When Peter Coratti and his nephew Anthony Coratti heard that there was availability to open a restaurant in downtown East Lansing, they jumped at the chance.
“To have the opportunity to open up a shop in a big-time college town is very rare,” Anthony Coratti said. “East Lansing being one of the best college towns in the country is just, when the opportunity presented itself, we did everything we could to get in there.”
Anthony Coratti first started working with his uncle Peter Corratti when they opened Coratti’s Pizzeria Bar and Bocce in Howell in May of 2021. Anthony Corratti is responsible for the accounting and payroll aspects of the business while Peter Corratti is the owner.
The restaurant is known for its Napoletana-style pizza as well as its bocce ball courts that draw people in for dinner as well as entertainment.
“We figured, one, we were going to provide great Italian food and, two, why not do something to allow our guests to get off their feet and entertain themselves,” Anthony Coratti said.
Peter Coratti owns and operates two other restaurants in Detroit and Milford. He was ecstatic to hit the ground running and open a second location of Coratti’s Pizzeria Bar and Bocce.
“Everybody that I’ve come in contact with that knows our concept in Howell and what we’re going to do in East Lansing is really excited to have us,” Peter Coratti said. “That’s rewarding, that people are looking forward to having the restaurant in their city.”
One unique aspect of their East Lansing location will be the year-round rooftop seating. The Corattis plan to use temporary panels to enclose the area when it gets cold in the winter.
“It’ll be cool, it will be open-air whenever it’s nice out,” Peter Coratti said. “Then when it gets really cold, it’ll still be on the roof and you’ll be able to see out on the campus.”
The location of the restaurant will be in the old Collegeville bookstore at 321 East Grand River Ave.
Co-owner of Ron and Roman Inc., Roman Bonislawski is the head architect for the development of the restaurant. He has over 30 years of experience and previously worked with the Coratti’s to open their Howell location.
Bonislawski said the project is still in the early stages of development.
“A demolition permit has been filed in order for us to get the interior completely gutted and give us access to see all of the existing structural components that were hidden by construction,” Bonislawski said. “We’re in the process of creating the construction document package with all of the engineering, that’s a number of weeks off.”
Though there is still much work to be done, the Corattis are excited for the potential of the restaurant and to get involved with the East Lansing community.
“It’s [the restaurant] going to have really good food, but it’s also going to be a very fun, vibrant restaurant,” Peter Coratti said. “We’ll also be a big part of the community, we’ll take part in everything that goes on.”
There is not a set opening date yet, but the Corattis want to open the restaurant as soon as possible.
“People need a place to come enjoy themselves,” Anthony Coratti said. “It’s a place you can go to grab a pizza with a buddy, it’s a place you can take your kids, it’s a place where college kids can come and enjoy themselves. There’s something for everybody.”
Image provided by Sarah Laughner
321 E. Grand River Ave. Location of future Coratti’s Bar and Bocce