Giovanni Amato
Giovanni Amato | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 March 1875 Naples, Italy |
| Died | 2 February 1959 (aged 83) Cumberland, Maine, U.S. |
| Spouse | Michelina Amato (m. 1896–1959; his death) |
| Culinary career | |
Previous restaurant
| |
Giovanni Amato (4 March 1875 – 2 February 1959) was an Italian businessman. He established Amato's, originally a bakery, which is still in operation today. He is believed to have created the Maine Italian sandwich.
Early life
[edit]Amato was born in 1875 in Naples, Italy.[1] He emigrated to the United States around the turn of the 20th century.
Career
[edit]
In 1902, he opened Amato's Bakery, a foodcart on the working waterfront in the Old Port of Portland, Maine.[2][3] He was asked by the dockworkers to split the loan loaves of bread he was selling and fill them with meats, cheeses, tomatoes, peppers, pickles, onion and olives.[4] He later opened a store on India Street,[5] which is still operating today, albeit in a new building. He created the Maine Italian sandwich in 1899.[6][7][8][9]
Amato's was run by the Amato family until 1972, when they sold it to compatriot Dominic Reali.[3]
Personal life
[edit]In 1896, Amato married Michelina,[9] with whom he had at least eleven children. The family lived at 109 Newbury Street.[10] In 1924, Michelina owned property at 67 and 69–71 India Street and at 120–128 Newbury Street.[11][12][13]
Death
[edit]Amato died in February 1959, aged 83. He was interred in Calvary Cemetery in South Portland. His widow was buried beside him upon her death nine months later.
References
[edit]- ↑ Bennett, Troy R. (April 19, 2022). "Here are Portland's oldest surviving food makers from 1768 to today". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Home". test: Amato’s. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 "A Maine Italian isn't just beloved – it's a rite of passage on a roll". The Portland Press Herald. February 27, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ Stern, Jane; Stern, Michael (2009). 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late: And the Very Best Places to Eat Them. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-547-05907-5.
- ↑ Witkowski, Robert (March 11, 2019). 100 Things to Do in Portland, ME Before You Die, Second Edition. Reedy Press LLC. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-68106-160-3.
- ↑ Lovell, John (January 12, 2021). "Ode to the Amato's Maine Italian Sandwich". Yankee Magazine. Dublin, New Hampshire: Yankee Publishing. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ↑ "The Amato's Maine Italian Sandwich | A Portland Classic". July 21, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ Richman, Adam (September 27, 2011). America the Edible: A Hungry History, from Sea to Dining Sea. Harmony/Rodale/Convergent. p. 191. ISBN 978-1-60961-196-5.
- 1 2 Allen, Reid (January 11, 2024). "Throwback Thursday Photo: Amato's 1960 & 2024". Portland Old Port. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ Directory of Portland Including the City of South Portland and the Town of Cape Elizabeth. Portland Directory Company. 1914. p. 292.
- ↑ "69-71 India Street, Portland, 1924". Maine Memory Network. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ "67 India Street, Portland, 1924". Maine Memory Network. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- ↑ "120-128 Newbury Street, Portland, 1924". Maine Memory Network. Retrieved May 29, 2026.