Mario’s Italian Restaurant has closed after more than two decades at its North Atherton Street location, but the owners are planning a second location for one of their other establishments.
Parent company Dante’s Restaurants and Nightlife announced the closure this week, saying that the decision came after a strategic review and plans to strengthen the company’s long-term growth.
“We have come to the end of our current lease at Mario’s,’ Dante’s Director J.P. Mills said. ‘The lease renewal terms presented a significant rent increase and subsequent increases thereafter. We attempted negotiations to reach amicable terms, but unfortunately, we could not reach an agreement.”
Formerly known as Mario & Luigi’s, the 1272 N. Atherton St. spot opened in the early 1990s as the restaurant’s second location. Dante’s founder Andy Zangrilli opened the original Mario & Luigi’s on Garner Street — where another Dante’s property, Bar Bleu, is now located –in the early 1970s.
“We have enjoyed a long run at Mario’s and are fortunate to have so many loyal customers,’ said Director Jennifer Zangrilli. ‘We would like to thank them for their patronage and support and we invite them to come say hello to to us at our other locations.”
All employees of Mario’s have been offered employment at other Dante’s establishments. The company said that scratch-made pastas, sauces and other Italian foods can still be found at its Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, 340 E. College Ave., and HiWay Pizza Pub, 1688 N. Atherton St.
And fans of those foods will soon be able to find them at a new HiWay Pizza Pub location. In announcing Mario’s closing, the company also revealed its plans to open soon a new HiWay Pizza on West College Avenue.
“We are super excited to have been working for the past few months on plans to update our HiWay Pizza Pub brand,’ Mills said. ‘HiWay will be great place not just to watch sports and have a few drinks, but will have a restaurant section for families and kids. Enhancing the atmosphere and guest experience as well as expanding our food and drink menu is our focus, but don’t worry, the same great food that made HiWay a State College tradition will remain.’
HiWay is the flagship brand for Dante’s, with the first location opened by Andy Zangrilli in 1963. Over the years it has had locations on East College Avenue (where Inferno is now) and Westerly Parkway, along with its current North Atherton Street location.
‘The closing of Mario’s gives us the ability to grow our HiWay brand and celebrate the pizza that our company was built on,’ Mills said. ‘Building a new location from scratch will give us a clean canvas to present a new look for our HiWay Pub brand for years to come.”
Dante’s Restaurants and Nightlife locations include HiWay Pizza Pub, The Deli Restaurant and Z Bar, Liberty Craft House, Inferno Brick Oven & Bar, Bar Bleu, The Saloon and The Hopshop Beer Market.
