The 121-year-old Carroll Gardens institution Ferdinando’s Focacceria abruptly closed last weekend, bringing an end to the oldest Sicilian restaurant in New York City and one of the oldest Italian restaurants in the state.
The eatery announced on Instagram on Sunday that the family had made the decision to “permanently cease the operation of Ferdinando’s.”
“Fading into the Red Hook sunset quietly, without fanfare, was felt to be a proper and discreet finish. We apologize for not providing an opportunity to savor a last meal with us and to say goodbye,” the post reads.
Ferdinando Sciortino first opened the businesses in 1904, setting up shop near the waterfront in Carroll Gardens near Red Hook. Ever since, Ferdinando’s Focacceria has been serving traditional Italian dishes that have been passed down for generations.
The current owner Francesco “Frank” Buffa, 75, has kept up the shop’s old school style, which he thought contributed to the restaurant’s success.
“It’s the same recipes, the same location, and the same type of the food — even the place still looks the same,” he told Brooklyn Paper in 2014. “If something don’t break, we don’t replace it.”
Originally from Italy, Buffa took over the shop in 1975 from his father-in-law, Ferdinando. In 2014, he told Brooklyn Paper his son planned to take the shop over some day.
Now that the restaurant has closed, though, he may be open to selling the business to the right person, Buffa shared with Gothamist.
The shop has become known for its huge arancini, having Manhattan Special — a Italian espresso coffee soda— on draft, and, of course, its house-made focaccia.
“ It’s a very, very esoteric cuisine, Sicilian food, specifically Sicilian street food like panelle and vastedda which are things that you cannot find, virtually anywhere in New York except for a couple of places,” shared Raymond Guarini, the founder of the Italian Enclaves Historical Society (IEHS).
His work documenting and supporting the preservation of Italian history in New York City led him to have a close connection to the family behind the business.
“ It’s a huge hit to the culture overall, to the neighborhood and to New York. And it was really a treasure, and it’s sad to see the place close,” added Guarini
“Oh no! Say it ain’t so.” wrote City Council Member Justin Brannan in a Bluesky post. “Selling focaccia to hungry longshoremen working on the Red Hook waterfront. Rest in panelle, Ferdinando’s. We love you.”
Ferdinando’s is just the latest beloved Carroll Gardens eatery to bite the dust. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic forced the beloved 24/7 Carroll Gardens Classic Diner to close its doors. Three years later, another old-school Italian biz, G. Esposito & Sons, shuttered after a century in business.
“We wish to thank the generations of patrons, generations of families, for their business and support,” Ferdinando’s said on Instagram. “We hope you will remember Ferdinando’s Focacceria fondly.”
