Plans for the return of Marcello’s Wine Bar and Café in the Southdowns Shopping Center have been postponed a bit, but restaurateur Gene Todaro says he’s hoping to be open by late April or early May.
The restaurant, which will be located in the same space that was its home during a popular three-year run beginning in 2009, was originally scheduled to open around Mardi Gras. But Todaro, who also owns Marcello Wine Bar and Café restaurants in New Orleans and Lafayette, got busy with the Carnival season so decided to slow down his aggressive opening schedule.
“Right now, we’re just taking our time, getting it right,” he says. “The space is ready to go, save for some cleaning, and the core staff is spending a month training in the New Orleans restaurant.”
The new Marcello’s will be similar to the former one but a little more casual, Todaro says. The Italian-inspired menu will also be similar to what local diners will remember, but will include other types of dishes, vegetarian options and shared plates as well.
Todaro, whose family opened the first Marcello’s in Lafayette more than 30 years ago, did well in the Southdowns space, which was originally the Southdowns Lounge. He decided to close the restaurant in 2012, however, to open the St. Charles Avenue restaurant in New Orleans.
In the years since, a string of short-lived restaurants occupied the space, including Romacelli, Portico, and Table Kitchen and Bar. In early 2017, Phil’s Oyster Bar owners Jordan and Anthony Piazza decided to lease the space for a second restaurant in the shopping center, but later changed their mind.
