There are plenty of local restaurants enjoying property in the Greece area.

Carmine's Family restaurant knows the true definition of family. It is run by brothers Mauro and Carm Petrella. Their father is also involved in the Greece business.

The tradition started in 1983 with a small, pleasant-looking restaurant on West Ridge Road at Stone Road. Quality food at reasonable prices made it a family destination.

Could anything ruin a family tradition? Expansion plans for Ridge Road show a rerouting of Stone Road. "New York State was going to put a road right through there," said Mauro. So, a search began for a new restaurant location.

Kenny Rogers Roasters, a restaurant new to the Rochester area, had only been at their Greece location for approximately 11 months, before vacating it.

The building caught their attention. "It was a real pretty-looking building," Mauro described the place that soon became their Carmine's location.

Mauro said that they saw a lot of potential in the building, and put their creativity to work to make it an even better place. Live plants fill areas with attractive greenery, fresh bread replaces the former rotisserie area, a television allows people to get a look at the latest sports while enjoying dinner.

Carmine's food can be described as "always fresh." The restaurant bakery area produces fresh rolls. Cookies, salads, pizza dough, and most other items are all made fresh.

Mauro said that they work hard to please families. Kids can enjoy 99 cent meals through the Kids Club. A drive-through is available for pick-up-only items. Ice cream cones are available, and if you like hamburger hot sauce, bring some of their homemade hot sauce home for your next barbecue. Carmine's also makes Friday fish fries and has a drink bar with free refills on Pepsi products. Seniors can get a 10 percent discount on their meal. Gift certificates are available, and when purchasing pizza - clip out the coupon on your box for future use.

Forget about staying inside. Have a picnic outside with seating provided.

Open for business since July 31, Mauro said that it's been busy since they started at 671 Maiden Lane.

"The reviews so far are good. People couldn't stop talking about the place," said Mauro. "From the minute we unlocked the door, it's been busy."

Working in the restaurant business since he was 15-years-old, Mauro says it's a career he doesn't regret. "It's pretty rewarding at times. It's like a dream come true."

When highway department officials informed Mauro and Carmine Petrella that a new road would soon run through the center of their West Ridge Road property, the brothers carefully weight their options and then decided to relocate Carmine's to a vacant Kenny Rogers Roasters on Maiden Lane.

Since their grand opening at the end of July, the Petrellas have barely been able to contain their satisfaction with the eatery's new location.

"This move has been a really exciting experience for us," Mauro explained. "One big change here is the way that we market our fresh hamburger and sub rolls. The bread ovens are right at the front of the restaurant as soon as you walk in, so people can see that we bake bread all the time, right up until 10 o'clock at night. And as a result, the customers get fresh rolls within an hour of when they're cooked."

Another idea that patrons appreciate is the eatery's pick-up window.

"We get a lot of cell phone orders, so the pick-up window has definitely worked out well for people who want to grab something to eat without leaving their vehicles. We have found that it is especially convenient for senior citizens and moms with kids. Even my wife uses the pick-up window!" Mauro said.

Since Mauro has three little ones at home, it comes as no surprise that Carmine's is a kid-friendly establishment. There are eight entree choices on the children's menu, all of which cost less than $2.00.

The eatery's adult-size portions are also extremely economical. For Italian food lovers, the owners feature gnocchi, ravioli, or lasagna dinners, all of which come with a tossed salad. Other Italian-inspired entrees include a ricotta, mozzarella, and Romano cheese calzone, a warm Italian sausage sub with peppers and onions, ziti and meatballs, a gooey eggplant parmesan sandwich, and a Capicolla, salami, and ham sub.

Patrons who hanker for American treats may choose from Carmine's Cadillac Steak sandwich with grilled mushrooms, a small garlic pizza with anchovies, a bacon cheeseburger with hot sauce, a pizza burger, a flaky fish filet sandwich, a roast beef sub with provolone cheese, chicken fingers with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, a chili burger, a white hot dog with relish, or a ham sub with horseradish sauce.

Tempting side orders include jalapeno poppers, fried mushrooms, chili and cheese fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and the soup du jour usually made by Emilia Petrella, the owners' mother.

Diners with room for dessert should not miss the homemade chocolate chip-walnut cookies baked by Mauro's wife, Sherry. Other options include old-fashioned cinnamon rolls, pizza fritta, milkshakes and ice cream floats.

Even though the Petrella family puts in long hours, they believe that their employees have also played a significant role in the eatery's success.

"We have a great crew of hard-working kids, and all the credit goes to their parents," Mauro said.

Mauro's personal interest in pleasing diners, which began at the age of 21 when he opened his first restaurant after graduating from RIT, seems destined to be a lifelong pursuit.

"When I am here, it doesn't matter if I'm scrubbing the floors, changing the light bulbs, or cooking. I enjoy what I'm doing because people really like the place."