PIETRO CIANCIULLI
June 29, 1932 - August 2, 2022
Pietro Cianciulli, one of Riverside’s Icons for Italian food since 1954, died at the age of 90 with his family at his side at his home on August 2, 2022. Pietro immigrated to the United States all alone at the age of 14 from Italy through Ellis Island where he lived in New York for 10 years. In 1954 he moved to California and started his first business.
Pietro was a dreamer who made his dreams a reality. He opened his first restaurant, Sorrento’s, in 1957 through 1974. Shortly after that he went on to open Pietro’s Italian Cuisine on Brockton Avenue where people would “stand in line around the building” for one of his infamous pizzas. Pietro opened several other restaurants through the years and continued to serve and give back to his community, here in Riverside, for over 50 years.
Pietro was a man who did not sit back and let things happen to him but instead went out there and made things happen. He was hardworking but his favorite times were always with his family and especially with his grandchildren in his later years of life. Pietro’s greatest joy was his family! He loved being a husband but even more a father and a Nonno (grandfather). Pietro was also a passionate lover of animals especially his dogs. Pietro was a generous, loyal, compassionate and a self-made man. He worked hard his entire life and shared whatever he had to help a friend or family member in need expecting nothing in return. Pietro was loved by many and created his legacy here through his infamous recipes (only known to the family) in his cooking and charitable work with St. Catherine’s of Alexandria Church and School and Knights of Columbus right here in Riverside.
Pietro Cianciulli was preceded in death by the love of his life, Carmela Cianciulli. He is survived by his daughter, Lucianna Cianciulli; son, Peter Cianciulli; grandchildren, Bianca, Kathryn, and Dominic; daughter-in-law, Jennifer; nieces, Phyllis, Antonietta, and Angela; nephews, Tony, William, and Anthony and by so many other friends who were like family to him. We will miss you so very much, the echo of your absence is infinitely resounding.
A Rosary and Viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 23 from 4-7pm at Preston and Simons Mortuary in Riverside, California. A Funeral Service will be held at Saint Catherine’s of Alexandria Church in Riverside on Wednesday, August 24 at 11:30am followed by a burial at Olivewood Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that a donation be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in Memory of Pietro Cianciulli. Donations can be made on their website at (https:// act.alz.org/donate), by phone at 800-272-3900 or by mail at the National Processing Center, Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011.