The Gioco family has been the soul of the 12 Apostoli since 1921. First with Antonio, the porter of a hotel in the city, who took over the place thanks to his friend Arnoldo Mondadori, and turned what had been a tavern since way back in 1750 into a proper restaurant, with the help of his wife Rosella in the kitchen. Then with Giorgio, a pioneer of post-war catering, who made headlines on the international gourmet food scene for the charismatic character he brought to the restaurant, making it a symbol of the city of Verona in the international world of travel in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Among its diners, the restaurant welcomed writers, actors, musicians, sculptors, painters, philosophers, statesmen and captains of industry. Giorgio was joined by his wife Jole in the kitchen, and the restaurant earned its first two Italian Michelin stars.
Then came another Antonio, the son of Giorgio, who steered the restaurant through the stormy waters of the nouvelle cuisine movement in the 80s, devoting his efforts to promoting the local area with a number of important cultural endeavours, such as the renowned 12 Apostoli Literary Award. Today, Filippo – with the support of his mother Simonetta – is guaranteeing new horizons for a place he considers an historical setting with a contemporary purpose.
Moments