The shuttering of Pizzetta's doors in downtown Mystic should have all eaters concerned for the fate of the town and its dining scene. Although a post about what exactly happened to the Water Street staple was vague, speculation quickly emerged that the owners of the building had leased it out to another restaurant without notice. While Pizzetta wasn't arguably the top spot in a state brimming with pizza joints, it was a testament to a buzzing nightlife scene where the drinks were cheap, awkward first dates were plenty, and the music played just a hair too loud. In a town that has become the hot spot for PEI mussels and outlandishly priced cocktails, Pizzetta held its own.

It wouldn't be surprising if Pizzetta's next occupants offered the cuisine and flavors that wealthy out-of-towners demand, reducing the once popular venue to a sad, shallow shell of Mystic's history. To see a restaurant die is its own kind of grief — of friends and memories shared. While the restaurant's future is uncertain in a town pricing out its own people and businesses, it's indicative of the dramatic changes that are afoot for Mystic and its inhabitants. Once the double 00 flour has settled and the music has died, we might be able to see the future more clearly.

Sara Klimek

Westerly