The Venetian Restaurant

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 11:30am

Alphanso Pecoraro started Venetian Restaurant in the 1920's on Cape Cod, in the town of Yarmouth. As a small restaurant serving dinner without a liquor license, Alphanso's brother Gaeton ( Tiny ) Pecararo took over The Venetian in 1929. He moved the restaurant off Cape Cod to North Weymouth.In 1932, Tiny moved Venetian again to 819 Broad Street, Jackson Square, East Weymouth. With its growing reputation as a family restaurant, Tiny decided to move Venetian down the road to 905 Broad Street, an area known as Commercial Square ( now known as Lower Jackson Square.With one of the first beer and wine licenses in Weymouth, Tiny took on his brother James ( Babe ) Pecararo as a business partner. In addition, their two nephews John and Jim Pica joined The Venetian staff.As the war ended, The Venetian was able to get a full liquor license. The nephews' interest in the restaurant grew and Jim became head cook while John began managing the business for Tiny.In 1940 Venetian moved one last time. Its current location'snext door at 909 Broad Street was once a harness shop. Each move allowed the restaurant to grow its seating capacity and better seve its increasing numbers of customers.Jim married Kay Kendall in 1939 and had two sons Jim and Bill. In 1947, John married Mary Cavallo, a waitress at the time, They had three children, John Jr., Ann Marie, and Greg. In 1950 John bought the Venetian from Tiny. Over the next few years, under new ownership, the restaurant became well-known for its family atmosphere and its traditional Italian dinners.