Lorenzo Petroni. Photo: Facebook
Lorenzo Petroni, the charismatic owner of North Beach Restaurant and Petroni Vineyards, passed away yesterday after a battle with esophagus cancer. The restaurant confirmed his death.
Petroni, who was born in 1938, opened North Beach Restaurant in 1970 with his partner, Bruno Orsi. The place quickly became a hotspot for both neighborhood folks and socialites. Herb Caen was a frequent customer, often dubbing Petroni “il padrone” in his columns. Politicians, judges, and other movers and shakers remain regulars, often congregating in the private dining room, under the prosciutto legs.
A skylight is reflected on the marble counter at the North Beach Restaurant, 1512 Stockton St
Photo by Michael Maloney/The Chronicle
And Petroni was the bandleader. Michael Chiarello, chef-owner of Bottega and Coqueta, called Petroni a friend who changed the way he looked at the profession, almost like the West Coast of version of Sirio Maccioni, famous proprietor of Manhattan’s Le Cirque.
“He’s as important to the San Francisco restaurant scene as Stars was in its day,” says Chiarello.”Watching the magic of what he did was like the study of a restaurateur, building his business one table at a table through connections and graciousness.”
“It wasn’t a vein in the community. It was an artery, pumping the heart of San Francisco.”
Last night’s statement from the family:
The Petroni family would like to thank all of you for your love and support. We want to share with you that Lorenzo Petroni entered a state of rest this morning.
While this time is difficult for us, we are happy that he is at peace … Thank you for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.
One last thought from Lorenzo “Life is too short to drink bad wine… so Salute!”
North Beach Restaurant is open for business today.
A rosary service will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Church in North Beach at 7 p.m. next Monday, June 2. The funeral mass will be held the next day (Tuesday, June 3) at Saints Peter and Paul Church at 10:30 a.m.