Local favorite Johnny Paisano’s has reopened at the Springfield Shopping Center, writes Peg DeGrassa for the Daily Times.

Sit-down service will begin next week at the Italian restaurant’s new location at 143 S. State Road, next to the Hibachi’s restaurant in the shopping center. It is open now for catering and call-ahead take-out.

The new 50-seat restaurant is BYOB and offers an expanded authentic Italian menu that includes family recipes, many from owner Johnny Minicozzi’s late grandmother, Millie Collura.

“We can’t wait for customers to see the place. We transformed from a small eat-in place to a spacious dine-in restaurant!” Minicozzi said.

The popular restaurant closed last year on April 1 at its former Baltimore Pike location in Springfield after Minicozzi was hit with a rent increase.

Hundreds of customers expressed their disappointment on social media, and Minicozzi vowed to return soon “bigger and better” at a new brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Minicozzi made good on his word this week.

“The bottom line is that we really care about our customers,” Minicozzi told the Times in 2023. “They’re loyal to us, and we’re loyal to them, and we want to reopen close by.

Find out more about the new food offerings at the reopened Johnny Paisano’s in the Daily Times.