Fire ravages legacy built by immigrant in Waltham

WALTHAM -- For 41 years on Main Street, the Italian immigrant served lunchtime workers and families seeking affordable dinners, like the elbow macaroni slathered with tomato and meat sauce for $4.95 that he christened "American chop suey."

Salvatore Pinzone -- Sal to his customers -- catered to masses, except for Thanksgiving, when he cooked for his family.

Early yesterday, that legacy was reduced to blackened beams and broken glass, when a fire damaged much of Sal's Family Restaurant and a convenience store next door, at Newton Street.

Waltham Fire Chief Richard Cardillo said the cause of the fire, which was reported about 5 a.m. and claimed parts of the roof, was under investigation.

"What should my next step be at 79 1/2 ?" said Pinzone, who lives near the restaurant and in a rare occasion missed his 10 a.m. Mass. "So many people have been inconvenienced."

Several city residents, including Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, said they hope Sal's reopens.

"It's inbred," said McCarthy, who came with her family for the chop suey or fish and chips at least once a week. "This was a family restaurant."

The man who created one of Waltham's signature institutions came from Filicudi , an island near Sicily measuring fewer than 6 square miles. In 1947, 19-year-old Pinzone enjoyed working as a fisherman, but made half the pay of his senior counterparts. So when his father and uncle summoned him to Massachusetts, he boarded an American troop transport ship.

"I wanted to see what America had to offer me, so I went on my own," he said.

He helped his father and uncle at their new restaurant, Colonial Kitchen in Waltham, then moved on to enlist in and cook for the National Guard. But he knew he wanted his own place.

After 14 attempts, he opened Sal's in 1966 at an old bakery on Main Street. A few years later, he bought an adjacent supermarket to convert to a dining room, with blue '50s-style booths that filled up for lunch and dinner every day . Lately, Pinzone has arrived by 10 a.m. seven days a week, and on Tuesday mornings he's been driving to Costco to spend $700 on groceries.

"This was his kingdom," said Pinzone's son Michael, 49, who lives in Long Island, N.Y., but was at the scene yesterday. "This was everything he owned."

Three years ago, as his wife urged him to retire, Pinzone bought the cleaners next door.

His son Jon, an artist from Waltham, created an elaborate countertop of gold leaf suspended in polyurethane and a fish tank that hid in a column. Pinzone had hoped to open the bar this fall.

"It's awful," said Salvatore Jr., 40, who, like Pinzone's five other children, grew up helping out at the restaurant. He stayed on for 17 years as a chef and manager. "It's like I lost one of my closest friends."

The elder Salvatore did not know whether his insurance would cover the $100,000 he said he has spent on the bar, or if he would be able to reopen. With smoke wafting from the interior of charred beams yesterday, he prepared to drive home. "Son of a gun," he said, shaking his head.

Edmund Tarallo, a ward councilor, said the restaurant can count on the support of city officials if the Pinzones decide to rebuild.

"It was the flavor of the family-ness and the personal touch that Sal and his family put into the restaurant. That went a long way to making it something part of the community."

He said city officials could help with the "permitting process and those sorts of things" to allow them to rebuild as fast as possible.

"Every generation has taken their turn of eating Sal's pizza and their fried clams," said Lori Kelly, 44, a longtime city resident and customer, whose husband is a ward councilor. "It's gonna be definitely a loss to the community. I would hope that they rebuild. It's just always been there, people that you recognize working behind the counter. Pizza places come and go, but this is the same family."

April Yee can be reached at ayee@globe.com.