Abate Apizza & Seafood Restaurant, once located in New Haven, opened its new location in North Haven at 61 State St. on Thursday, Sept. 21.
The reopening follows a blaze in the eatery's original location at 129 Wooster St. in New Haven on Thursday, May 11 that left the building and owner Louis Abate's attached apartment heavily damaged.
Months after the fire though, Abate managed to rebuild and continue his passion for serving pies to his customers.
"We are so excited to finally be open," Abate's family wrote on social media, adding, "We had a great first day! So many familiar faces came out to share their love and show us their support."
The pizzeria's first day was so successful that the eatery's stocks were left depleted, the owners said.
Originally opened in 1956, the original New Haven location had become a beloved fixture in the city and was known for its delicious Italian-American cuisine, most notably its pizza.
One visitor who stopped by the original location before the fire left a raving review on Yelp.
"Wow. Crispy crust, delicious toppings. Nothing more to ask for," Andrew N. wrote, continuing, "We'll certainly be coming back for more pizza."
The eatery was so popular that following the fire, just below $8,000 was raised by community members in a GoFundMe fundraiser to go toward the reopening effort.
The Abate family recognized this generosity on social media.
"We couldn’t be more grateful," they wrote, adding, "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!"
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