Downtown Comings and Goings

As 2008 wrapped up, one Main Street eatery closed their doors for good.

Sangwich Deli, in Metro Square near Dunkin Donuts, posted a notice from the Rossitto family that thanked their customers for their daily and weekly support (you can click on the photo for a closer look.) I know that the family put their heart and soul into starting the deli, and I wish things had turned out differently for them.

But in spite of the economy, Middletown maintains its reputation as the "IT" town for restaurants, and two new ones will be opening soon.


On lower Court Street, Ted Tine is opening Fishbone, which has a seafood-themed restaurant on the first floor and a blues and jazz lounge upstairs. This building sat vacant for many years, and I've been stopping by over the past months of renovation, and it looks terrific. Last week, while doing some painting in the bar area, Mr. Tine told me that he plans to open by the end of the month.

I've also been watching the progress at the site of the new Esca Wine Bar & Restaurant on the corner of Washington & Main. They won't be ready to open for some time yet, but they are making steady progress inside. This building is owned by the family that owns Cortina Tile. Their oldest daughter is the new owner of the wine bar and they've been doing everything right, from the powerwashing of the exterior last summer, to the interior finish. In this photo you can see that they've divided the space to create a mezzanine, which looks like it will be a cozy spot with a great view of Main Street. They hope to open within a month or so -- I'll let you know when I hear more.