of cars with others and give back to the community.
-
Tradition draws thousands to Kingsville Township lawn sale
Parking spaces disappeared quickly Saturday morning as crowds began to gather for the 39th Annual Kingsville Lawn Sale.
-
Fifth man in Ashtabula murder case pleads guilty to kidnapping
Now it’s five out of six.
-
Walnut Beach restrooms and concessions will be ready in time for summer
They are working on the restrooms at the Walnut Beach concession stand in preparation for the summer season, but the city still is looking for a concessionaire, City Manager Jim Timonere said.
-
Catholic community saddened by loss of the Rev. Charles Poore
The Catholic community is mourning the loss the Rev. Charles Poore, who lost his battle with cancer Thursday.
-
A bit of the farm may come to Ashtabula's Main Avenue
Rich red tomatoes, bright green peppers and farm fresh eggs — this is what the Downtown Ashtabula Farmers’ Market envisions for Main Avenue.
- More Local News Headlines
-
