About

The Founder
Mr. Salvatore Scoleri 

IL MENU DELLA CASA DI SCOTTI
(Named after the Metropolitan Opera Star, ANTONIO SCOTTI) 

919 Vine Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Have you ever wondered?

A certain Cincinnati paper recently received an inquiry from a reader who asked, “Why does the Italian restaurant in Cincinnati go by the name of SCOTTI’S? Are the owners Irish? - or what nationality?”

Before the “story” goes on, it is necessary to understand that the majority of Italian restaurants in the United States are named after some Italian celebrity. It may be an Italian writer, an Italian composer or music, a well-loved Italian opera, perhaps a historic Italian, or maybe a singer.

It was the year of 1911 in Philadelphia when first Mr. SCOTTI (whose real identity is SALVATORE SCOLERI) first encountered the famous Metropolitan opera singer ANTONIO SCOTTI. Mr. Scoleri had opened his first Italian restaurant which was then known at “THE EUROPEAN RESTAURANT. 

Mr. Scoleri and Mr. Scotti became fast friends and Mr. Scoleri requested a favor of Mr. Scotti. He was about to open a new restaurant and was anxious to name it after his new-found friend. Would Mr. Scotti object? Mr. Scotti was highly honored at this request, for at the time, he had not yet joined the ranks of the “famous.” So shortly afterward, Mr. Scoleri moved to Cincinnati and in 1912 established “SCOTTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT.”