History & Hollywood

From 1939-2006, Abruzzi’s Café 422 was the cornerstone of the Mahoning Valley’s dining scene. Founded by Guerino Abruzzi, the "Four Twenty-Two" quickly evolved from a local favorite into a legendary destination "on the strip" in Warren, Ohio. Over the decades, our reputation for excellence traveled from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, earning us consistent recognition as one of the top restaurants in the country by the National Restaurant Association.

At Abruzzi’s, the only thing more legendary than our guest list was our menu. We were the Mahoning Valley’s favorite Italian-American crossroads—a place where you can crack into a fresh live lobster or savor a steak sandwich on bread baked right in our kitchen. During the golden era of the 60s and 70s, we were the go-to stop for Hollywood royalty. Icons like Tony Bennett, William Shatner, and Ricardo Montalban traded the red carpet for our dining room. Most famously, Sonny & Cher became part of the Abruzzi family after Sonny fell in love with our signature Hot Peppers in Oil. He obsessed over them so much he had his California office call us for shipments! That’s the Abruzzi way: we treat every guest like a star, and every star like family

"As a family we ate at (Abruzzi’s) 422 countless times, every one of them a treat. We even had our rehearsal dinner down in the basement in 1984. Wow, what a meal. I worked at (Abruzzi’s) 422 in the early to mid-70's and even took a telephone order for peppers from Sonny Bono.

I was stocking the bar when the phone rang, and since no one was around, I took the call. I didn't learn who "Sonny" was until I told Bobby Abruzzi about the order. He said "do you know who that was? That was Sonny Bono!" I subsequently learned he was in town for summer stock at Kenley Players.

Anyway, enjoying the peppers again this past weekend brought back great memories and I just wanted to say thanks."

Bob Adamson

Sonny and Cher loved Abruzzi's Hot Peppers!

The 'Four Twenty-Two' may have changed hands in 2006, but the Abruzzi family legacy lives on in every jar. We realized our community missed the authentic taste of our Hot Peppers in Oil too much to let the recipe retire.

From our humble beginnings at local farmers markets to reaching fans in national grocery chains, we’ve brought the original 'Abruzzi heat' back to your table. Whether you crave the classic original or our newer sweet version, you’re getting a piece of Warren, Ohio history in every bite.

We invite you to taste our history.

Abruzzi's Hot Peppers, LLC

Guerino "Greenie" Abruzzi (1912-1994), founder of Abruzzi's Cafe 422, was an accomplished trumpet player and restaurateur. The trumpet on our label is a tribute to him.

Guerino Abruzzi of Abruzzi's Hot Peppers In Oil