There’s a new pizza place in town.
Riko’s took over the space vacated in May of 2022 by Mystic Market.
The building just off I-95 Exit 17 has come full circle.
Before Mystic Market it was the Blu Parrot restaurant, bar and music venue. Earlier, it was Jasmine — an Asian fusion spot.
But earlier — for several decades, starting in the mid-1900s — the space across from the train station parking lot and Luciano Park was the Arrow.
It was legendary.
At a time when there were far fewer restaurants in Saugatuck and the rest of Westport, the Arrow served great Italian food, at affordable prices.
It was where generations of Westporters got their first jobs. (And learned the challenges and rewards of hard work.)
It was where families celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, sports banquets, graduations.
It was where New York Giants football players ate, drank and hung out, during pre-season at Fairfield University.
And it was where the Nistico family — the longtime, loving and beloved owners — welcomed everyone, every day.
Lou Nistico, son of the Arrow’s founders.
Like every restaurateur, they offered food and drinks. But they did far more.
If anyone needed anything — money, clothes, a helping hand — the Nisticos were there. They took care of you, no questions asked. In doing so, they took care of Westport.
They set the standard for what a restaurant, and its owners, could and should be.
Tommy Nistico, back in the day.
After they sold the building (and took over The Red Barn), the Arrow cycled through different businesses.
But it still looks pretty much like its heyday.
And, once again, there’s Italian foodo on the menu.
FUN FACT: Charles Street was not the Arrow’s original location.
It opened first where Franklin Street runs into Saugatuck Avenue — which looks a bit like an arrow. Today it’s another restaurant, with a different cuisine: Lomito’s Peruvian.
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At least during the 70s, and undoubtedly before and after that, at least once a month Lou Nistico would personally deliver to both the Police Station and the Firehouse huge trays of lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs. A great old fashioned thank you to our public servants.
Good luck to the new venture. Maybe a return to a “slice” of the past will bring it success.
I remember eating at the Arrow frequently with my family when I was growing up. We sat in a booth and enjoyed watching the open kitchen. My father especially loved being able to get espresso after the meal. There was a bar in an adjacent room where Dr Schultz used to eat dinner (on his own) on a regular basis.
Tommy: looking good in that pic!
As for eating out, the Arrow was THE go-to place for my family when I was growing up. In fact, I have no recollection of our ever having gone to such other mainstays of the 1960s Westport restaurant world such as Chez Pierre, West Lake, and the Red Barn.
Good luck to the new place; I hope your young patrons will years from now have the kind of fond memories I do of the Arrow.
Lou Nistico always supported and attended Staples football home games prowling the sidelines. To this day (and that was 70 years ago!) I still remember with pride him bellowing at me “nice catch 41.”
He had a well-deserved larger than life presence.
The Arrow and the Clam Box were my favorite restaurants when I was growing up! I can’t tell you how many times I burned my mouth because I just couldn’t wait for the pizza to cool off.
After the Arrow it was Charles Street Grill for a few years
Wow. I agree with all the above comments. The Nistico Family was and is the best.
What are the best family restaurants in Westport now, like the Arrow, Ships, or a little fancier, the Red Barn, Three Bears, etc. were? We don’t have kids at home now so we have our favorite places are meant for adults. Still, it’s no guarantee that a free-range 3 year old won’t come stand next to our table to watch us eat. What places are more appropriate for families?
Shortly after moving to Weston in January 1973, Arrow became one of our favorites along with Mario’s. We would go with a group of our friends. When reservations were being made, Tommy Nistico would ask us how many & sizes of lobsters we wanted that visit…and then prepare them perfectly, along with a Tommy Tossed salad, and pasta, there was rarely room for dessert.
Nothing has come close to either Arrow or Mario’s.
One of the fondest memories I have of Westport!
The Arrow would also sell you a container of their spaghetti sauce to take home, sometimes with a couple of meatballs. Probably the best I’ve ever had! – A long time ago.
The restaurant business is not an easy nor lucrative business. My grandparents lived in Stamford and every Sunday we would have dinner at the Halfway House–a seafood restaurant on the Stamford/Darien border. The owner, Bill Calias, would be up every morning before sunset (or perhaps he slept during he day) to be among the first at the Fulton Fish Market to get the best produce (they specialized in lobster). He would then be at the restaurant at night while his wife Margo worked the coat check. For all this work, they lived in a modest apartment in Stamford.
The Nistico’s lived in a nice enough house, but it was off Maple Avenue right behind the lumber yard, not one of the tonier parts of town.
Tommy Allen, Staples ’66, tells the story that the kids in the Saugatuck area used to stop by the kitchen after school and Mrs. Nistico would serve them up some food. A great family in then, a great community. My understanding now is that a hotel will be built in that area. Hmmmm . . . .
Let’s go to the Arrow ‼️
😎😎😎😎
I now live in San Francisco where the big thing here is Dutch Crunch baguettes, subs and such. The bread has a crunchy crust but remains soft on the inside. Here isa recipe:
ttps://www.food.com/recipe/crunch-dutch-bread-272006
This story brings back wonderful memories of old Saugatuck back in the 60’s and 70’s. The Arrow was a great all around place to eat and the Nistico family were super folks, John was in my class at Staples. I miss those days, thanks Dan for this story.
When we would go to the Arrow with our son Peter whose electric wheelchair took up a lot of room, Lou Nistico would sometimes relocate as many as 2 or 3 diners to make room for him. He always went out of his way to make Pete feel at home, no matter the inconvenience. Try that today.
I/we miss the Arrow (and Mario’s) every day. Back when I was a patrol officer, an occasional alarm would go off in the middle of the night. Tommy Nistico would respond and he and I would check out the premises and make sure that all was secure. Each time before I left he would insist on making me a sausage grinder. Those were great days. Happily I still see Tom regularly…..
Wonderful memories of going to The Arrow at least once a week with my husband and little children. We all loved the food and the folks who worked there. It was a special place.
I loved the salad dressing at the Arrow. Frank Nistico graduated from Staples HS in the class of 1936, along with my father and Diane Silfin’s mother.
My wife and I had our pre-wedding rehearsal dinner at The Arrow and I later became friends with the Nistico family after doing rehab at Norwalk Hospital when Frank was also a patient. As a State Representative for a Norwalk-Westport District (the 139th), I was glad to help the Red Barn on some drainage and traffic issues as well. Alex Knopp
Cool story! Amazing owners who fed the community with good food, and their good hearts. ❤️
to this day there is nothing better than the Arrow and Marios.
Great memories of getting take out meatball grinders in the mid sixties. They would cut a big loaf of fresh Italian bread in half, scoop out the soft middle, and fill it with the best meatballs and sauce ever. Then, to top it off, they would plug the open end with the ball of bread they had scooped out. So delicious. I have never seen a sandwich made that way since.
Good luck to Riko’s, whose product I’ve sampled in Fairfield and Norwalk. The Arrow is like The Remarkable — the stuff of legend. I felt so warm and at home at The Arrow with my family. I loved the spumoni! But I think I was seven or eight before I could
pronounce that word!
Growing up in Westport when my family could afford only one car – a Volkswagon Beetle – my Mom would throw her 3 kids in the back to pick up my Dad at the train station. If we were lucky, we would stop and have dinner at the Arrow. It was a great home town restaurant and the Nisticos were wonderful people.
My parents remember the Arrow, my mom in particular who would occasionally go after work (they both worked at MCA). I remember it as Jasmine, where we often went with other families to celebrate other kids (or our own) birthdays. Their food was great, and their gigantic fish tanks even better! When they closed, it was a great loss. Little Kitchen is consistently good, but more upscale, but the closest thing to it is probably Fusion 25 in Newtown. It’s not too bad of a drive (we’re right near Easton), but don’t go as often. That being said, Riko’s is great on Black Rock In Fairfield (which also replaced the very long lasting Cinzano’s), so I look forward to trying it here as well!