Ramunto’s occupies a scenic perch above the Sugar River at the corner of Washington and Water Streets. Over a century ago, mill workers in the original space could never have imagined the one-time bleaching building for the woolen mill district fabric producers would someday be turning out brick oven pizzas, calzones, and now smashburgers. Brad and Luke’s father bought the vacant space, once a furniture store, and rehabbed it for the original owner to launch Ramunto’s. The turn-of-the century vibe and ever-present smell of wood from the brick oven is the perfect marriage for a brick oven eatery.

“And if you look around, you’ll notice that both the posts and the beams in the upstairs main dining room are charred,” Brad says. “And those are the original beams that survived through the fire and are today still part of the architecture of the building. Up in the back corner, you can see blackened bricks. When we refurbished the building, one of the contractors wanted to sandblast the brick and clean it, and we said, ‘No, that patina is part of the history of this building and it’s part of the look.’ And so the charred beams and the blackened bricks are just part of the allure and the atmosphere of what this building is inside.”

It’s All About Community

Aside from the authenticity of the food and the building, a third aspect of Ramunto’s success may not be immediately noticed but it is appreciated by the two owners, according to Brad. “We have quite a number of staff who’ve been here for longer than 10 years. Some that are in the 11th, some that are in their 12th year. We’re really, really thankful that people want to work here for as long as they do.” The employees have built community capital and have longstanding relationships with customers. Minimal kitchen turnover means fewer meals being returned because the cooks know the house standards and are highly skilled.

Ramunto’s puts community involvement high on their list of priorities, which includes fundraising donations. “Our faith plays a massive role in it,” Brad says. “We’re not simply here just to serve food, but we’re also here to be a support, whether it’s giving scholarships out or doing a fundraiser for the family that might’ve been in a car accident. We have a lot to offer in that regard of giving back to the community, and we’re happy to be able to.”

The brothers are also aware of their customers’ budget challenges, so they’ve answered that bell by creating their Piccolo Menu. “What we can do without changing expectations is to create a small side menu that has smaller portions of the same things that we already sell. So we’re not reducing quality and we’re not changing any kind of recipes or ingredients. Everything’s exactly the same except it’s a smaller portion,” Brad adds.

With a robust and diverse menu, what is Luke’s favorite dish? “Chicken and broccoli alfredo, sauce made from scratch,” he answers. Brad likes an old-world pizza with Parmesan cheese, garlic oil on the bottom, and a layer of tomatoes topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. “It’s really hard to beat that,” he smiles. It’s where genuine New York pizza fans meet Claremont smiles.

Ramunto’s Brick Oven Pizza

71 Broad and Water Street

Claremont, NH

(603) 542-9100

ramuntos.com