Nunzio’s Ristorante was more than a traditional red sauce joint, serving simple Italian-American classics for nearly 50 years to Miami’s western bedroom communities. The strip mall restaurant was a dream for a struggling immigrant family. Nunzio Auricchio left behind a threadbare life in the tiny town of San Giuseppe Vesuviano, where he sold groceries out of the trunk of his car, to start a restaurant where his wife and five children could work and thrive.

It became a South Florida classic. Serving mammoth family-style portions of baked ziti, cannelloni, Parmigianas — with a couple of improvised dishes named after mama and papa — Nunzio’s was a perfect midweek stop for tired families and quiet special occasions.