When it comes to running a successful restaurant, Ron Martignetti says there is only one thing to worry about: “Everything,” he laughs. “That’s how we approach it—everything has to be the very best we know how to do.”
It’s that detail-oriented philosophy, he says, that has allowed the Martignetti Hospitality Group to flourish, even in its first few years in a notoriously tough industry.
After 40 years as a lawyer and with experience in real estate investment and development, Martignetti, along with his sons, John Paul and Mark, made a foray into hospitality with the opening of Italian restaurant Sogno in 2022. The eatery—named after the Italian word for “dream” —features a seasonally rotating menu of authentic dishes from across Italy and a curated wine list in elegantly convivial surroundings. Many of the dishes on offer are adaptations of old family recipes.
The whole experience is an expression of the family’s love for the land of their ancestors, Martignetti says.
“This is how we’re translating our love of Italy and the Italian culture,” he says. “Guests enjoy Italian hospitality, and hopefully they have a wonderful experience and we take them out of their everyday world for a few hours.”
Sogno has been very well received, Martignetti says, quickly earning loyal diners and rave reviews, including from travelers visiting from Italy.
“You want to make sure you impress true Italians,” he says.
The company is following up its successful first act with more ventures into the hospitality world. Sogno at Sea offers chartered cruises off Boston or Cape Ann in a sleek, state-of-the-art yacht (built in Italy, of course), along with custom catering led by the executive chef of Sogno. The Martignettis are also in the midst of redeveloping a waterfront inn next to Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach, transforming it from an old-fashioned motel to a high-end boutique inn.
Though Martignetti Hospitality Group is still a newcomer to the scene, its founder is confident that he has found an approach that is bound to be successful.
“We’re going to do everything—every piece of silverware, every napkin, every piece of artwork—everything we do, we do absolutely first-class,” he says. “That’s our goal.”