Spaghetti & Three Meatballs, Ohio, 1958
Dinner is served! A lovely lady and eight fine gentlemen are dressed for the occasion in plaids, stripes and solids. “Mr. third-from-the-left,” lifting a glass, looks like Archie Bunker. “Mr. Stripes,” on the right, reminds me of Gomer Pyle.
That glossy, saucy, stringy pasta, plated with three balls of meat alongside a chopped iceberg lettuce salad, served in simple wooden bowls, looks more than delicious. Heinz Cocktail Sauce, a jar of mustard, dinner rolls and a twin stack of white bread, to sop up the savory spaghetti sauce, are spinable to within an arm’s reach on the lazy Susan centerpiece. Where is that metallic green shaker of Kraft Parmesan cheese? Rarely, if ever, have I seen a slide where not only do the people match the décor they match the dinner. Just about everything here is one shade of honey blonde.
Frankly, I love spaghetti and meatballs but don’t eat the delicious Italiana- Americana taste treat sensation enough. But when I do I go home to Vince’s Spaghetti, the “Worlds Largest Spaghetti House,” in my hometown of Ontario, California. Vince’s is a major source of hometown pride for me. This homespun and family run roadside Americana institution-of-the-highest-order began as a six-stool open air stand in 1945. The Cuccia Brothers, fresh from Chicago, began serving French dips and fresh squeezed orange juice to make ends meet on their orange grove. Soon Mama Cuccia’s spaghetti made it to the lunch counter and six seats became 450.
I’ll never forget the time when I was a little kid and my family was on our way to Disneyland for my birthday when it began to rain. We turned back. I was VERY disappointed. My dear mother asked me what in the world she could possibly do to make up for this missed trip to Disneyland. My response was “Dinner at Vince’s!” The next thing I knew I was enjoying the most delicious spaghetti in the whole world.
Today, this glorious time warp will have you asking, “what decade am I in?” from the moment you pull into the parking lot. Their 50s Las Vegas-scale neon sign is dazzling and sparkles with joy. They don’t have a waiting room — they have a waiting patio. Vince’s is SO Southern California! I can’t recommend it enough.
The original Vince’s Spaghetti awaits your arrival at 1206 W Holt Blvd, Ontario, CA. Bring a group, you’ll, want to share this spaghetti dinner attraction! FYI, their meatballs cost extra!
Cheers to spaghetti, everything matching, Vince’s, paying extra for meatballs and YOU!
I haven’t been to Vince’s in at least 40 years! My parents used to take the family there.
Now I’ve gotta go to Ontario.
I recall loving their salad dressing…
and the spagetti and meatballs of course.
Are they connected in any way with Vince’s on Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance? I’ve been eating there since I was in diapers (and since they were practically the only establishment along that whole stretch of road). It’s plenty built up now! Yummiest lasagna in the world!
I think Jim’s right! What IS that thing in his pocket???
But what I was going to say was, either Vince’s location is a “way-back machine” treat – Foothill or Holt. ’50′s Ameri-Italian at its best.
The background of today’s picture has to remind you of Clearman’s Northwoods Inn – you must’ve featured that at some point. Oh, those great institutions of yesteryear.
Thanks for making me smile once again!
Yes, is that lil critter n his pocket real?
We’re enjoyed dinners @ Vince’s w/you.
We go often, GREAT PLACE / GREAT FOOD :>
Dar/Rose
Mr. third from the left looks like an older version of the late Jack Cassidy.
P.S. Don’t forget the garlic bread.
Eagle-eyed Charles was obviously distracted this week by his Vince’s reminisces.
What is that item in the pocket of the man leaning forward to the right of the lady? I don’t have very good resolution on the small monitor screen but it looks like some kind of small animal!
OMG Peggy, you just brought back some memories! I had completely forgotten about the Grinder Haven! It was such a wonderful treat when my parents would take us out for “grinders”. They were always SO good. Still have never been to Vince’s. We went past it countless times, but we never ate there. We didn’t have a lot of money when I was young, and my mom insisted that she could feed the whole family spaghetti for the price of just one plate at Vince’s. Someday I’ll be back in the area, and I will HAVE to stop in and finally try them!
I wonder if there’s a place at the table for me. That looks good.
Oh Charles, now I have two choices – when I’m back in Ontario (my hometown too) next week , do I eat at Vince’s or get a pastrami grinder from Grinder Haven? Sadly, I’ll only be there for breakfast so maybe neither choice is best…
Ah! “Back when ‘pasta’ was SPAGHETTI!”
Michael Savage
Thanks Charles!
Vince’s was the best when I was growing up in Ontario & Cucamonga.
Hi Charles!
Just had delicious Vince’s the other night(we should have invited you).The servings are so big that we ate left overs for two more nights!
Eric Shipley
Jim-Charles… I forgot about Vinces Spaghetti House until this slide and your narration, it was delicious. Remember going there with Ann Maurer and Tosha?
I love this picture. It, like so many of the other images in your collection, evoke so many memories from the corners of my mind. Granted, I was only one year of age at the time of this particular postcard, but then the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I lived was somewhat behind the times.
Keep up the good work!
Tom Bridges