Roost Takes Flight

In July 2013 Chef Kevin Reilly and his partner in business and in life, Maria Santini, opened Roost, a cozy 70-seat restaurant in Sparkill, New York. “We did it by the skin of our teeth,” says Santini, recalling how, after Reilly settled on the space, she was recruited to transform what was formerly a dingy bar into a welcoming family restaurant. As a graduate of FIT and former project director for several hospital renovations, Santini was up to the task. Her cheerful decor complimented Chef Reilly’s creative American cuisine and Roost was an immediate hit. Thirteen years later, in spite of Dickensian plot twists: a fire, relocation, redesign and a global pandemic, it remains a beloved destination. 

But Reilly and Santini have decided to, as Santini puts it, “live a little.” They’ve sold the business to restaurateurs based in Park Ridge, New Jersey and are moving south to Puerto Rico where Santini is from. “It’s bittersweet,” says Reilly, “blood, sweat and tears went into making this place.” 

Reilly isn’t exaggerating. Less than a year after Roost opened, a devastating fire closed the restaurant for 13 months. As renovations dragged on, Reilly and Santini opened a pop up version of Roost around the corner at Union Arts Center, a former firehouse and craft cooperative lovingly renovated by Simon Basner. “We call him Saint Simon,” says Santini. 

In 2019, just as a global pandemic loomed, Reilly and Santini contracted with Basner to permanently move Roost to Union Arts Center. Santini scraped together an elegant interior to complement Chef Reilly’s updated menu and thanks to its large garage door openings, plenty of outdoor space and a dedicated staff, Roost was able to stay open during the entire pandemic. The staff remained on payroll and “we could accommodate just enough people to break even,” says Santini. 

Then Reilly and Santini really hit their stride. In partnership with Union Arts, they hosted jazz evenings, a classical concert series and rotating shows of local visual artists, all while running a top notch kitchen six days a week. The clubhouse atmosphere has kept locals coming back to dine multiple times a week, or stopping by for a drink and a chat after work. “Community is a really important aspect of any restaurant,” says Reilly, “the food is just one component.”

But running a 150-seat restaurant is exhausting. “I’ve always thought of it as a Mom & Pop,” says Reilly, “because we don’t have to pay a chef and a manager, but the reason it’s so difficult is that we don’t have a chef and a manager!” 

Regulars will be happy to know that the new owners plan to keep the name, the menu and much of the staff, something that Reilly and Santini are proud of, but they admit they’ll miss what they’ve built. “There’s a component of the business that’s addicting,” says Santini, “everyday there’s a new party.” 

Perhaps that explains Reilly and Santini’s plan for their next nesting spot – a 50-seat, small menu place in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan. The working name is Roost Sur, or Roost South. Lucky locals…

Thank you Kevin and Maria for giving us a thirteen year feast for the mind, the soul and the stomach. We wish you all the best in your new adventure.