Semento's

Alittle History

     
On June 13th 1912, Americo Joseph Semento, at the age of 19, left his hometown in Provincia di Avellino, in the Campania Region of Italy and boarded a boat in Napoli and landed in New York on June 28th. He came to America to join other family members who already made the trip. He settled in Chicago with two of his sisters. As a skilled tailor, he took a job with a men’s clothier. After eight years, he came to Valparaiso and set up his own shop. He attracted professional businessmen by offering special-made suits.

Americo and his wife, Theresa, had bought a piece of property along a main dirt road south of Valparaiso.  By 1926, the Lincoln Highway, now known as U.S. HWY 30, had been completed  and was a premier cross country thoroughfare, and ran right past their property.  So they decided it was a good place to build a restaurant.  And so, Semento’s Napoli Café was built.

Americo Sr. known to many as “Mike” ran the business with his wife for many years. Theresa died in 1973 and Mike went on to run the business with the help of his children.

Mike lived in an apartment in the back of the tavern and opened every morning at 8 a.m. after spending several hours in his garden in the back. Many people still remember coming into the bar and buying vegetables from Mike’s garden that he had displayed behind the bar.

In July of 1987, Mike passed away at the age of 93.  And until that day, he still opened his bar every morning.

From 1987 to 1989, Mike’s youngest son, Dominic, ran the bar.

Then in 1989, Americo Joseph Semento Jr. known to many as “Papa Joe” took over running the business with his son Americo J. Semento III, better known as Joey, and his niece Roxanne. Roxanne left the business a few years later. Many, many customers, young and old, came in daily and nightly just to visit with Papa. If he wasn’t there, they would ask for him. In Dec. of 1999, Papa Joe passed away. 

And now the tavern has been passed down to Joey, and he has the help of his wife, Robin, and his youngest son Anthony. Joey spends most of his days at the bar, taking care of business, and Tony runs things at night.

Joey started catering several years ago and it has become very successful. Every year, local businesses call on Semento’s to have a banquet either at Semento’s or to cater out to another location. Being very flexible is the key.As you can see for 64 years Semento’s Napoli Café has been owned and operated by a Semento, and is one of the oldest family owned businesses in Valparaiso.

So next time your out and about, stop in and check out our menu, or have a cold one.

From our family to yours, thank you for your patronage.