Our Story

Since 2009 Jimmy and I have had our sights on owning our own restaurants. We spent a number of years saving before we were able to open our first place, Skinny’s of Manchester, NH. It was a great neighborhood pizzeria serving up NY style pizza and delicious homemade meals. It was a learning experience having our own place, and after a few years we wanted more.

We made the move to Lake George NY. With the help of a friend and partner, we opened Biscotti Brothers Café. It is a full service breakfast and lunch spot with full coffee bar. Once the café was up and running smoothly an opportunity came to open a new spot, Saluti. Saluti sits across the parking lot from the café so it was easy to move between the both. Saluti in a cozy Italian Restaurant and Bar. With a new partner we were able to have two thriving businesses in the heart of the Adirondacks.

Fast forward a few years…Things were great, but it was time for a change. Running two busy restaurants took its toll, and we needed to re-evaluate. We parted ways with the businesses leaving them both in good hands. After a break we started looking for an opportunity to start fresh and build something new for ourselves.

Jimmy saw the opportunity to breathe new life into this space and could not wait to get started. The building we are in has been a restaurant, or bar since the 70’s. We knew it would be a familiar spot to the community. With the help of the “Famous Uncle Kevin” we were able to transform the space as best we could to make BuonaSera a reality. After 3 months of long days, we were able to open July 14th 2024. We know that there was a void left behind with the closures of the beloved restaurants Mangino’s and Panza’s on the lake. Jimmy and I want to bring our knowledge of the restaurant business, and his years of cooking experience to Malta to help fill that void. With our homemade bread, pasta cooked to order, and delicious desserts, we hope to bring this community even closer together around the table.

-Danielle Hartwyk, Owner