Sis is in the kitchen. Mom comes in to host. Dad handles takeout orders, greets and seats patrons and does everything else, as needed.
The Augustino family is all hands on deck to keep New Britain’s landmark East Side Restaurant running as the dining industry struggles with staffing and customer confidence.
“We’re running to the bone with staff,” said Nick Augustino, owner of the German-themed restaurant. He and his family took over the restaurant in 1999 from the Bloethe family, who had run it for 40 years.
Started by the Walter family 70 years ago, East Side is once again a mom-and-pop shop due to the post-pandemic hiring squeeze reported by many restaurants. “It’s pretty tough right now getting staff,” Augustino said. “We used to have people knocking down the doors wanting to go to work.”