Cafe Allegro, once one of the most fashionable eateries in Pittsburgh, is closing its doors at the end of business on Saturday. After 22 years, the Cardamone family has decided to wind down the operation and, as the departing Washington politicos say, pursue personal and professional interests.

The cafe opened on Mothers Day, 1986 in a 1910 building a few doors from the corner of 12th and Carson streets. In previous incarnations, it housed two other restaurants: Old Europe and Simply French Too.

Success came dramatically and almost instantly to Cafe Allegro. It was the "in" place to be and be seen -- a destination. In 1993, it was voted Pittsburgh's "Best Overall" restaurant by the Pittsburgh Magazine readers' poll, an honor that was repeated for seven years in a row.

Back in the day, the owner/operators, all members of the same family with zero previous experience in the food industry, were enthusiastic amateurs. They jumped in and never looked back. Their story is a restaurant fairy tale. It couldn't happen today.

Lou Cardamone, then president and CEO of the advertising agency Marc and Co., called a family meeting, gathering his family around the coffee table. Present were daughters Antoinette and Gina with Gina's husband, Red, and sons Dino and Marco with Marco's wife, Paula. "Let's brainstorm," Lou said. "Let's find a way for us all to tap into the cash stream." So they brainstormed, and their evening's discussion was recorded on tape. Every idea, no matter how eccentric or off-the-wall, was considered. As the idea of a restaurant evolved, it seemed a natural conclusion since the whole family has a love of good food, a naive reason that would never fly in today's marketplace.

Fine. Decision made.

Assignments came next. Red, with a bit of restaurant experience and on-the-job training, would be chef. Antoinette, a teacher, would be general manager and front-of-the-house. Marco, who had a computer graphics firm at the time, would contribute menu design and PR. His wife, Paula, would be bookkeeper and flower arranger. Dino and Gina would help out at all stations. Dad Lou secured the capital and developed a budget, and mom Mary Jean became chief taste-tester.

Finding a niche was easy. Everyone agreed on a Riviera approach, a French-Italian, coastal cafe-style menu with simple grilled items and sauces, fresh seafood, herbs and good home-baked bread. Before the Mediterranean diet was ever a buzzword, the cafe would serve foods aromatic with extra-virgin olive oil, capers, garlic, lemons, tomatoes and cheeses.

Listening to the tape today, one is amazed to find that the family accomplished everything they set out to do.

Many Pittsburghers remember Cafe Allegro affectionately, in much the same way as a first romance. The food was good, even forward-thinking for the time, prices were reasonable, the atmosphere was uncontrived and always buzzing. It was cross-cultural, cross-generational and cross-societal.

To curb overeating and overspending, the cafe served half and whole portions long before anyone else. There was a signature taste: a subtle mix of olive oil, lemon, herbs and "red dust," a secret mix of dried herbs and spices. No one has ever broken the code.

Cafe Allegro grew. The space next door was bought, an additional 35 seats were added, the kitchen was expanded and a bakery was built on the lower level. The cafe promoted an espresso bar before most Pittsburghers knew what that was. When Red and Gina moved to Minnesota, chef Joe Nolan, a member of the extended Cardamone family and one of the original chefs, became head chef.

Waitstaff were bright young men who knew their wines and had impressive day jobs in the arts. Antoinette greeted guests at the door and, later, bid them good night. Everyone was "honey." Her hair, a madness of frizzy gypsy ringlets, was, and still is, her trademark.

As the awards piled up, celebrities came. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward shared a romantic dinner upstairs in front of the fireplace. Jack Nicholson ordered grilled calamari and pasta and was characterized as "sweet" by the servers. Jodie Foster, a vegetarian, impressed the staff as a powerhouse.

There are Cafe Allegro stories about Reggie Jackson, Tom Jones, Frances McDormand, Chita Rivera and Dennis Hopper, among others.

But things slowed down. Somewhere around 2000, the cafe's popularity waned. Bigger and fancier restaurants, as well as smaller and specifically ethnic ones, appeared on the scene. Cafe Allegro's customer base began to dissipate. Customers, now gaining sophistication through travel, reading and TV's Food Network, could choose such alternatives as the Steelhead Grill, Eleven and Lidia's Pittsburgh as well as many Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian and other Asian restaurants.

And here we are. It's 2008, and all good things must come to an end. No more Pasta del Sol, no more crispy Grilled Calamari. No more sitting in the bar and feeling like part of the scene. The party's over.

"I hope all the wonderful customers and staff that have become a part of my extended family realize how difficult this decision was," Antoinette Cardamone said. "I'm thankful to all of them for being a part of the Cafe Allegro dream."

The family is inviting customers to share their memories and stories on a blog, cafeallegropittsburgh.com.

Ciao, Cafe Allegro. We'll miss you. Long live our fond memories.