FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — For nearly five decades, Cafe Cortina has served as more than just a restaurant in Farmington Hills — it's been a cornerstone of Italian heritage and family tradition that continues to thrive under generational leadership.
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The restaurant's story began in 1976 when Italian immigrants Rina and Adriano Tonon opened their doors with a simple dream. Adriano worked behind the scenes as head chef while Rina managed the front of house, creating a foundation that would last generations.
"If child labor laws were practiced, my whole family would be in jail. Absolutely," said Adrian Tonon, the couple's son who now owns the restaurant.
Adrian grew up working every position imaginable, both in the kitchen and dining room, shaped by his parents' dedication to excellence.
"It's all about the people," Adrian said.
He describes his parents as best friends who met in the United States and shared a vision of bringing authentic Italian cuisine to Michigan.
"And they built a restaurant and now here we are 49 years later and never resting on laurels. It's an accomplishment, but in our family… you're only as good as your last performance. Every day, you wake up and roll up your sleeves and try to supersede your last performance," Adrian said.
His father, raised as a poor farmer in Italy, embodied that work ethic until his death in 1993.
"He was still making the bread every morning until he passed away," Adrian said.
The restaurant's name honors Adriano's birthplace in southern Italy — Cortina d'Ampezzo— while Rina hails from northeastern Italy's Ponza, an island off the coast of Naples. This geographic diversity brings the best of both Italian regions to their menu.
"From the moment you come in, we want to wow you," said Ernesto Antopia, the restaurant's head chef.
Antopia fell in love first with Italian food, then with the restaurant's legacy of made-from-scratch pasta and ingredients sourced from around the world, plus vegetables grown in their on-site garden.
"Be the best and bring it to the next level along the Tonon family, using garden to table," Antopia said.
The produce comes from a garden on the restaurant's property, making their farm-to-table approach authentic and immediate.
"My parents were pioneers to bring that to Michigan and one of the first restaurants to be garden to table in the state," Adrian said.
Over the years, the Tonon family's fresh flavors have earned widespread recognition. Most recently, Rina won the North American Hall of Fame Award for restaurateurs — the only recipient in Michigan.
"I strive to contribute to the family and make them proud, because both of my parents have made me very proud," Adrian said.
Looking ahead, Adrian envisions passing the torch to the next generation, possibly with his son Andrew at the helm. He's staging success for his child the same way his parents did for him — the Italian way.
"Si. Italiano," Adrian said.
The restaurant continues honoring the Tonon family legacy both by serving authentic Italian cuisine and contributing to the Farmington Hills community, one meal at a time.
See the recipe below for Gnocchi Di Patate
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