It all started in the late ’70s and continued through the ’80s. My dad, Dario, who loved food and people, decided to move to Pleasant Beach to feed the people of Sherkston. Dario was known for his authentic Italian food, especially his pasta sauce, and people would come from all over to buy it. He kept my mom, Josephine, busy with his famous Dario’s chicken, veal sandwiches, and $5 mini pizzas.

During the summers, the beach was always busy, and my dad was the only one serving the community and its beach visitors. Every morning at 6 am, my parents would start making sauce, meatballs, and gnocchi, and at 11 am, my mom would give my dad ten pizzas to sell on the beach for $5 each. He would sell over 100 pizzas on any given sunny day.

Everyone knew Dario, and they would come from Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Buffalo to see him. He would walk the beach with boxes of pizzas to sell, wearing his favourite Italian soccer club hat, and the people would recognize him and give him food orders to bring back to be filled. Dario and Josephine worked so hard they couldn't keep up.

I have fond memories of those days, helping my parents and learning every recipe from my dad to share with my family. My daughter Mia has mastered the sauce for her daughters, Scotty and Bella. My son, Matthew, is making sure we've got it right.

Thirty years later, I still miss my dad, and so do many people near and far. People keep talking about my father walking the beach and they ask for his veal sandwiches and famous sauce.

Over the years, I’ve heard from friends and acquaintances in Ridgeway, Crystal Beach, Sherkston, and Pleasant Beach. They want Dario's delicious, authentic Italian food, and we are here to bring exactly what he offered so many years ago to our wonderful community today!