Fourth-Generation Italian Restaurant Coming to East Liberty

The Frenchman is going to Italy.

Starting on Friday, April 12, Garbarino’s, an Italian restaurant, will take over the space currently occupied by La Riviera Bistro on the first floor of The Twisted Frenchman building.

Garbarino’s will be under the same ownership as The Twisted Frenchman, but will operate as an Italian wine bar and neighborhood trattoria. The menu will feature family recipes, freshly made pasta, and entrees such as Veal Chop Parmesan and Chicken Piccata. The wine list will offer a rotating a variety of Italian wines by the glass, as well as high end Italian and French wines by the bottle.

Gluten free pasta substitutions will be available at no extra cost along with additional gluten free menu items.

Happy hour will take place Tuesday – Friday from 5:00 P.M. – 7:00  P.M. Specials include a bucket of Peroni’s (an popular Italian beer) served with Peroni battered artichoke hearts.

The Twisted Frenchman originally opened on Highland Avenue in East Liberty in 2015. After a successful two years in the spot, chef/partner Andrew Garbarino set out with am ambitious two-story, two-kitchen renovation of the former Royal York Auction building on Baum Boulevard.

After the renovation was complete, the Royal York Auction building opened in 2017 with Bar Frenchman, a more casual French brasserie on the first floor, and the more formal, tasting menu only, Twisted Frenchman on the second floor. Bar Frenchman later rebranded as La Riviera Bistro, and will now be shifting to Garbarino’s, a fourth-generation Italian restaurant.

The name is a homage to the original Garbarino’s restaurant, opened by Andrew’s great grandaunt, Louisa, in 1945 in Lynbrook, Long Island. After immigrating to America from Genoa, Italy, Louisa worked to save enough money to open an Italian restaurant that incorporated the Southern Italian cooking she loved, with the Northern touches that were deeply rooted in her heritage.

The restaurant was passed down through the family for generations until closing in 1996 after 51 years in the Lynbrook community. 

To celebrate the grand opening on April 12, Campari USA and Aperol are sponsoring a happy hour from 5:00 P.M. – 7:00  P.M. Additionally, through the end of the month, Garbarino’s will offer all customers a 30% off promotion on food, wines by the glass, and cocktails. Diners are encouraged to book reservations via OpenTable (available on April 1st).

Garbarino’s will be open Tuesday-Thursday from 5:00 P.M.- 10:00 P.M., and Friday -Saturday from 5:00 P.M.- 10:30 P.M.

Garbarino’s (5925 Baum Boulevard, Floor 1)