Delfino’s opens up shop at historic corner store in Harmony

GLOCESTER – The village of Harmony now has a new addition. What was once long ago Winsor’s Store on the corner of Sawmill and Snake Hill Road is now Delfino’s Restaurant and Corner Store, run by a former Newport chef Carlo Delfino.

“I always said if something local popped up, I would like to take it over,” said Delfino, 43. “I think there’s a need for this type of business.”

Delfino, who has lived in town for 14 years and whose children attend the local schools, said he won’t miss the commute to Newport every day. Now, his commute is five minutes from home. After 26 years in the restaurant business, he saw an opportunity to strike out on his own, and he says he took it.

“I always wanted to do something on my own,” Delfino said. “I love cooking. To be in this industry, you have to love what you do.”

The building, which has been occupied by a number of tenants over the years, has been completely transformed into a small seating area and a large, shiny stainless steel kitchen that you would expect to find in a much larger restaurant.

“I pretty much gutted the place,” said Delfino. “It needed a facelift. Everyone says it looks so much brighter. It looks so much bigger. It’s more welcoming. That was my vision.”

There are still some shelves that will house the necessary staples customers might want to pick up in addition to the business’s pizzas, assorted pastas, hot and cold sandwiches, breakfast treats, and other assorted offerings, prepared fresh on the premises daily. Everything is available for take out, which Delfino said is key to the business plan.

The offerings include assorted daily specials – which sound more like something one might find in a high scale Newport restaurant.

“Tonight we are doing a penne bolognese, and also doing steak tips with rice pilaf and garlic green beans,” said Delfino this week. “It’s for the average family that doesn’t have time to cook dinner. People who are on the go who don’t have time to cook at home – they can stop and grab what’s necessary.”

Although it has no website yet, the business is listed on Facebook as “Delfino’s Kitchen and Corner Store” and includes their menu and a number to reach them: 401-227-9040.

“I don’t know if I need a webpage,” said Delfino. “It’s a small town, and we have already been busy since opening on September 15. We were busy last Friday. Word spreads quickly. People talk in the town.”

“Woohoo! The Corner Store in Harmony is now Delfino’s, and open! I can vouch for the pizza, it was excellent!” wrote one FB follower.

“Delfinos, AKA-Harmony corner store has great Soup, Calzone and very good Coffee! Looks much bigger now!” wrote another.

The location, Delfino added, helps a great deal with the amount of traffic passing through, especially on Snake Hill Road, which is a direct route to the high school and Route 101. There is also a busy campground nearby, along with Melody Hill Country Club golf course.

“Just the amount of people in town is going to generate a ton of business,” Delfino said.