100 Years of Italian American History

PAGE SIX The Italian Tribune - La Tribuna del Popolo Friday, May 29 - June 11, 2009 A year-long series 100 Years of Italian American History highlighting businesses and community members A Historical Perspective on the Italian American Community in Metro Detroit from 1909 to today. Roma Café: Detroit’s Oldest Italian Restaurant oma Café is not only the oldest Italian restaurant in the city of Detroit, it’s also the oldest restaurant in the city. The building is R vintage 1888 as close as one can come to its construction date. The Marazza family opened their doors in February 1890 to the farmers as a boarding house with a warm meal included. Mrs. Marazza’s reputation as a fine cook spread quickly throughout the Eastern Market area. At the urging of her fans, she expanded service and opened her restaurant, the Roma Café. In 1918, the business was sold to John Battaglia and Morris Sossi. As they began their partnership, an addition was put on the building and exists exactly the same today. Within one year John Battaglia died and Morris Sossi bought out his widow and became the sole owner of the Roma Café. Morris Sossi’s nephew, Hector Sossi, began working as a busboy for his uncle in 1940. In the early 1950’s, Morris returned to his native Italy and left the management to his nephew, Hector. Hector Sossi carried on the family tradition and bought out Morris in 1965 to become the fourth owner of the Roma Café. Hector then brought in a third generation family member to take the helm. In 1977, his daughter, Janet Sossi Belcoure, came aboard to continue the family business. She currently handles the management of this historic STILL THERE: Italian eatery. (Top) A look at Of the early days, Janet says, “What I remember the most is that it the inside of the was a family business. Roma was like another child. Sunday was the only Roma Cafe as it stood in its day we were closed, and we’d sit around the family table and say, ‘How early days. did we do last night?’” Here, Robert She recalls that on summer vacations, she would come down and Esordi (left) work with her mother and father in the business. “It’s what our family tends bar and was about – food, entertaining, family. It was an extension of what we did converses with at home on Sunday,” says Janet. Moris Sossi in The wood paneling in the restaurant gives it the feeling of home. March of 1930. Roma Café boasts a wide variety of entrees from standard pasta dishes, The Roma Cafe is the oldest to veal dishes, polenta and regional delicacies. restaurant One of Janet’s menu favorites is paglia fiena or “straw and hay pasta.” in the city She explains, “It’s spinach pasta and egg noodle pasta – tagliatelli noodles of Detroit. – in a very light cream sauce with prosciuto and peas. My dad brought it (Center) The back from Italy in the 1960s. It’s northern Italy fare.” Roma Cafe Over the years, Roma Café has served many celebrities: Frank Sinatra, has stood Liza Minelli, Sammy Davis Jr., Desi Arnaz and “just about anybody who at the corner of Via Roma played the Fisher or Fox,” Janet says. Even presidents and governors and Riopelle have dined at the establishment. since its Still today the restaurant garners national attention. “We’ll be inception closing down for a day on June 9,” says Janet. “They’re using the Roma in 1890. for a film starring Val Kilmer and Christopher Walken.” The film is (Bottom) dubbed The Irishman and is based on a book written by Rick Porrello’s Customers titled To Kill the Irishman: The War That Crippled the Mafia. The during the 1930s would film will follow the life of mobster Danny Greene, who ran Cleveland’s frequent criminal underworld in the 1970s. Walken plays a loan-sharking Roma Cafe nightclub owner. Kilmer plays a Cleveland police officer who associates after attending with Greene. the theatre The atmosphere of Roma Café has changed slightly over the years. or other “Years ago Detroit was a more vibrant community,” says Janet. “Times big events have changed. It’s more of a casual crowd now.” in the city But one thing hasn’t changed: the feeling of home you get when you of Detroit. walk into the place and the family traditions which have filtered down through the years. Just as Mrs. Marazza’s hospitality felt to her boarders Editor’s note: If you have a business, club or individual that you believe deserves when they enjoyed a warm home-cooked meal, when you’re with the historical recognition in a future edition, call (586) 783-3260 or email Sossi family, you’re right at home. [email protected].

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