Waldo restaurant roundup: Italian comfort food moving in, and ‘you won’t leave hungry’

Leasa Caron has lived in the Waldo community for two decades and her children grew up there.

Now she’s bringing her south Kansas City restaurant, Jovito’s Italian Cafe, to the neighborhood and within walking distance of her home.

Jovito’s plans an early October opening at 7408 Wornall Road, in the former spot of One More Cup.

It will offer such items as meatball grinders, lasagna with meatballs or meat sauce, panini, deli sandwiches, chicken fettuccine Alfredo, The Sicilian steak sandwich, salads and appetizers.

Bakery items will include Italian wedding cookies, lemon bars, biscotti, carrot cake, quick breads, tiramisu, cupcakes, cannoli, and spumoni cheesecake by Caron’s daughter Anna Fiorella.

Jovito’s also will offer family dinners for four to six people, and weekly specials such as spicy penne with grilled chicken, Italian beef sandwiches, and eggplant Parmesan.

“If you want homemade Italian comfort food then this is the place to go,” Caron said. “And you won’t leave hungry.”

The Scaglia family opened Jovito’s in mid-2003 at 12309 State Line Road, and Caron took over in 2015. But she wanted to be in a spot with more traffic, surrounded by other businesses, and near her community and family.

Her partners are son, Alex Fiorella (grandson of Russell Fiorella, who founded Smokestack barbecue in 1957), and Steve Waldman.

“It’s more of a homecoming with friends and family that we grew up with in the neighborhood,” Fiorella said. “It is only six miles from the old location, so we don’t think it will be too far for our south Kansas City customers who were so wonderful to us over those five years.”

Their eight employees at State Line also plan to return.

Items will be mostly to-go with seating only on the back patio, but they hope to enclose it during colder weather.

One More Cup shut down in September 2019 after a decade.

Waldo restaurants changing ownership

Meanwhile, in other Waldo news, The Classic Cookie & Cafe has temporarily closed.

Longtime owner Leslie Stockard is retiring. Her manager of two years is in final negotiations with the landlord to take over the spot at 409 W. Gregory Blvd.

Waldo Pizza also has a new owner, Steve Kingery. He started working there in late 2000 when he was in high school, left and then returned in 2005. He has been general manager for six years.

“I’ve been here long enough I’m better off working for myself than someone else,” he said.

He’s touched up the spot at 7433 Broadway since finalizing the deal in July, but will keep the menu items and recipes.

It is open for carry-out, curbside and delivery.

Waldo Pizza was hiring employees in late 1987 and was open by early 1988. Phil Bourne bought it in 1993, and he is still coming in, now as an employee.

A Lee’s Summit location is under different ownership.