Hartford Business Journal

4 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 What's Trending Carbone's Ristorante has opened in a newly renovated, 11,000-square-foot space at 39 Front St. in downtown Hartford. HBJ Photo | Andrew Larson Carbone's makes $3.75M bet on downtown Hartford with revival of iconic restaurant staffing as lunch and banquet oper- ations are added. Its initial schedule calls for service seven days a week from happy hour through dinner, with lunch in the lounge and banquet bookings to follow. Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulam- palam said Carbone's was part of Hartford's heyday, when mayors and governors mingled with regular patrons. He views its return as a boost for downtown revitalization efforts. "I think what Vinny Carbone sees, as I do as well, is a city that is on the rise, a city that continues to build its vibrancy," Arulampalam said. "So, we are excited to have Carbone's back. It is a signal about how members of the business community are viewing the resurgence of our city." Family legacy The Carbone family's Hartford history began with Vinny Carbone's grandfather, Carl "Charlie" Carbone, who immigrated from Italy as a child. Charlie and his brother, Anthony "Tony" Carbone, worked as bell- hops at Hartford's Bond Hotel and later operated an Atlantic gas station on Franklin Avenue near Bulkeley Stadium. The brothers saw an opportunity in the crowds leaving baseball games and stock-car races. They acquired a neighboring property with an unfinished foundation and built a restaurant serving grinders, simple pasta dishes and other fare. They left the gas station to concentrate on the restaurant in 1938. The business evolved as succes- sive generations took over. Charlie's sons, Gaetano "Guy" Carbone and Carl Carbone, joined after studying culinary arts and restaurant manage- ment. They moved the restaurant toward a more sophisticated dining experience, introducing customers to Italian dishes and multi-course meals that were uncommon in the Hartford area at the time. By the 1970s, Carbone's had become a destination for corporate lunches and dinners, drawing gener- ations of Hartford business execu- tives, politicians and civic leaders. The family later expanded with Carbone's Prime, an Italian steak- house in Rocky Hill, and Carbone's Kitchen, a more casual concept in Bloomfield. Vincent's brother, John Carbone, is his partner in the new restaurant, and a fourth generation is involved. Vincent's daughter Nicole, 37, is operations manager; his daughter Kathryn handles social media; and his son serves as an adviser. Carbone said he wants the restau- rant to give suburban residents a reason to choose Hartford over established dining and entertain- ment destinations outside the city. "I want to compete with West Hartford Center or Evergreen Walk or whatever," Carbone said. "I want to give them a reason to come in here." By Michael Puffer mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com S ix years after closing its long- time Franklin Avenue location, Carbone's Ristorante has returned to Hartford with a larger dining room, expanded event space and a $3.75 million investment in the city's downtown revival. The storied family-owned restaurant opened Sept. 1 in a newly renovated, roughly 11,000-square-foot space at 39 Front St., the former home of Apple Cinemas. The new Carbone's seats about 275 people and is expected to employ as many as 65 to 70 workers once its lunch and banquet operations are fully running. For third-generation owner Vincent "Vinny" Carbone, 65, the reopening represents both an effort to carry forward an 88-year family legacy and a bet that downtown Hartford is entering a new period of growth. "I feel like the city was in an identity crisis for years, but I think it's finally getting comfortable in its own skin," Carbone said. "And there's been a tremendous amount of private invest- ment as well as public with Hartford HealthCare, Lexington Partners, Alan Lazowski, to name just a few. And we saw the efforts being put in and we wanted to be part of it." The redevelopment was financed with a $1.7 million low-interest loan from the Capital Region Development Authority, a $500,000 loan from the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund and $1.55 million in private equity. The investment comes as thou- sands of apartments have been added downtown, with more under construc- tion or in planning. The University of Connecticut has opened a new downtown dorm, while the state has helped fund a $145 million renovation of PeoplesBank Arena. Downtown wager Carbone's previously operated from a 6,120-square-foot building at 588 Franklin Ave., before closing in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the restaurant industry. The family ultimately decided not to reopen there. Carbone said the pandemic acceler- ated a decision that had been building as the neighborhood and restaurant industry changed. "The business climate changed and we were fortunate to maintain being the first restaurant on Franklin Avenue and then one of the last ones of the Italian cuisine," Carbone said. "So I think it just kind of fast-forwarded things for us. And that's why we decided to relocate after the pandemic." Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin approached Carbone as the city emerged from the initial phase of the pandemic and asked whether he would consider relocating downtown. The family eventually settled on the former movie theater space along Front Street, close to the Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford Marriott Downtown and Interstate 91. The larger footprint allows the family to operate several concepts under one roof. The restaurant includes a tradi- tional dining room, casual lounge with its own menu, and flexible banquet and event space. The banquet area can accommo- date about 125 people for a seated dinner, or 180 to 200 for a standing event. The former Franklin Avenue location could handle events of roughly 50 people, Carbone said. He sees an opportunity to fill a niche between a typical restaurant's private room and Hartford's much larger convention venues. The main dining room, mean- while, deliberately reaches back to Carbone's Franklin Avenue roots. It will offer tableside Caesar salad preparations, homemade pasta, multi-course meals designed for sharing, and some desserts and entrees prepared tableside. "We want to make that special," Carbone said. "And that'll be our thread to Franklin Avenue." The restaurant launched with about 50 employees and plans to increase

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