Former Orofino’s Restaurant owner Michael Orofino will return to Los Angeles August 1 to celebrate the publication of two long-awaited books and reconnect with the community that made the restaurant a local legend.
Nearly a half century after Orofino’s welcomed guests in 1975 from Calabasas, Agoura, Malibu and across Southern California, its story is being told for the first time. Author and former restaurateur Michael Orofino has released two books celebrating the restaurant that became known not only for authentic Italian cuisine but also for the friendships, family traditions, and unforgettable memories created around its tables.
The first book, Orofino’s-The Uncommon Italian Restaurant, is a heartfelt memoir tracing the restaurant’s beginnings, its years serving generations of local, loyal guests, memorable encounters with celebrities and entertainers, the challenges of owning an independent restaurant, and the life lessons learned along the way. The restaurant was also the subject of a memorable newspaper feature exploring reports that the restaurant was haunted —one of the many stories shared in the memoir.
The companion volume, Orofino’s Cookbook, shares many of the restaurant’s most requested recipes, allowing longtime guests—and a new generation of home cooks—to recreate the flavors they remember. “Orofino’s was always about much more than food,” says Orofino. “It was about welcoming people like family. These books are my way of thanking everyone who made those years so special. Many longtime Southern California residents will remember Orofino’s as a gathering place where birthdays, anniversaries, first dates, and family celebrations became lasting memories. For countless guests, the restaurant was part of the fabric of the community.”
The original Orofino’s was located on Las Virgenes Road, where La Paz once stood, and where Hacienda Tapatio is now. Michael Orofino will hold book signings at Hacienda Tapatio, 4505 Las Virgenes Road, on Wednesday, August 29 and Saturday, August 1, starting at 4 pm. The books are also available at amazon.com.
