About Us

It all began on a small family farm in San Giuseppe Jato, Sicily, where as a young boy, Pat Magro and his brothers worked in the fields helping to harvest the family farm.  This was the birth of their hard work, dedication and family values which would contribute to their lives many years later.

In 1973, his parents moved the family to the United States, for a better opportunity. They hoped to build a better future for the family. While searching for a steady income he found part time work on Charlie Digristina farm in Schuyler, NY where he met his future wife Cynthia Digristina.

In 1975, Pat took a job at Remington Arms. Five years later Pat and Cindy were married and started a family.  Pat and Cindy began their education in the pizza business through Pat’s brother Giuseppe “Joe” Magro.  This is what led to the Magro family business legacy in the Mohawk Valley. 

In 1986, the young couple gambled their future and bet on the village of Ilion.  They took all their savings and purchased the former Van Vaukenburg store on Central Avenue. They worked day and night to convert the store into a successful business.  To their credit and with the support of Ilion and the entire Mohawk Valley community, Sorrento Pizzeria was born.

The portions of Italian–American cuisine Sorrento delivered were large, reminiscent of a Sunday night visit to their grandmother’s house, or as they say in Italy, nonna’s casa! The recipes were simple, authentic classics, many of them right from their Italian grandmothers, mothers, and aunts whose ideas of a recipe were a pinch of this and a sprinkle of that. 

Pat & Cindy’s children Francesca, Salvatore and Stefano have followed in the family business. Their hard work, dedication and success led to the next chapter. The Magro’s opened their next location, Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Herkimer, NY. They did not stop there and in 2009 opened their third location Francesca’s Banquets & Catering which hosts weddings and special events.

Pat and Cindy Magro have been serving quality food to the Mohawk Valley or over 30 years, with their children following the traditions for the family restaurant business.

“The secret to our success is to never cut corners. Our approach is to serve all customers as we would our own family with the best food prepared with personal pride. We insist on using only the best ingredients to produce quality food.  We thank the residents of Ilion, the entire Mohawk Valley and of course the surrounding locations, for their support over the past 30 years.