ourStory

Italian Family Tradition

The Visocaro family is originally from Palermo, the capital of the Italian island of Sicily. They began introducing the flavors of the traditional Italian dishes in New York City with a modest pizzeria, “Paola’s Pizza Restaurant.” After 12 years of tiring cold and snowy weather, they decided to move to the much warmer city–San Antonio, Texas. In April 1983, Little Italy Restaurant opened its doors with authentic New York-style Italian cuisine.

In their new home, Angelo and Paola put their spin on traditional Italian dishes originating from Southern Italy. The husband-and-wife team brought the culture, language, and food of a customary Italian family and introduced it to San Antonio.

Over the years, Angelo and Paola passed down family recipes and successful business secrets to the next generation of the Visocaro family. Their children Enzo, Dominick, and Marisa, all became part of the family business, following in their parent’s footsteps. Gaspar, Paola’s brother, was a driving force in the kitchen preparing the family pizza.

With every bite of their family meals are from recipes that are filled with history, passion, and heritage. Dominick believes that tradition is crucial to the Little Italy Restaurant brand as well as the Visocaro family tradition. The future of the restaurant depends on the next generation of the Visocaro family members learning the key components of their family restaurant.

Family photos by Celeste Elena Photography.