Earlier this winter, John Avelluto went looking for Chinese food and stumbled upon an opportunity.
After walking to New China Town in Mission and discovering it was closed, he opted for a slice of pizza at d’Bronx a couple doors down. Only the former Italian deli was closed, and a “For Rent” sign was in the window.
Avelluto, owner of Italian Delight by Avelluto Bros, had been tinkering with the idea of bringing his restaurant back to Johnson County if he found the right location — and there it was. Now the restaurant — returning as Avelluto’s — will reopen in Mission this spring after two years of closure.
Avelluto’s will open at 6846 Johnson Drive
- The former occupant, d’Bronx, shuttered in fall 2023 and now has one remaining location in Overland Park.
- Avelluto said he’s aiming for an April or May opening for his restaurant.
- Once it opens, Avelluto’s will operate from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Saturday during the summer months. The restaurant will close by 8 p.m. during the winter months.
Italian Delight by Avelluto Bros closed in 2021
John Avelluto’s father, Joseph Avelluto, opened Italian Delight by Avelluto Bros in 1977 with his business partner. After a later split with his partner, Joseph began operating the 6522 Martway St. location on his own in 1983 — where it operated for almost four decades.
John said the closure was largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave the family time to step back and reassess. (Local sports bar and eatery The Other Place now operates in that space.) But now he’s ready to jump back in.
“I’ve had some time to myself, and I’m missing my own food and missing the craziness of the restaurant,” he said.
Though the location and name are changing, Avelluto said the restaurant’s original recipes will primarily be the same — though the menu will be a scaled-down version.
“Sometimes the more choices you give someone, the harder it is to make a decision,” he said.
Avelluto wanted to reopen in Mission specifically
Avelluto said he’s been considering reopening his restaurant for a while, but he knew he wanted it to remain a neighborhood staple.
That meant waiting until the right location opened up in Mission. He’s excited to bring Avelluto’s back to his own neighborhood, he said, and he’s already heard from many former customers that are eager to return as well.
“We were a fixture in Mission for almost four decades, so I wanted to keep that going,” he said. “I could have gone anywhere and opened up, but I wanted to be here.”
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