Southington’s Zingarella closing; owner cites restaurant glut, costs
Zingarella Ristorante & Pizzeria, which has served Italian food in Southington since Thanksgiving 2011, is “begrudgingly” closing after the end of business on Valentine’s Day, the restaurant announced on Facebook.
“It breaks my heart to say goodbye to this part of my life,” owner Mark Zommer wrote in a notice posted on the restaurant’s page. “Running an iconic restaurant comes with its challenges. But with all the hurdles, the battles, the laughter, the misunderstandings, the wins and the losses, the ‘can’t make up these stories’ that actually happened, I don’t regret for a minute the fulfillment of my dream.”
Zommer stated that his executive chef, Angelo DiDomenico, is retiring from the restaurant at 83 W. Main St. in the Plantsville
neighborhood. However, Zommer also cited the high cost of doing business as a reason.
“Skyrocketing inflation, unemployment, fuel prices, and the like, have made it almost impossible for a business to flourish,”
Zommer wrote. “This is especially true in the food-service industry. Restaurants are starving for reliable and competent workers. The cost of food and having that food delivered has not only doubled, but in some cases tripled.”
He also cited the influx of restaurants to the Southington area since he opened.
“Southington is saturated with places to eat and most of them are chains or corporately owned. The sole proprietorships get lost in the mix and really don’t stand much of a chance of survival,” he wrote. “Gone are the days of going out for a pizza with family and friends and hello to the days of food delivery to your home, especially pizza.”
Customers with gift cards are advised to use them before Feb. 14. More information is at facebook. com/zingarellas.