Milano Ristorante, a new Italian-themed restaurant, will open its doors this week in the shuttered Chefs of Napoli IV location along State Road 200.
The restaurant, located at 5400 SW College Road, will celebrate its grand opening this week with a ribbon cutting on Thursday.
The new business will open its doors only a few months after the former location was embroiled in scandal. Earlier this summer, one of the founders of Chefs of Napoli IV was arrested for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking operation. After the arrest, a pair of “suspicious incidents” was reported to Ocala Police department at both the restaurant and a local hotel owned by the suspect.
The addition of Milano Ristorante makes for an impressive local slate of restaurants for the owners, the Suleiman family. The group now has locations that span across The Villages and Ocala, including Johnny Rockets and Red Sauce at Lake Sumter Landing, Amerikanos Grille at Spanish Springs, and Havana Country Club and Nancy Lopez Country Club.
According to an announcement from the company, all the profits from the grand opening weekend will be donated to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The restaurant will also match donations up to $1,000. Milano Ristorante will run a variety of promotions during their grand opening event, including a chance to win free food for a year.