Billy Joel’s dedication to Long Island is no secret. The location seeps into his music regularly. After growing up mostly in Oyster Bay, Joel has owned property all over the island. Over the years, he had beachfront estates in Sagaponack, Sag Harbor, Oyster Bay, and Amagansett, to name a few. Since he’s so dedicated to staying on the island, it should come as no surprise that his fans largely believe “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” was written about a Long Island establishment. That’s not the case, though.
For decades, Joel fans who live on Long Island have argued that Joel was inspired to write “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” by Christiano’s in Syosset. The eatery was considered an institution, opening its doors in 1958 and servicing North Shore residents for decades. An overzealous fan went so far as to add Christiano’s as the inspiration for the song on Joel’s Wikipedia page. Unfortunately for Christiano’s fans, the rumor is not true.
