Salute restaurant reopens in downtown Hartford after major two-month renovation

Salute restaurant reopened Monday after a two-month closure for the most extensive renovations since the Italian eatery opened more than 15 years ago.

The venue, at 100 Trumbull St. in Hartford, temporarily closed July 14, coinciding with the traditionally slower summer months when downtown events are limited.

“Out of 12 months, July and August are probably our two slowest months,” said Andy Rizzo, Salute’s managing partner. “That’s kind of why we chose to do it then. We wanted to be ready to go before the busy season, with shows coming back.”

The project was initially to repair water damage from a minor leak in April, but restaurant leadership decided to expand the scope.

“With insurance, obviously, they covered what the water damage did, but we also said, ‘You know what, we’re gonna keep going,’ because we’ve been wanting to do (a full remodel) after 15-plus years,” Rizzo said.

The investment totaled at least “a couple hundred thousand dollars,” according to Rizzo, who worked directly with Newington-based EmeraldBlue Construction Co. on the redesign.

The most dramatic changes were in the bar area, which was completely rebuilt from the ground up.

“Everything you see is new,” Rizzo said, gesturing to the space. “This was literally leveled. There was nothing here. They redid everything, all new equipment behind the bar, new flooring behind the bar, bar top, chairs, lights.”

The design emphasizes lighter, Tuscan colors that create a more vibrant atmosphere.

“We tried to keep a lot of things lighter and toned, nice and fresh, and very vibrant,” Rizzo said.

Despite the extensive renovation, restaurant management made sure to preserve the distinctive silhouette of vines that winds along the interior walls, painted by local artist Tao LaBossiere, who died in 2024.

Rizzo said he personally ensured the murals remained untouched.

To mark the reopening, Salute partnered with Connecticut Foodshare, donating 20% of Monday’s total sales to the organization. The restaurant’s first customer was Jason Jakubowski, CEO of Connecticut Foodshare.

“I couldn’t think of anybody better to call than Jason,” Rizzo said.

While the front-of-house received a complete makeover, the kitchen remained unchanged, and the menu stayed largely the same, with the addition of some new drinks and wines. The restaurant retained all of its roughly 30 employees during the closure.

“Hours stay the same, employees stay the same,” Rizzo said.

The reopening comes as downtown Hartford prepares for its busy fall season, with events returning to venues like the newly renovated PeoplesBank Arena, The Bushnell Performing Arts Center, Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks.