LAKE WORTH: CALLARO’S COMING BACK IN AUGUST

LAKE WORTH — Callaro’s Steak House, the popular eatery on Lake Avenue, closed recently but will reopen in late August with a remodeled kitchen, dinning room and more Italian pasta.

“Several thousand dollars are being spent on repairs,” said Danny Callaro, a managing member of the site. “The restaurant has been here since the 1950s. We took over in 2011 and we did a lot of renovations then, but we’re going to do more now.”

Callaro, who declined to say how much is being spent on the renovation, runs the restaurant with partner Keith Scragg, a chef.

The menu will be about 90 percent the same, Callaro said, with a little more flavor on an upgraded wine list and more Italian food.

“It’ll be more like an Italian steakhouse,” he said.

Scragg said the goal is to key on wines at an affordable price.

With Callaro’s closed, Callaro said he’s been spending more time at Riggins Crabhouse in Lantana, which he co-owns.

“It’s taken up a lot more of my time than I anticipated,” he said. “I intended to slow down, but my work has really increased here.”

Scragg said doing business in Lake Worth is both good — and bad.

“Season is good and summer is long and slow,” he said. “We had to cut back on staff and my wife and I worked every day. We did all the extra work.”

Downtown Lake Worth is changing, mostly because of rising rents.

Saito’s, the Japanese restaurant on North J Street, closed last week, as did Kilwins, the popular chocolate store on Lake Avenue because of higher rents. Starbucks closed on Lake Avenue and moved to North Dixie Highway while Blue Front BBQ Bar and Grille on North Dixie Highway is closing on July 4 and being turned into a catering business the next day.