Metro Detroit's Café Cortina Celebrates Half Century with Festive Events.
In a picturesque setting that once was an apple orchard, Rina and Adriano Tonon launched their Italian restaurant, Café Cortina, fifty years ago in 1976. To commemorate this milestone, the eatery is throwing itself a party, with a series of special events planned throughout the year to honor its heritage.
The festivities kicked off on March 16th with "La Notte Di Famiglia," an intimate dinner that brought together guests for a multi-course meal inspired by the original 1976 menu. The evening also featured wine pairings from Vittorio Veneto, the Tonon family's ancestral home in Italy. As part of this event, founder Rina Tonon shared stories about her family and their journey, which will be documented in a special premiere at the dinner.
This "Founders Dinner Series" has more dates lined up for May 29th and November 2nd. Along with this series, Café Cortina will be participating in the Summer Garden Festival in Traverse City from September 17-19. The restaurant is also hosting a collaborative dinner with guest chefs and a black-tie gala as part of its celebrations.
For those interested in learning more about the history behind Café Cortina, the restaurant will have more events lined up throughout the year that celebrate its heritage and legacy.
In a picturesque setting that once was an apple orchard, Rina and Adriano Tonon launched their Italian restaurant, Café Cortina, fifty years ago in 1976. To commemorate this milestone, the eatery is throwing itself a party, with a series of special events planned throughout the year to honor its heritage.
The festivities kicked off on March 16th with "La Notte Di Famiglia," an intimate dinner that brought together guests for a multi-course meal inspired by the original 1976 menu. The evening also featured wine pairings from Vittorio Veneto, the Tonon family's ancestral home in Italy. As part of this event, founder Rina Tonon shared stories about her family and their journey, which will be documented in a special premiere at the dinner.
This "Founders Dinner Series" has more dates lined up for May 29th and November 2nd. Along with this series, Café Cortina will be participating in the Summer Garden Festival in Traverse City from September 17-19. The restaurant is also hosting a collaborative dinner with guest chefs and a black-tie gala as part of its celebrations.
For those interested in learning more about the history behind Café Cortina, the restaurant will have more events lined up throughout the year that celebrate its heritage and legacy.
! 50 years is no joke, you know? It's amazing how Rina and Adriano Tonon have been able to keep the spirit of their Italian restaurant alive and kicking. I love that they're having all these special events to celebrate - it's gonna be a blast! 
I'm definitely gonna try to check out some of these events, especially the wine pairings with Vittorio Veneto 
... and maybe even get to hear Rina share her family's story in person. This is such an awesome way for Café Cortina to connect with its community and honor its heritage.
. And sharing stories about her family's history, that's super intimate 
. As for me, I'm all about the '70s nostalgia - I mean, have you seen the music, fashion, or movies from back then? It's like a whole different world 
. But hey, it's not just about the past; it's also about honoring the people and places that make our communities special 
.
and it got me thinking about my own grandma's old recipe for tiramisu... she used to make it all the time when I was a kid. It's funny, every time I eat it now, it takes me right back to those afternoons at her house. Anyway, back to Café Cortina - 50 years is crazy, that's even older than my parents were when they got married! What's your favorite Italian dish?
You'd think they'd want to change things up or try new things, but instead they're keeping it all old-school and intimate. That dinner event on March 16th sounds like a total blast - wine pairings and all that jazz? I'm down for trying some authentic Italian cuisine.
I'm like so down for this 50th-anniversary bash! It's crazy to think about how far back it goes – 1976 feels like, what, ancient history? 
Anyway, i love that they're keeping the vibe Italian-inspired and making those dinner events with wine pairings sound super fancy 
What's even more cool is that Rina Tonon shared her family stories – that's such a beautiful way to keep their legacy alive 
. I'm also intrigued by this collab dinner thingy... guest chefs? black-tie gala? sounds like some serious party planning 
just heard about Cafe Cortina's 50th anniversary party 
, wine pairings 
. I'd love to try their original 1976 menu 
. And participating in the Summer Garden Festival in Traverse City sounds like a great idea 
. Can't wait to see more events lined up throughout the year 
Rina Tonon seems like a really cool person to have learned more about, sharing stories and all that jazz. It's great that her family is still involved in the restaurant too. 
