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CHAPTER 45
The Bonarelli Family. The Flavors of Italy
in the Dominican Republic
By Mu-Kien Adriana Sang Ben
Director of the Department of Education, History, and professor at PUCMM
•
he story of Annibale Bonarelli Izzo (1922–2002), the son of Vincenzo Bonarelli, a native of Naples
in the region of Campania, will remain forever inscribed in the ongoing efforts of his children,
who, seeking a better future, set sail on an adventure to an unknown world. Annibale had already
married Immacolata Pascale Landi (1924–2014), with whom he had four children born in Italy: Vin-
cenzo (Enzo), Giuseppe (Peppino), María, and Gaetano. Rosario, the youngest, was born in Santo Domingo.
Despite being a successful waiter at the royal houses in Naples, in 1949 Annibale decided to work on a ship
that made the New York–Italy circuit. On one of those voyages, he decided to stay. He told his wife that he
would remain only for a while so that he could save some money and buy a house for the family. He remained
in the United States for approximately five years.
While living the “American dream,” one day a friend, who traded textiles in the Dominican Republic,
spoke enthusiastically about a country in the Caribbean that was in need of fine restaurants. In 1953, tak-
ing advantage of the fact that he had to regularize his immigration status in the United States, Annibale
boarded a merchant marine vessel and set out for the Dominican Republic. After seeing this Caribbean
paradise, he decided to stay. In 1954, he sent for his family, to bring them “to the most beautiful country
in the world.”
His love of the sea kindled memories of his native Naples, and he decided to start his own business. He
returned to New York to buy equipment: a gas oven to make pizza and bread, three electric stoves, and an
ice cream maker. Then he rented a house from “Babito” Sturla. These purchases led to the birth of El Vesu-
vio
1
—a restaurant, pizzeria, and ice cream parlor inaugurated in January 1954 and located on Avenía George
Washington No. 145. In the beginning, the restaurant had 18 tables, and customers waited their turn, sitting
serenely on the benches along the avenue.
An important element was that the new restaurant offered products made by the family members them-
selves. These products became famous among, and were beloved by, the customers: the Italian prosciutto, the
Italian salami, the mozzarella, the ricotta, and, above all, the fresh pastas, especially the Neapolitan lasagna.
He also specialized in meat, fish, and seafood dishes. His desserts became his hallmark, especially the house
specialty: Italian cassata and zuppa inglese (a layered custard and sponge cake dish).
El Vesuvio was clearly a pioneer in terms of the capital city’s culinary selection of Italian food. The variety
of pasta on the menu, as well as unique ways of preparing products known in the local market, opened new
horizons for the palates of an important sector of Dominican society. One of his great contributions was the
introduction of pizza, a popular Italian food, which, with the passage of time, has become a staple of Domin-
ican cuisine.