Mezzaluna plans to serve its final customers at 1295 Third Avenue on Sunday, November 1, at 8 p.m., ending a 42-year run. The restaurant’s closing date was confirmed to Patch and reported by the New York Post.
The extension did not settle the lease question
Closure rumors surfaced in March, with Patch reporting that they began circulating on TikTok. East Side Feed reported that the restaurant later posted on Instagram that it would stay open. More than 2,100 people signed a petition, and East Side Feed reported that founder Aldo Bozzi extended the lease for a couple more months in response.
The longer-term decision involved a new 10-year lease and substantial work on the restaurant, according to the Post. The Post reported that renovations could keep the restaurant closed for months, with costs continuing while revenue stopped. East Side Feed, citing an essay by Gea Bozzi in Air Mail, reported that the kitchen measures 150 square feet. East Side Feed also cited the kitchen and the demands of a new long-term lease as factors in the decision.
What may follow remains uncertain
Bozzi, 86, has no immediate plan to reopen Mezzaluna, the Post reported. He and his daughter have discussed another location, preferably a corner space with outdoor seating, but have not confirmed a new site. The Post also reported a rumor that Chipotle might move into the Third Avenue space; that possibility has not been confirmed.
