Now Open: Geraci's Full-Service Italian Restaurant in Willoughby

A little more than two months after announcing the project, Geraci's is ready to open the doors to its latest venture: a full-service Italian restaurant in the heart of Willoughby. The home-grown pizzeria had been testing the waters, so to speak, with a slice shop in the same area, which debuted at The Yard on 3rd in 2022 and enjoyed two seasons there.

"I look at the Yard as kind of an incubator for us to get our name out in that area," explains owner Bucky Spoth. "We were probably less known than we expected, so it was great to get out there. They created something that's unique to that area. We played right off that as the automatic food option."

Following the 2023 season, Geraci's announced that it was trading in the slice shop for a sit-down eatery at 4127 Erie Street. The trim space can accommodate about 22 guests, but a new rear patio could more than double that. Unlike at the slice shop down the road,  the new restaurant is more in line with a traditional Geraci's restaurant. Diners can expect a full roster of classic dishes like lasagna, veal parmesan, chicken marsala and, of course, pizza. The restaurant offers take-out and delivery and a liquor license is in the works.

"Willoughby is a beautiful city, the community is very tight-knit, and it has a lot of the qualities that we look for in terms of walkability and nightlife," he adds. "We want to be a pillar of the community and to help out. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel by any means, we just want to be your corner pizzeria and Italian restaurant."

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