The wait is finally over. Pio’s Pizzeria opened its doors on Franklin Street Tuesday morning to a number of hungry customers whose appetites had been teased for a number of months in anticipation of this event.

The brain child of Mark and Tina Micheletti and family, Pio’s is the latest restaurant (and a derivative of the current Pomodoro’s Italian Restaurant) to appear in town whose origins are directly tied to the late Al Micheletti, who together with his late wife, Marie, founded the original Micheletti’s Restaurant in Warren many years ago. They later moved its operation to the former Castle Restaurant overlooking Bristol Harbor on Poppasquash Road.

Under these new guidelines, Pomodoro’s Restaurant will now only serve dinners at its Wood Street location, while pizza, sandwiches and grinders, calzones, appetizers and salads will make  up the main menu on Franklin Street. Business hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Sundays.

“It’s been a long wait,” said co-owner Tina Micheletti. “I’m excited. We had to separate from Pomodoro’s on Wood Street in order to make Pio’s happen.”

As Mark Micheletti so aptly put it, “I know my mom and dad would be proud. They both would have certainly been here to see this grand opening.”

Bristol resident Kathy Nenna was one of the many early arrivals who gushed at the thought of having a Pio’s pizza on this hot, humid day.

“I haven’t had a good pizza since Thanksgiving,” she offered. “I’ve been waiting and waiting for months for this place to open. This is just great.”

As someone else pointed out, “Al and Marie Micheletti must be smiling from ear-to-ear with what’s going on here at Pio’s today.”