It's a bit eerie to see the former Spiedo's Ristorante in downtown San Mateo starting to get stripped down to its studs and its facade peeled off. It was once the place to be, where power brokers met for lunch and Rotarians and members of the Chamber of Commerce could be seen in every booth. It was where I first had a drink with the late Gary Yates, when he was on the council and wanting to get to know each other.

The longtime Italian eatery closed this summer after nearly 25 years downtown. It's making a comeback with a new name, a new look and a new vision. But more on that later. Bella Mangiata on Baldwin Avenue also recently shut down but that longtime Italian eatery seemed to be on its last legs for quite some time. Whenever we wanted to go somewhere not crowded, that was our choice.

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Source: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/