What is known today as the restaurant, “Dal Pescatore,” dates back to the 1920s when it was first opened by Antonio Santini and Teresa Mazzi
Reflecting back on Antonio Santini, his grandson Antonio says: “My grandfather, who I was named after, was a tough man. He knew the Oglio river well—fished it by boat, and as a ferryman, he was well known as a real character. In fact, it was during one of his river crossings that he met the woman of his life: Teresa Mazzi, daughter of farmers from Dovarese Island who had emigrated to Brasil for the coffee harvest.”
Antonio and Teresa get married in 1926, and decide to open up a restaurant together. In the beginning it is a simple tavern, called “Wine and Fish”. Teresa works in the kitchen, Antonio fishes and serves tables. But it’s there, in that intimate union between the river and the fertile plains, that the spirit of the restaurant first emerges, and it is to that origin that the restaurant has always remained true.
In the early days, it is river fish (mostly fried), and Lambrusco (made by Antonio) that comprises the main menu of “Wine and Fish”, which becomes the destination of crowded and festive Sunday outings.
Even today, one of Teresa’s recipes will occasionally show up on the menu, and dishes like baked carp, stewed eel with peas or pike with parsley, anchovies and capers, testify to her strong link with those local roots.