| Gargiulo's Italian Restaurant | |
|---|---|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1907 |
| Current owner(s) | Michael, Victor and Nino Russo |
| Food type | Italian cuisine |
| City | Brooklyn |
| State | New York |
| Country | USA |
| Website | www.gargiulos.com |
Gargiulo's is an Italian restaurant established in 1907 in Coney Island.
The restaurant was started and run by Gus Garguilo and later by his son Louis Garguilo and Louis' sisters Tessie and Angelina, with other family members working in the kitchen along with others. Large parties were often held in the spacious dining room with its large maroon drapes and the parties often spilled out into the small courtyard in the back on warm days. Pictures of these parties lined the walls in the entrance hall, many with recognizable faces such as Jimmy Durante.
The Garguilo's son, Michael, was a TV producer who for many years produced and directed, among other things, the CBS All American Thanksgiving Day Parade on television.
In April 1965, the Russo brothers (Michael, Victor and Nino) bought the restaurant from the Gargiulo family.[1]
Gargiulo's thrives with the guidance of the younger generation, still family-owned and run. The children and grandchildren of the original Russo brothers manage the restaurant along with long-time employees.
Rumors of the sale of this Coney Island institution have run rampant over the last few years. All are unfounded. Thor Equities was interested in the property but in December 2006, Nino Russo said he plans to reject their offer: "We are going to be celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2007, so we have no intention of selling yet."[2]