WINSTED — Primo,
Winsted’s newest restaurant, has been very busy for a restaurant that has yet to have its grand opening.
The restaurant, which opened its doors to customers on Dec. 23, has been enjoying a successful “soft opening,” with a steady stream of customers and positive word of mouth according to its owners.
“It’s been unbelievable,” said Primo co-owner Brian Cerruto. “It’s been a great run so far. The people have been great to us, and the town wants to give us a big grand opening ceremony.”
Cerruto owns and operates Primo alongside partner Louis Dimitrakopoulos, who has opened over 30 restaurants.
Located at 8 South Main St., Primo occupies a building that has stood vacant since 2005, when former sub shop Blimpie went out of business. According to Cerruto, there was no question that the new restaurant would be going into Winsted.
“I’m from Torrington myself, and my partner Louis has lived in Winsted for 42 years,” Cerruto said. “Any time I go out to eat I always gravitate toward Winsted. I think Winsted has always had a great choice of restaurants, and I think Winsted is a great little town.”
After extensive renovations, the abandoned sandwich shop has been transformed into a casual-yet-classy family dining establishment. In addition to the main dining room, Primo features a separate dining room for private parties and a see-through kitchen which allows diners to view their food being prepared.
As for the food, Primo’s menu ranges from traditional fare like wings and burgers, to sandwiches, wraps and New York strip steaks. There are gluten-free options for pasta and pizza dishes, and the “Little Primo” menu offers classics for kids. Some of the stand-out menu items are the classic Greek dishes, including Souvlaki, Gyros, and Spanakopita. “My partner Louis is from Greece, so there is definitely an authentic Greek influence on the menu,” Cerruto said.
According to Cerruto, the dinner hours have been very busy, with an average of 130 dinners served a night. “Our slowest night so far was maybe 85 dinners, but that was during the snowstorm,” Cerruto explained. “And still, the local people came out in the bad weather conditions just to support us.”
Support from the community has come not only from diners stopping by the restaurant in person, but also from the wealth of positive reviews that have flooded Primo’s Facebook page.
“We have a great Facebook page that myself and one other person operate,” Cerruto said. “People have been checking-in, and the reviews that people have been giving have been overwhelmingly great.”
In an effort to show how appreciative he is of the support, Cerruto has been personally responding to individual Facebook posts.
“One person posted that their experience was so positive that it made them feel like they were somebody special,” Cerruto recalled. “My response to that: Whenever you walk through our door, you are somebody special. Every customer is important.”
Primo restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 9 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.
For more information call 860-738-9965 or visit www.facebook.com/pages/Primo/789523014438188.
