The story of Fay Costa DiPiro begins in Fabrizia, Italy in 1919, the first of Francesco and Raffaela Costa’s five children.
The family immigrated to America in 1931 with 12 year old Fay, 3 year old sister, Rosa and two year old brother, James. Siblings, Michael and Mary would be born later, in Claremont, New Hampshire, where Fay’s father owned and operated a cobbler shop. He had learned the trade in Italy and brought his skills and his family to America, the land of opportunity…though in the terrible grip of a worldwide recession, that became known in modern history, as the Great Depression.
The teen age Fay Costa, learned her cooking skills by helping her mother, Raffaela, who was a renowned cook. Homemade sausages, wonderful pasta sauces, beautiful breads and pastries.
An Italian home, filled with love, laughter and amazing food, most of which they grew themselves, along with various chickens and livestock.
A grown up Fay, married Alexander DiPiro, a great chef, from a family of chefs. Evelyn, born in 1938, was lucky enough to be nurtured and taught by two families that loved to cook.
After years of working in restaurants in New York, Vermont and Florida, Fay, Alexander and Evelyn settled in Fairhaven. Alex went to work as manager and chef at his brother, Antonio’s restaurant, which is now known as Freestone’s. Fay worked at Lucas Diner, Smith’s Restaurant and Nap’s on the Fairhaven bridge. Sadly, Alex succumbed to Hodgkins Disease in 1958.
A year later Fay and her younger brother Mike, went to work at the Nest restaurant, a well-known eatery in Mattapoisett.
In 1961, Fay and Mike decided to open their own little kitchen in the North end of New Bedford. Once known as Lil’s Sea Grill and now owned by Tony Lopes and called The Knotty Pine. In 1963, they bought the whole business and Fay’ s Knotty Pine became the “Cheers” of New Bedford. Mike eventually moved on to open the renowned Mike’s restaurant in Fairhaven.
Fay continued to run the Knotty Pine, with her daughter, Evelyn and numerous family members. Fay’s sister Rosa, her niece, Donna, great nieces and nephews, Jessica, Becky and Rocky and her nephew, Ron, who now owns the well known restaurant, Nephew’s in Freetown. Evelyn’s two children, Elizabeth and Matthew grew up in the Knotty Pine and learned everything about the restaurant business at a very young age, from all of their family members, making it truly, a family business. Fay retired in 1983 and Evelyn continued to run the business.
In 1998, Evelyn, Matt and Elizabeth decided to take the next step and open a much bigger restaurant in their beloved town of Dartmouth. They named it Fay’s Restaurant, in memory of their beloved Mother and Grandmother. Sadly, the famous Fay’s Knotty Pine had to close in 2000 because the building was sold to a large pharmacy chain.
The culinary traditions learned by the family, still flourish today, at Fay’s Restaurant & Catering in Dartmouth. We continue the Old World traditions of the family that came from Fabrezia, Italy, where they were steeped in the meaning of hospitality, Friends, Family, Food!
Join us today, at Fay’s and you will enjoy delicious food, genuine hospitality and the excellent company of family and friends. We love to cater to life’s special moments. Fay wouldn’t have it any other way.