Page 35 - Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau

J ohn Michael was adamant that where everything is so fast

he wanted me to have it,” Petrella
paced, it’s a breath of fresh
said. “He knew that I would respect
what had happened here, what had grown here, and he knew I air to be transported down
memory lane, even if it’s not
had the drive to continue it. I finally said ‘how much?’ and the rest, your own.
as we say here, is archery.”
“I could be so tired that I
With the community’s full support behind him, the Green Arch can’t even feel my hands, but
was opened with someone other than a Discenza greeting then I get a gentleman who
customers at the host table. With the exception of a few physical comes over and tells me this
modifications, it has retained its old-school feel since the transi- is the best experience of his
tion, and the squeaky front door is no exception. life. I had a woman from
Connecticut walk through
That’s what generations of devoted patrons expect from the
Cortland City landmark. The vintage marquee sign hanging over our front door and she started crying because the booth where
the entrance. Photo collages of longtime customers on the walls. she met her husband 72 years ago was still here. That stuff right
Partitioned leather booths in the dining room filled with hungry there...makes it worth it.”
families. An atmosphere so friendly, it’s not unusual to hear No matter how long his name appears on the deed, Petrella
customers converse across the room about the evening’s specials. knows the Discenza family will always own a piece of the restau-
And if it seems like the famous “Arch” sauce tastes the same, it’s rant and the memories that have been created there.
because John Michael still makes it every Sunday.
“I’m not doing this for me. I’m doing it for John Michael and his
family, I’m carrying a baton that I was handed. What he and his
“Everything in this building has a story behind family did here was amazing. We’re going to be 100 years old in
it, and you don’t change that.” 14 years. It’s very humbling.”

So when you’re walking down Elm Street and pass an unassuming
white house with a neon marquee sign glowing above the door,
From Thursday through Saturday guests can expect time to stop and give it a look. It’s not just a restaurant. It’s a first date. A
stand still for those few hours they spend indulging not only in a family legacy. A cherished memory.
heaping plate of Classic Arch Lasagna, but in the stories of those
who have been coming to the restaurant since the 40s. In a world It’s an institution. It’s the Arch.

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