A transition that began in February of 2019 is complete at the corner of River Street and Wilson in downtown Batavia: Gaetano’s Batavia is now Veritá.

(CREDIT: Batavia Chamber of Commerce Facebook page)

“The name is a re-christening, a re-birth,” said owner Wendy Reed. “Outside, you’ll see the name change. Inside, you’ll see the same outstanding food and service.”

Reed drew inspiration for the new name from Veritas, the goddess of truth in Roman mythology. The name honors the many changes that have occurred for Reed both personally and professionally over the past two-plus years.

“We introduced the new name in February on our new menu and started telling our customers,” she said. “We’ve been building it up slowly ever since, via word of mouth, behind the scenes, and on social media.”

“I’ve been hostessing a lot lately and spending time visiting with all of our customers, and people have come up to me to ask if it’s new ownership or a new concept, and I’ve been fortunate to be able to smile and say, ‘Nope, it’s still me, still Abbie, still Ernesto, still the same great crew you’ve come to know here.’ We’ll be celebrating our five year anniversary at this location on Aug. 1.”

Veritá will be running specials all week long the week of the anniversary, beginning Monday, July 29 and running through the weekend.

Reed, the sole owner of Gaetano’s Batavia, split with her partner, Gaetano Di Benedetto, early in the restaurant’s five year run. While the restaurant has continued to carry the Gaetano’s name, restaurant operations have been led by Reed.

“The integrity of our food is paramount,” she said. “Chef Ernesto Estrada has been with us since day one, as have many of the staff. We’re a family, and we care, deeply, about serving up a memorable meal and experience to our guests.”

‘The Hardest Thing I Have Ever Done’

In the winter of 2019, after having undergone knee replacement surgery and the physical challenges of recovery, Reed felt it was time to come out with the truth: The restaurant had always been hers, and should represent her vision in its branding.

“My knee replacement was the hardest thing I have ever done, period,” she said. “I have three beautiful children and I can tell you it was harder than childbirth. When I returned to being here full time at the restaurant I had renewed confidence in myself and in my team. They did such a wonderful job keeping our guests happy that I knew it was the right time to make this change.”

Reed drew the striking new image, a representation of the goddess Veritas, from a photo given to her by a friend. Reed worked closely with a designer to implement new signage, intended to attract the eyes of pedestrians and motorists passing the restaurant’s prime location at the corner of River and Wilson Streets in downtown Batavia, as well as to put her personal mark on the space.

“This is about how our restaurant has evolved. We are upscale without being pretentious,” said Reed. “We have a house band on Wednesdays, we accommodate our guests dietary restrictions, and we really care about the overall dining experience. We think our love for the food shows in every dish we serve, and our love for our guests shows in how we welcome them in and invite them to be a part of our family for the evening.”

“The next step was to show our love for the space, this beautiful corner of downtown Batavia. This branding reflects that.”

SOURCE: Veritá news release

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