SALISBURY — A slice of Salisbury celebrated 20 years of business this week.
Salty Caper, the Lee Street pizza shop, welcomed patrons on Wednesday, May 13, to recognize two decades in the space serving Salisbury.
“We’re 20 years old now, so now we’re officially an institution,” Salty Caper owner Gian Moscardini said.
The restaurant was filled with regular customers and community members on the outdoor patio and dining room. Local band falllift performed outside on the back patio while diners enjoyed pizzas. The business also sold $2 draft beers and gave out T-shirts to commemorate the anniversary.
Not much has changed for Salty Caper since they opened in 2006 beyond expanding the restaurant seating area. The restaurant has focused on keeping fresh, simple ingredients for their menu and sticking to what they know.
“Nothing is frozen. Everything’s fresh. We make our pesto everyday still. It’s a small menu, so fresh food. That’s been my concept for day one,” Moscardini said.
One of the only changes that the menu has seen is the addition of a lunch special that has been very popular for the restaurant over the years despite not being the biggest moneymaker for the business.
“That was kind of my little gift back to the community, take the hit. They’ve all supported me for so long,” Moscardini said.
Beyond giving back to patrons, they have also worked with other Salisbury businesses like New Sarum Brewing to get more variety in their selections.
The business has been a family affair for the Moscardinis. When the business started, their kids were young, and now their oldest son is a manager for the business.
“The restaurant business is a lifestyle. It’s not fun. You have to love it. My 22-year-old now, I couldn’t believe it when he told me he wanted to be in the restaurant business. I tried everything for him not to be interested,” Moscardini said.
Looking forward to the next 20 years, Moscardini plans to continue making the food they make best and staying connected with the community. They have amassed a loyal following of regular customers over the years, but they have also given back to the community donating pies to children’s organizations around the city.
“I’m so glad that the community has supported me this long. I see people here I’ve known for 20 years,” Moscardini said. “They’ve always been beyond me since day one when we opened up here.”
