Filomena’s 20th Anniversary Bash
Filomena’s 20th Anniversary Bash celebrates two decades of food, live music and community at the Waterford restaurant on Sunday, August 30, with an all-day anniversary party featuring two bands, a photo booth, limited-edition merchandise, a charcuterie bar and more.
The celebration runs from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., turning an ordinary Sunday at Filomena’s into something closer to a reunion for the customers, employees and friends who have made the restaurant part of southeastern Connecticut life.
And after 20 years, there’s quite a bit to celebrate.
Twenty Years of Filomena’s
Filomena’s opened at 262 Boston Post Road in Waterford’s Utopia Centre, a development built by current owner Michael “Mike” Buscetto III in 2006. Contemporary reporting identifies Mike Ogle and Bruno Trombino of Westerly as the restaurant’s original operators and Filomena’s as one of the development’s original tenants. Buscetto and his brother later purchased an interest in the restaurant and were operating it by 2013.
Today, Buscetto owns the restaurant and has built Filomena’s around a combination of Italian-American comfort food, private events, community gatherings and live entertainment. The restaurant has also accumulated its share of local recognition, including being named among Connecticut Magazine’s top family restaurants in 2013 and earning recognition for its banquet facilities and clam chowder.
Its private-event side has become a significant part of the operation as well, with two event spaces capable of accommodating gatherings ranging from about 10 to 150 guests.
So, Who Was Filomena?
There’s a family story hiding behind the name on the sign.
Filomena was Mike Buscetto’s paternal grandmother. Buscetto has specifically described the Waterford restaurant as bearing her name.
Twenty years after Filomena’s opened, her name is still hanging over the door of a restaurant that has become a familiar gathering place for thousands of southeastern Connecticut residents.
The Man Behind Filomena’s
Buscetto’s story extends well beyond the restaurant business.
A developer and longtime southeastern Connecticut civic figure, he developed Waterford’s Utopia Centre as well as New London’s first 55-plus active-adult community. His community involvement has included work with organizations supporting children, families and charitable causes throughout the region.
His annual Bash at the Beach fundraiser alone has generated more than $550,000 for approximately 30 organizations, primarily supporting youth programs. He’s also served with organizations including Waterford Youth & Family Services and the Cactus Jack Foundation.
That work led the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut to name Buscetto its 2024 Citizen of the Year, an honor recognizing his long record of community involvement.
One episode in the restaurant’s history says quite a bit about the way Buscetto operates.
When COVID devastated the restaurant industry, he kept Filomena’s open and said he didn’t lay off a single employee. The restaurant added plexiglass dividers, moved menus onto a rolling whiteboard, converted parking areas into outdoor dining and eventually added outdoor entertainment and dancing. The adaptations attracted enough attention that Gov. Ned Lamont later visited Filomena’s as an example of a business that had demonstrated innovation during the pandemic.
Live Music Throughout the Anniversary
The August 30 celebration includes two live performances.
Mike Mauro performs from noon to 2 p.m.
Souls on Fire takes over from 4 to 7 p.m.
Between the music, guests can take anniversary photos at a photo booth, pick up limited-edition Filomena’s merchandise and visit a special charcuterie bar.
The anniversary runs for most of the day, so this isn’t structured as a single concert with everyone arriving at once. Guests can stop in for lunch, catch one of the performances or spend a larger part of Sunday celebrating with the Filomena’s crew.
Event Details
Event: Filomena’s 20th Anniversary Bash
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Location: Filomena’s, Utopia Centre
Address: 262 Boston Post Road, Waterford, CT 06385
Live Music:
Mike Mauro: Noon–2 p.m.
Souls on Fire: 4–7 p.m.
Also Planned: Photo booth, limited-edition merchandise, charcuterie bar and additional anniversary activities.
