End of an era as Café Il Villaggio closes after 32 years in Babylon

In its final hours Friday night, Café Il Villaggio is closing the doors on a 32-year run in the heart of Babylon Village, marking the end of an era for a restaurant that became a staple for generations of diners.

The family-owned spot was run by Lucie Domingo alongside her husband, chef Mike Domingo, and her sister, Josephine Mannina. Domingo said the decision to step away was not an easy one, but ultimately came down to timing.

“Mike keeps telling me my mind is telling me to continue but my bones are not up to it,” Domingo said with a laugh. “So we decided it’s time to sit back and relax.”

In its final days, the restaurant has been packed with longtime customers stopping in for one last meal, many sharing memories — and emotions — with the owners.

“There were definitely a lot of tears shed in the last few days,” Domingo said. “We are overcome with love and we are humbled.”

That connection, she said, is what made Café Il Villaggio more than just a place to eat.

“When we first opened more than three decades ago, everyone came in as customers looking for a good meal,” Domingo said. “But they became family. We are rooted in each other because this place ended up being about more than just a meal.”

Some customers said the restaurant felt more like home than a business.

“A customer said to me the other day, ‘When I come here, I don’t feel like I’m coming to a restaurant, I feel like I’m going to my family’s house,’” she said.

For Domingo, the closing carries a weight that’s difficult to fully express.

“You ever get that feeling that you are mourning something? Well no one died, but that’s how I feel,” she said.

The restaurant has been sold, and a new establishment is expected to take over the space, though details have not yet been announced.

As for the recipes that built its reputation, Domingo said they’ll mostly remain in the family — with one notable exception off the table.

“I’ve had at least 50 customers come to me and ask for the recipe for our homemade house dressing because they say they are going to miss it,” she said. “But we are keeping that one!”

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Top: Café Il Villaggio is closing the doors on a 32-year run in the heart of Babylon Village. (Credit: GLI/Mike White)