Gaetano's

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Details

Phone: (303) 455-9852

Address: 3760 Tejon St, Denver, CO 80211

Website: http://www.gaetanositalian.com

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From One Family To Another!

General Info

Dating back to the Old West the public has had a fascination with outlaws. From the time of Jesse James and Billy the Kid through Al Capone, John Gotti and the fictional Corleone and Soprano families we have, for some inexplicable reason, been drawn to bad guys with style. While Chicago has its tales of Al Capone and New Yorkers talk of John Gotti, Denver's criminal enterprises were controlled by three brothers from the northwest side of town and Gaetano's figures prominently into their story. Sit back, enjoy a soft drink or a cocktail and take a moment now to discover the rich history of Denver's most colorful and notorious family and the restaurant they founded. In 1934, Ralph and Mamie Smaldone, parents of Eugene, Clyde and Clarence, opened the Tejon Street Café on the northwest side of Denver. The year was 1947 when the three sons moved the restaurant to the corner, renamed it Gaetano's "Italian for Clyde" and began serving some of the best Italian food in town. Soon, in several ways, it was one of the hottest spots in town. Based on long experience with the Smaldones, the police suspected the brothers were serving up more than just fine food. Eugene and Clyde had long criminal histories. Denver police believed they were the bosses of a thriving Mafia operation and that Gaetano's was the hub of an extensive criminal enterprise. While patrons enjoyed pasta and red sauce on the main floor, "family business" was conducted in a private room in the basement. One report claimed the brothers kept more than $200,000 in the basement office and loaned out more than $30,000 a day at 5 percent interest a week. The front door was made of (and still is) bulletproof glass. The Smaldones came of age in a time when Denver was a rowdy, wide-open town. Bootlegging booze was a booming business; gambling was illegal but tolerated with a wink and a nod; and gangsters roamed the streets. Clyde, who was known as "Flip Flop," was born in 1906 and 12 years later was sent to reform school in Golden. "Checkers," as Eugene would come to be known, was born in 1910 and at 15 followed his older brother to Golden. By 1930 they had more than 25 arrests between them. Over the next fifty years, the brothers, along with their lower profile, but equally incarcerated sibling, Chauncey (as Clarence was called), became local celebrities through their exploits, earning headlines in The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News the likes of, "Smaldone Brothers Enter Guilty Plea," "Smaldones Guilty!" "Smaldone Racket Secrets Told," and "Smaldones Sent to Pen for 60 Years!" The brothers did keep the police and the courts busy through eight decades, from 1918 (when Flip Flop went to reform school) to 1982 (when Checkers, Chauncey and a cousin pleaded guilty to loan sharking, illegal firearms possession and tax evasion). And they were investigated for (but never convicted of) a number of murders and former Denver manager of Public Safety William Blood in 1953.

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BBB Rating

A+

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Extra Phones

Phone: (303) 477-6096

Fax: (303) 477-6096

Services/Products

An italian culture institution. GAETANO’S was founded in 1947 by DENVER’S legendary SMALDONE MOB Family. Today GAETANO’S is a landmark establishment and ONE of the last throwback italian eateries in town. Locally owned and operated by RON Robinson (former longtime general manager of DENVER’S famed WYNKOOP brewing Company). GAETANO’S specializes in exceptional MADE-FROM-SCRATCH italian cuisine built with locally SOURCED ingredients from premium purveyors. The GAETANO’S Kitchen is helmed by executive CHEF Kevin Savoy (an acclaimed veteran of DENVER’S culinary scene) and creates OLD-SCHOOL classics and contemporary takes on italian cooking. The house fare is complemented by a TOP-SHELF selection of wines. Local beers. Cocktails. Desserts and more. Winner of three 2017 WESTWORD best of Denver awards – best italian restaurant. Best OLD school italian restaurant. And best bloody mary BAR. GAETANO’S delivers BIG thrills for those WHO feel Amore for ALL things RED. White and green. NOW approaching its 70TH year. GAETANO’S continues to PAY homage to its deep roots while tastefully embracing NEW culinary touches for a changing neighborhood. The GAETANO’S history is a rich ONE. In the 1930S the Highlands neighborhood was more wild west than trendy. Ralph and mamie SMALDONE opened their first CAFé here in 1936. To boost business. The couple bootlegged moonshine during prohibition while their three sons WHO would become charismatic mobsters were in and OUT of jail for minor offenses. In the late 1940’S sales were down in the CAFé. SO SON clyde vowed to help HIS parents upon HIS latest release from jail. In 1947. Clyde moved the CAFé to OUR present location AT 3760 Tejon and renamed it GAETANO’S. An italian nickname for CLYDE. WITH the move. Prosperity was restored to the Family business. The notoriety of the three Brothers grew AS the local press portrayed them AS debonair mobsters running a successful (and undercover) gambling ring above the booming restaurant. Access to that second floor and its illicit activities was granted only to those invited upstairs through a hidden door in the Men’s room. The GAETANO’S basement Also welcomed its share of vice. Including poker games that once included Frank Sinatra. Today OUR restroom walls are graced with the faces of the characters WHO RAN with the SMALDONES and their extended crime family. The history of the SMALDONE Family was artfully captured by longtime Denver post columnist dick KRECK in HIS book. SMALDONE: the untold story of an american crime Family. It Chronicles the early years of bootlegging. DENVER’S coming of AGE and emergence into the classic cocktail ERA. And the evolution of a modern mile high city. AS the SMALDONE Family stepped OUT of the limelight and each brother was laid to rest. The SMALDONE saga became the stuff of mobster LEGEND. EVENTUALLY the Family sold GAETANO’S to a restaurant group LED by john HICKENLOOPER (founder of the famed WYNKOOP brewing Company. Former Denver mayor and NOW COLORADO’S governor). GAETANO’S returned to independently owned & operated status in 2013 when RON Robinson purchased the establishment. That’s OUR story. We hope YOU enjoying being a part of its latest chapter and we thank YOU very much for your patronage. Welcome to the Family.

Payment method

discover, amex, visa, master card, all major credit cards

Price Range

$$

Location

https://www.google.com/maps?ll=39.76909,-105.010905&z=14&t=m&hl=en&gl=US&mapclient=embed&q=3760+Tejon+St+Denver,+CO+80211

Neighborhoods

Highland, Northwest Denver

AKA

Gaetano's Italian Restaurant

Gaetano's LLC

Other Link

http://www.gaetanositalian.com

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Categories

Italian Restaurants, Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch Restaurants, Caterers, Family Style Restaurants, Pizza, Restaurant Delivery Service, Restaurants, Take Out Restaurants

Other Information

Parking: Lot, Private

Wi-Fi: Free

Bike Parking: Yes

Attire: Casual

Good For Family: Yes

Good For Groups: Yes

Good for Kids: Yes

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Take Out: Yes

Cuisines: Delivery, Caterers, Family Style, Take Out, Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch, Italian, European, Continental, Pizza

Alcohol: Full Bar

Takes Reservations: Yes

Outdoor Seating: Yes