Antonio’s To Go, a takeout place in Fairmount that evolved from a celebrated Italian restaurant in Syracuse’s Little Italy neighborhood, is closing at the end of the month.
“Due to the economy of the COVID-19 pandemic, Antonio’s To Go will be closing, effective April 28, 2021,” the restaurant posted on Facebook. “All outstanding gift cards must be used by April 27, 2021. Thank you for your business and patronage!”
The owners could not be reached for further comment. The Facebook post said the takeout place at 3528 W. Genesee St. is running specials through April 27.
The original Antonio’s Ristorante closed in 2009. Since then, Antonio’s To Go had also operated locations on James Street in Syracuse, near Shop City and in North Syracuse.
The Antonio’s To Go menu featured pizza, wings, sandwiches, pasta and other Italian dishes based in many cases on recipes from the original restaurant.
“If it’s not Antonio’s To Go, it’s not the original Antonio’s,” was one slogan used by the takeout shop, along “We deliver Little Italy to your door.”
The original Antonio’s Ristorante had been located for decades at 700 N. Salina St., at the corner of East Division Street. That location had been operated by the Simiele and More families, and in its later years was operated by family member Nicholas LaPenta with executive chef Michael Simiele.
In a 1993 review, former Post-Standard food critic Yolanda Wright wrote that LaPenta and Simiele “have been lighting up the North Side with specialty veal entrees, a dizzying Italian menu with more than 100 choices and top-notch service.”
After Antonio’s closed on North Salina Street, that location was the first home of Attilio’s Restaurant, before it moved to James Street.
Antonio’s To Go is unrelated to Antonio’s Pizza, Pasta and Wings in Liverpool, which remains open.
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Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
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