Salvatori’s Authentic Italian Eatery, located in the former Richards Restaurant at 3605 Commerce Drive, Warsaw, should open “no later than (Tuesday), May 16,” one of its owners, Jeremy McClain, told InkFreeNews on Thursday, April 13.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Italian food lovers in the area shouldn’t have to wait much longer to get their fix locally.

Salvatori’s Authentic Italian Eatery is planning to open its new Warsaw location “no later than (Tuesday), May 16,” one of its owners, Jeremy McClain, told InkFreeNews.

The restaurant is in the former Richards Restaurant at 3605 Commerce Drive, Warsaw.

McClain said numerous changes have been made to the building. Those include murals done by a Fort Wayne artist depicting Italian scenes such as the countryside and a gondola in the restaurant’s party room.

The room is able to seat 25 people, said McClain, with the entire restaurant allowing for 150 people. The restaurant will be staffed by ideally 50-60 people, said McClain, with owners currently working on hiring more.

The food menu, which may be viewed here, includes pizza, calzones, salad, sandwiches and various pastas.

“Our spaghetti supreme is our No. 1 seller,” said McClain. “We think the pizzas are fantastic as well.”

There will also be a variety of beer and wine, with McClain noting owners are still working on pinpointing the exact selections.

Warsaw’s restaurant joins Salvatori’s five other locations, with the chain started in 2006 in New Haven. Along with McClain, the restaurants are owned by Panos and Stephanie Bourounis and Alex Valdez.

McClain said owners were “excited to introduce the Salvatori’s brand to the Warsaw community and really the surrounding communities as well.”

He said they had received “an overwhelming response” regarding people wanting a Salvatori’s in the area when they’d originally done research on bringing one to Warsaw.

McClain said Salvatori’s is focused on giving back to the community, mentioning it’s already partnered with RedBird Art Studio to showcase the art for sale done by those with special needs at Cardinal Services.

“We’re looking for other opportunities to really cement some relationships in the community,” he added.

McClain said as the four owners feel like they are family even though they aren’t biologically related to one another, they hope customers experience that atmosphere when coming through Salvatori’s doors.

He also noted the chain’s food quality and service.

“We hope (customers are) going to experience a very polished casual dining atmosphere where we’re highly focused on providing excellent service,” he said.

The restaurant’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Catering and online ordering will eventually be offered.

The restaurant’s party room, which can seat 25, has murals painted by a Fort Wayne artist.

Booths sit ready along a wall. The whole restaurant can seat 150 people, said McClain.

Some of the stonework near the entrance.