Piccolo Ristorante, the family-run Italian spot on Sunrise Highway in Bellmore, closed over the Fourth of July weekend after 47 years in business, serving its final dinner on Friday, July 3, 2026. The Valenti family said the longtime dining room will not reopen in Bellmore, bringing nearly five decades of service to a quiet close. Owner Tom Valenti Jr. said they had hoped for a last-minute reprieve but were forced to reconsider the restaurant's future.
Owner's announcement and final service
In an interview with Newsday, Valenti said "we were hoping to have the last-minute victory like the Knicks, but it just didn’t work out for us" and described the decision as driven by "a myriad of reasons." The report notes that Piccolo served its last dinner on Friday and that the family is still weighing options on what comes next.
Neighborhood staple since 1979
Piccolo traces its history to 1979 and bills itself as family owned and operated on its Piccolo Ristorante site, which highlights a private dining room that accommodates up to 140 guests. The restaurant's menus and event pages show it has long supplied pizzas, pasta and party service to families, schools and local organizations across the area, a role the owners say helped define its identity.
Gift cards and community ties
Valenti told Newsday that Piccolo gift cards will be honored at nearby Gusto Divino in Seaford. Gusto Divino lists a Seaford location and contact information where customers can confirm hours and availability. The Newsday piece also noted that Piccolo received the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce’s Roy Weinman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 for its community work.
Local reaction and what's next
Longtime patrons took to neighborhood forums and social feeds to share memories and speculate about what might replace the King Kullen shopping-center spot. A thread on Reddit captured immediate local responses, with commenters remembering Piccolo as a reliable place for birthdays, fundraisers and after-game meals. With the Valenti family still assessing next steps, the future of the space remains unclear for now.
