It was 1952, when Giuseppe Critelli (1923 – 1991), known to all as “Peppino u Ciancio”, partisan and former miner in Trentino, coming back to his homeland after a long time, decided to open in via Castello 6 , in a narrow place, a wine retail distribution, where workers were stepping by once they had finished work in order to drink a glass of wine together with some bread, cheese and ham.

Afterwards, he decided to move his activity to a new space, just few meters further, in the so called “via Seggio 1”, where he founded “Osteria Due Mari”.

Although the size of the new Osteria was not so bigger than before, its area was differently structured: there was a terrace, a kitchen corner and the inside area was built on two different floors where it was possible to put tables and chairs. There was, therefore, enough capacity for hosting its client, that were becoming always more and more not only because of the gentle manners and the savoir-fare of Mr. Critelli, but also due to the traditional dishes he was preparing. Even people from Catanzaro started traveling to Tiriolo in order to eat the best “spezzatino”, also known as “morzieddru”. Mr. Critelli has even developed a code, in order to tell his clients when spezzatino was available: he was hanging a pita in front of the main entrance.

Thanks to his beloved wife, Caterina, married in 1958, it was possible to increase the amount of dishes to be offered. It is exactly thanks to her help, that today we are able to taste the amazing flavor of “spaghetti ai fegatini di pollo (spaghetti with chicken livers) ” and “pollo alla diavola”.

With a lot of passion and perseverance, as well as self-denial and efforts too, it seemed like if Critelli´s dream was slowly shaping up and becoming a real restaurant.

It was especially in 1965, that the situation started to change radically. Peppino realized that in front of his osteria, there was a cliff from which it was possible to see both seas, Ionio and Tirreno.

Thanks to the help of the engineer Palmerino Gentile in 1968, it was possible to realise a completely new structure, that allows still nowadays his clients to admire this amazing landscape easily from the windows of the restaurant: on a clear day besides the two seas, it is even possible to spot Eolian Islands and the Stromboli and the Etna volcanoes in all their majesty.

The expansion of the restaurant goes along with the expansion of gastronomy and more and more couple decides to choose Due Mari as location for hosting their wedding feast

It was in 1989 when for the first time the Pizzeria has been opened, expanding the outdoor terrace and the garden.


In 1991 Peppino dies unexpectedly overnight, leaving its beloved local to her wife, her sister-in-law Maria and their children.

In the same year, his older son, Antonio, together with the inseparable wife Antonella, decides to take over his father´s dream (not without difficulty and pain)

It was 2000 when apart from the Restaurant and Pizzeria, also the Residence has been built and launched: an hotel with many rooms and apartments

whose structure will be broadened during 2007 due to the huge requests, by adding other rooms retrieved from rural houses of the old town

And upgraded accordingly to the standards of the Residence.