(Telegraph file photo) The exterior of Fratello's Italian Grille in Nashua, which is closing this month. Another Italian-themed restaurant, Bellissimo's Italian Steakhouse, will open at the location.

NASHUA – Nearly seven years after the McDonough family of restaurateurs opened Nashua’s first Fratello’s Italian Grille in the space formerly occupied by another Italian-themed restaurant, Villa Banca, the McDonoughs have decided to close the Nashua location.

The space, which until Villa Banca opened there some 20 years ago housed the main branch of the Nashua Trust Company bank, is at 194 Main St., on the first floor of the Masonic building and at the corner of Main and East Pearl streets.

Mike McDonough said this week said that the other two Fratello’s – in Manchester and Laconia – will remain open, as will their Homestead restaurants in Merrimack and Bristol.

As Fratello’s wraps up operations this month, another restaurant with an Italian flavor is ready to move in and prepare to welcome downtown diners.

The signs for Bellissimo Italian Steakhouse will be going up soon, and the ownership is planning for a “soft launch” on or around March 19, said Jason Fiore Sr., one of the three owners of the company that operates Luk’s Bar and Grille in Hudson.

(Telegraph file photo) The owners of Fratello's Italian Grille are closing the restaurant's Nashua location this month. A new restaurant, Bellissimo's Italian Steakhouse, is opening at the location.

The owners – Fiore, executive chief Justin Hoang, and Dave Raptis – founded Bellissimo’s last month.

They opened Luk’s in 2019 in the Nottingham Plaza at 142 Lowell Road, replacing the Town Tavern, which was previously the former Valentino’s restaurant.

McDonough, meanwhile, said the family had been looking to open a Fratello’s in Nashua for “years and years” when the Villa Banca location became available, he said in a Telegraph interview when Fratello’s opened in 2015.

Fratello’s survived the COVID-19 pandemic in reasonably good shape, and McDonough said that while the implementation in 2020 of expanded outdoor dining “was a nice thought for that first summer of COVID,” its return last year hurt business more than it helped.

“It was very difficult to work around,” McDonough said of last year’s expanded outdoor dining season, which ran from spring through mid-fall.

Overall, he added, “Nashua parking has been our biggest obstacle since we opened. I certainly hope the city reconsiders this plan for the sake of all downtown businesses, he added, referring to expanded outdoor dining.

As for Bellissimo, Fiore said a grand opening is in the works, and they’re currently looking at hosting it on Thursday, March 31.

He said the owners told all of Fratello’s employees that they were welcome to stay on, and many of them are doing so.

Bellissimo at first will serve dinner, but Fiore said they are likely to eventually add lunch hours.

The menu will offer “something for everybody” with an “Italian steakhouse focus,” he said.

The fare will range from “Mom and Dad taking the kids out for chicken fingers and fries … a couple going out for a nice steak or fish dinner,” he added.

For more information on Bellissimo and Luk’s, go to www.luksbarandgrill.com or Luk’s facebook page.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

Newsletter