South City's Bertolucci's returns

The dimly lit lounge was filled with laughter, happiness and soothing live music as friends and former patrons enjoyed drinks to celebrate the restaurant ribbon cutting.

Larry Bertolucci and his sister Lola Bertolucci-Fox said when their parents started the restaurant, it also had a boarding house.

"It cost people $18 a week for room and board and my mom would cook them breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Bertolucci.

The two nostalgically pointed out places in the restaurant where stars would dine.

"Shirley Temple had her last birthday here, she sat right over there with her family,” said Bertolucci-Fox.

Bertolucci and Bertolucci-Fox took over for their parents in 1962, expanding the restaurant and maintaining a formal feel they thought was needed.

But age and family hardships finally took a toll and the restaurant was closed almost two years ago. There was talk of tearing down the restaurant to build a high-rise. When Sodini came along with a dream of reopening it, the brother and sister breathed a sigh of relief.

"I knew I wanted this restaurant the minute I came in and closed the door. It took every penny I had to do it and it was worth it,” said Sodini.

Sodini, a Burlingame resident, is no stranger to the restaurant business. He owns a pizza parlor and Italian restaurant in San Francisco, but it is a family endeavor with his wife and four boys helping out.

Sodini purchased the restaurant on June 1, 2005 with hopes of opening in September. Sodini hopes to create a supper kind of club-type atmosphere inviting to families. Sodini hired one of the cooks from the original restaurant but they will be cooking Italian food a different way. The new menu will even include pizza and will be a whole different style for the Peninsula, Sodini said.

It isn’t just the new and former owners who are excited about the reopening, the community is thrilled about it too.

South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce member Lance Huntley enjoyed a drink during the ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday. Huntley said his family spent a lot of time when he was younger at Bertolucci’s and he’s just happy to see it back again.

"It just has a great old San Francisco feel,” he said.

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