When Mike Randolph originally aimed to open a Mexican gastropub in the Delmar Loop, Publico, the project was beset by delays — extensive renovations to the space, which previously housed a hair salon, pushed the opening back from his initial plan of July 2014 all the way until late February of this year.
But when Randolph said he was closing his beloved nearby pizzeria, The Good Pie, at the end of June to open in its place a more accessible Italian joint called Randolfi's, he didn't waste a minute. He announced the plan in May and kept the schedule he'd outlined, closing for just one month before promptly reopening the brand-new spot last night. It's been a remarkable turnaround.
As at Publico, the space was designed by SPACE Architecture + Design. It features a classic old-school Italian restaurant look: black-and-white tile floor, dropped tin ceiling, even red-and-white checkered tablecloths.
"I've always wanted to do something like this," Randolph told Riverfront Times in May. "We want people to walk in and say, 'This is a place where she can get a pepperoni pizza and I can get a plate of meatballs' — and you're right. And you can get something a little more challenging, too."
Randolph's will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. As befitting its rapid opening, the restaurant doesn't have a website yet, though one is coming soon at randolfis.com. In the mean time, you can make a rez via opentable.com.
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Editor's note: A previous version of this story provided incorrect information about when Mike Randolph's father died. It was this spring, not last year. We regret the error.
