Boggio’s Parisienne Rotisserie was advertised in the 1928 Denver city directory as an establishment suited “for those who appreciate the refinements in cooking and service.”
It turns out many Denverites appreciated these refinements. The Parisienne Rotisserie opened around 1924, moved from 1721 California Street to 1734 Tremont in 1929, and remained in operation until 1953.
The restaurant’s founder, Natale Boggio, was an immigrant from the northern Italian city of Biella. Born on December 25 in the early 1890s, he was aptly named “Natale”— the Italian word for “Christmas.” According to a ship’s manifest available on Ancestry Library Edition, Natale arrived in New York City on March 7, 1914. In 1916, he married his wife, Louise Camusso, in New York City, and they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where Natale worked as a waiter. The couple and their two young sons likely moved to Denver in late 1920.
The Parisienne Rotisserie was popular with Denver’s high society as well as visiting celebrities like Rock Hudson, Jack Dempsey, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. It boasted a “complete line of domestic wines and Champagne” and served multi-course meals that included hors d'oeuvres like marinated herring, tomato juice, or crabmeat cocktail; entrees such as of Long Island duckling with sage dressing and spiced crabapple or Veal Scaloppine ala Marasala; desserts including pies, Spumoni or grapefruit; and a cheese course with choice of Roquefort, Camembert, Gorgonzola, or Liederkranz.
Natale called himself “the restaurant man with a million friends.” These friends included strangers in need. The Italian Government awarded Natale the Star of Italian Solidarity for sending food and clothing to Italians during World War II.
In late July 1952, Natale Boggio was sued for $112,364 for overcharging restaurant customers on food and drinks. The suit was filed by the director of the Colorado Price Control Enforcement who alleged that Natale had begun selling smaller, lower quality portions at higher prices. The day the suit was reported in the Denver Post, Boggio’s Parisienne Rotisserie enjoyed the best business of its twenty-eight year history and was inundated with phone calls from customers willing to testify on the restaurant’s behalf. In 1953, Natale sold his restaurant to New York City restaurateurs for $100,000 and enjoyed an extended vacation in Colorado and Europe.
Natale returned to the restaurant business in 1965, opening Boggio’s on the Green in Lakewood. Over the course of his career, he was also involved with Chez-Jays in Estes Park, the Orchard Cafe at Elitch Gardens, Boggio’s Cherrlyn, and the Sagebrush Inn. He served as president of the Colorado-Wyoming Restaurant Association and the Colorado Liquor Dispensers Associations, and was a lifelong member of the Elks. Natale Boggio passed away at the Iliff Nursing Care Center in December 1984.
Images of Boggio’s Parisienne Rotisserie appear in DPL’s Digital Collections, and a menu from the restaurant is part of the Menu Collection (WH1509).
Comments
My grandfather loved
My grandfather loved Cadillacs. I never knew him to drive anything different.
I have a souvenir photo of my
I have a souvenir photo of my grandmother’s family at Boggio’s, including my aunt when she was very little, must’ve been taken around 1950. Interestingly the cover says “the world-famous Boggio’s” that lists the address as 1747 Fremont Street (not Tremont) in Denver, Colorado. I guess they had a typo on their souvenir photos?
Quick correction: I’ve
Quick correction: I’ve confirmed with my aunt that she is the little girl in the photo, and it was taken in 1945. The two uniformed men (her much older cousins) were about to go overseas to fly bombers.
I grew up living across the
I grew up living across the street from the Boggios. they also
Had a daughter, Natalie, who was my friend.
They took me to their restaurant to eat many times and I loved riding in their big car that was a convertible that had a windshield in the back seat. They also had the first electric garage door. I can still see him opening it from his car at a pole
In the driveway. Hardly ever saw their sons. One was in the Navy.
My dad Alfred Vincent Boggio
My dad Alfred Vincent Boggio was in the navy during WWII. He served as a Sea Bee. His battalion rebuilt Keneohe air base after the Japanese attack on Hawaii. He went to Okinawa and Tinnian. My dad knew Col Paul Tibbets and was there when the Enola Gay took off.When he came back after the war, my dad went to college at the University of Denver and studied Hotel and Restaurant Management. He did not want to take over the restaurant. He became a manager for American Airlines bar in their club at Stapleton Airport. My dad and I traveled the world. My mom came sometimes, but she was a nursing home and hospital administrator and could not always get away. Was this the house on Birch Street?
Hi Valerie I own one of your…
Hi Valerie
I own one of your grandfather's cars, 1937 Packard with two windshields. I'm trying to get some photos of it in the 40's and was hoping you might remember the car. Maybe you know someone that remembers it as well. Any information would be helpful but it's been a lot of years since it was in your family.
Thanks for anything,
Don C
Hi Bette, I am the current…
Hi Bette,
I am the current owner of the big Packard with the back seat windshield you mentioned in your comment. I am researching all of its history and I'm wondering if you have any pictures of the car in Denver, with or without people! It seems like Mr Boggio was quite the car guy.
Maybe you might have friends that might remember seeing it or photo'ed it. I wonder if Natalie is still with us, I was born in 1948.
Any information will be appreciated, I have one buddy in his 90's who lived in Denver in the 40's and he remembers the restaurant and the big Packard, named Bob Friggins.
Hoping for the best,
Don C
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