Veteran restaurant owner opens lunchtime eatery Cafe Piazza in Kingston

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KINGSTON — From fine dining and Italian pizza joints to small town diners, veteran restaurant owner Jeff Piazza over the course of 23 years has served just about every kind of cuisine you can think of. And his new lunchtime eatery, Cafe Piazza, has brought all of it together in one spot.

“I wanted to make this about everything I’ve ever done in my life,” Piazza, 48, explained. “I wanted to put it all together and combine the cuisines in a place that’s very inviting, with some nice lighting, and do it for lunch.”

The cafe, located at 311 Market Street, is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and will eventually open for brunch and dinner occasionally as well, with Monday night “dinner popups” coming soon.

Cafe Piazza serves everything from homemade pastas and soups, to salads, salmon dishes, desserts and more.

“I didn’t want it to be your typical burger and turkey club place for lunch. I want to offer some things for lunch that people aren’t doing,” Piazza said.

The restaurant owner pointed out a few other menu highlights like the cafe’s artichoke francaise appetizer as well as lamb chopped salad and a chicken milanese sandwich, which Jeff suspects will become a best seller.

“Everything’s as fresh as can be,” said Piazza, noting that his mother makes all of the pasta and homemade desserts, something she’s done for her son for over two decades.

Piazza himself is also hands on, spending his afternoons in the cafe’s kitchen washing dishes or prepping food, which he said has helped him stay connected to his guests.

“I know all of [my customers.] I know their families. I know what they eat. I probably know most of their birthdays,” he laughed.

Previously, Piazza co-owned Gelpiaz in Kingston, on the site where Kevin’s Restaurant now sits, as well as the White House Diner on Welles Street in Forty Fort, which he sold in 2021 after eight years.

In addition to Cafe Piazza, the restaurateur also owns and operates Fort Cafe, located on Wyoming Avenue, which is undergoing kitchen renovations.