Rosa and Giancarlo Paciullo of Tino’s Deli
Love is in the air on Arthur Ave….
Rosa and Giancarlo Paciullo of Tino’s Deli met in 1973 in Italy. In fact, Rosa and Giancarlo initially were pen pals for a year before meeting in-person on August 2, 1973 and then got married on September 2, 1973- exactly a month later! Today, they have been married for 48 years with 3 kids and 5 grandkids.
Giancarlo was previously a pastry chef at the oldest pastry shop on Arhur Ave, Egidio Pastry Shop. He and Rosa also owned and sold Mount Carmel Wine & Spirits, and now own Tino’s Deli, best known for their eggplant and chicken parmigiana, homemade mozzarella, pizza, and Italian sandwiches.
Tino’s Deli’s “The Isabella” Sandwich
What is their secret to working together as a couple?
They say that they have never worked apart from each other, always divide their responsibilities and keep things 50/50. They try to support each other through it all.
Tino’s Deli is located at 2410 Arthur Avenue.
Another Bronx Little Italy love story is that of Lori and Marco Coletta. Lori and Marco own and operate Tra Di Noi, best known for their lasagna Bolognese, pasta con fave, calamari fritti, homemade gnocchi, and stracotto (slow braised beef.) Lori and Marco initially met working at another local restaurant. Lori initially declined Maro’s requests for a date since she thought the cultural differences would be too much being that Lori was a native New Yorker and Marco was from a small mountain village in Italy. But Chef Marco kept showering her with what he knew best–food– and she eventually gave him a chance. They have been together ever since for 41 years and have a daughter together.
Lasagna Bolognese at Tra Di Noi
Chef Marco has over 60 years in the culinary industry, and has cooked for Italian royalty, movie stars, producers, and foreign embassies. Chef Marco and Lori opened Tra Di Noi in 2008, so COVID-19 isn’t the first crisis that the restaurant owners had to navigate since opening nearly 20 years ago.
What is their secret to working together as a couple?
They say that the best way to work together as a married couple is for Marco to stay in the kitchen and Lori to stay in the dining room!
Tra Di Noi located at 622 East 187th Street.
You Got a Pizza My Heart
If you’re feeling the love after hearing about Paciullo and Coletta love stories, Ivana’s Pizzeria has you covered. Ivana’s is celebrating love this year with heart-shaped pizzas for the month of February for $20 or for $23 with pepperoni, which will be available for curbside pickup or outdoor dining.
Owners Antonio and Ivana Ferri even have their own love story. In 1996, the two married in Italy before coming to America in 1975 and settling in the Bronx. They opened their pizzeria shortly after to bring a little bit of home to the Bronx. Today, their two sons, Frankie and Corrado, help run the shop. The second generation business has been around for 43 years and is known for its wide variety of authentic specialty pizzas.
Ivana’s is located at 2373 Arthur Avenue.
Note: Ivana’s is closed on Sundays, so lovers should plan accordingly.
For more info about Arthur Avenue, visit www.bronxlittleitaly.com.