FORT WAYNE, Ind. (DSFW) — A simmering rivalry in Fort Wayne’s Italian dining scene has boiled over into a full-fledged public feud between two of the city’s most recognizable restaurant families: the long-established Casaburo family of Casa Restaurants and the rapidly expanding Salvatori’s Italian Eatery group.
The Casaburo family, whose restaurant legacy dates back to 1977 when Tom Casaburo co-founded the original Casa restaurant on Coldwater Road, has long been considered a cornerstone of Fort Wayne’s Italian-American dining tradition. Over decades, Casa Restaurants built a loyal following with signature dishes and a family-first approach that has carried into a second generation of ownership.
But in recent months, tensions have escalated as Salvatori’s — a newer but fast-growing player founded in 2006 — continues to expand its footprint across northeast Indiana. With multiple locations and a growing hospitality portfolio that has even absorbed other local establishments, Salvatori’s has quickly become one of the region’s most visible Italian restaurant brands.
According to sources close to the situation, members of the Casaburo family have voiced frustration behind the scenes, accusing Salvatori’s of “watering down” the local Italian restaurant scene and aggressively expanding at the expense of long-standing establishments.
“They’re buying everything in sight,” one individual familiar with the family’s sentiments said. “This isn’t how Fort Wayne’s Italian roots were built.”
In more pointed remarks circulating among local restaurant circles, some in the Casaburo camp have reportedly gone as far as questioning Salvatori’s authenticity — suggesting the group lacks the deep Italian lineage that Casa Restaurants has long promoted as part of its identity.
“They’re not real Italians,” one alleged comment stated. “It’s an insult to the generations that built this cuisine in Fort Wayne.”
However, others in the community suggest the criticism may be rooted more in business realities than cultural disputes.
Casa Restaurants, while still popular, has faced recent challenges — including the closure of one of its locations, which has since been replaced by a Thai buffet. Meanwhile, Salvatori’s continues to grow, with multiple locations and repeated recognition among locals as a top Italian dining option.
“That kind of success is going to ruffle feathers,” said a local hospitality observer. “You’ve got an old guard and a new wave, and they’re colliding.”
Despite the chatter, neither family has issued an official public statement directly addressing the feud.
As Fort Wayne’s dining scene continues to evolve, the clash highlights a broader question facing many mid-sized cities: can legacy restaurant families and fast-growing hospitality groups coexist, or is competition inevitable when tastes — and business models — begin to shift?
We reached out to another local well established restaurant group, the Don Hall’s Family Restaurants for comment on the situation, but representatives declined to weigh in.
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