There is a balcony you can visit at Casa di Giulietta in Verona, Italy. People gather beneath it every day, drawn by a story that has endured for centuries. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet made Verona stand out as one of the most romantic cities in Italy. The city itself, its history, and its traditions remain closely tied to our family’s origins and serve as inspiration for Giulietta’s.

Our family’s Italian roots can be traced to a pair of star-crossed lovers whose love began in that same romantic village. Adelgise Crivellini was born in 1892 in the Marche region of central Italy. Her family later settled in Verona, where they worked in fashion, crafting garments for Verona’s elite. It was there, among the world of artisans and bustling markets, that Adelgise met Gioacchino “Joe” Sbarbati, a young shepherd from the countryside. Their families, like the Montagues and Capulets, were very different, yet love conquered all, and their story ended not in tragedy but in resilience and devotion.

In 1915, they left Verona and began a new life in America. They carried little, but what they brought mattered. Among those belongings was Adelgise’s mattarello, the wooden rolling pin she used throughout her life. With it, she made lasagna, ravioli, hand-rolled pastas, and pots of slow-cooked sauce. They settled in Norwood, Ohio, on McNeil Street, where Gioacchino tended grapevines in the backyard and made his own red wine, which was always poured when the family sat down to eat.

To honor the story that began in Verona, our family returned to Italy to reunite with the Crivellini family and reconnect with the people, places, and traditions that shaped our heritage. In recent years, great-great-grandsons Anthony and Collin made repeated trips, drawing inspiration from the trattorias of Verona, Bologna, Modena, and Florence, as well as from the Italian American dining rooms of Chicago. Giulietta’s brings together the warmth and authenticity of Italy with the elegant, old-world charm that defines the best Italian American restaurants.

Set in a restored 1884 Italianate building in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, Giulietta’s is designed to honor both heritage and artistry. From the original brick-and-leather seating to arched doorways and a candlelit ambiance, we even recreated Giulietta’s balcony. Every detail is intended to evoke the soul of Italian hospitality.

A love that once united two families is now shared with you at our table.