Rino Aprea
Owner
Rino’s of Boca
From Italy with Love: How a Restaurateur bridged Brooklyn and Boca with the Motherland
The “American Dream” is alive and well, and Rino Aprea is living it every day. Rino is the son of Italian immigrants Giovanni and Enza Aprea, who settled in Brooklyn, NY, in 1965. Rino often accompanied his father to work (as a line cook) at Angelo’s of Mulberry Street, an iconic Little Italy restaurant. As luck would have it, Giovanni was offered an opportunity to buy Angelo’s—and the seeds of his son’s future were planted.
“As an immigrant, I taught myself to speak English,” explains Rino. In 1988, he became the second-generation restaurateur in his family when he opened Areo in Brooklyn.
“My parents taught me lessons in the kitchen, and the values and respect that shaped my life and future,” he adds. History is repeating itself as Rino’s son, Giovanni, is putting his time into Ponte Vecchio Restaurant in Brooklyn.
When AriZona Beverage Company founder John Ferolito (who had delivered beer and soda to Rino’s father at Angelo’s) and his business partner, Ron Cohen, decided to open a restaurant in Boca Raton, they asked Rino to join them. The area’s beautiful beaches and warm weather were too alluring for him to pass up. Rino’s of Boca, a wonderful new Italian restaurant with favorites like “Pasta in the Foil,” opened in 2023, and reflects Rino’s “winning personality, charm and cooking skills.”
Off-premise and in-house catering, and afternoon and evening parties and events are also offered. Visit Rino’s of Boca today.
Rino’s of Boca
39 S.E. First Ave., Boca Raton, FL 33432
561-244-8282
rinosofboca.com
