The Village Cafe was a 550-seat family-owned Italian restaurant in Portland, Maine, United States. It was in business, at 112 Newbury Street, for 71 years (1936–2007)"The Village Café, exterior in 1998 and interior in 1992" – Portland Public Library and was one of the few restaurants in the Old Port during the restaurant's existence."The Maine Restaurants You, The Readers, Miss the Most" – Eater Maine, August 22, 2013"Scenes from an Italian restaurant: How one classic Maine eatery thrives in changing times" – Bangor Daily News, February 10, 2017Portland Food: The Culinary Capital of Maine, Kate McCarty (2014) It stood across Hancock Street from the Shipyard Brewing Company, in a space now occupied by condominiums—The Village at Ocean Gate—which maintain The Village's name."It Takes the Village" – The Bollard, July 31, 2006The Village Café, 1982 and 1989 – Portland Public Library's Digital Commons
History
The restaurant was founded as a twenty-seat café in 1936 by Maria (1884–1967) and Vincenzo Reali (1892–1981), "Feature Obituary: Amedeo Reali, 83, Village Cafe owner, devoted to family" – Portland Press Herald, July 24, 2010 the grandfather of the restaurant's last owner, John Reali. Amedeo Reali (1926–2010),"Amedeo J. Reali" – Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home John's father, took it over, with co-owner Albert DiMillo Sr., after Vincenzo's retirement. He had initially only planned on helping out for two weeks upon returning from service in the Navy during World War II. The restaurant was expanded in 1973 and renovated in 1998.
John Reali won the Restaurateur of the Year Award from the Maine Restaurant Association in 2001. Amedeo Reali won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.Maine Restaurant Association – Hospitality Maine
After increasing competition from the numerous restaurants opening to take advantage of Portland’s "foodie town" status, the restaurant's owner decided to close the business, rather than spend an estimated $500,000 on work the building needed. It was under contract in 2006 and sold in 2007. There was a plan to downsize the restaurant and include it on the first floor of the condominium, but this did not come to fruition. In December 2007, after 71 years in business, the restaurant closed."Portland’s Living Food History" – Portland Food Map, April 19, 2010
Amedeo Reali died in 2010, aged 83."Anita J. Reali" – Portland Press Herald, May 29, 2016
In the 2010s, the restaurant was torn down and replaced with the Bay House condominium project. The Bay, an 85-unit condo on Middle, Hancock and Newbury Streets, was built by Reger Dasco Properties. Since then, the neighborhood has been filled in with high-end condos, hotels and offices. In 2021, a one-unit condo in the Bay House was listed for sale for $625,000.
Menu The Village Cafe served a traditional menu of Italian food. The menu listed soups, salads, Italian specialties, pastas, pizzas, seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and desserts. Menu listings that have been remembered by customers are veal parmigiana, clam sauce, red sauce, homemade bread, baked stuffed haddock, and eggplant parmigiana.
Two menus from the restaurant in 1982 and in 1989 are included in the collection of menus at the Portland Public Library.
References
External links Official website via Internet Archive