Old memories, new vision: Taking over iconic Delfino’s in Hoboken

After 34 years of being in business, Delfino's in Hoboken closed their doors. Owners Frank Biancamano and Delfino Biancamano decided to close shop because they were ready to retire.

Taking over the space will be first-time restaurant owners Ray Falco and Justin Avila. I got the opportunity to speak with Ray about their two restaurant concepts, The Pizza Shop + Flour, that will be taking over the Delfino's space and opening March 2.

How did you guys feel about Delfino's closing?

"We understand the impact Delfino’s had within the neighborhood and are honored and grateful to have the opportunity to be opening a restaurant in such a historic location. This was my local pizzeria growing up and upon hearing the news that Delfino’s was closing, it really hit home.”

"I spent a lot of time in these walls and created a lot of fond memories here. My grandpa was the fire captain of the Hoboken Fire Department and he had been coming here since Delfino's opened. As soon as the news broke, Justin and I reached out to Frank and Del to see what options were on the table."

"When they told us they were retiring, we immediately reached out to our realtor Steven Torres who got the ball rolling. To our surprise, we were the first to inquire about taking over the space and we jumped on it. They created something special in this neighborhood and we couldn’t be more excited to create new memories and experiences here."

How will the restaurant be set up and what will you guys offer?

"The Pizza Shop will be to-go and delivery only and Flour will have an open kitchen, is BYOB, and the cuisine will be pasta driven-new American. The dining room for Flour will be more of an intimate setting.”

"Our chef consultant started his career working for the pasta guru, Michael White with Marea group and most recently worked at the renowned restaurant Carbone in NYC. We are working directly with independent and local farmers, wheat growers, flour millers, and mushroom foragers. By building these relationships we are able to have access to the freshest ingredients possible and help support as many local establishments as we can."

"For our pizzas, we are using organic freshly milled flour from upstate New York, Jersey Girl cheeses and organically grown tomatoes from California. Our whole concept starts with one simple idea: sourcing the best ingredients we can get our hands on and not screwing them up."

Do you have any goals for yourselves and for the restaurant?

"This will be our first restaurant for both of us. I was born and raised in Hoboken one block from this location, so this neighborhood has a special place in my heart. I've been working in the restaurant industry in Hoboken for the past 15 years and Justin has been working here for the past few years as well. Funny enough, our families are both from the same little village in Italy and it’s been our dream to open a restaurant together."

We are so excited for Ryan and Justin.

The Pizza Shop + Flour will be located at 500 Jefferson St., Hoboken, NJ. On March 2, they will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. and they ask that customers phone ahead their orders at 201-345-9424.

You can follow along with The Pizza Shop and Flour on Instagram.