The Rinaldis - Food, Fun, Family & (Un)Forgettable

Written by Seth Stutman
Photos by Lanae Photo

Sponsored by East Village Place

Published in Longmeadow Neighbors (October 2023)

“I love living in a small, tight knit community where everyone looks out for their neighbors,” said longtime resident Robert Rinaldi.  “I was born in 1955 during a hurricane, attended the wonderful school system here in Longmeadow, started school at Norway Street elementary school (today home to the Willie Ross School) and am still here today! I raised a family, and ran a successful family business, along with my older brother Joey, and his wife Rosemary, my sister Carla.”

The Rinaldi Family has deep roots in the Pioneer Valley and an interest in its future.  For nearly 45 years, Rinaldi's Italian Specialties served customers on Longmeadow Street, and currently, the Rinaldi Capital Group, a real estate investment firm, helps to provide quality housing and keep businesses thriving in the Longmeadow area and beyond. Robert keeps busy managing various properties owned by the family in the area, and Kathleen assists with bookkeeping.

The Rinaldi’s have an expansive family that has been in the Pioneer Valley for five generations. And to top it all off, in April, they welcomed twins! Robert and Kathleen raised their children, Angelina and Joseph, in Longmeadow and are now proud to see three grandchildren being raised in town as well.  The Rinaldi’s three grandchildren, Charlotte, Stella, and Theodore explore Longmeadow with the fluffiest member of the Rinaldi family, a 2-year-old purebred golden retriever, Romeo. Like many other 413 families,  there are a bevy of in-laws, siblings, cousins, and more who live in Longmeadow and all around New England.  

“Romeo is like a third child to us, he keeps us very busy, with walks in Bliss Park at least twice a day, on top of an evening walk to the shops on occasion,” Robert said.

Robert Rinaldi graduated from Longmeadow High School in 1974, and worked with his brother and sister-in-law at Rinaldi’s restaurant in Enfield.  As the store became busier, Robert and his brother decided to open a second location at 408 Longmeadow Street - where it stood for 45 years. From the beginning it has been a family-wide endeavor. Robert’s father, Carmen, would come to the restaurant after finishing work as a machinist and mix the dough by hand, long before the business could afford an industrial mixer. His mother, Sarafina, would make the meatballs and sauce. Robert’s sister, Carla, and him managed the Longmeadow location day-in and day-out until their retirement in 2018. Every member of the family worked at the family business - including Robert’s wife Kathleen and their children, as well as his niece Christina and nephew Carmen - from childhood until they went off to college. Robert wanted to give a special thank you to his niece Christina Rinaldi Czaporoskwi who took over bookkeeping from her mother for many years before Robert retired.

Robert and Kathleen met in 1982 while Kathleen was working at Katie’s Cafe in Enfield, CT - where the Home Depot now is – shortly after Kathleen had finished at Manchester Community College and Eastern Connecticut State University.

The Rinaldi’s adult children have stuck around the Bay State. Joseph lives in Boston’s North End where he runs a real estate development firm, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and also a professor at Boston University. Angelina is an educator for Longmeadow Public Schools, at some of the same schools she went to as child, and has now worked at for many years. Her husband, Timothy Keefe, works at Western New England University where he runs the environmental, health, and safety division.

While the Rinaldi family has been out of the restaurant business for more than five years, their culinary tradition lives on in the spot where their shop once stood.  Today, Fletcher's Barbecue Shop & Steakhouse, a highly acclaimed restaurant with roots in Brooklyn, New York, is still making mouth-watering memories at Rinaldi’s Plaza on Longmeadow Street.  It has been very busy since it opened in April of 2023, and the family couldn't be happier with the new business in the plaza they own and manage.

“It is a unique addition to the current retail and commercial offerings in Longmeadow. We are really excited to see this space come to life again,” said Robert. “Having worked with owner-operator, Bill Fletcher, I know that our town and community-at-large will be well served by his vision. They smoke their BBQ over maple and red oak fires in two huge BBQ pits, and have a diverse menu which features traditional BBQ classics like brisket and ribs, alongside southern and Asian-inspired comfort foods. The ahi-tuna boats and zechuan burnt ends are some of our favorites. It is the most delicious barbecue I have ever eaten!”

With more time on their hands, the Rinaldi family have enjoyed the opportunity to be more a part of the lives of their three grandchildren. The kids are all very active between soccer practices, Girl Scouts, dance lessons, babysitting, and more, and the Rinaldi’s enjoy seeing it all! Robert and Kathleen also love frequent trips to Boston to enjoy dinners with their son and explore the city. One of their favorite retirement activities, however, is concert-going, having recently seen Taylor Swift and Zac Brown Band with family and friends. Kathleen also keeps busy, working as a guest coordinator at Ochoa Salon & Spa in East Longmeadow. She is active with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, volunteering for the Great Chefs fundraiser among other charities, and has been preaching the importance of philanthropy for decades. 

Rinaldi’s restaurant was well known as a supporter of local causes. From charity fundraisers to youth sports boosters, Robert was the first stop for many seeking monetary donations, gift cards, or food! Robert especially enjoyed supporting the Longmeadow Fire Department and Police, in fact, the last pizza to ever be chopped up at Rinaldi’s on their final day was given to the LPD. The family continues to support philanthropic efforts in our community through The Rinaldi Foundation, Inc., founded in 2021, which makes donations to local charities. Most recently making a grant to Breaktime United, becoming a founding member of its Platinum Friendship Circle, an organization striving to eliminate youth homelessness in Massachusetts.

“Kathleen taught both of our children the meaning of giving back to the community at a young age with all volunteering at the Great Chefs for the past 20 years,” Robert remarked. “She also volunteered at Saint Mary's church CCD faith-formation program for decades.”

When not in town, the Rinaldi’s love to frequent Fort Myers Beach in Florida - and they lived to tell the tale of last October’s category 5 hurricane.  They have recently returned from a trip to Italy, and they have plans for more future travel, including France and their ancestral home of Sicily!

“Having now spent many decades living, learning, working, and growing in Longmeadow, I can speak first-hand to the truly special community that we have here. I am so lucky to be enjoying many years of retirement surrounded by family. I miss seeing my devoted customers each week at Rinaldi’s, many of whom I knew by name, and enjoyed watching their regular orders go from small pizzas to larges as their own families grew in size over the years. I am also very appreciative for the decades of hard work from our employees, especially Lori, Gary, and Robin. Overall, I would share the same advice I shared at my restaurant to anyone who came in with their Realtors looking to move here – this is a wonderful place to raise a family, it’s a community where you can’t go wrong, and it has my heart.”