For the denizens of the quaint and quiet Village of Altamont, a night of fine dining or unwinding with a few drinks usually means striking out to a larger neighboring city or town.
But a group of entrepreneurs are looking to bring something entirely different to the village’s downtown with a wine bar and bistro. Mio Vino is heading toward a mid- to late-October opening at the corner of Main Street and Maple Avenue, in the space previously inhabited by the Hungerford Market (which has moved to the back of the building).
Besides the venerable Home Front Cafe a few doors down, there are scant dining opportunities in the village. But the team thinks there’s an opportunity on the streets of Altamont.
“We have the same business philosophy, and we just felt Altamont needed an eatery that was open past 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” said Michael Giorgio, the owner of the building.
But they’re not planning on the public showing up for lack of options. In fact, they’ll have to draw customers in to be successful.
Chef Evan Sloan is planning a diverse menu that ranges from casual pub foods like burgers, sandwiches and simple dishes like macaroni and cheese priced between $5 and $10, and entrees between $15 and $19. In all things, he’s planning to use locally grown, fresh ingredients and make dishes from scratch.
“We might only have six entrees on the menu, but it might change week to week,” he said.
The centerpiece of the kitchen will be a wood-fired oven for baking pizzas and other dishes. The restaurant will have seating for around 50 patrons, with some more space at the bar. In addition to stocking a range of wines selected by a local sommelier, the bar will also have a selection of microbrews.
One thing Mio Vino won’t need is a freezer — except a small one for storing homemade ice cream.
The team said setting affordable prices was a goal right out of the gate, especially since pleasing recession-minded palates is a necessity. That’s something Sloan said he’s keeping in mind as he designs the menu.
“I think people are really getting excited about food now,” he said. “If they get a good meal, they’ll be happy paying for it.”
Giorgio calls the business union “divine intervention,” Sloan and his wife of two years, Siobhan Spencer, having just missed out on a nearly sealed deal on a Saratoga Springs restaurant location, and Giorgio and his wife, Emilia, having just lost a chef for the Altamont space. A plumber mentioned the culinary duo to Giorgio, and the rest’s history.
Now Sloan and Spencer, who will be running the front-end operations at Mio Vino, live above the restaurant that’s rapidly looking more and more the part. The interior design is to incorporate LED lighting for a modern, polished look, and since part of the building was recently an apartment the dining spaces will be cozy and intimate.
Patrons will also be able to dine on the porch in fair weather. The extensive renovations haven’t gone unnoticed in the community, said Spencer.
“The town seems really excited about this. We get a lot of positive feedback,” she said.
The owners plan to employ around a dozen workers in full- and part-time positions.
The team behind Mio Vino is shooting for a mid- to late-October opening. For regular updates, find the restaurant on Facebook or Twitter, or look to the pages of The Spotlight.
