Miceli's
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Miceli's is the oldest Italian restaurant in Hollywood, California.[1]
It opened as a small pizzeria in 1949 and was followed by several additional locations. The original Hollywood location and a newer store in Universal City that opened in 1980[1] are both known for dark, sprawling, colorful interiors, ceilings lined with hanging Chianti bottles,[2] and singing waiters. The wooden booths, stools, and wall panels were removed from the nearby Pig_'n_Whistle nearby when it went out of business in 1952.[3] The restaurant was founded by WWII veteran Carmen Miceli who continued to visit and share stories with guests, including many celebrities and three U.S. presidents, until his death at age 92 in 2015. Carmen Miceli was the son of Sicilian immigrants and was born in Chicago on March 17, 1923. He moved to Los Angeles in 1946 and worked as a waiter at Ciro's before bringing his family to California to join him in opening their restaurants. His Hollywood pizzeria attracted many famous Italian-Americans including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Joe DiMaggio, and his wife Marilyn Monroe. [4] The restaurant continues to serve their original Italian recipes and offers live entertainment nightly.
References
- ^ a b "Hollywood Pizza King Carmen Miceli Dies at 92". Los Angeles magazine. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ Geary 2016, p.182
- ^ Gelakoska 2010, p.61
- ^ "Carmen Miceli, founder of Hollywood's oldest Italian restaurant, dies". Los Angeles Daily News. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- Geary, George (2016). L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants. Santa Monica Press. ISBN 9781595800893.
- Gelakoska, Veronica (2010). Pig & Whistle. Arcadia Press. ISBN 9780738581415.