A beloved Hill mainstay is getting top honors from the Missouri Restaurant Association. Anthonino’s Taverna owners and siblings Anthony and Rosario Scarato have been selected as the association’s 2023 Restaurateurs of the Year.
Anthonino's Taverna (2225 Macklind Avenue; anthoninos.com), which opened its doors in 2003, blends Italian and Greek cuisines. The brothers pulled inspiration for their restaurant’s menu from their parents’ heritage — their mother is from Greece and their father Italian — with several of their dishes featuring family recipes from their childhood.
Both brothers worked with their father Robert “Bob” Scarato at Athens Cafe, a quick-service Greek restaurant, back in the 1980s. Later, the two attended St. Louis Community College’s culinary program. Anthony continued on to Saint Louis University and earned a degree in business.
One of Anthonino’s trademarks is giving back to the community through the GiftAMeal program and Backstoppers through the Karen Cares organization. Since joining GiftAMeal in 2015, Antonino’s has provided over 6,500 meals locally. Over the last three years, the restaurant has donated over $10,000 to Backstoppers through several dinners.
This year it launched a new initiative: selling frozen pizzas at Schnucks during select months and contributing $1 per pizza to Backstoppers.
"We look forward to continuing a legacy that is truly an asset to the community and city," said Anthony Scarato in a statement.
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