Italian-themed restaurant coming to downtown Woodstock

No official opening date has been announced, but the eatery is taking reservations for Christmas parties. (Lee Griffi Photo)

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The former Ironworks site on Dundas Street in downtown Woodstock will soon be the site of a new eatery. It is inspired by and will be named after a well-known local restaurateur, Simon Amicucci.

Amicucci’s Risto by Dolcetto will soon open at 529 Dundas Street and co-owner Matt Lee said coming up with the name was an easy choice. The Woodstock resident is the former owner of Kelsey’s and Montana’s.

“He was the gateway for us to the industry in the city in such a genuine way. He introduced us to the community, key clients and regular customers, and he was incredibly generous with his time.”

Lee said that although Amicucci retired after selling the restaurants, his break didn’t last long — within six months, he was back working a few shifts to stay involved.

“He has a lot of respect from the community, the staff, and there is a level he brings to hospitality that I think sometimes is forgotten at the fault of the industry. We didn’t want to do a second Dolcetto, so it felt like a natural fit to celebrate him and his history.”

Amicucci is expected to be a part of the new restaurant, at his leisure, of course.

“He’ll hang out a couple of days a week, I’m sure, shake a few hands and eat some food. We are celebrating him the way he should be celebrated.”

Amicucci translates loosely from Italian into English as dear friend. It’s an affectionate variation of amico (friend), often used to convey warmth, closeness, and familiarity — a perfect choice for something meant to feel welcoming and personal, like an Italian restaurant or café.

Lee’s business partner, Kevin McIntyre, purchased Kelsey’s and Montana’s in Woodstock from Amicucci, and the pair teamed up to purchase the popular Dolcetto in London. McIntyre also has a stake in the Hyde Park Kelsey’s in London and Legends Tavern in St. Thomas.

Lee said he saw several positives about the building itself, particularly on the inside.

“Just the atmosphere with the exposed brick and the opportunity to create an open storefront really fits the mould of what we’re shooting for with the Italian concept. It’s rustic but modern, and I think that’s going to shine through in all of the renovations we’re doing.”

Despite some businesses leaving the Friendly City’s downtown core, Lee is confident that once they build it, people will come.

“I know the city is committed to growing the downtown and we’ve seen that in the work that’s been done, despite the hiccups, bumps and problems that (Streetscape construction) presented to businesses and the community as a whole.”

He said if a restaurant has a good product and a great atmosphere, it is sure to be successful. Lee described the renovations to the property as a dramatic overhaul, which will include an additional garage door and brighter lighting.

“We are putting in a banquette where all the booths were, all the way down, and the bar gets washed away a little bit with the high-top tables, so we are removing that and creating a lower atmosphere. We want people to be able to walk in the front door, see the entirety of the kitchen and be able to see everything we are offering.”

The kitchen will feature an open-concept design, a hallmark of many modern Italian restaurants today, including Dolcetto.

“We’ve got nothing to hide and we want people to see the professionalism. We are a chef-driven machine and I think it’s a nice thing for people to see if they are waiting at the door to see what we’re offering back there.”

The menu will be more red meat-driven than the London operation and will include what Lee described as an incredible short rib dish.

“We’ll have more of a local twist,” Lee said. “Our executive and head chefs plan to work with local businesses for cheeses, breads, and produce. For me, it’s a heartier menu overall, but we’ll still bring back some Dolcetto favourites — like our incredible roasted prosciutto appetizer and our biggest seller by far, the fettuccine.”

He added many of the dishes are being made from scratch, crafted specifically for the new Woodstock restaurant. Lee said developing a new brand has been a lot of work — but also a lot of fun.

“When Kevin and I saw this place was for sale, I think we both stayed up overnight and I sent my vision of what I thought the menu would be. He sent back at 6:30 in the morning some rough drawings of what he saw from the layout. We’re both just incredibly passionate about what we’re doing here.”

Lee is also enthusiastic about the team leading the restaurant, noting that when he tallied their experience, it added up to nearly 200 years of combined expertise.