When he opened Piazza Italia with the late Gino Schettini back in 1999, Kevin Gorretta says he quickly saw a service snag in his soon-to-be popular Pearl District Italian eatery: On busy nights, he and his staff often sent would-be guests to nearby bars with the hope they wouldn’t bail after staff called their cell phones when a table freed up.

This summer, Gorretta and Amy Schettini—Gorretta’s business partner and Gino’s daughter—hope to send those would-be diners to their own bar for a drink when they open Bar Rione in the adjacent space around the corner that’s currently home to the convenience store Pearl Market.

Bar Rione, Gorretta explains, will serve as a de facto Piazza Italia waiting room, as well as a cozy bar that locals can drop by for a quick bite and an Italian-inspired cocktail, which is something of a first for him and Schettini, as Piazza Italia’s never served the hard stuff.

Gorretta says the 33-seat space will showcase a lean menu of small plates like antipasti, soups, salads, sandwiches, and porchetta, along side beer, wine, and the aforementioned booze.

It will also give them the opportunity to provide potential guests a place to eat and sip between the hours of 3 and 5 pm, when Piazza Italia briefly closes between lunch and dinner services.

When it opens, Bar Rione will be open daily, from 3 pm to late.

Gorretta says that once all the paperwork’s been inked, he and Schettini are aiming to open the place sometime this summer.

Stay tuned.