Bruno’s Little Italy to open on Main Street in Downtown Little Rock

After over a year’s absence, Little Rock’s original Italian restaurant will re-open in downtown Little Rock on the ground floor of the Mann Lofts at 310 Main Street. The restaurant will be operated by Vince Bruno, son of the legendary founder of Bruno’s Little Italy, Jimmy Bruno, in partnership with his brother Gio Bruno. The family has a 60+ year history of serving the best Italian food in the Little Rock area, starting in the Levy neighborhood in North Little Rock, and followed by ventures on Roosevelt Road, Old Forge Drive, and Bowman Curve in Little Rock. “We are very excited to get back closer to our roots downtown,” said Gio Bruno, who will train the pie-men to toss pizzas visible through a window into the kitchen. Brother and Chef Vince Bruno commented that, “We have all the old Bruno’s recipes which we have been serving to several generations of Arkansas families and visitors alike.” Bruno’s Little Italy, which will have seating for 70 patrons inside and 30 more outside on an outdoor patio. Construction starts today, March 11th, with a Grand Opening scheduled for early August. Financing for the restaurant is being provided through Arkansas Capital Corporation of Little Rock. The architects for the restaurant are AMR Architects and the General Contractor is Central Construction Group. The Mann Building and Lofts, scheduled for completion in June, is a joint venture of Moses Tucker Real Estate and the Doyle Rogers Company. The Mann Building is 95% leased and 11 of the 19 loft apartments have been spoken for, according to Tommy Lasiter of the Doyle Rogers Company. The project also includes a 415 space parking deck and room for additional retail and restaurant space. “This is a major announcement for Main Street and a signal that the grand old street is coming back to life in a very dynamic way,” said Anne Laidlaw, chair of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership’s Main Street Revitalization Committee. Read the full article from Arkansas Times.