After 46 years, the owner of a beloved mainstay serving up Italian submarines and other delights in Montreal’s west end is hanging up his apron and closing shop.
Momesso Restaurant has been nestled in the same basement spot in the city’s Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood since 1978.
The family-owned Italian eatery has kept Paolo Momesso busy since his father Alessandro first took a chance and purchased the locale after dabbling in landscaping and construction jobs. The founder first arrived from Italy in 1951 and the NDG community embraced with the family with open arms in the decades that followed.
“My father first started it,” Momesso said from behind the counter Wednesday, where he was busy cooking for the lunchtime crowd. “I was an employee back then.”
Over the years, the restaurant has grown in size and its menu has expanded, though it still serves its renowned staple: an Italian sausage submarine.
The walls are also adorned with mementos from Momesso’s famous brother Sergio Momesso, who spent 13 seasons in the NHL — including with the Montreal Canadiens when the team hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1986.
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“It was a big thing because when he (Sergio) was playing for the Habs and he was playing hockey. It was a lot on TV so a lot of people would come,” Momesso said.
But the eatery’s deep roots in the community is not the restaurant’s only draw — it’s also the ambiance, service and delicious food.
Jim MacKenzie has walked down the steps and through the door for nearly 40 years after first hearing about it from word of mouth. When asked what he likes about it, he quickly responded with “everything.”
“It’s just a little place in the basement. They sell really good submarines and good pizzas. And you can even drink beer here,” MacKenzie said.
After his father passed away in 2006, Momesso and his sister took over the booming family business until she eventually retired. But he admits he never thought he was going to become the owner and run such a popular spot.
Momesso has mixed emotions about closing the restaurant. After spending years on his feet and serving hungry patrons non-stop in a demanding job, he’s ready to retire even if “it’s going to be hard.”
“Clients ended up being a lot of good friends,” Momesso said. “That’s what happened, which is incredible. That’s a bit of the sad part of it.”
While the restaurant has always been family and community oriented, the owner says his children thought about it but ultimately decided not to take over the business. Momesso can’t blame them.
“It’s not an easy job. It’s very demanding. Nights, weekends, holidays,” Momesso said.
The restaurant may be closing, but devoted customers have shown up as a final send-off. Lynne Dumont drove 38 kilometres Wednesday just to make sure she could enjoy one last meal.
“I saw today that it was closing and it wasn’t going to be sold, so I said, ‘I have to go,’” she said.
As hard as it is for long-time clients to say goodbye, it will also be hard for staff to do the same for the place they consider a second home.
“All the customers are regulars,” said Katherine Samios, a waitress since 1996. “We know everybody by first name, they know us by first name. It’s family here.”
Momesso Restaurant will serve its final dish on Jan. 27 and while he may be leaving, the owner wants to thank patrons for their unwavering support.
“I’m not going to forget them,” he said.
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