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Moro's Dining, a classic Italian restaurant on Allen Road in Allen Park that attracted customers from all around Metro Detroit and was a special destination for birthday and anniversary celebrations, has closed after 45 years.
The Downriver restaurant was known for its fine Italian food including shrimp scampi and veal, Minestrone soup and flambéed desserts, white tablecloths and waiters in tuxedos.
"Hello, you have reached Moro's Dining. We are closed but would like to thank you for all your prayers and well wishes," a phone recording at the restaurant said Sunday night. "Chef Thomas Moro is doing fine. Thank you for listening. Goodbye."
Yelp listed the restaurant as permanently closed.
Customer Ginnger Miles Lickorai posted on Facebook last Thursday a photo of a makeshift “CLOSED” sign on the front door.
"So sad to see Moro's in Allen Park has closed down," she wrote. "The owner retired. Someone buy this place!!!"
In 2022, the Detroit Free Press reported that the restaurant was up for sale.
“I am over 70 years old,” owner Thomas Moro told the Freep. “It’s about time to throw the towel in.”
Attempts to reach someone from the restaurant on Sunday were unsuccessful.
Moro, the owner and primary chef, started his culinary career at Mario's in Detroit's Midtown in the late ’60s, according to the restaurant's website.
"Originally washing dishes, busing and waiting tables, Tom then found a home in the kitchen where he became a line chef and performed duties such as prep work, butchering, and final preparation of all entrées under Jack McKnight (the premier chef in the Detroit restaurant scene at that time)," the bio said.
"In the ’70s, he took his vast food knowledge with him to the U.S. Navy as a chef. During his two tours in Italy, he learned the authentic preparation of great Italian dishes served in the restaurant today. He cooked for admirals and learned recipes such as Moro's famous clam chowder that was originally prepared for the Kennedy family. After leaving the Navy, he worked for Ted Garzas and Steve Pappas at one of the original Greektown restaurants called the Pickle Barrel."
"Later, he worked at the Fisher Building cafeteria cooking lunch for nearly 1,000 people each day, Tam O'Shanter Country Club at night, and simultaneously started his own catering company, cooking for special events each weekend. Doing all that, he saved up the money to open his own restaurant in Allen Park in 1980."
In 2012, Zagat named Moro's among the top 10 restaurants in Metro Detroit.
A Zagat review cited it for "outstanding scampi and veal," salad tossed tableside, flambéed desserts, "huge portions," and a lack of pretension.
Hour Detroit magazine described Moro's this way:
Old-fashioned Italian comfort food, with a few Greek and Hungarian dishes for added interest, is the hallmark of this Downriver favorite. It’s best known for its signature housemade cannelloni, generous, garlicky shrimp scampi, and exceptional service. Dinner begins with warm bread and salad tossed tableside, and ends with a big bowl of fruit and nuts-in-the-shell. But if you save room for dessert, three flambes are available, served over vanilla ice cream.
Downriver resident Bob Morgan said he was saddened when he heard the restaurant had closed.
"It was a small place and had a family feel, and the food was great," he told Deadline Detroit. "And the servers were excellent."
Over the years, customers reviews posted on socail media include:
Bob Wheeler in December 2024:
"Amazing people in this restaurant. Even more amazing was the food. Minestrone has to be the best I ever tasted. This is a top notch restaurant."
Katarina Swan Brown, February 2023:
"Family Owned!! Opened 1980!! Our server was one of the Son's who had worked there since he was 10 yrs old. The Dad and other son cooking, the Mom seating guests! Waiters in Tuxedos!!
The food, WOW, the food was AHHMAZING!! The absolute BEST Minestrone soup I have EVER had!! And as simple as a dinner salad is, it was so very good!!
High End restaurant!! If you want to eat really good food THIS IS THE PLACE!!
Thank you Moro Family for a wonderful dining experience!!
The BEST I have had in my 56 years ❤️"
Felicia Smith-Brown, September 2022:
"I had the lamb chops and the food was amazing. The service was top notch. The atmosphere was quaint and cozy. I would definitely go back."
Alishia Lynn Trejo, June 9, 2025:
Man what a run we all had working there. I made the best of friends and so many memories. Tom and Mark taught me not only the work of a restaurant but so very many life lessons. I will forever be grateful for Chef and Mark.
I cried for days when Chef told me but I cried because I will miss my days and all the memories there. I am so happy for Chef, Karen and Mark…. They all deserve this!
In my head I guess I thought Moro’s would always be my second home. Not many people can say they walked into an establishment at 17 and met their second family. 23 years later I’m sad but so thankful for Moro’s Dining and Chef Thomas Moro!
I hope retirement is good to you Chef, you earned this.
With that being said, I need a job.
