Goodfellas is a family affair
The small-town atmosphere and friendly residents of Milton played a big role in Ralph and Donna Colone's decision to open a second restaurant in the town June 13.
Located at head of the Broadkill river in the former location of Norma’s Restaurant and, most recently, the Broadkill Boathouse, Goodfellas is an Italian restaurant offering an assortment of homemade Italian favorites.
“We're were looking for another place, and we liked the town,” Donna said.
“The people were nice and friendly,” Ralph added. “It's a very good location.”
The Colones moved to Delaware 11 years ago and opened the original Goodfellas location on Route 26 just east of Dagsboro. Donna said a supportive customer base has helped the business thrive, and they hope the residents of Milton will embrace the restaurant the same way.
“The place in Dagsboro is pretty small, but the people - they just love us,” she said. “We go out and socialize with the people. They even come up here to see us.”
The menu features traditional Italian entrées, including hand-tossed brick oven pizza, stromboli and lasagna. The Colones also offer a few seafood dishes, such as shrimp scampi and mussels marinara.
“We're into Italian 100 percent,” Ralph said.
Before opening for business, the Colones remodeled the kitchen and dining room to make it more attractive and inviting to guests. They decorated the walls with Italian-themed artwork, including a faux movie poster of the 1990 Martin Scorsese film “Goodfellas” with Ralph photoshopped in with stars Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. The restaurant also features a patio for outdoor dining and a full bar.
Ralph said he's happy with the way the restaurant has been received so far.
“We're already getting a lot of repeat customers,” he said. “So far everybody's happy with what they've got.”
Ralph has worked in the Italian restaurant industry for 38 years, starting at a restaurant in New York City in the early 1970s. He moved to New York City in 1969 from Abruzzi, Italy, and worked three years in construction before moving into the kitchen.
He later opened restaurants in Pennsylvania before eventually opening his first Delaware restaurant in Fenwick Island, where he spent one summer.
Goodfellas is located at 122 Mulberry St., and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information, call the restaurant at 302-684-3111.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
