According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. What’s more, Utah has been credited as the most pro-small business state in America, thanks to our state’s pro-business initiatives and support systems. Each month, the Salt Lake Chamber will highlight a small business in Utah to emphasize its importance in our economy and encourage local support.
Every small business begins with an idea, but for Amy and Marco Stevanoni, owners of VENETO Ristorante Italiano, their idea took fifteen years to come to be. “Nothing was really planned. Almost like the way that we met – it was fate,” Amy mused.
The couple met in November 2001, when Marco was an Italian international student at the University of Utah, and Amy was visiting family in Salt Lake City for Thanksgiving. After a year long-distance relationship and many trips to Italy, the couple married. They said they weren’t convinced on staying in Salt Lake City, but Amy had roots here, and it reminded Marco of his home in the mountains north of Verona.
Despite their busy careers – Marco as a professional cross country skier, turned PGA professional, turned nationally-renowned wine importer, and Amy as a highly successful marketer – and raising their two children, the couple always made time to try different restaurants in the state, searching for the experiences they were used to having during their travels. Often turning to hosting family and friends for dinner parties at their home, serving the Northern Italian food Marco had grown up on and receiving glowing reviews.
Eventually, they decided that trying to share their style of dining with other discerning diners would be a risk worth taking, and they opened VENETO Ristorante Italiano in Salt Lake City in July 2016. “We thought, ‘Let’s just create a restaurant we wish we could book a table at,’” Amy said.
Authenticity to Northern Italian cuisine and culture, along with attention to every detail, inform how the restaurant operates. “A dining experience is made out of a great bottle of wine, amazing service and quality ingredients that have the power to transport you,” Marco said. “From the beginning, we decided we wouldn’t cater to the American palate, but instead offer our guests an unapologetically authentic Italian dining experience that transcends the plate,” Amy added. The Stevanonis give every decision at the restaurant weight, from the seasonal menu to the vintage European furniture guests sit at.
Wine has always been a crucial element of dining at VENETO. In response to guests’ requests over the years, the couple launched Club VENETO in January 2023, a one-of-a-kind wine concierge and wine club. Club membership includes exclusive wine selected by Marco every two months, access to members-only dinners, educational content, and the convenience of having Marco and Amy place special orders on the members’ behalf through the Utah Department of Alcohol and Beverage Services, among other benefits.
Community is at the heart of VENETO. The restaurant offers other bespoke experiences, such as winemaker dinners and wine classes. Most recently, they welcomed a sixth-generation cheesemaker from the oldest Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory in the world, sharing with guests a multi-course dinner that showcased Parmigiano-Reggiano from Valserena, Parma, Italia, in various forms. These events are known to always sell out, so if you want to be the first to know, subscribe to the monthly email newsletter to stay informed of future events.
Ultimately, the Stevanonis want VENETO to be known as a place where people can gather to learn about Northern Italy and enjoy doing so. “It’s about building a community of people who not only want to come in and have a great meal, but have shared philosophy and interest,” Marco said.
This focus on community and shared values is what led the husband and wife team to the Salt Lake Chamber. “With the Chamber, we get to be part of a well-respected community, meet with other business owners, and if we’re lucky, share our style of dining with more people who live in and visit Salt Lake City,” Amy said.
To learn more about VENETO, follow @venetoslc, make a reservation by calling 801-359-0708 or book online at venetoslc.com/home.
