Christiano's Serves Up Lasagna and Legends

It's five o'clock on a Saturday, and the regular crowd shuffles in... OK, so it's really 6:30 on a Wednesday night. And maybe that's not the Billy Joel song that comes to mind when you think of Christiano's. But it's hard to have a conversation about the restaurant's background without Joel's name coming up. And that's fine with owner Mike Elardo.

"Fox 5 Morning News was just in here yesterday to talk about Billy Joel's connection to Christiano's," he says. The Fox coverage related to another interview Elardo had done in May as part of an internet feature called 'Billy Joel's Long Island'.

And Elardo is more than happy to talk about it, in part due to his healthy respect for the restaurant's history. "This place has been around since 1958," he points out. "I have a group coming in October for a 50th reunion. They used to hang out here as teenagers."

When he took ownership of Christiano's last August, he did so knowing he felt an unusual burden. "I really felt a responsibility to the neighborhood," he notes, "... actually, I still feel it." But as daunting as it was, he had meaningful support. "When I first took over," he says, "Jimmy Christiano – the original owner – was my guest bartender. That was important to me - I felt like he was passing the torch."

Did he ever consider changing the name? "Never," Elardo says adamantly. "That was never an option." Maybe it wouldn't have made business sense, but it's more than that. "I tell people, it's not my restaurant – it belongs to the neighborhood," he says. "I'm just watching over it for awhile."

Among the changes he did make, Elardo updated the décor while maintaining what he calls a 'classic Italian' look. Rich dark woods and deep colored fabrics are brightened by ample lighting, creating a warm atmosphere. A dividing wall that separates the bar and dining area has alternating open areas and shelves lined with wine bottles, creating a cozy, yet not closed in, feel.

As for the menu, about a dozen or so of Christiano's classic dishes remain. Choices on the expanded menu include a number of steak and seafood dishes, and seasonal specials. Among the promotions that draw a steady flow of customers are Pasta Night (Thursdays), Karaoke Night (Wednesdays) and, not surprisingly, live music on occasion.

Asked if any other noted musicians frequent the restaurant, Elardo notes that Dee Snider, frontman for the '80's band Twisted Sister has been in, as has another well-known local rocker Eddie Money, who was there recently doing a photo shoot for his new album.

And how did Money find out about Christiano's? "I asked him that," says Elardo, laughing. "He said Billy Joel told him about it."

Curious about what restaurant Billy Joel really had in mind when he wrote "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"? For the record, Mike Elardo directs us to YouTube to listen to Billy's own words, recorded at a performance from 1977, that he believes answer the question: Billy Joel Christiano's Dedication

Check out our latest review of Christiano's here.