Caffe Trieste Co-Founder Ida Giotta Has Died at Age 101

"One Saturday this past October, at the age of 101, Ida Giotta came out on her birthday to perform at Cafe Trieste once again, singing all of the words to La Vita Tutarosa from memory despite suffering from dementia. It would be her last performance. The Chronicle reports that Caffe Trieste co-founder Ida Giotta has died. She actually passed two days after Thanksgiving, though her memorial services were Tuesday at Washington Square's Saints Peter and Paul Church. She was 101."

"Born in 1924 in Rovinjo di Istria, Italy, Ida met and married 19-year-old fisherman Gianni Giotta in 1940, when she was 15. The two were often refugees bouncing around fascist-occupied Italy before and during World War II. They arrived in the US in 1951 speaking no English, with Gianni finding work as a janitor and window-washer, and Ida as a seamstress. They opened what we now call Caffe Trieste in 1956 with another Italian couple, though it was originally called Il Piccolo Caffe."

Ida Giotta, co-founder of Caffe Trieste, died at 101, passing two days after Thanksgiving. She performed regularly at the cafe's free Saturday afternoon concerts, and her final public performance occurred on her 101st birthday when she sang La Vita Tutarosa from memory despite dementia. Born in 1924 in Rovinjo di Istria, Italy, she married fisherman Gianni Giotta in 1940 at age 15 and endured years as refugees during fascist-occupied Italy and World War II. The couple emigrated to the United States in 1951 speaking no English; Gianni worked as a janitor and window-washer, Ida as a seamstress. They opened the cafe in 1956 with another Italian couple; it was originally called Il Piccolo Caffe. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose voice, kindness, and community presence defined Caffe Trieste.

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