In 2007, a second location, Valentini’s Vicino Lago (Valentini’s by the Lake) opened in Duluth. Their companies included Fena Food and Beverage in Hibbing, a wine and produce purveyor that became Sunnyhill Liquor and California Winehouse a bar called Tibroc (a portmanteau of Tiburzi and Rocchi from Matt Rocchi, their partner) but most important was their acquisition of the Chisholm Cafe, whose building in Chisholm is owned by their descendants and operated as Valentini’s. Sunrise Creative Gourmet, 2135 1st Ave, Hibbing, MN 55746 218.263.5713ġ920 – The Tiburzi brothers, Dick (Federico) and Curly (Fortunato) arrive in Chisolmįrom Sarnano, Italy to work on the Iron Range³Ĭonsummate entrepreneurs, the brothers, throughout their time in Minnesota (and especially in the 1930s), started or acquired a variety of food and beverage establishments. Giulio’s son Vince later expanded the bakery’s offerings from simple country loaves to include sweets, and specialties such as pasties and potica (though pasties are of British origin, and potica is a Slovenian dessert). Giulio Forti emigrated from Rome hoping to secure a mining job, but at age 50 he found mining to be too taxing, so he returned to his roots and opened a bakery. The shop became one of the Italian cultural staples in the cities, and is still in operation.Ĭossetta’s, 211 7th St W, Saint Paul, MN 55102 651.222.3476 Becca Dilley / Minnesota Lunch Michael Cossetta arrived from Calabria, Italy (the toe of the boot) and opened a small alimentary (food shop or deli) in the Upper Levee. Lower Payne Avenue was lined with Italian shops, grocery stores, and restaurants run by and for Italians. Together, these forces encouraged an insular lifestyle, and led to the development of Italian neighborhoods, primarily in Saint Paul’s Upper Levee / Upper Landing and in Swede Hollow, where the Italian section was known as Railroad Island, because of the large number of Italians employed in the railroad trade. Additionally, racism against Italians was widespread. Minnesota’s Italian-born population peaked in 1910, with the majority coming from agricultural towns with a deeply entrenched sense of community. Roughly 10,000 immigrants from that period gave Minnesota as their destination, settling mostly in the Twin Cities and Duluth (80 percent of these immigrants settled in these two cities). Italian immigration to the United States began early in the 19th century, but of the six million Italians who came to America between 18, more than half arrived between 18. By 1897, the company was successful enough to be featured in a “permanent display of home-manufactured goods”² at the Market Hall, alongside other vendors including the Hamm Brewing Company.ġ899-1914 – Italian immigration to Minnesota gets underway / Saint Paul’s Little Italy¹ develops In 1889, the Italian Macaroni and Vermicelli Company was formed. Italian immigrants established themselves as food merchants from their first arrival in the 1850s - selling fruit, vegetables, ice cream, and other foods, especially in the business district of Saint Paul. Sean Lynch / Heavy Tableġ889 – The Italian Macaroni and Vermicelli Company is established in St. Most of all, we wanted to share what we found out about an often-overlooked part of Minnesota’s immigrant history. This project aims to paint a picture of the breadth of Italian food here, from fine dining to red sauce to the ever-controversial “Hot Dago” sandwich. What was the draw for families arriving from Rome? From Sicily? What did they eat upon arrival, and how did their foods plant the seeds for generations of restaurants? These questions drove us to do a little digging into the Italian history of the Land of 10,000 Lakes.Ī timeline like this can’t be all inclusive. And why not? Surely, when the Janssons and Engstroms arrived in Minnesota, they must have been glad to find a place that felt much like home.īut Southern Europe contributes plenty of its own threads to the Minnesota tapestry: Italians (and their food) have played a major role in the state’s development everywhere from the Iron Range to St. Traditionally, Minnesota’s ethnic breakdown was often conflated with immigration from Scandinavian and Germanic countries.

This timeline made possible by underwriting from Sunrise Market in St.

Luci ancora st.paul mn