Tony Lemmo never thought he’d be in the restaurant business for 20 years when he opened Café di Scala in the Sherman Hill neighborhood of Des Moines. The Italian restaurant took over the former Chat Noir space inside a Victorian mansion built in 1880 that sits on Woodland Avenue on July 29, 2004.
“It’s been an eternity, for sure. I’ve been going through some of my old press things. I really thought I would do this for five years,” Lemmo said ahead of the 20th anniversary of Aposto on July 29. “I just wanted to do my thing, be a rebel, and move on to the next thing.”
Over the years, Lemmo also co-owned Gusto Pizza, Juniper Moon, and El Guapo, all restaurants and bars that closed in the last two years. He wanted to focus on his family and Aposto.
How to get a taste of Aposto dishes from previous menus
Lemmo hosts a party with his chefs and vendors to celebrate the anniversary on July 29…