"At the Mona Lisa Restaurant in North Beach, Andrea Bocelli croons over the loudspeakers as diners feast on cacio e pepe, lobster ravioli and Neapolitan pizza. The 46-year-old restaurant is a sensory overload: neoclassical statues wearing motorcycle helmets, rainbow chandeliers hanging from the equally colorful ceiling and a massive mural depicting the "Creation of Adam." Every other free inch of wall space is occupied by framed photos of celebrities:"
"As I'm mid-interview with co-owner Maurizio Florese, who grew up in Calabria, Italy, his eyes suddenly dart to the street. Spotting a group of tourists, he shouts to them, "Italiani?" They stop and chat for a while in rapid Italian. Co-owner Filomena Florese, his wife, turns to me. "That's what he does," she says. "That's how people remember us because he's talking to everyone. Even if they don't come in today, they'll come the next day.""
The Mona Lisa Restaurant in North Beach offers theatrical Italian dining with Andrea Bocelli on the speakers, neoclassical statues, rainbow chandeliers and a mural of the "Creation of Adam." Walls are filled with framed celebrity photos and signed posters. Co-owners Maurizio and Filomena Florese run multiple nearby restaurants and interact directly with patrons; Maurizio greets tourists in Italian and serves as a neighborhood mascot. The family owns three North Beach eateries and the Old Clam House. Maurizio emigrated from Calabria at 29. Filomena grew up in San Francisco, helped relatives with food work as a youth, and had a banking career.
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