After over a half-century of serving traditional Italian dishes to the North Beach community, the family-run Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano is preparing to hand over the reins to new management by the end of this year. The Crotti family, synonymous with the iconic eatery since 1973, announced their impending retirement and the sale of the restaurant, a beloved fixture known for its wood-fired pizza and classic Italian ambiance, as per Eater San Francisco.
Carmen Crotti, age 68, started working at the establishment during her teenage years and cited the long hours, which could extend to 12 hours daily, as a growing challenge. The Crottis have ensured that the restaurant's legacy will continue, selecting a group that will maintain Tommaso’s name and history. "It's meant to be a seamless transition," Crotti added, indicating the changeover will occur during the restaurant's traditional holiday break in late December, as cited by SF Chronicle.
An integral part of North Beach's fabric, Tommaso’s dates back to 1935 when it started as Lupo's by the Cantalupo family. It later became Tommaso's under Tommy Chin before the Crotti family took ownership. Through the years, personalities like Francis Ford Coppola have graced its tables, and its wood-fired oven has served as an inspiration for culinary figures such as Alice Waters.
Although specifics about the new ownership have yet to be revealed, public records, as noted by SF Chronicle, reveal that the Crotti family still owns the property located at 1042 Kearny St. The building was listed for $3 million, a sum that encompassed both the real estate and the business itself. Acknowledged as a Legacy Business, Tommaso's has been a recognized contributor to neighborhood history for over three decades, cementing its status as a community staple.
The restaurant has been a marriage of personal and professional life for Crotti, providing a venue where lifelong friendships were formed and even where she met her husband. "My best friends are people I met at the restaurant. I met my husband at the restaurant," Carmen Crotti stated, as per SF Chronicle.
