Expansion eyed near Tambellini's

Although Ed Dunlap won't complete his acquisition of Louis Tambellini's Restaurant in Bon Air until Thursday, he already is looking at possible developments adjacent to the site.

One of the longtime restaurateur's ideas is a small hotel that would charge less than $100 per night, provide breakfast to guests and direct them to Tambellini's for lunch and dinner.

Dunlap said the hotel project depends on whether he can acquire additional property adjacent to the landmark Tambellini's off Route 51, near the Liberty Tunnels.

For now, Dunlap is concentrating on completing the purchase that will enhance his group of restaurants in the Pittsburgh region. Dunlap also is chairman of Centimark Corp., a commercial roofing company in the Southpointe complex in Cecil, Washington County.

He plans to close Tambellini's on Thursday to take inventory of the restaurant's equipment and supplies, then reopen it with a slightly different name -- Tambellini's on Route 51 -- at 11:30 a.m. Friday.

Dunlap is purchasing both the restaurant and its parking lot. He declined to disclose the price.

Most of the current Tambellini staff of about 125 will be retained, he said, although some employees plan to retire and several in duplicate jobs handled by his other employees will be let go.

Michael Schumacher, Dunlap's vice president of operations for restaurants, will become interin general manager at Tambellini's until a permanent general manager is named, Dunlap said.

No menu changes are planned at this time. Depending on demand, however, dishes that are ordered less frequently may be eliminated to make way for new items, he said. The restaurant will continue to operate Mondays through Saturdays.

Dunlap and his wife, Anne, own LeMont restaurant on Mt. Washington, Cafe Euro in the U.S. Steel Tower, Downtown, Cafe Euro South in Scott, Jake's Bar-b-que at the Galleria in Mt. Lebanon and the Doghouse and Schenley Plaza Pizza at Schenley Plaza in Oakland.

Tambellini's was opened in 1946 by Louis Tambellini as a bar/restaurant on Southern Avenue, Mt. Washington, and relocated to its present site in 1981.

Following Louis Tambellini's death, other family members owned and ran the restaurant. First was Andrew Tambellini, a cousin, followed by Edward Tambellini and John Tambellini, the current owner.

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