THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 8:33 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 7:09 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 7:06 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 5:19 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:59 pm Great post as always Cavita. Me and you have talked in private about Gumbo before and this just adds to more things I didn’t know.

In regards to if there is any remnants of Little Italy still around, the most famous remnant closed down about 10 years and it was a famous restaurant called “Maria’s Cafe”. The building is still up with the signs. Unsure why nobody has bought it or opened a new business in there. Another famous place was Roma Bakery and that closed down 5 years ago or so. The area is now called “Ethnic Village” which I guess is a tribute to the ethnic groups that lived there in the past including Italians. There is an ethnic heritage museum in the neighborhood but I have not been there. The area is heavily Latino now and has a crime issues. Here is a list of remnants of Little Italy that are still there:

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - very beautiful church that is still a very Italian church with many people traveling from outside of the city to attend mass on Sundays. They also have an excellent St Joseph’s table every year.

Zammuto’s Granita - not owned by the Zammutos anymore but still have the same recipe. Always go there when I’m in town but only open during summer. For those that don’t know, granita is Italian ice.

Benny’s Dariette - been open for years and also serves excellent granita. Is open year round.

St Ambrosia Social Club - big social club that a lot of the mob guys were members. They throw big events throughout the year.

Bove's Auto Repair - been open for years there and is owned by the Bove family.

Here you go buddy....an older pic of Zammuto's, probably 1970s

Oh nice!! Thanks for sharing this Cavita. I have never seen a picture of Zammutos this old. Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Salamone’s right next to it?

Correct. Salamone's grocery store was next door where you could get some wonderful sazeetz, pastas and cannoli. I have a photo somewhere of what that store looked like taken from the steps of St. Anthony Church across the street.

I would love to see that picture if you can find it. The Salamones were linked with the mob in Rockford right? The ones here in Chicago are to this day.

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 7:09 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 7:06 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 5:19 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:59 pm Great post as always Cavita. Me and you have talked in private about Gumbo before and this just adds to more things I didn’t know.

In regards to if there is any remnants of Little Italy still around, the most famous remnant closed down about 10 years and it was a famous restaurant called “Maria’s Cafe”. The building is still up with the signs. Unsure why nobody has bought it or opened a new business in there. Another famous place was Roma Bakery and that closed down 5 years ago or so. The area is now called “Ethnic Village” which I guess is a tribute to the ethnic groups that lived there in the past including Italians. There is an ethnic heritage museum in the neighborhood but I have not been there. The area is heavily Latino now and has a crime issues. Here is a list of remnants of Little Italy that are still there:

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - very beautiful church that is still a very Italian church with many people traveling from outside of the city to attend mass on Sundays. They also have an excellent St Joseph’s table every year.

Zammuto’s Granita - not owned by the Zammutos anymore but still have the same recipe. Always go there when I’m in town but only open during summer. For those that don’t know, granita is Italian ice.

Benny’s Dariette - been open for years and also serves excellent granita. Is open year round.

St Ambrosia Social Club - big social club that a lot of the mob guys were members. They throw big events throughout the year.

Bove's Auto Repair - been open for years there and is owned by the Bove family.

Here you go buddy....an older pic of Zammuto's, probably 1970s

Oh nice!! Thanks for sharing this Cavita. I have never seen a picture of Zammutos this old. Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Salamone’s right next to it?

Correct. Salamone's grocery store was next door where you could get some wonderful sazeetz, pastas and cannoli. I have a photo somewhere of what that store looked like taken from the steps of St. Anthony Church across the street.

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 7:06 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 5:19 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:59 pm Great post as always Cavita. Me and you have talked in private about Gumbo before and this just adds to more things I didn’t know.

In regards to if there is any remnants of Little Italy still around, the most famous remnant closed down about 10 years and it was a famous restaurant called “Maria’s Cafe”. The building is still up with the signs. Unsure why nobody has bought it or opened a new business in there. Another famous place was Roma Bakery and that closed down 5 years ago or so. The area is now called “Ethnic Village” which I guess is a tribute to the ethnic groups that lived there in the past including Italians. There is an ethnic heritage museum in the neighborhood but I have not been there. The area is heavily Latino now and has a crime issues. Here is a list of remnants of Little Italy that are still there:

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - very beautiful church that is still a very Italian church with many people traveling from outside of the city to attend mass on Sundays. They also have an excellent St Joseph’s table every year.

Zammuto’s Granita - not owned by the Zammutos anymore but still have the same recipe. Always go there when I’m in town but only open during summer. For those that don’t know, granita is Italian ice.

Benny’s Dariette - been open for years and also serves excellent granita. Is open year round.

St Ambrosia Social Club - big social club that a lot of the mob guys were members. They throw big events throughout the year.

Bove's Auto Repair - been open for years there and is owned by the Bove family.

Here you go buddy....an older pic of Zammuto's, probably 1970s

Oh nice!! Thanks for sharing this Cavita. I have never seen a picture of Zammutos this old. Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t Salamone’s right next to it?

cavita wrote: ↑Wed May 07, 2025 5:19 pm

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:59 pm Great post as always Cavita. Me and you have talked in private about Gumbo before and this just adds to more things I didn’t know.

In regards to if there is any remnants of Little Italy still around, the most famous remnant closed down about 10 years and it was a famous restaurant called “Maria’s Cafe”. The building is still up with the signs. Unsure why nobody has bought it or opened a new business in there. Another famous place was Roma Bakery and that closed down 5 years ago or so. The area is now called “Ethnic Village” which I guess is a tribute to the ethnic groups that lived there in the past including Italians. There is an ethnic heritage museum in the neighborhood but I have not been there. The area is heavily Latino now and has a crime issues. Here is a list of remnants of Little Italy that are still there:

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - very beautiful church that is still a very Italian church with many people traveling from outside of the city to attend mass on Sundays. They also have an excellent St Joseph’s table every year.

Zammuto’s Granita - not owned by the Zammutos anymore but still have the same recipe. Always go there when I’m in town but only open during summer. For those that don’t know, granita is Italian ice.

Benny’s Dariette - been open for years and also serves excellent granita. Is open year round.

St Ambrosia Social Club - big social club that a lot of the mob guys were members. They throw big events throughout the year.

Bove's Auto Repair - been open for years there and is owned by the Bove family.

Here you go buddy....an older pic of Zammuto's, probably 1970s

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:59 pm Great post as always Cavita. Me and you have talked in private about Gumbo before and this just adds to more things I didn’t know.

In regards to if there is any remnants of Little Italy still around, the most famous remnant closed down about 10 years and it was a famous restaurant called “Maria’s Cafe”. The building is still up with the signs. Unsure why nobody has bought it or opened a new business in there. Another famous place was Roma Bakery and that closed down 5 years ago or so. The area is now called “Ethnic Village” which I guess is a tribute to the ethnic groups that lived there in the past including Italians. There is an ethnic heritage museum in the neighborhood but I have not been there. The area is heavily Latino now and has a crime issues. Here is a list of remnants of Little Italy that are still there:

St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church - very beautiful church that is still a very Italian church with many people traveling from outside of the city to attend mass on Sundays. They also have an excellent St Joseph’s table every year.

Zammuto’s Granita - not owned by the Zammutos anymore but still have the same recipe. Always go there when I’m in town but only open during summer. For those that don’t know, granita is Italian ice.

Benny’s Dariette - been open for years and also serves excellent granita. Is open year round.

St Ambrosia Social Club - big social club that a lot of the mob guys were members. They throw big events throughout the year.

Bove's Auto Repair - been open for years there and is owned by the Bove family.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Wed Apr 30, 2025 9:36 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 2:34 pm

B. wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:05 am Oh yeah, of course they were in contact with Riela. From the wording it sounded like the Rockford leaders may have traveled to NJ to meet with people.

Are you aware of Rockford members ever traveling to NYC/NJ themselves to meet with anyone?

I'm unsure exactly with who, but a March 1993 FBI states they had contact with people in Buffalo, New York and Hamilton, Ontario and obviously Riela in New Jersey. Other reports alluded to contacts with mafia figures in Boston, whom I suspect to be Salvatore Giglia and Biagio DiGiacomo. Now contact is broad and I don't know if it was them going there or vice versa, or even telephonic.

The Buffalo thing is interesting, as there were some investigations related to the big BUSICO case in 1988 that encompassed narcotics trafficking ties to people in Chicago and Rockford. As is typically the case, no further details beyond this Sicilian-Buffalo-Ontario network working with people in IL, so who exactly they were working with and to what extent remains unknown.

cavita wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 2:34 pm

B. wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 11:05 am Oh yeah, of course they were in contact with Riela. From the wording it sounded like the Rockford leaders may have traveled to NJ to meet with people.

Are you aware of Rockford members ever traveling to NYC/NJ themselves to meet with anyone?

I'm unsure exactly with who, but a March 1993 FBI states they had contact with people in Buffalo, New York and Hamilton, Ontario and obviously Riela in New Jersey. Other reports alluded to contacts with mafia figures in Boston, whom I suspect to be Salvatore Giglia and Biagio DiGiacomo. Now contact is broad and I don't know if it was them going there or vice versa, or even telephonic.