Meet Your Neighbor
Meet Your Neighbor: Corrado Bruzzo--Famous Luigi's
When Famous Luigi's opened by Luigi Calvi at 1132 19th Street NW in 1943, there weren't many places in the city to find spaghetti and meatballs. Today however, pizza and pasta are staples in the American diet, and Famous Luigi's is now the oldest Italian restaurant in Washington.
Current owner Corrado Bruzzo took over Luigi's in 1963 and has been serving the same authentic Italian food ever since. "You couldn't find basil in Washington in 1963," Bruzzo said. "The butchers didn't know how to make a cut of ossobuco. Even ingredients for lasagna could be hard to find."
Bruzzo, a native of Genoa, Italy, came to the District specifically to run Famous Luigi's after Calvi's death. He remembers how different the Golden Triangle was back in the '60s, when 19th Street was still lined with townhouses and an open field of grass could be found just across the street.
Still, some things stay the same. "In the beginning we were known for our pizza and we still are. Everything is still homemade, including our pasta. We are still the same great family Italian restaurant we were in 1943," Bruzzo said.
Stop by Famous Luigi's for a delicious and authentic Italian meal. Gift certificates are available. Call 202.331.7574 for reservations or more information about this Italian gem in the heart of the Golden Triangle.