Matzah Balls in Doylestown closed 1 week after grand opening. Will the Jewish deli return?

It started off as a momentous occasion, a time of celebration. For Franco Federico, the opening of Matzah Balls was the culmination of 40 years in the restaurant business.

It was his chance to serve up Jewish comfort foods like pastrami on rye, beef brisket, babka cake, New York egg cream soda, and of course, matzah ball soup.

As a longtime chef and Jewish Italian immigrant, Federico was more than a little excited to bring a Jewish delicatessen to Doylestown Borough — until everything came to a screeching halt.

Just six days after Matzah Balls’ debut, Federico received an eviction notice, shuttering his new restaurant.

“It was devastating,” Federico said. "I never saw this coming. It really hurt me”

Bringing his love of cooking to Doylestown and beyond

Federico was 21 when he first came to Bucks County. He immediately fell in love with area.

“It reminded me of my hometown. It was my home away from town. The streets, the shops. Everything around Bucks County, I absolutely loved it.”

He got his start in restaurants as a pizza maker at Villa Capri in Doylestown Borough, while working other odd jobs along the way. About a year later, he got his chance to learn the business when he was put in charge of Dominick’s Pizzeria in Plumsteadville.

Two years later, he opened up Rocky’s Pizza in Trambauersville, with business partners, John Glikas and Linda Goldstein. It was the first of 21 dining establishments he would bring to the area, including Fountainside Seafood & Grille, Ariana’s Ristorante Italiano, and most recently, La Dolce Vita da Franco.

“I’m doing this because I really love what I do. I am a master at what I do for a living,” he said.

Like many small business owners, Federico experienced challenges along the way, from open heart surgery to financial struggles brought on by the pandemic.

"You name it, and I’ve went through it. The ups and downs of owning restaurants are so many, it isn’t even funny,” he said.

But despite whatever obstacles he encountered, Federico said he’s endured thanks to his tenacity, a determination not to fail. It’s what keeps him hopeful as he faced this latest roadblock.

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Why did Matzah Balls close so soon?

The idea for Matzah Balls came when Federico was approached by his close friend, Kevin Aniess, who said Doylestown has been clamoring for a Jewish deli for some time.

La Dolce Vita da Franco had seen dwindling profits for several months and Federico wasn’t sure how much longer he could sustain it. So, with Aniess’s help, the two developed a plan to close the Italian eatery and reopen as Matzah Balls, at 24 N. Main St. in Doylestown Borough, the same location Federico had been leasing for two years.

“We got a menu together. Kevin was very excited for me. His whole family was,” Federico said. “The place was freshly remodeled, we got the menu up and running, we hired a whole bunch of people, and we worked the whole week preparing.”

It was a quick transition, but by Aug. 19, Federico and Aniess were ready to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and grand opening with the community, alongside residents and local politicians, Doylestown Borough Mayor Noni West, Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie Jr. and state Sen. Steve Santarsiero.

“It was absolutely amazing. And this was all attributed to Kevin. I wish I had had listened to Kevin a long time ago when he first said I should open a Jewish delicatessen,” said Federico.

Federico enjoyed three days at Matzah Balls before problems started piling up.

First, a fractured foot and respiratory illness between him and his infant daughter kept Federico at home for three days, forcing him to close the restaurant on days four through six.

At the same time, a financial dispute between Federico and his landlord, Uri Abrams, was picking up speed. Abrams did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to Federico, he owed $1,825 to Abrams for that week’s rent, plus $3,850 for maintenance fees and repairs after a check had bounced. Federico said he had communicated with Abrams his intentions to provide payment that week.

But what Federico thought was a minor financial mishap turned into a larger legal battle, involving the eviction notice and a costly lawsuit totaling $371,464.33.

“Thursday morning, when I got to work, the sheriffs were there and the door was padlocked,” he said. “There was no warning whatsoever. I didn’t deserve to be thrown out like this. My heart is broken.”

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The lawsuit was filed by the listed owner of the property, Mars Investment Properties, LLC. It alleges the named defendants, which include Federico and his company FDM Gelato Masters, LLC dba La Dolce Vita da Franco, owe for damages listed at $9,324.14 in past due rent and fees, $10,230.04 in attorney fees, $195,276.65 in remaining rent and fees through the end of the lease.

Federico is also named in a pending third-party lawsuit, seeking $156,633.50.

The third-party lawsuit was filed by the building’s previous owner, Cuore di Doylestown, LP, over monies it says it is owed for unrecovered restaurant equipment, left behind after the building was sold to Mars Properties, LLC in 2019. The litigation is pending in Bucks County Court.

Will Matzah Balls reopen?

At this time, Federico said he hopes to resolve the dispute through the attorneys representing each party, and satisfy the rent and fees owed through the end of September in order to get back into the space.

While there is no clear timeline, he said he’s driven by the community’s support and determined to reopen his doors.

“I see the comments that they’re making. I appreciate their support,” Federico said. “And keep an eye open for me because I’ll be back. I always come back to work.”

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Matzah Balls, Doylestown's new Jewish deli, closed days after opening