Carmela’s Restaurant Pizzeria, located at 1021 State Route 17K in Montgomery, officially reopened on Wednesday, January 31 after undergoing a year’s worth of renovations, greeting residents with scents and tastes of freshly baked pizzas, mouthwatering pasta, scrumptious seafood, and other Italian delights.

Ralph Estrada, who passed away in 2021, established Carmela’s in 1975, named after his mother. During the early 2000s, he opened another Carmela’s in Dunnellon, Florida, and transferred his ownership of Montgomery’s location to Jo Ann Bondi. In 2012, Bondi passed the torch to the restaurant’s current owners, Altin and Arbri Bengasi, two brothers from Newburgh who also own 88 Charles Street Restaurant in the Village of Montgomery.

“We love it because customers feel like they’re coming home,” Altin said.

Carmela’s specializes in a wide array of Italian cuisine, including pizza, pasta, chicken, veal, sandwich subs, wraps, and many more. If a customer is craving something delicious, Carmela’s likely has the perfect dish for them, and many residents adore the restaurant’s food and hospitality.

“Honestly, it feels like home,” said Mary Olsen, Carmela’s manager who has been with the restaurant for over two years. “The owners are great people, and everyone’s friendly.”

“I love it here,” said Kelly Degroat, a staff member who has worked at Carmela’s for 23 years. “We and all our customers get to know each other and our lives.”

Due to a small fire, Carmela’s closed down starting November 3, 2022. Over the past 15 months, the restaurant underwent massive renovations and received a fresh, sleek interior for both staff and patrons to enjoy.

“We redid everything: the floors, ceilings, bathrooms. It’s all brand new,” Altin said.

Since its reopening, Carmela’s has been packed with people and bustling with orders, and both staff and customers couldn’t be happier for the restaurant’s future.

“We’re very excited and the customers are very excited to come back,” Altin said, adding that he and the staff are still adjusting to being open again.

“It’s great, so many people are excited for us,” Olsen said.

“I’m excited, it looks very pretty and very good,” Degroat said. “People really missed us and gave us hugs. It’s very much like family here.”

For more information on Carmela’s menu and ordering, visit the restaurant’s location at 1021 Route 17K, visit its website at carmelasny.com/, or call (845) 457-3021.