Italian eatery to be sold

A Raleigh dining institution is about to change hands.

Amedeo's at 3905 Western Blvd. in Raleigh will soon be owned and operated by David Harris and Rodney Byrd, the duo behind the Remington Grill chain. The deal should be complete next week.

For the restaurant, an N.C. State staple since Dick DeAngelis opened it in 1963, this will be the first nonfamily owner.

I was unable to reach Jan DeAngelis, company president and daughter of the founder, for comment, but there were clear signs the Italian favorite was in trouble. In January 2008, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but it has remained open.

David Harris said he wants to assure Amedeo's fans that the menu will not change.

"We wouldn't go into it unless we thought we could keep producing the same great food," he said.

Amedeo's will close starting Monday for renovations to the bathrooms and the front of the house. But the main dining room, with all its NCSU memorabilia, will remain intact. Harris said he hopes to reopen by the weekend.

I should also note that there is another DeAngelis sibling, Rick, offering family recipes at Amedeo's North in the North Ridge shopping center at Spring Forest and Falls of Neuse roads in North Raleigh.

The two restaurants are separate entities and will remain so, Rick DeAngelis said.

"I worked at Amedeo's on Western my whole life, and I take a lot of pride in what I do. I'm sad about what's happened there, but it's good to know I'm the only one now who has the original recipes. I am the only Amedeo's now, in my heart."

MobileWaiters is now servicing Garner and South Raleigh, providing home delivery of food from a number of area restaurants for a small fee. In Garner, restaurants include Chili's, The Cleveland Draft House, Cold Stone Creamery, Kaze Japanese Steakhouse and La Piazza Italian. There is also a MobileWaiters Cary, which serves Cary, Apex and Holly Springs.

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