Michael Garozzo is the owner and operator of Garozzo's Italian restaurants, celebrating its 23rd Anniversary in April 2012.
Michael was born and raised on the "Hill" in St. Louis. He began his restaurant career as a busboy, with a dream of one day owning a restaurant. His father, Salvatore and his uncle Alfio, both waiters in fine restaurants all their lives, encouraged Michael.
He opened the first Garozzo's in 1989 in the historic Columbus Park neighborhood. Today there are four popular locations in the Greater Kansas City area. Garozzo's prides itself on its signature chicken Spiedini dish, a Garozzo's creation, which has become a Kansas City staple.
In 1992, Michael made his first trip to Italy. It was then that he decided to create his own private label wine, Garozzo Cellars Chianti Classico using the 1993 vintage. Garozzo Cellars is available by the bottle and glass in each of the restaurants. Not satisfied with dining in for his customers, Michael wanted to recreate the dining experience at home. In 1998, Michael began the process of bottling his Sugo (tomato sauce), Diablo sauce, Amogio, House Italian dressing and Fat Free Italian dressing. He painstakingly makes sure that each recipe is followed to the letter and that each bottle shipped out tastes the same as if you were in the restaurant. Michael's philosophy of perfection is continued in the Garozzo line of pastas. These products are available at most grocery stores in the Kansas City Metro Area and at all of the restaurants.
Garozzo's has received numerous awards throughout the years including Best Catering, Best Pasta by Kansas City Magazine and Best Italian Restaurant by Kansas City Magazine, College Boulevard News, The Pitch and The Squire South Express. For the last nine years, the restaurant has been named Best Ethnic restaurant by Ingram's Magazine. In 2001, Michael was awarded Restaurateur of the Year by the Missouri Restaurant Associations.
Garozzo's is one of "America's Top Italian Restaurants" according to the prestigious Zagat National Restaurant Survey. It received a "very good to excellent" rating and was described as " an Italian trio that supplies food so good you will taste it in your dreams, ...in a Sinatra's kind of hangout; the attractions include frighteningly huge portions and a signature chicken Spiedini that is among the best dishes in town."
In 2008 Michael opened Mike & Charlie's Italian Restaurant inside Harrah's North Kansas City with his childhood friend from St. Louis, bringing together the tastes of St. Louis and Kansas City Italian food. The Garozzo's are proud supporters of numerous local charities around Kansas City Area. Michael and his family continue to provide guests with a true Italian dining experience, "Because you're family at Garozzo's.
Michael, his wife Marguerite ‘Maggie', his four daughters and the entire Garozzo's staff invite you to a true Italian dining experience.