Dedication and a lifetime of experience show in every dish prepared by Bob Rizk, chef and owner of The Rialto, keeping customers coming back for more. Photo: Carolyn Cadigan
By Angelina Keizer, UNE Intern
Bob Rizk, chef and owner of The Rialto in Sanford, has a culinary career that spans decades and continents. The restaurant, which opened September of 2025, represents the latest chapter in a journey that began in 1988 on the beaches of Greece. At just 16 years old, Rizk was washing dishes and cleaning fish in a popular seafood restaurant that served a thousand people a day. It was there, in the relentless pace of the kitchen, that he learned the foundational lessons that still guide him today.
“Everywhere I go, I never run out of business because they taught me old school,” he says with pride and confidence. Though Rizk is Greek, he learned that the food from his homeland wasn’t all that popular in Europe after spending some time in England. It was then that he took the leap to specialize in Italian cuisine. The “old school” way he was taught creates a blend of backbone and tradition that was fused during two years of culinary school in Greece. This was further embedded while running an Italian pub and bar restaurant for three years in England before he eventually crossed the Atlantic.
America brought new opportunities. Rizk opened and operated several successful restaurants in Worcester and Leominster, MA, before bringing his talents to the coast of Maine, first in Old Orchard Beach and then in Scarborough. In total, he’s opened nearly a dozen restaurants.
As a chef who is on the move throughout his life, he has been faced with the passing on his restaurants to new owners. Fortunately for happy customers, some of those restaurants still stand today. This includes David’s Sub Shop in Old Orchard Beach and a couple of pizzerias that have since changed names.
But Rialto is not just another one of his projects; it’s a return to Rizk’s roots and a reflection of his vision. The space in Main Street Marketplace, which most recently housed Ted’s Fried Clams, itself has evolved, transitioning from takeout-only to a cozy, intimate dine-in experience complete with curtains, soft lighting, and music. For Rizk, the setting is a backdrop for the food that has drawn in returning customers.
Opening The Rialto in Sanford has been meaningful for Chef Bob. The excitement the community had was immediate, bringing back his loyal customers from Biddeford, Saco, and even his old stomping grounds in Old Orchard Beach. “I was surprised to see old customers,” he says. “They tell me, ‘We miss you, we miss you.’” For a chef who aims for a friendly community and thrives on connection, those reunions are as rewarding as any recognition.
The food at The Rialto is a direct extension of the man making it. It is deeply personal, labor-intensive and, as he puts it, impossible to replicate. “People cannot find what we have anywhere,” he states simply. “They come here and feel like they are eating at home.”
Rizk’s day begins at 6 am (with a crucial pit stop at Starbucks), as he is the sole architect in his kitchen. “I never hire anyone to do anything in the kitchen besides me,” he explains. This dedication is the secret behind the dishes that have earned such a devoted crowd. Some say his pizza is the best in town. The meatballs, made from scratch, are also a customer favorite. And then there’s his sauce, of course.
“My sauce gets the most compliments, but it’s too much work,” Rizk admits with a laugh. It’s a revealing statement that hints at the immense effort behind every plate. It’s the same effort he pours into the classic desserts he’s been serving for 15 years—cannoli, tiramisu, cheesecake, and more. This food was born from a lifetime of experience that is a blend of Greek discipline and Italian soul. The dedication and passion in the family doesn’t begin and end with him. His brother runs a huge Italian restaurant in Massachusetts that feeds hundreds of people a day and also serves members of the military.
For Rizk, the most rewarding part is simply the compliments and good reviews. But the affection didn’t come easily. His biggest challenge is the immense pressure of doing it all himself. “It’s very hard to find the right help, difficult to find people to do what I envision, that’s why I do it all myself,” he explains. “I wish to be just the owner.” Yet, his commitment to quality and his personal vision won’t allow him to compromise. The stress is constant, but so is the ambition to make every single person who walks through his door happy.
Looking ahead, Rizk hopes to build up the catering side of the business, which was a hit over the holidays. He already has plans in store for the summer, to open a much larger restaurant back in Old Orchard Beach that will contain a bar. As of now, his focus remains on the little spot in Sanford.
“My goal is just to make everybody happy,” he says. It’s a simple mission for a chef whose life has been anything but simple. Inside the draped windows of The Rialto, with the smell of his famous sauce in the air, it’s clear he’s doing just that—one plate at a time.
The post Rialto Offers Italian Fare with a Greek Accent appeared first on Sanford Springvale News.
