This week, we filmed at Café Cortina, a family-owned Italian restaurant in Farmington Hills, Michigan, that has been serving authentic Northern Italian food since 1976. The Tonon family, Rina and the late Adriano, founded the restaurant on the site of a former apple orchard, inspired by their shared passion for Italian cuisine and hospitality. After 28 years of marriage, Adriano passed away in 1993, leaving the restaurant to Rina and their oldest son, Adrian.

Cafe Cortina was named after an Italian Village, Cortina D’Ampezzo — Rina and Adriano’s favorite place to visit on the weekends. They decided that if they ever owned a restaurant, that’s what they would call it. When interviewing Rina, we could tell that she had a deep love for Adriano, gushing over her “movie star” looking husband who she met when she was 17.

When Adriano passed, everyone thought the restaurant would close, but she says the restaurant and Adriano gave her the strength to carry on.

Café Cortina's kitchen, headed by Chef Ernesto Antopio, features traditional dishes from 150 years ago, presented in a modern way, and offers a garden-to-table experience with a dining table situated in the garden just outside the restaurant. Rina describes Cafe Cortina as a place for romance, memories, and big moments with its roots in family values, community, and authenticity.