Gino Fazzari Named 2026 Restaurateur of the Year
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association honored the Milwaukee restaurateur at a ceremony held at Calderone Club.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Dining Out
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association presented Gino Fazzari with the 2026 Restaurateur of the Year Award during a special ceremony at Calderone Club. Danielle Baerwald, owner of Erv's Mug in Oak Creek and the 2025 recipient, passed the traveling trophy to him.
Why it matters
The award recognizes excellence in restaurant operations, industry leadership, and community involvement, and it is chosen by previous recipients. The tradition has celebrated Wisconsin's restaurant leaders for more than five decades.
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association's award has honored state restaurant leaders for more than five decades. Do Good With Food, associated with the honoree's business, has raised nearly $400,000 over seven years for Children's Wisconsin, including $104,000 in 2026.
The players
Wisconsin Restaurant Association
The state trade organization that presents the annual Restaurateur of the Year Award to honor leaders in Wisconsin's restaurant industry.
Gino Fazzari
Milwaukee restaurateur who owns Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana and took over the family business in 1997.
Danielle Baerwald
Owner of Erv's Mug in Oak Creek who received the 2025 Restaurateur of the Year Award and passed the traveling trophy to Fazzari.
The details
Fazzari owns Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana in Milwaukee. His father, Antonio, purchased Milwaukee's Caradaro Club in 1969, Calderone Club opened on the East Side in 1976, and Gino assumed ownership of the family business in 1997.
Timeline
1969: Antonio purchases Milwaukee's Caradaro Club.
1976: Calderone Club opens on the East Side.
1983: Antonio starts the Downtown Calderone Club location.
1997: Gino Fazzari assumes ownership of the family business.
2017: San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana opens.
Season Trajectory
The Wisconsin Restaurant Association's Restaurateur of the Year Award has recognized state restaurant leaders for more than five decades, and each year's recipient selects the next, carrying the traveling trophy forward. Fazzari's recognition continues that chain of peer-selected honorees within Wisconsin's dining community.
Diners in Milwaukee can visit Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana, both owned by Fazzari. The award reflects the community involvement that shapes the restaurants residents can patronize.
The takeaway
Restaurant leadership recognized by peers often reflects consistent work across operations and community life. Readers interested in Milwaukee dining can explore the restaurants this honoree has built over several decades.
Further reading
For more on local restaurant news, explore Dining Out coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by OnMilwaukee.
