By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – Vic Rallo’s new Milan-esque eatery, Rallo Alimentari & Focacceria, has entered the final phases of construction, transforming the long-vacant gas station property at Red Bank’s gateway, one of the borough’s busiest intersections.
The exterior is nearly complete, according to a project update from Rallo’s team. Large doors have been installed, and work is shifting indoors. The construction will bring architect Mancini Duffy’s design to life.
Mancini is responsible for a number of large-scale developments in the New York/New Jersey area. The upcoming Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth is one of its most well-known projects. But the Rallo project was personal for Christian Giordano, a former Middletown resident and president and co-owner of Mancini Duffy.
“It’s so personal and it’s so prominent in our own hometown,” he said. “We grew up in the area. Our kids grew up in the area. We know Red Bank like the back of our hand, and so it becomes an opportunity to put our mark on Red Bank.”
The goal, he said, is to bring some of the town’s downtown energy closer to its entrance.
The project occupies the former Bridge Avenue Gas site at 187 Riverside Ave., near the southern end of Cooper’s Bridge. Its prominent location at a four-way intersection has long been described as the “Gateway to Red Bank,” but the old dilapidated gas station has been an eyesore for years. The plans preserve the gas station’s existing structure while adding a new “Welcome to Red Bank” sign on the steel frame where the former gas station sign stood.
The building now has a traditional brick façade and outdoor lighting; nearly 400 new plants have been added to the landscape. As soon as the signage goes up, the entrance to the town will transform from “super underwhelming” to “super welcoming,” Giordano said.
Rallo, who owns nearby Birravino, purchased the property through All Things Vic LLC. His son, Jake, said the restaurant is an all-day cafe inspired by Milan, with a transition to dinner service. The menu is expected to include house-made laminated pastries, espresso drinks and sandwiches made with focaccia baked on site. The menu will be compact, with fewer than 15 savory items, plus pastries, Jake said. He added that the pastry program will be a distinction, particularly the labor-intensive dough used for croissants and Danish pastries.
“I don’t think a lot of people are going to be doing the pastry program that we’re doing,” he said, adding that making “laminated dough and laminated pastries is very time-consuming and laborious because you’re up in the middle of the night baking and proofing pastry.”
Jake said he plans to take part in the overnight baking, working with two or three others. The kitchen will also make focaccia daily for sandwiches. Dinner will add a small selection of entrees, while the beverage program will focus on Italian offerings. The restaurant will share a liquor license with Birravino.
The restaurant is expected to have about 30 to 40 seats inside, along with outdoor seating. Jake said the project is using the gas station’s existing footprint, which must accommodate the kitchen, restrooms and other required facilities. The restaurant will have about 18 parking spaces. Birravino has about 60 spaces but is separate and its parking is not intended for customers at the new site.
Regarding additional design elements, Giordano said ideas grew out of conversations with the Rallo family and a desire to give the prominent corner a more welcoming presence. In addition to brick associated with Red Bank, the firm has infused the space with Italian-inspired details, like mosaic tile, woodwork and an antique-style mirrored ceiling.
The interior is meant to feel “new but old,” he said.
The billboard on the property will remain under an existing lease with Outfront Media through 2041.
Rallo’s team anticipates an early 2027 launch.
The article originally appeared in the October 8 – 14, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
