Founders Sergio and Maria Pullo, and Frank and Antonietta D'Eramo, opened the doors to this local favorite in the spring of 1986, with the help of Sergio and Maria's two children, Pierina and Robert. The two couples had emigrated from Ripi, Italy, a small town 90 miles southeast of Rome, in 1973.

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Many of the early recipes were passed down from relatives in Italy, where food is not just for sustenance, but also for added enjoyment to life. The couples contributed their unique  passion for Italian food, including homemade sauces, pastas, pizza dough, soups, cheesecake....

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The restaurant's reputation and number of daily guests – year-round residents across the region, snowbirds, and travelers passing by – grew steadily.

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After nearly thirty-three years, the founders decided it was time to retire. In late 2018, Victoria and John Bedford, having returned to Florida after two decades in colder climates, discovered this delightful, family restaurant on State Road 54 in Zephyrhills. The timing and match were perfect for the Pullos to transfer ownership to the Bedfords. Their first order of business: discovering and preserving  the best traditions of this local favorite as we enter the next chapter in the restaurant’s enduring history.

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Enthusiastic customer response continues, as evidenced by a dining room filled with the sounds of laughter and delight from hundreds of repeat customers joined by many first-timers from across the region.