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Family History

Putting a family history together can be a challenging task. Words do not automatically flow onto the paper. Rather, they must be crafted like one of Grandma & Grandpa Ferrante’s recipes; just a pinch of this and a hand full of that and then it is “just right”.

It all began back in 1920 through a series of family businesses ranging from an ice cream parlor to a restaurant in Milwaukee’s Third Ward, which were lost in the depression, to a successful Marine Veteran Ice Cream Factory all started by Rosalie (Grandma) Ferrante’s immigrant father Tony Zulli.

Directly off the boat from Italy it was a young Rosalie Zulli who was immediately put to work helping her dad. As it turned out, she became a shrewd business woman and soon developed an eye for costs, accounting, and marketing.

In 1938 when Rosalie married Alex (Grandpa) Ferrante, they established the first Ferrante’s Restaurant located in central Milwaukee. This neighborhood restaurant was followed in the 50’s with the opening of a pizza parlor in Whitefish Bay on Hampton and Santa Monica. In the 60’s Alex and Rosalie sold their pizza parlor and opened up Ferrante’s Super Club in Germantown that continued into the early 70’s.

After a brief vacation from owning and operating restaurants Grandma, once again, put her talent to work by joining the kitchen staff at Gimbles restaurant in Northridge. Customers would come from all over to enjoy her homemade soups. Meanwhile, Grandpa launched a frozen pizza business from their home. He would sell his frozen pizzas door-to-door and business-to-business from his station wagon with his much loved miniature poodle, Alfie. During this time they helped their children Lisa and Bob open Ferrante’s in Mequon. In 1977 Ferrante’s was one of only five restaurants on the east side of Mequon.

Now representing the fourth generation of restaurateurs Lisa’s daughter Amy Ferrante-Gollwitzer has taken over the reins as owner. In addition to Amy taking Ferrante’s to a whole new level of customer service, she has greatly expanded the family restaurant tradition through her unique catering skills. Amy has been proudly & successfully offering full service catering through Ferrante’s Signature Catering since 2000.

Historically, Ferrante’s has always taken pride in providing their North Shore patrons with superior customer service, a relaxed atmosphere, and fine Italian dinners stemming from recipes that Grandma & Grandpa Ferrante developed. Amy, along with her staff, continue to refine these recipes offering a well rounded and tempting full service menu…adding just a pinch of this and a handful of that making it “just right”.