The Cupertino Courier

Cover Story

That's Amore

Family-owned restaurant celebrates 50 years

By Emilie Crofton

Despite the growing popularity of national chain eateries, the family-owned Pezzella's Villa Napoli has stood its ground for more than 50 years and continues to be a place where locals gather to eat, drink and socialize with friends and family.

"If there was a 'Cheers' in California, this would be it," says Sunnyvale Mayor Tony Spitaleri. "You have your regulars that come in every day of the week. Everyone has a story to tell from their love lives to politics."

Pezzella's Villa Napoli, located on El Camino Real in Sunnyvale, serves traditional Italian foods with an East Coast flavor, including pasta dishes, veal, seafood and New-York style pizzas.

"We serve anything from traditional spaghetti and meatballs to seared ahi tuna," says Vince Pezzella, a Cupertino resident who co-owns the restaurant with his brother Pat. "Everything's fresh and made right to order."

Pat and Vince's father, Raffaele Pezzella, was the restaurant's founding patriarch, a New Yorker who traveled west to share his culinary skills and love of traditional Italian food with the ranchers and farmers of the Santa Clara Valley.

American dream

Raffaele Pezzella emigrated in the late 1930s from Naples, Italy, to New York City, where he met and married his wife, Maria. The couple and their two sons moved to the quiet farming town of Sunnyvale in the 1950s.

"That was a real culture shock. There was nothing but farms out here," says Pat, 64. "It was a different type of lifestyle, but my dad was a hard worker and determined to stay."

In 1957, the Pezzellas opened Villa Napoli on El Camino Real, which Pat described as a mom-and-pop type of restaurant.

After 18 years the family was looking to expand and found the perfect location across the street, where they could make needed upgrades but still maintain their customer base. It was at this new location that Vince and Pat took over as co-owners and changed the restaurant's name to Pezzella's Villa Napoli.

"We've seen Sunnyvale go from agriculture to electronics, from ranch homes to high rises,'' says Vince, 67. "We've had our changes but I'd say we've remained consistent and have the same friendly atmosphere that our parents started."

The Italian eatery epitomizes the definition of a family-run restaurant. With four generations helping out, it's pasta sauce, not blood, that flows through the Pezzellas' veins. No matter what the time or day, a Pezzella can always be found at the restaurant.

"I think the fact that one of us is always here means a lot to customers," Pat says. "It adds that personal touch."

Vince heads up the kitchen and his wife, Tencha, serves as a hostess. Pat co-manages the restaurant and his wife, Marcie, occasionally sings there.

Vince's two children, Maria and Raffaele, run the restaurant's kitchen. Raffaele, 40, has been working in the restaurant since the age of 11.

"No one has ever forced me to stay here," he says. "but I grew up in this business. Working here was a given. It wasn't a hard choice."

Raffaele's three children, Gianna, 9, Capri, 6 and Dominic, 4, can often be found in the restaurant with their father, learning to make pizza.

"Our fourth generation is still in training," Vince says.

Pleasing employees, in addition to patrons, has always been important to the Pezzella family.

"It's really important for our employees to be happy," Pat says. "Here we consider everyone family."

Many of their employees have been working at the restaurant for many years. Chefs Beto Hernandez and Julio DeAnda have each put in more than 25 years. Chuck Baynard has been the restaurant's bartender for 17 years and Diane Turner has been a server for 20 years.

"This is basically my home," says Valari Nibert, who started as a hostess 18 years ago and today is the restaurant's manager. "The Pezzellas are close, outgoing, loving and compassionate and that reflects onto the success of the restaurant."

'Cheers'

Pezzella's Villa Napoli has been a hot spot for not only local diners, but Sunnyvale's politicians too.

City council members can often be found at the restaurant after meetings as well as Spitaleri and past mayor Larry Stone.

"It was my favorite place to go when I was in office, as much for the personal relationships than for the food," says Stone, who is now the Santa Clara County assessor.

It's the personal touch the Pezzellas include that makes the restaurant so successful, he adds.

"Family-style restaurants seem to be a thing of the past and are being moved out by national chain restaurants," Stone says. "They're not too many restaurants like Pezzella's. They move against he norm."

Spitaleri has been friends with the Pezzellas for more than 40 years and says he dines at the restaurant for lunch and dinner about three times a week.

After moving from New York, Spitaleri says Pezzella's quickly became his favorite restaurant because of its traditional food, East Coast-style pizza and cozy atmosphere.

"I call it my second mayor's office," Spitaleri says. "It feels like you're going to a family gathering rather than a restaurant. If you're new, you don't stay a stranger in that place for long."

Spitaleri says the Pezzellas' ability to appeal to all cultures is another reason for their success.

"They'll make a dish everyone can enjoy," Spitaleri says. "Whether you're German, Indian or Asian, they'll come up with a dish you'll feel comfortable with and love."

The Pezzellas also throw a number of annual fundraisers and events for community members, making the family less like business owners and more like family, Spitaleri says.

Events are held during Halloween, Christmas and New Year's and celebrations such as "Chubby Saturday," the Pezzella's annual Mardi Gras party, are often packed with locals. Every summer they host "Hot August Nights," which last year featured hot rods and an Elvis Presley impersonator.

"It attracts both new and old customers but it's a lot of fun for us too," Vince says. "It keeps things fresh for us."

Downstairs the Pezzellas have a banquet room for wine dinners, rehearsals and other special events.

Fifty years of food, family and fun may have passed but Vince and Pat say they have no intentions of slowing down.

"It's been a great run but it's not over yet," Pat says. " This epic continues."

Pezzella's Villa Napoli is located at 1025 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale. Lunch is available Tuesday through Friday, and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. For more information call 408. 738. 2400 or visit www.pezzellas.com