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Italian Gardens: A History of Kansas City Through Its Favorite Restaurant
Occasionally, a place exists that captures the spirit and history of an area much larger than itself. The Italian Gardens was such a place. Through its doors came the personalities, stories, and experiences of Kansas City. With a reputation that extended from coast-to-coast, Italian Gardens was also a destination for famous people and travelers from all walks of life.
Encapsulated within the story of this one unique restaurant is the larger story of the Italian-American experience. From the struggles of the early immigrants to the family traditions and the Italian impact on city life in urban America, The Gardens captured the spirit, style, and personalities that have come to define the Italian-American story. It is a story populated by heroes with names like DiMaggio, Marciano, Lanza, and Sinatra. It is a story of optimism, entrepreneurship and the American Dream.
The Gardens might have closed, but through this book, the family invites you back in to savor the aroma and atmosphere of their famous eatery. The menu is thick with delicious stories and tasty tidbits. Boun Appetito!
Encapsulated within the story of this one unique restaurant is the larger story of the Italian-American experience. From the struggles of the early immigrants to the family traditions and the Italian impact on city life in urban America, The Gardens captured the spirit, style, and personalities that have come to define the Italian-American story. It is a story populated by heroes with names like DiMaggio, Marciano, Lanza, and Sinatra. It is a story of optimism, entrepreneurship and the American Dream.
The Gardens might have closed, but through this book, the family invites you back in to savor the aroma and atmosphere of their famous eatery. The menu is thick with delicious stories and tasty tidbits. Boun Appetito!
Hardcover
First published August 10, 2010
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Want to read
January 15, 2011Heard an article on Walt Bodine's show making me think this might be a fun book to read.
October 23, 2023
I actually finished this a few days ago, but am just now getting around to writing a little review.
I sought out this book after reading "Mafia Dreams," because that book made reference to Italian Gardens having been kind of a crossroads of organized crime in Kansas City. And then when I started reading, I honestly thought that it would be just a jumble of names and memories with nothing to ground my reading (the family tree featured at the book's beginning, showing the different relationships between the people who ran Italian Gardens for more than 75 years, was frankly pretty daunting). After all, I had never frequented the restaurant myself, though I'm sure I had seen it back in the days when I spent some time in the heart of Kansas City.
I was wrong. As I read, and as I familiarized myself with the names and the basic relationships between the people telling the story, I found it to be like talking to a family patriarch/matriarch, or an older neighbor -- basically, someone who suddenly came to my attention as a person with a wealth of fascinating stories to tell.
Italian Gardens was opened in 1925. Carl DiCapo, the man who serves as the narrator for most of this book, was the son of Sicilian immigrants and put his heart and soul into the restaurant. He was there so much that his wife eventually gave him "the choice": he could have her, or he could have the restaurant. He answered this ultimatum by choosing the restaurant (though it sounds as though they separated but remained married and also remained good friends).
The restaurant wasn't DiCapo's only passion, though. He also dedicated himself to Kansas City. Though he never served in elected office, he was appointed to numerous roles over the years and also served the city in unofficial capacities. He was one of the people who started KC's St. Patrick's Day Parade, which the first year had only 17 participants (one of which was a dog) but which has since grown to be one of the biggest such parades in the country. He and radio personality Mike Murphy hearkened back to KC's roots in the '90s when they decided to have a real-live cattle drive in downtown.
The restaurant was a popular destination for not just organized crime figures (which was mentioned in fairly in-depth fashion but was not the focus of the book), but for politicians, athletes, musicians, actors, and more. However, it was also a frequent stop for regular families. One chapter, about the Sabenadica table, illustrates the variety of celebrities that visited -- but a listing at the book's end of everyone (more than 2,000 people) on the Sabenadica rolls show that Italian Gardens was a restaurant much beloved by people of all backgrounds.
A little explanation: DiCapo says that the Sabenadica (a version of an old Italian version of "God bless you" -- I'm guessing that the English word "benediction" is probably a cognate) table was originally established so that solo diners wouldn't have to eat alone. Seating these lone diners at a communal table gave them the opportunity to enjoy each other's fellowship during the meal. Over the years, the table became kind of a place of honor. The chapter about the table lists many of the famous people who signed the roll, but the full roll at the end also features plenty of "just regular" names from both faraway cities and from Kansas City and its immediate surroundings.
Was DiCapo a man who was connected to organized crime? Maybe. He says he wasn't, but he also admits that he was friendly with some of the most infamous figures from Kansas City's underbelly. He does talk about the events from "Mafia Dreams," though that's a relatively small portion of the book.
My overall impression was that DiCapo was friend to many, from all backgrounds. When he mentions politicians, the names are from both sides of the aisle. He knew the Civellas and their people, but he was also friendly with plenty of people at city hall (not that people from those two groups have never interacted!). Because of all the connections, the stories he and his cohorts from the restaurant tell are enthralling all the way through.
Italian Gardens closed in 2003, and has since been torn down and replaced with a parking garage. DiCapo has a fountain named for him, and he passed away in April of this year. So no matter what, the Italian Gardens era is now part of the past -- but at least someone had the foresight to collect all of this oral and photographic history while it was still fresh.
I sought out this book after reading "Mafia Dreams," because that book made reference to Italian Gardens having been kind of a crossroads of organized crime in Kansas City. And then when I started reading, I honestly thought that it would be just a jumble of names and memories with nothing to ground my reading (the family tree featured at the book's beginning, showing the different relationships between the people who ran Italian Gardens for more than 75 years, was frankly pretty daunting). After all, I had never frequented the restaurant myself, though I'm sure I had seen it back in the days when I spent some time in the heart of Kansas City.
I was wrong. As I read, and as I familiarized myself with the names and the basic relationships between the people telling the story, I found it to be like talking to a family patriarch/matriarch, or an older neighbor -- basically, someone who suddenly came to my attention as a person with a wealth of fascinating stories to tell.
Italian Gardens was opened in 1925. Carl DiCapo, the man who serves as the narrator for most of this book, was the son of Sicilian immigrants and put his heart and soul into the restaurant. He was there so much that his wife eventually gave him "the choice": he could have her, or he could have the restaurant. He answered this ultimatum by choosing the restaurant (though it sounds as though they separated but remained married and also remained good friends).
The restaurant wasn't DiCapo's only passion, though. He also dedicated himself to Kansas City. Though he never served in elected office, he was appointed to numerous roles over the years and also served the city in unofficial capacities. He was one of the people who started KC's St. Patrick's Day Parade, which the first year had only 17 participants (one of which was a dog) but which has since grown to be one of the biggest such parades in the country. He and radio personality Mike Murphy hearkened back to KC's roots in the '90s when they decided to have a real-live cattle drive in downtown.
The restaurant was a popular destination for not just organized crime figures (which was mentioned in fairly in-depth fashion but was not the focus of the book), but for politicians, athletes, musicians, actors, and more. However, it was also a frequent stop for regular families. One chapter, about the Sabenadica table, illustrates the variety of celebrities that visited -- but a listing at the book's end of everyone (more than 2,000 people) on the Sabenadica rolls show that Italian Gardens was a restaurant much beloved by people of all backgrounds.
A little explanation: DiCapo says that the Sabenadica (a version of an old Italian version of "God bless you" -- I'm guessing that the English word "benediction" is probably a cognate) table was originally established so that solo diners wouldn't have to eat alone. Seating these lone diners at a communal table gave them the opportunity to enjoy each other's fellowship during the meal. Over the years, the table became kind of a place of honor. The chapter about the table lists many of the famous people who signed the roll, but the full roll at the end also features plenty of "just regular" names from both faraway cities and from Kansas City and its immediate surroundings.
Was DiCapo a man who was connected to organized crime? Maybe. He says he wasn't, but he also admits that he was friendly with some of the most infamous figures from Kansas City's underbelly. He does talk about the events from "Mafia Dreams," though that's a relatively small portion of the book.
My overall impression was that DiCapo was friend to many, from all backgrounds. When he mentions politicians, the names are from both sides of the aisle. He knew the Civellas and their people, but he was also friendly with plenty of people at city hall (not that people from those two groups have never interacted!). Because of all the connections, the stories he and his cohorts from the restaurant tell are enthralling all the way through.
Italian Gardens closed in 2003, and has since been torn down and replaced with a parking garage. DiCapo has a fountain named for him, and he passed away in April of this year. So no matter what, the Italian Gardens era is now part of the past -- but at least someone had the foresight to collect all of this oral and photographic history while it was still fresh.
May 6, 2025
“Italian Gardens: A History of Kansas City Through Its Favorite Restaurant,” written by Carl J. DiCapo and Frank Hayde, is a book that is hard to put down.
If you grew up in the KCMO area, you probably have heard of this legendary restaurant filled with history and celebrities. The personal stories from the owners, celebrities, and community leaders cover the pages with storytelling at its finest. It’s written like they are sitting with you in person as they relay the centuries of their experiences in this Italian-American journey through time.
“Italian Gardens” really put Kansas City on the map with their delicious food, the traditions and values of hard work, and keeping a restaurant going for so many years. There’s a sneak peek of some of the food and recipes served over the years, but don’t expect too much, as this book is more about the people than the food. I enjoyed learning more about this restaurant and will recommend it to others if they want a taste of this iconic restaurant.
If my family had ever taken us there, I must have been too young to remember.
I wish my parents and relatives were still here to tell me more about this wonderful restaurant.
If you grew up in the KCMO area, you probably have heard of this legendary restaurant filled with history and celebrities. The personal stories from the owners, celebrities, and community leaders cover the pages with storytelling at its finest. It’s written like they are sitting with you in person as they relay the centuries of their experiences in this Italian-American journey through time.
“Italian Gardens” really put Kansas City on the map with their delicious food, the traditions and values of hard work, and keeping a restaurant going for so many years. There’s a sneak peek of some of the food and recipes served over the years, but don’t expect too much, as this book is more about the people than the food. I enjoyed learning more about this restaurant and will recommend it to others if they want a taste of this iconic restaurant.
If my family had ever taken us there, I must have been too young to remember.
I wish my parents and relatives were still here to tell me more about this wonderful restaurant.
September 11, 2023
I know firsthand how hard it is to interview a person or persons and not only make sense out of what they are saying, but to organize their stories in a way that the reader can make sense out of them too. Frank Hayde did a good job capturing the essence of the Italian Gardens and Carl DiCapo.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews