11/22/2024
Congratulations to one of Anchorage’s popular restuarants that contiinues to offer affordabilty and fantastic meals and wines.
Last night, November 16th marked the 40th Anniversary of the first day of business for Little Italy Restaurante in Anchorage, Alaska.
Sparing all of you the long and arduous and funny story of how we managed this, we would just like to say….our story is not unlike thousands of others who throw caution to the wind, every last penny (seriously) they can scape together, work seven days a week for years and years….have children on a wong and a prayer and suddenly….its 40 years later!
The couple pictures here have been our longest constant customers since we opened in 1984! Todd and Janet Wallace!
They were our Guests of Honor last night to celebrate this milestone, and Todd graced us with a lovely tribute to what value they found in the tiny restaurant down the road from their home…the first place they brought their newborn where they knew he wouldn’t disrupt anything as it was so family friendly.
Their son grew up in our place along with our son when they were very young rambunctious boys…only they knew where the cheese pizza, checkerboard and video games were in the storage room!
It was a mutually welcomed benefit for the Wallace’s and the Gialopsos’s….i could wait tables while our son played with Timmy….and Todd and Janet could dine in peace while Timmy played with Akis!
Our sons grew into men we are so very proud of but this isn’t the only story of this place. So many …SO many people have graced our doorstep over the years, their children coming to work for us eventually in high school or after, their kids finding a safe place after school to hang out and learn how a business runs. (Yea okay we were softies and fed them pizza but before you knew it, they’d pick up a rag, a mop or wash a dish to help out!)
I find this SO Americana….so family warm and welcoming and the things that bind and weave a community!
Little Italy Anchorage turned 40.
Thank you Anchorage!