Inspiration

Ruvo is owned and operated by four brothers of the DeNicola family, who settled on Long Island in 1915. The family has a long tradition in the preparation of fine Italian fare created with the freshest ingredients. Ruvo takes its name from a small hill town in Southern Italy – the ancestral home to part of the DeNicolas’ extended family. On a trip to Italy in 1972 James DeNicola Sr., an artist who worked on Long Island his entire career, was inspired to create a series of woodcut prints of Ruvo. The prints evoke the color, warmth and vitality of their regional inspiration. A reproduction adorns the cover of the dinner menu and the original prints, along with other artwork by James Sr., hang in the restaurants in Port Jefferson and Greenlawn.

On the corner of Broadway and Smith Street in Greenlawn, across the street from the train station, owners Jim, Leo, Douglas and Joe built Ruvo’s original location. Since its opening in 2001, Ruvo Restaurant and Gourmet Store has become a mainstay for Greenlawn locals, and a delight to visitors to the area. The two dining rooms and the handsome wood bar and cabinetry were designed and built by the brothers using wood from their uncle’s old barn in upstate New York. Soft candlelight and live greenery complete the casual rooms with sophisticated ambiance and a touch of Italian country.

Five years later, in 2006, Ruvo “East” opened in Port Jefferson. Ruvo Restaurant & Bar, tucked down Wynn Lane – just off Main Street in Port Jefferson Village – treats diners to a warm and classy atmosphere with rich fabrics and authentic Italian pottery. Together, the cozy dining room, open atrium and welcoming bar create flexible spaces to accommodate parties, dinners and events of all kinds. Wander down Wynn Lane for live music on Friday and Saturday.