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Once upon a time...

Around 1903, brothers Gennaro, Nicolo and Vincenzo Bruno arrived in the United States from Naples, Italy. Sometime between 1903 and 1907, Vincenzo returned to Naples, but his brothers remained here and encouraged another of their brothers, Giovanni Bruno, to join then in America. It is these three brothers, Gennaro, Nicolo and Giovanni, that my father credited with introducing Pizza as a commercial product in the United States by opening the first pizzeria in New York City. My father was Vincent "Jimmy" Bruno, Giovannni's son. Giovanni was considered an extraordinary chef and baker, but was probably better known and revered as a gifted Neapolitan poet and lyricist. He was friends with the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso and wrote several published tribute poems in Caruso's honor. Giovanni died in 1950.

According to my father, from age 6 he worked and learned in the kitchen of his father's restaurant and bakery. Coming from a lineage that reportedly cooked for the kings of Italy, he mastered the authentic recipes of Italian cuisine handed down through his family, as well as studying under other renowned chefs. Even as a child, Jimmy was sent out by his father to teach the skill of pizza-making to others for a fee.

While serving as a staff sergeant in the army during World War II, wearing both hats of chef (in the mess hall) and entertainer/emcee (with the USO), he was stationed at North Little Rock's Camp Robinson, getting his first taste of Arkansas.

Upon leaving the service, with the help of some of his army buddies he opened the first pizzeria in Chicago's famous Loop, as part of the Yacht Club at 421 South Wabash Avenue. It was a turbulent time in Chicago, with organized crime trying to sell protection to or take over many legitimate businesses. This influenced Jimmy's decision, after less than two years there, to return to Arkansas and start the Little Italy Cafe in Levy in 1947/1948.

In May 1949, he moved to 3400 West Roosevelt in Little Rock, and Bruno's Little Italy was born. The location, on what was then the main highway through the city, had formerly been Harry's Fried Chicken and according to Dad had been owned by three different Harrys. Eventually he added an extra dining room and built his house on the back lot.

For the next 29 years at that location, with a menu full of authentic Neapolitan entrees as well as pizza, Jimmy Bruno established a business whose fame spread all over the nation; attracting tourists, gourmets, famous politicians and celebrities to our fair state.

Bruno's achieved acclaim in several national magazines and restaurants guides (i.e. Ford Times, AAA) and was the first Italian restaurant to be chosen by Darnell's "Guide to Good Eating in the South," listed and classified as 99th of America's 12,000 most popular eating establishments. In June 1963, Bruno's was awarded the Grand Plaque of Honor for Industrial Achievement, the Gold Medal and Diploma of Merit for Fine Cuisine and Gastronomy and the Great Gold Cup Trophy of Honor for the best Italian food in the United States by the prestigious Fair of Rome (tying with Mama Leone's in New York).

As his uncles and father brought pizza to America, Dad brought it to the South, at first having to teach his customers how to pronounce the word. He was also the first man ever to show how a pizza is made on television. For years he delighted children and adults alike by tossing the pizza dough into the air and preparing his wares behind a glass window visible to all his patrons. Generations grew up being greeted by the hefty, personable restaurateur and watching him and later his sons twirl pizzas.

January 19, 1973 was designated Chef Bruno Day throughout the state by proclamation of then Lieutenant Governor Bob Riley, and Dad was named Chef Supreme Laureate of the state of Arkansas.

In 1978, Bruno's moved to 1309 Old Forge Road in west Little Rock. With his sons Jay, Gio, Vince and stepson Wayne Gilchrist carrying on management and food preparation, Jimmy had to assume an advisory role due to his declining health. He died in 1984 at age 65.

Bruno's Little italy continued in business at that location with his wife, Ernestine Bruno, at the helm, until May 1987, when increasing high overhead forced them to close.

December 27, 1988 marked the re-opening of Bruno's with Jay and Vince financially backed by Scott Wallace. Featuring an almost identical menu and many of the trappings from older sites, it is located at the Colonnade shopping center on Bowman Curve in west Little Rock and seats around 100 people.

Today, Scott Wallace owns the restaurant with Vince Bruno as kitchen manager/head chef.

History prepared by Gio Bruno.