An empty St. James storefront will soon be filled by a longtime Smithtown business, Attilio's Pizza & Grill.
Attilio's owner Sam Mancini confirmed Thursday that the eatery will be moving from its 60 Terry Road in Smithtown location to the former home of , located at 430 Route 25A in St. James.
Mancini said he hopes to move into the new location by the end of March.
When it was open, Bella Vita was lauded as one of the best Italian restaurants on Long Island, according to Zagat Guides. But the slumping economy took its toll.
In a message posted on the restaurant's Facebook page in September the owner announced the decision.
"We'd like to thank our loyal customers for 15 Great Years! Due to Economic Circumstances out of our control, we were forced to close the Restaurant as of Sunday, September 18th. Please stay a fan of our page, so you can stay connected with us...."
No new plans have been announced yet.
