DERBY – A new Italian restaurant, Portobello’s, is slated to open in September in the space that was previously occupied by River Rock Tavern at 5 Main St.
Derby resident and chef Dennis Basuljevic, whose family ran the former Fratelli’s Restaurant in Derby for more than a decade, is planning a soft opening in a few weeks.
Basuljevic, 35, is a self-taught cook who honed his skills with family chefs and working in several family-owned restaurants both here and in Pennsylvania. He served as head chef of Fratelli’s prior to the family closing the restaurant in 2021.
Portobello’s will offer fine Italian dining, featuring classic dishes such as chicken and veal parmigiana, along with steak and seafood, Basuljevic said. He plans to offer a small menu at first, to get a feel for what customers like, and then to expand the dishes and change the menu seasonally.
“What I won’t eat, I will not serve to my customers,” he said. “I want to see customers coming back and build a clientele. We’re going to offer a nice comfortable atmosphere, with good food, live music (in the stylings of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin) and be more of a family-oriented place.”
Basuljevic said he doesn’t anticipate the ongoing construction on Route 34/Main Street to hamper business since the project has already passed the property.
“Most restaurants with good customer service and good food are really thriving now, and I have a lot of family and friends in the restaurant business who are thriving,” Basuljevic said.
Basuljevic said Portobello’s will have about 10 to 15 employees, including his dad and brother. He’s been working on some minor renovations both inside and out for the past three months, giving the interior a fresh coat of paint, installing a new lighted sign and freshening up the landscape. He’s renting the 3,400-square-foot space from the building owners, who are listed as James and Nicholas Kokenos, of Shelton, according to Derby land records.
Something Basuljevic said he’s hoping for is reasonable prices.
“Inflation is crazy and I’m not trying to kill people with prices,” he said. “My goal is to offer a fine dining atmosphere at a working man’s price.”
Since Basuljevic is opening Portobello’s in a space already zoned for restaurant use, he didn’t require any approvals from the city’s land-use boards, according to the building department. He is currently awaiting his liquor license and some final inspections from the city before he can open.
Derby Mayor Joe DiMartino said he’s looking forward to welcoming Portobello’s to the city.
“I am very excited to have a new restaurant in town, especially an upscale, Italian restaurant, one of my favorite cuisines,” DiMartino told the Valley Indy via an email. “With the Route 34 project getting close to completion, Derby will get its share of diners looking to expand on their culinary experience. The location is lovely, especially when the weather is suitable for outdoor dining. The view overlooking the river and walking trail is stunning, especially during the early fall months.”