Restaurateur's character 'was so unique'

Anyone who dined at Pompei Ristorante in Arlington Heights likely remembers its charismatic original owner as much as the delicious Italian food.

Nicola "Nick" Longobardi, a longtime Buffalo Grove resident who opened the restaurant with his wife, Matilde, in 1980, shared his outgoing personality with his customers. From singing songs to doing magic tricks, Longobardi went out of his way to make people happy.

"He didn't stop at anything to get a laugh out of someone," said his daughter Sara Grant. "The food was good, believe me. But when we sold, all the people told us it wasn't the same because my dad was missing. His whole persona. He always wanted to give a compliment and make someone smile and laugh."

Longobardi died June 18 at the age of 82. Born in 1937 in Napoli, Italy, Longobardi moved to the United States in 1967.

He opened his first restaurant, Setto Bello, in Park Ridge in 1977.

Wanting to move closer to their Buffalo Grove home, Nicola and Matilde started Pompei in 1980. They moved locations in the same Terremere shopping center three times in 30 years before selling in 2010.

Their two daughters, Sara and Lisa, grew up in the restaurant, waiting tables and watching their dad entertain customers. After starting as a pizzeria, Pompei became more of a restaurant over the years.

"That's what you bring from Italy is your recipe and culture," Grant said. "My dad's character was so unique. He was silly, he was goofy, he would sing songs, he made everyone feel like he would make the dish just for you. The first year Mom said they took the phone off the hook because of the orders."

Pompei enjoyed a loyal following, seeing the same families dine year after year on Christmas Eve or Mother's Day, Grant said.

Longobard also loved going to horse races at Arlington Park and coaching youth soccer. Many of those soccer players worked in the restaurant, washing dishes.

Longobardi's soccer teams won so many trophies that when Pompei moved locations, his wife put her foot down.

"My mom said, 'We're not putting all the trophies in ... you walk in and it's all the soccer trophies, and I'm over it,'" Grant said. "She made him only keep one trophy."

Visitation is from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. The funeral Mass is at 10 a.m. Friday at St. James Catholic Church, 831 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Both the visitation and the Mass will have capacity limits, with mask requirements and social distancing.

"A simple man without a lot of eduction had so many life lessons in him," Grant said. "I didn't realize the impact of my dad until these days have passed and how big he was in Buffalo Grove and what he brought to people over the years."