Canino’s Italian Restaurant Celebrates 45 Years in Fort Collins

Barely anything in Fort Collins would be recognizable 45 years ago — the city has changed so much in the last decade alone. But, then there's Canino's Italian Restaurant. The former-frat-house-turned-Italian-restaurant (a local fave) first opened its doors as a family-owned establishment on January 14, 1976, restaurant owner Clyde Canino shared on Facebook. 

'With the overwhelming support from...Fort Collins and the surrounding communities I have been able to thrive this long, ' he wrote.

Canino opened the restaurant at age 22, with the help of his father and brother, and it's known not just because it's been around for nearly half a century now, but because it's 'that Italian restaurant in an old house,' as you enter the heart of Fort Collins' downtown neighborhood.

According to an article from the Coloradoan, the Frank Corbin Home was built in 1905 (photo), and was a residence, a furniture store, a fraternity house and even another restaurant prior to Canino's.  And, because of its age, it's got its quirks (and maybe even ghosts).

Canino is using the anniversary as an opportunity to not just celebrate, but give back to the community that has supported his family.

'As a show of my appreciation I will be donating ten percent of my sales this Friday, January the 15th through Sunday the 17th to the Fort Collins Food Bank,' he wrote in a Facebook post.

You can read the full history of Canino's here.

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