Sydney’s Caruso’s Gourmet Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Gymea is closing after 22 years due to high living costs

A popular family-run Italian restaurant in south Sydney has had to close its doors after battling soaring inflation and the cost of living.

Rocky Pitarelli, owner of Caruso’s gourmet pizza and Italian restaurant in Gymea, made the “heartbreaking” decision to close the shop after owning the local institution for the past five years.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The popular family-run Sydney restaurant is closing its doors after 22 years.

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Pitarelli, who worked under the previous owners as a chef for about 12 years, said his family loves their job but it’s no longer financially viable to stay open.

“Passion and hard work can only get you so far in life, but we haven’t been able to keep our pot of gold making it very difficult to run this expensive venue without a war chest,” Pitarelli shared earlier this month.

“Kerrin and I have always been a humble, hard-working couple. I’m proud of how creative and innovative we’ve been over the past five years.

“We’re so sad but we know it’s just the way it is, we know it’s time to say goodbye and say thank you.”

Caruso’s team traded for the last time on March 12 as rising costs became too high to keep the business going.

“We’re a small company with great reviews, we’ve been here as a company for 22 years and it’s just tough,” Pitarelli said sunrise.

“It’s just heartbreaking, we are loved in our community.”

Pitarelli said that while the company has rave reviews and a loyal customer base, skyrocketing costs have had a devastating effect month after month.

“We didn’t have the opportunity to achieve what we wanted to achieve,” he said.

“If you lose a month’s rent in the blink of an eye you don’t know where your next customer will come from, the basics of the business aren’t just there.

“You can’t predict, you don’t know, where the next dollar will come from.

“You have to take the emotions out and look at your circumstances. Unfortunately, we are a victim of circumstances.”

Pitarelli called on the government and community to support other small businesses, all of which are struggling in the current climate.